Subutex sublingual tablets are not for use as a pain medication.
MISUSE OF OPIOID MEDICINE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
Taking opioid medicine during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.
Fatal side effects can occur if you use opioid medicine with alcohol, or with other drugs that cause drowsiness or slow your breathing.
Before taking this medicine
You should not use Subutex if you are allergic to buprenorphine, or:
if you have used another narcotic drug within the past 4 hours.
To make sure Subutex is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
methadone treatment;
breathing problems, sleep apnea;
abnormal curvature of the spine that affects breathing;
liver disease (especially hepatitis B or C);
kidney disease;
enlarged prostate, urination problems;
a head injury or brain tumor;
alcoholism, hallucinations, mental illness; or
problems with your stomach, gallbladder, adrenal gland, or thyroid.
If you use Subutex while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks.
Buprenorphine can pass into breast milk and may cause drowsiness, and breathing problems in a nursing baby. Ask your doctor about any risk.
Subutex is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
How should I take Subutex sublingual?
Subutex sublingual is usually taken for only at the start of treatment for addiction. Most people are later switched to another medicine that contains this medicine (Bunavail, Sublocade, Suboxone, Zubsolv).
You may receive your first doses of Subutex sublingual in a hospital or clinic setting until your condition improves.
Never share opioid medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. MISUSE CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away opioid medicine is against the law.
Use dry hands when handling the tablet. Place the tablet under your tongue and allow it to dissolve with your mouth closed. Do not chew the tablet or swallow it whole.
If your doctor has prescribed more than 2 tablets per dose, place the correct number of tablets under your tongue at the same time and allow them to dissolve completely.
Do not eat or drink anything until the tablet or film has completely dissolved in your mouth.
You may need frequent blood tests to check your liver function.
If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using Subutex.
Never crush or break a Subutex pill to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein. Doing so could result in death.
Any medical care provider who treats you should know that you are being treated for opioid addiction, and that you are taking Subutex sublingual. Make sure your family members know how to provide this information in case they need to speak for you during an emergency.
Do not stop using Subutex suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using Subutex.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep track of your medicine. Subutex is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
Do not keep leftover opioid medication. Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused medicine down the toilet.
