Tips for Managing Side Effects of Buprenorphine (Sublocade)

Buprenorphine (Sublocade) is a shot you get once a month to help treat moderate to severe opioid use disorder (OUD). But there can be side effects – some less severe and others life-threatening. Here’s what you need to know.

How to Manage More Common Side Effects of Buprenorphine (Sublocade)

Some of the more common, but mild, side effects of buprenorphine include: 

Constipation. Add more fiber to your meals with fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals and breads. It’s good to aim for 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat in a day. Slowly work your way up to this amount to avoid bloating and gas.

You can also exercise more to boost muscle activity in your intestines.

If you need more help, ask your doctor if you can take a laxative or another over-the-counter medicine. 

Nausea and vomiting. There are a few ways to feel better if you feel sick after your buprenorphine shot:

• Eat light and bland foods. 
• Avoid fried, greasy, or sugary foods.
• Drink ice-cold, clear liquids.
• Don’t mix hot and cold foods.
• Eat and drink slower. 
• Eat smaller meals more often instead of large meals further apart.
• Avoid too much activity right after eating.

If you start to throw up:

• Try to rest.
• Drink larger amounts of clear liquids slowly over time.
• Stay away from solid food until you’re done.

In some cases, you might be able to take medication that controls vomiting. Ask your doctor what your options are.

Headache. You can treat most headaches with over-the-counter medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen.

If you want to avoid taking medication, there are a few alternative therapies:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Massage therapy
• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback

Tiredness. While it may be hard to avoid the sleepiness from buprenorphine, you can do a few things to help manage the symptom:

• Eat regular meals to stay energized.
• Move around or exercise to give yourself a pick-me-up.
• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.
• Lower your stress through yoga, time with loved ones, or a calming activity.
• Stay hydrated.

Injection site itching/pain. When you get a buprenorphine shot, you might have a bit of itching or pain around the area. This is usually mild. To help ease the symptom, you can:

• Use over-the-counter pain medicine to lower the pain.
• Place a cold pack over the injection site to lessen itching and pain.

High liver enzymes. Your liver enzyme levels may go up when you’re on buprenorphine. Research suggests this typically happens if you have a history of hepatitis. Talk with your doctor about next steps to monitor and address increased liver enzymes.