What should I know when I start medication for opioid use disorder?
- Medication for opioid use disorder helps the brain decrease cravings to use opioids (e.g., heroin, fentanyl, prescription opioids), and it decreases the risk of overdose and death.
- It helps people feel normal.
- Each medication works in a different way and has its own risks and benefits. These should be discussed between you, your doctor and care team, and your counselor. Your decisions regarding medications should be respected.
- Treatment and recovery can help improve your relationships and your quality of life.
- You do not need to be in treatment court to receive medication for opioid use disorder. However, your treatment court team may be able to help you access medication for opioid use disorder if you are having difficulty.
- Medication may start before a full assessment is done or while you are waiting to get into treatment court and begin counseling.
- If you are already in treatment court, it is important to inform the counselor or supervision officer before beginning medication for opioid use disorder so that it can be incorporated into your treatment/case management plan. This will also help you avoid receiving a drug testing infraction, because unprescribed use of methadone or buprenorphine is an infraction in treatment court.
- Stopping medication for opioid use disorder quickly leads to opioid craving and may lead to a return to use, overdose, and death.
- Medication for opioid use disorder can save your life.
