Belbuca is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. It’s relatively new, having been approved by the FDA in 2015. By contrast, Suboxone is an older drug, having been on the market since 2002. Aside from being newer than Suboxone, it also functions somewhat differently, with different goals in mind. In this article, we’ll go over the advantages and disadvantages of Belbuca vs Suboxone and tell you what you need to know.
Belbuca vs Suboxone: What’s the Difference?
Both Belbuca and Suboxone contain buprenorphine. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it binds to the same receptors in the brain activated by opioids like heroin or morphine while producing weaker effects than those drugs.
However, the two drugs have slightly different purposes.
Belbuca vs Suboxone – Purposes:
- Belbuca – Prescribed for chronic pain management in clients undergoing opioid addiction treatment.
- Suboxone – Used for controlling opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
The two drugs are also formulated differently. While both drugs contain buprenorphine, Suboxone also contains naloxone. Naloxone is a drug that blocks buprenorphine’s effects if it is injected or taken in some other way than sublingually (under the tongue), as intended. This means the drug is protected against abuse.
The differences don’t stop there. The name Belcuca relates to the term “buccal,” which means having to do with the cheek. Belbuca is a buccal film that dissolves in the cheek, allowing for consistent absorption and, thus, steady pain relief. By contrast, Suboxone is a sublingual tablet, meaning it dissolves under the tongue.
When considering Belbuca vs Suboxone, the key point is that Belbuca is primarily used for chronic pain with buprenorphine alone, while Suboxone is used for opioid addiction treatment with a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Each medication has a distinct purpose, but both are formulated to provide safer alternatives to traditional opioids.
What Is Belbuca?
Belbuca is a partial opioid agonist used to manage chronic pain in individuals who need long-term opioid addiction treatment. Unlike traditional opioids, which were themselves designed for pain relief, Belbuca carries a lower risk of addiction.
One of the main reasons it’s less addictive is due to its ceiling effect – higher doses do not lead to greater effects past a certain point. This limits the risks common to traditional opioids, such as respiratory depression and fatal overdose.
How Does Belbuca Work?
Belbuca works by utilizing buprenorphine, which binds to the brain’s opioid receptors. This activates those receptors, thus quieting cravings and withdrawal symptoms that may otherwise occur.
Because Belbuca is a partial opioid agonist, it only partially stimulates these receptors. It provides some pain relief, and its limited potency avoids the potential for addictive euphoria other opioids bring. It’s taken as a buccal film, meaning it absorbs into the cheek of the user.
What Is Suboxone?
Like Belbuca, Suboxone is an FDA-approved prescription medication for treating opioid addiction. However, unlike that medication, It’s a 4:1 formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone helps individuals recover from opioid dependence by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings while also lowering the risk of misuse.
How Does Suboxone Work?
Suboxone leverages buprenorphine to alleviate cravings and withdrawal symptoms from opioids. It is typically taken as a sublingual film or tablet, meaning it is placed under the tongue to dissolve and be absorbed into the bloodstream.
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Call 866-881-1184Which Medication for Opioid Addiction is Right for Me?
A choice like Belbuca vs Suboxone can be critical to your recovery and is best left to a professional. Only a qualified addiction treatment professional can provide the appropriate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) tailored to your individual needs. If you go to an opioid treatment center, you can find the expert care you need.
What Is Opioid Addiction Treatment Like?
If you or a loved one are seeking treatment for opioid addiction, South Coast Behavioral Health is here to help. The first step in treating addiction is a medical detox. This means using drugs to manage withdrawal symptoms.
Our medical detox program in California is staffed by caring and compassionate professionals who can provide you with medications to manage your withdrawal symptoms.
At South Coast, we take pride in offering care that is closely tailored to specific issues. To that end, we offer gender-specific detox programs, with medical detox for men in Irvine, CA, and medical detox for women in Huntington Beach, CA.
After detoxing, proper treatment can begin.
Looking for quality substance abuse treatment that’s also affordable? South Coast accepts most major insurance providers. Get a free insurance benefits check now.
Check Your CoverageTreatment for substance abuse takes place along an entire spectrum of care. Along that entire spectrum are various behavioral therapies, support groups, and the use of medically-assisted treatment (MAT).
These levels of treatment are, in order, as follows:
Residential Treatment in California
After successfully completing medical detox, you’ll receive inpatient treatment in Orange County, California. There, you’ll receive medically-assisted treatment and dual diagnosis treatment to deal with any cravings or co-occurring mental health issues you may be battling.
We also offer residential treatment facilities in Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Huntington Beach for those who desire gender-specific treatment. There, clients get around-the-clock medical attention and monitoring while living at the institution full-time.
In addition to individual and group counseling and medication management, you’ll also have access to leisure activities and family support services.
Partial Hospitalization in California
Most clients start substance abuse treatment with South Coast in our residential treatment program. After completing that, many desire something that still provides structure and support but with extra space and time to oneself. For that, we offer Partial Hospitalization in Newport Beach.
A step down from inpatient care but with more structure than conventional outpatient programs, partial hospitalization offers a good balance for those looking to ease back into normal life. Clients can receive care five to seven days a week for a number of hours each day, returning back to their homes in the evening.
This way, they can recover without putting their daily lives completely on hold, receiving intense therapeutic interventions like group and individual therapy, skill development, and medication management as necessary.
Intensive Outpatient Treatment in California
For those leaving inpatient residential treatment or partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs (IOP) are yet another gradual step forward on the road to recovery.
With a focus on group therapy, individual counseling, and education, clients undergoing Intensive Outpatient Treatment in Newport Beach can meet three to five days a week. Each session lasts three hours.
This level of care requires the least amount of attendance at a facility.
Get Started Today
If you or a loved one are struggling with the choice between Belbuca and Suboxone, call us at 866-881-1184 or contact us here to get expert guidance. Our highly qualified staff will be happy to help give you an idea of what to expect from your addiction recovery timeline, verify your insurance, and assist with any other questions you may have.
- What are opioids and why are they dangerous? – Mayo Clinic
- label (fda.gov)
- BELBUCA® (buprenorphine buccal film), CIII | What Are Your Treatment Goals?
- Opioids | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
- Opioid Analgesics – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- What is Buprenorphine? Side Effects, Uses, Dose & Risk | SAMHSA