Before the first injection
The first phase covers evaluation, transition review when needed, benefits confirmation, and medication coordination so the plan is lined up before a treatment slot is used.
The practical workflow usually includes evaluation, review of recent opioid and buprenorphine use, benefits verification, specialty-pharmacy coordination, scheduling of the in-clinic injection, and repeat monthly follow-up. If patients are also working with therapy, psychiatry, primary care, or another addiction clinician, the medication plan can be coordinated instead of treated like a standalone one-off injection visit.
Coverage depends on your exact plan, clinician, location and service. Check participation and expected charges with the clinic and your insurer before booking.
The first, second and maintenance injections have different clinical decisions. Ask for the dates and return plan that apply to you, and contact the team promptly if an appointment may be missed.
An initiation visit can include a supervised transmucosal dose and response observation. An established-treatment visit still reviews symptoms, sedation, substance use and injection-site concerns. Bring the previous injection date rather than describing it only as “last month.”
The label directs that a missed maintenance dose be given as soon as possible. The clinician should decide the next date and whether symptoms or an intervening change need assessment. Do not add oral medicine or wait for another full month without advice.
Discuss travel and interruptions early. Depot medicine can persist for months, and withdrawal may emerge later after discontinuation. A final injection is not the end of follow-up or an assurance of a painless taper.
Sublocade is a long-acting buprenorphine injection for moderate to severe opioid use disorder. A clinician gives it under the skin; you do not take it home or inject it yourself. It can replace the daily task of taking a buprenorphine film or tablet for some patients. The decision also depends on withdrawal risk, your response to buprenorphine, health history and whether you can return for ongoing care.
The evaluation first confirms opioid use disorder and reviews recent fentanyl, heroin, pain-pill, methadone and buprenorphine use. Some patients already taking transmucosal buprenorphine can transition directly. Patients who are new to buprenorphine need a supervised first dose and assessment of tolerability. Pregnancy, liver disease, breathing problems and sedating medicines require an individualized discussion; moderate or severe liver impairment can make this depot unsuitable.
Bring the name and strength of your current product, the last dose, your usual schedule and any gaps. Describe cravings, withdrawal, sedation, substance use and previous overdoses. These details help the clinician distinguish an access problem from a treatment plan that needs to change.
The current label allows starting after a single supervised transmucosal dose when the patient tolerates it. It does not require every patient to spend seven days on daily medication first. The clinician assesses withdrawal before initiation, observes response to the first medicine and monitors symptoms after the injection before deciding that it is safe to leave.
Ask whether the evaluation and injection are separate appointments, which site will administer the medicine and who confirms delivery. Clinical approval, insurance authorization and medication arrival are separate steps. Keep a clinician-directed medication plan in place while those steps are completed.
Follow-up covers cravings, opioid use, constipation or other side effects, injection-site healing and recovery goals. Discuss counseling and practical support that would help you. Agree on a contact route for symptoms between visits and a plan for missed appointments, travel and changes in insurance.
Bring medication containers or a current list, allergies, past treatment records and recent laboratory results if available. Tell the clinician about alcohol, benzodiazepines, sleep medicines and other sedatives. Discuss planned surgery or dental treatment before the injection. Ask how long the first visit may take and whether you need help getting home if you feel sleepy. Do not change your daily medication or timing from an online conversion chart.
Sublocade carries a boxed warning because injection into a vein can cause serious harm or death. Only a healthcare provider administers it through the restricted REMS pathway. Alcohol and other sedatives can increase breathing and overdose risks. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how treatment affects you. Do not rub, cut or try to remove the injection depot. Seek prompt assessment for worsening pain, swelling, drainage or skin breakdown. Call 911 for slow breathing, inability to wake, a seizure or another medical emergency; use available overdose-reversal medicine for a suspected opioid overdose.
Maintenance injections are generally monthly, but the first two visits can follow a different schedule. Tell the team early if cravings or withdrawal return. A missed injection needs a clinician plan, not a borrowed film or an extra opioid. If treatment stops, buprenorphine can remain in the body for a long time, so withdrawal and medication interactions may need monitoring for months. Discuss any wish to taper without assuming that an injection guarantees a painless end to treatment.
