What is Sublocade injection and how can it change your recovery? If you’re exhausted from the daily grind of taking Suboxone pills – remembering doses, carrying medication, making it last through the month – there’s a better way. Sublocade injection is a once-monthly shot that handles your medication automatically for 30 days straight.
Look, we get it. Recovery is hard enough without having to think about medication every single morning. What if you could get one injection and know you’re covered for the entire month? No daily decisions, no missed doses, no running out at the worst possible moment. That’s exactly what Sublocade injection offers Louisiana families ready to simplify their recovery.
Ready to learn if monthly injections could work for you? At MATS Clinic, we help Louisiana families find the treatment approach that actually fits their real lives. Call us at (225) 468-6287 or schedule your consultation online to explore whether Sublocade injection is right for your recovery.
How Does Sublocade Injection Actually Work?
How can one shot last an entire month? Sublocade injection is basically Suboxone that works differently. Instead of taking buprenorphine pills every day, a healthcare provider injects the medication under your skin once a month. The injection creates a small depot that slowly releases buprenorphine into your system for 30 days.
Think of it like a time-release vitamin, but for addiction treatment. The medication levels in your blood stay steady all month long – no ups and downs, no wondering if you took enough, no worrying about running out.
What makes this different from daily Suboxone? Your blood levels stay consistent instead of fluctuating throughout the day. Clinical studies show Sublocade injection maintains the exact levels needed to block cravings and prevent withdrawal – around 2-3 ng/mL – for the full month.
According to the official Sublocade prescribing information, this steady level provides over 70% occupancy of the brain receptors that control addiction. Translation? You feel stable, cravings stay away, and recovery gets easier.
Can You Actually Get Sublocade Injection?
Who qualifies for monthly injections? Here’s the deal – you can’t just walk in and get Sublocade injection on day one. The FDA requires some steps to keep everyone safe:
Before your first injection:
- You need to have moderate to severe opioid addiction (not just casual use)
- You must take at least one dose of regular buprenorphine to prove you can handle it
- Your provider has to be specially certified to give Sublocade injections
Good news: starting is faster now. As of February 2025, new FDA rules allow rapid initiation. You can get your first Sublocade injection just one hour after taking a 4mg buprenorphine dose, instead of waiting seven days like before.
Why all the requirements? Because giving buprenorphine to someone who’s not ready can cause serious withdrawal symptoms. The one-hour test makes sure your body handles it well before you’re committed to a full month of medication.
At MATS Clinic, we handle all this for you. We’ll do the test dose, monitor your response, and if everything looks good, you can get your first injection the same day.
What Actually Happens When You Get the Injection
Where does the injection go? Your provider will inject Sublocade under your skin in one of these spots:
* Abdomen (most common and usually most comfortable) * Thigh * Buttock * Back of your upper arm
The injection takes just a few minutes, and then you’re done for the month.
Will you feel anything weird? You’ll notice a small bump under your skin where the injection went. Don’t panic – this is completely normal. That bump is your medication depot slowly releasing throughout the month. It’ll gradually shrink as the medicine gets absorbed.
How often do you need to come in? Most people follow this schedule:
* First two months: 300mg injections * Third month and beyond: 100mg monthly injections * Some people: Stay at 300mg if needed for better control
Your second injection can happen as early as one week after your first, which helps you reach stable levels faster.
Why Louisiana Families Choose Sublocade Injection
What’s so great about monthly shots? Our Louisiana patients tell us the benefits go way beyond convenience:
No more morning medication stress. Every day used to start with a choice – take your Suboxone or risk feeling terrible. With Sublocade injection, you wake up knowing you’re already protected. One less thing to worry about when life gets hectic.
Perfect for Louisiana work life. Whether you work offshore, travel for construction jobs, or have unpredictable schedules, monthly injections mean never scrambling to find your medication when you need it most.
Hurricane season peace of mind. When evacuation orders come and you’re packing in a hurry, you don’t have to worry about grabbing pill bottles or rationing medication through the emergency.
Complete privacy. Nobody sees you taking daily medication. No prescription bottles sitting around. No having to explain why you need to take something every morning.
Better results. Clinical studies show people on Sublocade injection were 14 times more likely to stay clean compared to those on placebo. That’s not marketing talk – that’s real data from real people like you.
What About Side Effects?
What should you expect? Most side effects are the same as other buprenorphine medications, plus some injection-specific stuff:
Common side effects: • Constipation (the most common one) • Headache • Nausea or throwing up • Feeling tired • Injection site reactions (pain, itching, redness)
About injection site reactions: About 16% of people get some reaction where the shot was given – usually mild pain, redness, or itching that goes away on its own. Serious problems are rare when the injection is done right by trained providers.
When to call us: Contact MATS Clinic right away if you have severe injection site pain, signs of infection, or any allergic reaction symptoms.
