Does Suboxone cause weight gain or loss?

Weight loss is common during active Suboxone dependence. However, Suboxone abuse is often related to unhealthy lifestyle issues. More on Suboxone and weight loss/gain here.

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Suboxone is an opioid man-made synthetic drugs used in the treatment of opiate addiction and occasionally prescribed for pain relief (more on Suboxone for pain). However, any effects of buprenorphine on weight gain/loss are consistent with the effects of all opioid pain pills. So how does Suboxone affect weight? We review here. Then, we answer your general questions about Suboxone, Suboxone injections, or its use at the end.

Suboxone and weight gain

Opioids are not directly related to weight gain, but the people who abuse opioids, or abuse buprenorphine, often have other aspects of an unhealthy lifestyle, such as lack of exercise and poor food choices.

Suboxone and weight loss

Weight loss is common during active opioid dependence. Opioid intoxication often causes nausea and anorexia. Opioid withdrawal is almost always associated with loss of appetite and weight loss. Additionally, active opioid addiction causes weight loss, but is NOT a healthy way to stay thin!

Normalizing weight on Suboxone

After stabilization on buprenorphine, some people gain weight from the return to a normal appetite. They find that they are the same as people without opioid dependence in needing exercise and dietary changes in order to avoid weight gain.

Suboxone weight questions

Do you will have questions about weight gain or weight loss while taking Suboxone? Please leave your questions in the comments section below. We’ll do our best to respond to you personally and promptly.

About the author
Dr. Jeffrey Junig, MD, PhD is a psychiatrist practicing in northeast Wisconsin, in recovery from opioid dependence. He is Board Certified in both Psychiatry and Anesthesiology and holds a PhD in Neuroscience. He writes about buprenorphine at Suboxone Talk Zone, and manages a forum for patients taking buprenorphine called SuboxForum.
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