Brixadi® is the first FDA-approved buprenorphine injectable with weekly and monthly doses. Expert addiction medicine specialist Sirisat Khalsa, MD, and the team at Clarity Medical Group may prescribe Brixadi for people with opioid use disorder. You receive comprehensive outpatient care at Clarity Medical Group, where they combine essential medications to control cravings with counseling to support your long-term recovery. To learn more, call the office in Sherman Oaks, California, today or connect online to request an in-person or telehealth appointment.
Brixadi is the brand name of an extended-release injectable form of buprenorphine, a medication that reduces the cravings and withdrawal symptoms caused by opioid use disorder.
Brixadi is made using FluidCrystal® Injection Depot Technology. After injecting the medication under your skin, this innovative technology transforms the fluid into a gel. Then, the gel slowly releases the medication at a steady rate.
The same technology can be deadly if Brixadi is obtained illegally and injected into a vein. The gel would cause a life-threatening clot in your bloodstream.
You may switch to Brixadi if you already use another buprenorphine product. Brixadi allows you to trade a daily medication for the convenience of a weekly or monthly injection. The only tradeoff is that your injection requires an office visit.
Brixadi is formulated to treat moderate to severe opioid use disorder, with weekly and monthly injections available in different doses. But that leads to the question: What does it mean to have moderate or severe opioid use disorder?
Opioid use disorder progresses in stages. You first develop a tolerance when your response to the drug decreases, and you need to take a larger dose to get the same effect.
Moderate opioid use disorder begins when your brain and body get used to having opioids and adjust their normal functioning to include the drugs. This stage causes physical withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking opioids or try to lower the dose.
At the severe stage, you have a full-blown addiction. You can’t control your overwhelming need to take opioids, and they consume your daily life. In addition to having withdrawal symptoms and intense cravings, you may take days off from work, stop meeting your responsibilities, and avoid family and friends.
During its clinical trials, Brixadi caused side effects like mild injection site reactions, headaches, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, insomnia, and urinary tract infections. Of these, temporary GI problems like nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea were the most common.
Your Clarity Medical Group provider learns if you take any other medications. You may not be a good candidate for Brixadi if you take benzodiazepines or drink alcohol.
Call Clarity Medical Group or use online booking to schedule an appointment and learn if you can switch to Brixadi.