

Kratom is sought out as a safe herbal remedy but it is not FDA approved, leaving users at risk each time they use the plant to fight off opioid withdrawal. Suboxone comes to the rescue for opioid use disorders after kratom use because it is approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) as a maintenance treatment for opioid dependence. Many studies have been conducted in which Suboxone was used to treat kratom addiction by softening the withdrawal. Like any drug, the experience of kratom withdrawal differs for every user and the intensity of symptoms depends on a variety of factors such as polysubstance abuse, quantity, consistency of use, and how long the user has been using kratom as a replacement for opioid use. Opioid withdrawal side effects have been known to include nausea, diarrhea, sweating, chills, body aches, tremors, sudden movements, runny nose, watery eyes, sleep disturbances, and emotional issues ranging from anger to anxiety. The unfortunate truth is that the withdrawal symptoms from kratom will feel the same as the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms from opioids. Kratom use is counterintuitive for substance abuse recovery because individuals that replace opioid use with kratom are then at risk for a kratom use disorder (KUD) as well as withdrawal from the KUD. The question then arises: is it safe to take Suboxone and kratom at the same time? Kratom Withdrawal Symptoms Users may then require another drug to rid themselves of their kratom addiction and manage withdrawal – this is where Suboxone reenters the recovery world. Kratom delivers a euphoric effect that is similar to opioids, making it likely that people who use kratom will switch their addiction from opioids to this herbal alternative. An herbal remedy seems like a positive and healthy way to overcome opioid addiction, but with kratom that might not be the case. Over the past 10 years, people have started to use kratom to self-medicate during opioid withdrawal. It works especially well in combating addiction. While kratom has had many holistic health purposes in the past, it has become popular in helping those with substance use disorders to stop using their drug of choice. Indigenous Southwestern Asian populations have found many different purposes for kratom, using the plant as an energy booster, stool regulator, antitussive (cough suppressant), antidiabetic, pain reliever, and intestinal deworming vehicle. The kratom leaves were first used by ancient Asian populations to enhance their daily lives and treat pain. You may be less familiar with kratom, an herbal remedy used to treat opioid addiction.

You may have heard of Suboxone (generically known as buprenorphine/naloxone), a drug used to ease the withdrawal symptoms from opioid addiction. It may seem counterintuitive but certain drugs are used to help people fight addiction and get off other drugs.
