Suboxone is a prescription medication doctors use to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). If you're using Suboxone, you might have a history of using drugs like heroin or Vicodin. That drug use history could make your surgery difficult.
People using Suboxone often need higher-than-average doses of medications to control pain after surgery.[1]
As we have learned more about pain management in patients postoperatively on Suboxone, we have found that it is generally safe for patients to continue their Suboxone without interruption in most cases, and add additional pain medications as needed. [2] However, some patients and doctors may be more comfortable temporarily discontinuing the medication during and after surgery and then re-starting once the patient recovers.
The decision to continue or stop Suboxone before surgery largely depends on patient preference, type of surgery, expected recovery time, pain requirements, severity of addiction history, etc.
Determining whether you should stay on your medication or stop it should be a conversation between you and your doctor.[3] You might talk about the following:
Even among Suboxone-prescribing doctors and pain management doctors, there is a debate about how Suboxone should be managed during surgery because every patient responds to pain differently.
Most doctors who prescribe Suboxone recommend patients continue at their normal dose during and after surgery. In particular, this applies to patients who are worried about relapsing without the medication. In that case, additional opioids can be given on top of the patient’s normal Suboxone dose to control post-operative pain.
Many hospitals and surgery centers have special pain management teams to help patients with complex pain needs (like those on Suboxone) manage their pain after surgery. If you are anticipating surgery, talk to your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and opioid prescriber before surgery. Together, you can craft a clear plan for pain management while still maintaining your treatment for OUD.
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