Ask for separate estimates for evaluation, medication, administration, testing and follow-up. Confirm the authorization period and the plan if approval or shipment is delayed. Manufacturer support has its own eligibility rules and does not establish your total clinic cost. Confirm the actual administration site before arranging time away from work; confirm that the medicine and injection visit are arranged.
The evaluation first confirms opioid use disorder and reviews recent fentanyl, heroin, pain-pill, methadone and buprenorphine use. Some patients already taking transmucosal buprenorphine can transition directly. Patients who are new to buprenorphine need a supervised first dose and assessment of tolerability. Pregnancy, liver disease, breathing problems and sedating medicines require an individualized discussion; moderate or severe liver impairment can make this depot unsuitable.
Bring the name and strength of your current product, the last dose, your usual schedule and any gaps. Describe cravings, withdrawal, sedation, substance use and previous overdoses. These details help the clinician distinguish an access problem from a treatment plan that needs to change.
The current label allows starting after a single supervised transmucosal dose when the patient tolerates it. It does not require every patient to spend seven days on daily medication first. The clinician assesses withdrawal before initiation, observes response to the first medicine and monitors symptoms after the injection before deciding that it is safe to leave.
Ask whether the evaluation and injection are separate appointments, which site will administer the medicine and who confirms delivery. Clinical approval, insurance authorization and medication arrival are separate steps. Keep a clinician-directed medication plan in place while those steps are completed.
Follow-up covers cravings, opioid use, constipation or other side effects, injection-site healing and recovery goals. Discuss counseling and practical support that would help you. Agree on a contact route for symptoms between visits and a plan for missed appointments, travel and changes in insurance.
Sublocade carries a boxed warning because injection into a vein can cause serious harm or death. Only a healthcare provider administers it through the restricted REMS pathway. Alcohol and other sedatives can increase breathing and overdose risks. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how treatment affects you. Do not rub, cut or try to remove the injection depot. Seek prompt assessment for worsening pain, swelling, drainage or skin breakdown. Call 911 for slow breathing, inability to wake, a seizure or another medical emergency; use available overdose-reversal medicine for a suspected opioid overdose.
Follow-up covers cravings, opioid use, constipation or other side effects, injection-site healing and recovery goals. Discuss counseling and practical support that would help you. Agree on a contact route for symptoms between visits and a plan for missed appointments, travel and changes in insurance.
Maintenance injections are generally monthly, but the first two visits can follow a different schedule. Tell the team early if cravings or withdrawal return. A missed injection needs a clinician plan, not a borrowed film or an extra opioid. If treatment stops, buprenorphine can remain in the body for a long time, so withdrawal and medication interactions may need monitoring for months. Discuss any wish to taper without assuming that an injection guarantees a painless end to treatment.
Ask whether the evaluation and injection are separate appointments, which site will administer the medicine and who confirms delivery. Clinical approval, insurance authorization and medication arrival are separate steps. Keep a clinician-directed medication plan in place while those steps are completed.
Stopping needs an individualized plan. Long-acting buprenorphine can delay withdrawal, and some patients need months of follow-up after the last injection. Forum reports of an easy taper cannot predict your experience. Review cravings, relapse risk and ongoing support before deciding to stop.
No. Coverage approval, medication acquisition and a confirmed administration visit are separate tasks. Ask which step is complete and what remains, and request the total expected costs rather than relying on a medicine-only estimate.
Buprenorphine begins releasing after the injection, but there is no single hour when everyone’s withdrawal and cravings become controlled. The label reports a typical initial blood-level peak about 24 hours after injection and steady state after four to six months. These are drug-level measures, not a promise about symptom relief. The first visit includes supervised buprenorphine assessment when needed and monitoring after the injection. Symptoms should be stable or improving before you leave. Contact the team if withdrawal worsens or cravings persist.
Sublocade is designed for ongoing monthly maintenance treatment. The second injection can be given one week to one month after the first, depending on clinical need. After the first two injections, maintenance doses are given at least 26 days apart. A dose releases medicine gradually, and drug can remain detectable long after the scheduled treatment interval. Do not extend appointments based only on how long the medicine remains in your body. Ask the team for your exact second-dose and maintenance dates.
Injection-site pain or itching can happen, and a small lump may remain for several weeks as the depot releases medicine. Do not rub or massage it. Contact the treatment team for worsening pain, increasing redness or swelling, drainage, or skin breakdown. Serious injection-site reactions have occurred and need assessment. Ask the administering clinician what comfort measures are suitable for you.
