www.suboxonedoctor.com - Suboxone Doctor
Posted By Jun - SuboxoneDoctor.com Team on 10/16/2018 in Opioid Treatment

How long is Buprenorphine Detectable in the Urine?

How long is Buprenorphine Detectable in the Urine?

Buprenorphine falls in the category of molecules called partial agonists. In the past twenty years, it has found its utility in treating chronic pain and opioid addiction. Curbing withdrawal symptoms of dangerous drugs like Oxycodone, without inducing euphoric feelings, is its main function. It enables patients to slowly taper off opioids and return to a life of normalcy. It is used in a variety of different forms ― Suboxone, Subutex, and Buprenex, to name a few.

Factors that Affect Buprenorphine’s stay in the Human System

The time Buprenorphine takes to depart one’s system depends on the following factors.

  • Urinary pH
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Genetics
  • Water in the body
  • Liver function
  • Metabolic rate (Fast Vs. slow)
  • Age
  • Dosage of Bupes
  • Frequency of use
  • Time of Intake
  • Interactions with other drugs

How long does Buprenorphine last in the Human System?

Buprenorphine’s effects on the central nervous system are long-lasting. Even under the supervision of a licensed physician, the chances of unwanted reactions remain high.

It is quite easily detectable in urine, blood tests, saliva, and hair. In Suboxone, Buprenorphine is combined with another chemical compound, Naloxone. Both have separate half-lives. Half-life, in layman terms, means the period of time taken for a single dose of the drug to leave the system.

Many people who have to show up for a drug test in the incoming days worry about Suboxone in their systems. Buprenorphine’s stay in your body depends on a number of factors. One of the biggest contributing factors is half-life.

In comparison to other opioids like Morphine, Buprenorphine has a significantly longer elimination half-life. It takes 37 hours for Buprenorphine to become undetectable in your system. Even after the elapse of 37 hours, Buprenorphine doesn’t just vanish into thin air. It is then metabolized into a sub-metabolite by the name of norbuprenorphine. Scientific research hasn’t yet figured out the exact half-life of this metabolite but it’s likely to circulate in your bloodstream for longer than 9 days.

So, if you’re taking Buprenorphine in the form of Suboxone, you should keep in mind the rough ballpark of 2 weeks.

Naloxone, Buprenorphine’s counterpart, isn’t a major concern as it has a short half-life of 30 to 90 minutes.

Will Suboxone Show up on a Standard Urine test?

A number of different drug tests can be used to detect the presence of Buprenorphine.

However, if you’re worried that it will actually show up in a standard drug screening and trigger a false positive for heroin or some other opioid, you’re in the wrong. 

Urine screenings are specifically designed to detect Morphine in the body. While Harmful drugs like Codeine and Heroin are metabolized into Morphine, Suboxone is definitely not.

Buprenorphine is only detectable in a urine drug test within forty minutes of its intake. After that, the test is unable to pick up its presence. 

Note: Before a drug test, you shouldn’t discontinue Suboxone use at any cost. It can have a damaging effect on your recovery.