Suboxone vs. Methadone

Submitted by Mark Berman Mon 05/30/2011

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This article looks at Suboxone vs. Methadone for addiction treatment. If you are recovering from a heroin addiction, it is likely that your doctor will prescribe either Suboxone or methadone to help you along.

Methadone is the granddaddy of heroin treatment; Suboxone is the relative new kid on the block, approved for opiate treatment in 2002. But with Suboxone vs. Methadone, which one is better?

The answer to that question about Suboxone vs. Methadone is simple: "neither drug is 'better' than the other," writes the website Addiction-Treatment-Centers.com.

However there are pros and cons with Suboxone vs. Methadone to help you decide which drug to take.

For one thing, doctors can prescribe you enough Suboxone to last you a month. With methadone, you have to travel to a clinic every day for your dose. That can be burdensome for many people.

Suboxone is more popular with new patients, and while many people have had success with it, others say it is not strong enough to take away the withdrawal symptoms that accompany kicking a heroin addiction. These people have found that they have to start with methadone, then taper off and transition to the less-powerful Suboxone.

With Suboxone vs. Methadone, other reasons to choose methadone include cost and availability -- methadone is cheaper than Suboxone and it is also more widely available.

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