Your First MAT Visit: A 3-Part Checklist
Based on SUBOXONE sublingual film prescribing information, FDA label via DailyMed
Considering medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in Charleston? Learn what to expect during your first appointment at Hope Integrative Medicine, including assessment, treatment planning, and next steps.
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Checkups, preventive care and ongoing care for chronic conditions in West Ashley, Charleston. New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment. Schedule an appointment today.
In this guide
What to Bring
- Photo ID and insurance card
- A list of your medicines
- Past treatment records
What to Expect
- A confidential history talk
- Vital signs and an exam
- Possible lab tests
What to Ask
- When to take the first dose
- Which medicine fits you
- How often visits will be
What the guideline says
- Medication-assisted treatment combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat opioid use disorder.
- Bring a photo ID, your insurance card, a list of current medicines, and any records from past substance use treatment, mental health care or pain management to your first visit.
- The first visit includes a confidential talk about your substance use, medical history and mental health, plus a physical exam with vital signs.
- Your provider may order lab tests, such as a drug screen, hepatitis B and C testing, HIV testing and, when it applies, a pregnancy test.
- Buprenorphine can cause precipitated withdrawal if it is taken too soon after full opioids, so your provider gives specific timing guidance based on what you used and when.
- Suboxone induction happens in person at the West Ashley office in Charleston under careful medical supervision, followed by weekly in-person or virtual visits at first.
Source: SUBOXONE sublingual film prescribing information, FDA label via DailyMed
Read the full article: Starting MAT in Charleston: What to Expect in Your First Appointment →
This guide is general health information and does not replace advice from your own provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on your health and risk factors, your provider may order a drug screen, hepatitis B and C testing, HIV testing, a blood count, a metabolic panel and, when it applies, a pregnancy test.
Early in treatment, expect weekly in-person or virtual visits, with close monitoring during the first month. As you stabilize, visits may become less frequent, such as every two weeks and later monthly.
You and your provider decide together. Options discussed include Suboxone, Sublocade, Vivitrol and oral naltrexone, each with its own benefits and considerations.