REPORT Amber Portwood addicted to Suboxone, using prison to quit cold turkey

On Thursday Teen Mom Amber Portwood shocked an Indiana courtroom when she asked to be sent back to prison to serve out her five-year sentence in lieu of returning to the court drug program. She admitted to the judge that she has never been able to stay clean, even while enrolled in the program, and now TMZ is reporting that the drug she is addicted to is Suboxone.

****Suboxone is used to treat opiate addiction, and contrary to what TMZ reported, it is NOT like morphine. In fact, it blocks the effects of opiates like morphine, heroin, and codeine if used correctly under medical supervision.*****

Sources tell TMZ, “immediately following the reality TV star’s incarceration, her last drug test came back positive for the drug Suboxone.” Law enforcement sources tell the site that she bought the drug off the street while in the drug court program, which leads us to believe that she taking Suboxone outside a controlled medical regimen.

The site has been told “Amber believes prison is the only way to get clean because it will force her to kick the addiction cold turkey.”

Despite this information from TMZ, as we posted below, Suboxone is used to help people treat opiate addictions.

Amber is currently being held awaiting sentencing.

Here is some more information on Suboxone from Drugs.com, part of which suggests “cold turkey” is not a recommended way of breaking a Suboxone addiction:

Suboxone contains a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid medication. Buprenorphine is similar to other opioids such as morphine, codeine, and heroin however, it produces less euphoric (“high”) effects and therefore may be easier to stop taking.

Naloxone( a secondary chemical in Suboxone,) blocks the effects of opioids such as morphine, codeine, and heroin.

If Suboxone is injected, naloxone will block the effects of buprenorphine and lead to withdrawal symptoms in a person with an opioid addiction. When administered under the tongue as directed, naloxone will not affect the actions of buprenorphine.

Suboxone is used to treat opiate addiction.

Suboxone can cause death from overdose, especially if it is injected with a tranquilizer. Use this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor.

Suboxone can cause drug dependence. This means that withdrawal symptoms may occur if you stop using this medication too quickly.Withdrawal symptoms may also occur at the start of treatment due to dependence on another drug. Suboxone is not for occasional (“as needed”) use. Do not stop taking Suboxone without first talking to your doctor. Your doctor may want to gradually reduce the dose to avoid or minimize withdrawal symptoms.

Once again, we wish the best for Amber as well as her daughter Leah, Gary Shirley, and her family. Although it is a heart-breaking thing to see someone willingly serve out a lengthy prison sentence because they feel helpless breaking a drug addiction, perhaps being in a strictly controlled environment will be able to help Amber be strong enough to finally put drug abuse in her past.