Suboxone is a well-known drug used for medication-assisted therapy in opiate addiction. It can also help reduce withdrawal symptoms and reduce long-term cravings. It is made from a combination of two active ingredients, namely, Buprenorphine and Naloxone. The medication is available for use in two different forms: strips absorbed under the tongue and oral tablets.
This article will help one identify its formulations, such as N2 and N8 pills and N2 and N4 strips, to ensure that one takes only the right ones prescribed for them.
What Does Suboxone Look Like?
Suboxone is a brand-name prescription drug, thus it is essential to know what Suboxone looks like. It is available in two forms: an oral strip and an oral tablet. The tablets are typically five-sided and orange out of their packaging, while the films are orange and about the same size as breath strips. However, both strips and the tablets are sublingual forms, which means they are absorbed under the tongue as it dissolves.
To answer the question of what does Suboxone look like one would need to identify particular formulations, follow the Suboxone pills identifier guide below with multiple pictures.
This guide indicates the proper imprint names, brand names, and strengths for all the possible variations of the medicine.
Note that, since various companies produce the medication, the shape and imprints of this drug vary, with some being round and others being hexagonal or oval. Thus, the images of different pills found in each paragraph are beneficial.
Suboxone Pill Identifier
What Does Suboxone Look Like? The tablet or pill is an uncoated orange tablet with six sides like a hexagon. It is typically debossed with an alphanumeric word identifying the product and strength. The most common has N8 embossed on it and what looks like a high cross on the other side.
Suboxone Pills
Here is a range of Suboxone pills available in the US from various manufacturers.
Orange N2 Pill
When the pill has an imprint of the N2 logo, it indicates 2 mg of buprenorphine and 0.5 mg of Naloxone. So the 2mg Suboxone orange pill is a low dose that patients might start in their therapy. Hi-Tech Pharmacal Co. Inc usually supplies it. It is about 7.00 mm in size.
Orange N8 Suboxone Pill
An N8 logo imprinted on a six-sided orange pill can be identified as the 8 mg Suboxone pill. That means it contains 8 mg of Buprenorphine and 2 mg of Naloxone. This medication is produced by Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
White B2 Pill
The B2 tablet is also typically white in color and oval in shape. The B2 imprint on it indicates its strength with 2 mg of buprenorphine and 0.5 mg of Naloxone. It has been identified as Subutex 2 mg. It is very similar to the 2mg Suboxone orange pill, but it is 10mm, slightly bigger. Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc. typically supplies it.
White B8 Pill
The B8 imprinted white oval pill and identified as Subutex 8 mg. It contains 8 mg of buprenorphine. Subutex is used in the treatment of chronic pain. Also, Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc. usually supplies it.
Orange 54 375 Pill
The Suboxone pill with 54 375 imprinted on it is usually speckled-peach to peach or orange in color with a round shape with a flat-faced beveled edge. The orange Suboxone pill 54 375 also contains buprenorphine 8 mg and Naloxone 2 mg. This medication is produced by Roxane Laboratories, Inc.
Suboxone Strips Identifier
Suboxone strips are often paper-thin, orange-colored rectangular film. The most common two strengths are identical in length and width. These are the ‘N2’ and ‘N8.’ However, they can easily be differentiated by a white ink imprint of the product strength on each film. Typically, the medication package contains 30 pouches, and each has one strip.
Suboxone Strips
Strips are another popular way of taking Suboxone. Here is a list of them.
Orange N2 Strip
The film with imprint N2 is typically orange and rectangular. It is the Suboxone sublingual strip containing buprenorphine 2 mg and Naloxone 0.5 mg. Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc. usually produces it.
Orange N4 Strip
Similar to the N2 strips, Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc. usually supplies them. These strips are also orange and rectangular with white N4 imprinting. The strength is Buprenorphine 4 mg and Naloxone 1 mg.
Orange N8 Strip
The Suboxone sublingual film 8mg is also a prescription-only strip supplied by Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc. The Suboxone N8 strip has strength based on the 8 mg of buprenorphine and 2 mg of Naloxone it contains. Additionally, the N8 strip is also orange and rectangular with white N8 imprinting.
Orange N12 Strip
The strip with imprint N12 is also orange and rectangular. The strength for these Suboxone strips is buprenorphine 12 mg and Naloxone 3 mg, the highest dose compared with the tablets. This medication is produced by Also, Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc.
What Is the Most Effective Type of Suboxone?
The sublingual strips of the medication have made buprenorphine easier to administer. In addition, medical workers can supervise and deter misuse of the drug, reducing patients’ chances to misuse the medication. Typically, the strips or films dissolve faster under the tongue than sublingual tablets.
Also, the sublingual Suboxone strips will have a lower rate of abuse and misuse than the sublingual tablet because the strips usually stick in the mouth, making it difficult to take them out until fully dissolved; this prevents patients from removing them. Additionally, these strips have higher doses than the pills.
Identifying Suboxone Medication
Besides the popular brand name Suboxone, the medication is also available by these other names: Zubsolv, Cassipa, and Bunavail. However, the latter has been discontinued. However, the generic name often used is simply buprenorphine/naloxone.
Since the question of what does Suboxone look like has been answered, labeled on identifying fakes. Care should be taken when purchasing the medication because of possible imitations. The best advice is to buy the medicine from trusted pharmacies with a prescription. In addition, one should be especially wary of making medical purchases on unknown marketplaces on the internet. The information provided here can help identify fake pills and strips. Although there are many similarities between unoriginal and approved drugs, some measures can help identify the counterfeits.
Some of the following measures that can help to spot counterfeits:
- Look out for dissimilarities in physical appearances such as size, shape, color, and uniformity.
- The counterfeit tablets and strips will have numbers, and imprints are not stamped as deep as the originals.
- The drug pill identifier shows that fakes can have an imprint that is different from the original.
- The packaging usually differs. Check the box for details such as strange fonts, print color, expiry dates, manufacturer ID, batch numbers, and spelling mistakes.
Taking the Medication Safely
Like any other medication, this drug comes in a variety of shapes and strengths. Therefore, it is not advisable to change brands or dosage forms without consulting the doctor or pharmacist.
Usually, it is taken once daily. It should be placed under the tongue for 5 to 10 minutes when taking the medication, allowing it to dissolve completely. Be mindful not to swallow or chew this medication. Avoid self-medicating and always consult with a doctor or pharmacist.
Since the dosage is based on one’s medical condition and response to treatment, the patient should not increase it. Also, the user should not take the medication more frequently or take it for a longer time than prescribed. That could be the gateway to adverse effects, misuse, and abuse, leading to addiction.
A person who is on prescription Suboxone will gradually be weaned off it by a doctor or addiction specialist. Note that Suboxone half-life lasts around 24-48 hours. Therefore, it takes over a week for the drug to no longer be in someone’s system.
Suppose the patient has any addiction problems such as dependence on this medication or relapse to abusing other drugs. In that case, one should not hesitate to seek professional help in treatment from medical professionals in a rehabilitation center.
Key Takeaways
Knowing what does Suboxone look like will prevent one from taking too much of this medication or mistaking similar drugs for it. For instance, most of the tablets and strips are labeled orange and imprinted with numbers or letters. However, it is essential to check the color, shape, dosage strength, pill imprint, manufacturer, and active ingredients besides checking the packaging. Also, it is only recommended that patients take the medicines as prescribed by a Suboxone doctor. Misuse and abuse can lead to addiction, and quitting the drug causes withdrawal symptoms.
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