buprenorphine and Alcohol

Authored by Philippa Gold Edited by Hugh Soames Reviewed by Michael Por, MD
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What happens when you mix buprenorphine and alcohol

Side effects of mixing alcohol and buprenorphine can include

Dizziness
Sluggishness
Drowsiness
Shortness of breath
Itching
Hives
Palpitations
Respiratory Depression
Cardiac Arrest
Coma
Seizures
Death

Interestingly, it is impossible to tell what effect buprenorphine and alcohol will have on an individual due to their own unique genetic make up and tolerance. It is never advisable to mix buprenorphine and alcohol due to the chances of mild, moderate and severe side effects. If you are having an adverse reaction from mixing buprenorphine and Alcohol it’s imperative that you head to your local emergency room.

Alcohol and buprenorphine

Alcohol and buprenorphine creates a that has different effects depending on the dose: many people feel stimulated and strengthened at low doses of alcohol and buprenorphine and even mixing a small amount of buprenorphine and alcohol is not recommended.

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Mixing alcohol and buprenorphine

The primary effect of alcohol is influenced by an increase in the concentration of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which is found in the spinal cord and brain stem, and by a reduction in its effect on neuronal transmitters that are excitatory. When alcohol is combined with buprenorphine this primary effect is exaggerated, increasing the strain on the body with unpredictable results.

Alcohol and buprenorphine affects dopamine levels in the brain, causing the body both mental and physical distress. Larger amounts of buprenorphine and alcohol have a greater adverse effect yet leading medic al recommendation is that smaller does can be just as harmful and there is no way of knowing exactly how buprenorphine and alcohol is going to affect an individual before they take it.

Taking buprenorphine and alcohol together

People who take alcohol and buprenorphine together will experience the effects of both substances. Technically, the specific effects and reactions that occur due to frequent use of buprenorphine and alcohol depend on whether you consume more alcohol in relation to buprenorphine or more buprenorphine in relation to alcohol.

The use of significantly more buprenorphine with alcohol will lead to sedation and lethargy, as well as the synergistic effects resulting from a mixture of the two medications.

People who take both alcohol and buprenorphine may experience effects such as:

reduced motor reflexes from alcohol and buprenorphine
dizziness from alcohol and buprenorphine
nausea and vomiting of the buprenorphine

Some people may also experience more euphoria, depression, irritability or all three. A combination of alcohol and buprenorphine leads to significantly more lethargy which can easily tip over into coma, respiratory depression seizures and death. Be cautious about continuing on with your daily life as a functioning alcoholic as it can disguise some of the more serious health impacts.

Alcohol Vs buprenorphine

Taking buprenorphine in sufficient quantities increases the risk of a heart failure. Additionally, people under the influence of buprenorphine and alcohol may have difficulty forming new memories. With alcohol vs buprenorphine in an individual’s system they become confused and do not understand their environment. Due to the synergistic properties of buprenorphine when mixed with alcohol it can lead to confusion, anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. Chronic use of buprenorphine and alcohol can lead to permanent changes in the brain. Stopping Alcohol Consumption can cause alcohol withdrawals while stopping buprenorphine can also cause withdrawals.

buprenorphine Vs alcohol

Studies investigating the effects of drugs such as buprenorphine and alcohol have shown that the potential for parasomnia (performing tasks in sleep) is dramatically increased when buprenorphine and alcohol are combined. Severe and dangerous side effects can occur when medications are mixed in the system, and sleep disorders are a common side effect of taking alcohol and buprenorphine together.

When a small to medium amount of alcohol is combined with buprenorphine, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can occur. According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) most ER visits and hospitalizations caused by too much alcohol were associated with other substances such as buprenorphine.

buprenorphine and alcohol

Buprenorphine is an opioid used to treat opioid use disorder, acute pain, and chronic pain. It can be used under the tongue (sublingual), in the cheek (buccal), by injection (intravenous and subcutaneous), as a skin patch (transdermal), or as an implant. For opioid use disorder, it is typically started when withdrawal symptoms have begun and for the first two days of treatment under direct observation of a health-care provider. In the United States, the combination formulation of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) is usually prescribed to discourage misuse by injection. Maximum pain relief is generally within an hour with effects up to 24 hours. Buprenorphine affects different types of opioid receptors in different ways. Depending on the type of receptor, it may be an agonist, partial agonist, or antagonist. In the treatment of opioid use disorder buprenorphine is an agonist/antagonist, meaning that it relieves withdrawal symptoms from other opioids and induces some euphoria, but also blocks the ability for many other opioids, including heroin, to cause an effect. Unlike full agonists like heroin or methadone, buprenorphine has a ceiling effect, such that taking more medicine will not increase the effects of the drug.

Side effects may include respiratory depression (decreased breathing), sleepiness, adrenal insufficiency, QT prolongation, low blood pressure, allergic reactions, constipation, and opioid addiction. Among those with a history of seizures, a risk exists of further seizures. Opioid withdrawal following stopping buprenorphine is generally less severe than with other opioids. Whether use during pregnancy is safe is unclear, but use while breastfeeding is probably safe, since the dose the infant receives is 1-2% that of the maternal dose, on a weight basis.

Source

How long after taking buprenorphine can I drink alcohol

To avoid any residual toxicity it is advisable to wait until the buprenorphine has totally cleared your system before drinking alcohol, even in small quantities.

Overdose on buprenorphine and alcohol

Overdose on buprenorphine and alcohol is alarmingly common and can often be fatal. In the case of Overdose on buprenorphine or if you are worried after mixing buprenorphine and alcohol call a first responder or proceed to the nearest Emergency Room immediately.

If you are worried about someone who has taken too much buprenorphine or mixed alcohol with buprenorphine then call a first responder or take them to get immediate medical help. The best place for you or someone you care about in the case of a medical emergency is under medical supervision. Be sure to tell the medical team that there is a mix of buprenorphine and alcohol. The combination of alcohol and buprenorphine increases the likelihood that a person would be transferred to intensive care.

If you take buprenorphine, and also smoke weed or take MDMA, you can research the effects of buprenorphine and weed , buprenorphine and Cocaine as well as buprenorphine and MDMA here.

To find the effects of other drugs and weed refer to our Weed and Other Drugs Index A to L or our Weed and Other Drugs Index M-Z

Or you could find what you are looking for in our Alcohol and Other Drugs index A to L or Alcohol and Other Drugs index M to Z or our MDMA and Other Drugs Index A to L or MDMA and Other Drugs Index M to Z. or Cocaine and Other Drugs index A to L or Cocaine and Other Drugs index M to Z

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If you are drinking too much alcohol it may be worth understanding if you are suffering from alcoholism. If you are please consider reaching out for help.

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buprenorphine and Alcohol

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