Important safety stuff: Don’t mix Sublocade injection with alcohol, benzos, or other drugs that make you sleepy. This combination can cause serious breathing problems.
At MATS Clinic, we monitor you carefully and make sure you know exactly what to watch for.
Does Sublocade Injection Actually Work?
Show me the proof. The FDA approval study included 504 people with opioid addiction, and the results were clear:
* 28% of people getting Sublocade injection achieved treatment success * Only 2% of people getting fake injections achieved the same success * Both dose levels (300mg and 100mg monthly) worked significantly better than placebo
What counts as “success”? Researchers set a high bar – testing clean for illicit opioids at least 80% of weeks during the entire 6-month study. That means consistently staying clean for nearly half a year.
How does it compare to daily Suboxone? While direct comparisons are limited, the steady blood levels from monthly injection may provide better protection than daily pills, which can fluctuate based on when you take them, what you eat, and other factors.
Research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information confirms that Sublocade injection provides sustained buprenorphine levels that effectively block the rewarding effects of opioids while keeping people in treatment.
How Much Does Sublocade Injection Cost?
Let’s talk real numbers. The injection itself typically costs $1,500-2,000 without insurance – we know that sounds scary. But here’s how MATS Clinic makes it work for Louisiana families:
Our approach: • Office visits: $150/month (same as all our MAT services) • Sublocade injection: We run it through your insurance • Most Louisiana insurance plans cover it significantly • Louisiana Medicaid typically covers the injection completely
Why is it more expensive than pills? Monthly injections require special manufacturing and trained providers to give them safely. But most patients find the convenience and better outcomes worth it – especially when insurance covers most of the cost.
Bottom line: Your total out-of-pocket cost is usually much less than what you were spending on street drugs, and you get professional medical care included.
Is Sublocade Injection Right for You?
Who does best with monthly injections? Based on our experience with Louisiana families, Sublocade injection works especially well if you:
* Struggle to remember daily pills consistently * Work jobs that make daily medication difficult * Want maximum privacy in your recovery * Have stable housing and can make monthly appointments * Are already doing well on 8-24mg of daily Suboxone • Want the strongest protection against relapse available
Who might want to stick with daily pills? Monthly injections might not be the best choice if you:
* Haven’t tried buprenorphine before * Are pregnant or planning pregnancy * Have serious liver problems * Can’t commit to monthly appointments * Like being able to adjust your dose day by day
At MATS Clinic, we’ll help you figure out what works best for your specific situation. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
The Real Story About Starting Sublocade Injection
What happens at MATS Clinic? We’ve streamlined the process to be as simple as possible:
Your first visit: • Meet with one of our Louisiana providers • Talk honestly about your addiction history and what’s not working with current treatment • Take a single 4mg buprenorphine dose • Wait one hour while we make sure you handle it well • If everything looks good, get your first 300mg injection the same day
Follow-up care: • Come back in 1-4 weeks for your second injection • Monthly appointments after that • Ongoing support from our team who actually care about your success
Here’s what makes MATS Clinic different: This isn’t just about giving you an injection and sending you home. You’re joining our comprehensive recovery program that includes peer support, counseling resources, and providers who treat you like family, not a case number.
What Happens to Your Body
How does the injection work inside you? Sublocade injection uses technology that creates a solid depot under your skin when the liquid is injected. This depot slowly dissolves and releases buprenorphine as your body absorbs it over the month.
What about that bump? The small bump you feel contains your medication. As buprenorphine gets released into your system, the depot gradually shrinks and gets naturally absorbed. Nothing permanent stays behind.
How long does it last in your system? Because it’s extended-release, you’ll have detectable buprenorphine for several months after your last injection. This matters for drug interactions and pain management, so always tell any doctor you see that you’re on Sublocade injection.
Ready to Try Monthly Injections?
Look, daily pills work fine for some people. But if you’re tired of the constant medication management, if you want the strongest protection against relapse available, or if you just want to simplify your recovery – Sublocade injection might change everything for you.
At MATS Clinic, we meet you where you are. Whether you’ve been taking Suboxone for years or you’re just starting your recovery journey, we’ll help you figure out if monthly injections make sense for your life.
Don’t wait until your current approach stops working. Call MATS Clinic today at (225) 468-6287 to talk about whether Sublocade injection could give you the stability and freedom you’re looking for.
Or if you prefer, schedule your consultation online. We’re here to help Louisiana families find recovery solutions that actually work in real life – not just on paper.
Your recovery matters. Your family matters. You matter. Let us show you how monthly injections might be the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.
Medical Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Individual treatment results may vary. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any addiction treatment plan. If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
MATS Clinic provides comprehensive addiction treatment including Sublocade injection to families throughout Louisiana. Founded by Todd Bossier in memory of his son Matthew, we believe in your ability to recover and thrive.