While all three medications contain buprenorphine, Suboxone® is a daily sublingual film, whereas Sublocade® and Brixadi® are extended-release subcutaneous injections administered weekly or monthly by a medical provider.

• Suboxone® (Film/Tablet): Self-administered daily at home. Contains naloxone to deter misuse via injection.
• Sublocade® (Monthly Injection): Formulated as a high-viscosity liquid that forms a solid depot under the skin, releasing buprenorphine continuously over 30 days.
• Brixadi® (Weekly/Monthly Injection): Offers flexible dosing (weekly or monthly) with a smaller volume injection and no cold-chain storage requirements, allowing immediate clinical administration.

No. Ideal Option is an outpatient medical clinic and does NOT dispense methadone.

Methadone for addiction treatment can only be dispensed through federally licensed Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) with daily clinic visits. Ideal Option specializes in office-based MAT using buprenorphine and naltrexone, which patients can pick up at retail pharmacies or receive via clinic-administered injections.

Evidence & Authoritative Reference: According to SAMHSA, buprenorphine can be prescribed in standard outpatient medical settings under federal law, offering patients greater independence compared to traditional methadone programs (SAMHSA Buprenorphine Regulations).

Ideal Option prescribes FDA-approved non-addictive medications for Alcohol Use Disorder, including Extended-Release Naltrexone (Vivitrol®), Oral Naltrexone, Acamprosate (Campral®), and Disulfiram (Antabuse®).

These medications target different neurochemical pathways to eliminate urges, restore brain balance, or deter alcohol consumption:

• Naltrexone / Vivitrol®: Blocks endorphin receptors to eliminate the rewarding "high" of drinking and diminish alcohol cravings.
• Acamprosate: Normalizes glutamate and GABA brain signaling disrupted by chronic alcohol exposure, supporting long-term abstinence.
• Disulfiram: Produces immediate physical sensitivity to alcohol (nausea, flushing) to prevent drinking behavior.

Evidence & Authoritative Reference: Clinical reviews by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NIAAA show that Naltrexone and Acamprosate are first-line pharmacological treatments that significantly increase continuous abstinence and reduce heavy drinking days (NIH Core Resource on Alcohol Medications).

Yes. Ideal Option utilizes an evidence-based combination therapy of Injectable Naltrexone (Vivitrol®) plus oral Bupropion (Wellbutrin®) to treat Methamphetamine Use Disorder.

Although there is currently no single medication explicitly FDA-approved for stimulant addiction, this dual-medication protocol is supported by clinical trials and medical consensus.

Evidence & Authoritative Reference: A landmark clinical trial supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and NIH (published in the New England Journal of Medicine) demonstrated that combining extended-release naltrexone with bupropion significantly reduces methamphetamine cravings and use in adults (NIH ADAPT-2 Study Findings).

Prescriptions are managed during scheduled follow-up visits and electronically transmitted directly to your designated retail or specialty pharmacy.

To ensure safety and continuous care:

• Refills align with your clinical stabilization plan (weekly during early recovery, progressing to monthly once stable).
• Unscheduled or emergency refill requests require contacting patient support at 1-877-522-1275.
• Routine toxicology testing is conducted to monitor medication adherence and safety.

No. Ideal Option providers do NOT prescribe controlled substances for pain, narcotics, or addictive sedatives (such as benzodiazepines or opioids for pain management).

Ideal Option focuses exclusively on non-addictive or partial-agonist medications designed to treat addiction safely without producing euphoric intoxication.

Everyone responds to medication differently, but most patients experience little to no side effects. Side effects also differ depending on the medication you are prescribed, and your provider and/or pharmacist will discuss them with you.

Precipitated withdrawal is common when opioid users take a full dose of buprenorphine too soon after their last use of opioids. Ideal Option's low dose and high dose initiation protocols are designed to prevent precipitated withdrawal for patients who cannot abstain from opioids long enough to follow a conventional dosing program.

Buprenorphine binds to and partially activates opioid receptors. This partial activation means it is less likely to cause dangerous side effects and/or the euphoria that is caused by opioids that fully activate opioid receptors.  Buprenorphine activates these receptors just enough to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and prevent cravings, which helps people feel normal.

Methadone binds to and fully activates opioid receptors. This full activation means it is more dangerous and more likely to cause euphoria. However, there are many patients who are good candidates for methadone, such as extremely heavy opioid users. It is important to also understand that buprenorphine is typically a prescribed medication that is picked up at a pharmacy whereas methadone is often dispensed in daily doses from a clinic.

Yes, Ideal Option can help methadone patients transition safely to buprenorphine (Suboxone).

How long you stay on medication-assisted treatment is dependent on your unique situation and history of drug use. While some of our patients can taper off their medication and maintain a stable long-term recovery, others find they need to stay on medication indefinitely. Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain that is treatable, but unfortunately, not curable. Just as many people with diabetes will need insulin for the rest of their lives, many people with substance use disorder will need medication for the rest of their lives as well.

Your provider will discuss a discontinuation plan with you and help you through the process for your safety. The process involves reducing the daily sublingual dose by no more than 10% per and holding that dose for at least two weeks to allow for adaptation. When ready to completely discontinue, a short course of opioid withdrawal medications can be provided, and follow-up visits will be scheduled to assess stability and risk of return to opioid use.