Hope Integrative Medicine · Care, step by step
Opioid Use Disorder Treatment, Step by Step
Medication, counseling and regular follow-up: an in-person start in West Ashley, then hybrid in-person and virtual care.
What treatment looks like
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Request an appointment
New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment. Send the form or call; our front desk can check your insurance before your first visit.
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In-person assessment and induction in West Ashley
Your first visit is a full in-person evaluation in our West Ashley office. Buprenorphine is begun there (induction), with a film or tablet under the tongue, once withdrawal signs appear.
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Weekly visits, in person or virtual
Visits are weekly at first. Every visit includes a withdrawal check (SOWS), a urine drug test with confirmatory testing when needed, and screening for depression and anxiety. A urinalysis is added when needed.
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Monthly counseling
Monthly counseling runs alongside your medication visits throughout treatment.
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A monthly schedule once stable
Once things are steady, visits move to a monthly schedule. If problems come up, visits become more frequent again until things are steady. Each plan is tailored to the patient and their situation.
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Option: a long-acting injection
People on a steady daily dose can switch to a weekly or monthly injection, Sublocade or Brixadi, given in our office. Insurance plans often require prior authorization first.
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Option: taper when you are ready
There is no set time limit for treatment. Some people choose to taper off; a taper is slow, usually over several months, with close follow-up.
Ready for the first step?
New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment.
What every visit includes
- Withdrawal checkThe Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS)
- Urine drug testPoint-of-care or at a local lab, confirmed when needed
- UrinalysisWhen needed, to check for urinary retention or infection
- Mood screeningDepression and anxiety, at every visit
- Monthly counselingAlongside your medication visits
- Medication reviewYour dose, side effects and goals
Safety: At a stable prescribed dose, buprenorphine does not cause a high, and its overdose risk is much lower than illicit opioids. It can still be dangerous with alcohol, benzodiazepines or other sedatives, and it must be locked away from children.
Sources: ASAM National Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, 2020 Focused Update (executive summary); ASAM: Appropriate Use of Drug Testing in Clinical Addiction Medicine; DailyMed: Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) sublingual film label.
Medications, one page each
What each medication is, how it is taken and what to expect at your visits.
Common Questions
With an in-person assessment in our West Ashley office, where buprenorphine is begun. After that, care is hybrid in-person and virtual, with local labs for urine drug screens and periodic vitals checks.
Treatment typically begins with an in-person assessment, followed by weekly in-person or virtual visits before moving to a monthly schedule. Each plan is tailored to the patient and their situation. If problems come up, visits become more frequent again until things are steady.
Often, yes. People on a steady daily dose of buprenorphine can be switched to a long-acting injection such as Sublocade or Brixadi. Insurance plans often require prior authorization first.
There is no set time limit for buprenorphine treatment. Some people stay on it long term; others choose to taper off. A taper is slow, usually over several months, with close follow-up, and you decide on it together with your provider.
Yes. Medication works best as part of a complete plan, so monthly counseling runs alongside your medication visits.
Read the full guide to opioid use disorder treatment
This article is general information, not medical advice, and does not create a patient–provider relationship. Every situation is different, so see a provider who can evaluate yours and develop a plan of care. Any medication discussed here may not be right for you: the right choice depends on your diagnoses, other health conditions and current medicines, so take medication only as directed by the provider managing your care. If you are ever in doubt about an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.