There is no maximum recommended duration of Sublocade maintenance treatment. Some people continue indefinitely. The decision depends on how treatment controls withdrawal and cravings, opioid use, side effects, goals and continued access to care. Review it periodically with the prescriber. If you decide to stop, plan follow-up for several months because drug release and withdrawal can be delayed. A fixed number of injections does not guarantee a safe or symptom-free finish.
Yes, withdrawal can occur after stopping Sublocade, and symptoms may start later because buprenorphine leaves the depot slowly. Persistence of medicine does not guarantee a symptom-free taper. Plan discontinuation and follow-up with the prescriber, who will monitor symptoms and decide whether another treatment is needed. Do not add buprenorphine on your own.
The first phase covers evaluation, transition review when needed, benefits confirmation, and medication coordination so the plan is lined up before a treatment slot is used.
Each month is organized around an in-clinic injection visit rather than a retail pickup. That changes how scheduling, symptoms, and next steps are handled.
Patients should choose a location they can keep returning to. Monthly medication only works well when the clinic is actually realistic for repeat follow-up.
Delays, pharmacy timing, benefits changes, or scheduling gaps need active review. The right workflow keeps those issues visible so they can be handled before treatment is disrupted.
Bronx
932 E 174th St, Bronx, NY 10460
A Bronx option for monthly Sublocade follow-up, transition review, and practical medication coordination close to home.
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Queens
37-15 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY 11105
A western Queens location for monthly buprenorphine injection visits, benefits review, and structured addiction medicine follow-up.
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Bronx
2063A Bartow Ave, Bronx, NY 10475
A Bronx site for Sublocade scheduling, pharmacy coordination, and repeat injection care.
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Brooklyn
341 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11216
A central Brooklyn location for monthly injection care with realistic neighborhood access for follow-up.
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Long Island
232 W Old Country Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801
A Long Island option for Sublocade treatment, specialty-pharmacy coordination, and ongoing recovery visits.
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Queens
80-10 Northern Blvd, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
A Queens clinic for transition review, monthly injection planning, and repeat follow-up.
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Queens
90-18 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica, NY 11435
A southeast Queens location for monthly Sublocade visits, benefits review, and addiction medicine support.
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Queens
30-07 36th Ave, Astoria, NY 11106
A workday-friendly Queens site for monthly buprenorphine injection follow-up and practical care coordination.
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Long Island
135 Mineola Blvd, Mineola, NY 11501
A core Long Island location for monthly injection treatment, scheduling, and pharmacy coordination.
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Manhattan
259 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003
A Manhattan option for structured monthly Sublocade follow-up and reliable in-city access.
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Brooklyn
308 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
A Brooklyn location for monthly injection care, transition planning, and repeat follow-up visits.
View local Sublocade care Get directionsThe first question is not just whether someone wants the injection. It is whether recent opioid use, current buprenorphine treatment, and medication tolerance support a safe transition.
Sublocade is not picked up from a standard retail pharmacy. The medication is coordinated through certified handling pathways and administered by a provider in clinic.
The Sublocade family currently covers Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Long Island so the treatment plan does not depend on one hard-to-reach clinic.
Broader MAT visits across the network cover same-day access, bridge planning, fentanyl dependence, and local treatment options.
Daily buprenorphine treatment remains an important option for many patients before or alongside any discussion of longer-acting injectable care.
A separate injectable pathway is available when the question is monthly naltrexone rather than monthly buprenorphine.
Medication comparison separates Suboxone, Sublocade, Vivitrol, and naloxone safety planning so patients can understand which question each one answers.
Buprenorphine guidance explains how daily treatment and longer-acting injection care fit into the broader medication plan.
Telemedicine can support evaluation and follow-up when clinically appropriate, with local locations available when in-person care is needed.
When the immediate issue is how fast someone can be evaluated and started safely, the same-day pathway matters more than the injection discussion.
Short-gap medication questions are handled through the bridge pathway rather than improvised refill assumptions.
Recent fentanyl exposure can change how buprenorphine-based treatment is approached and timed.
Arrange an evaluation to discuss suitable care, preparation and follow-up with a clinician.
See active Sublocade locationsNao Medical provides outpatient addiction care. The first visit can focus on the immediate clinical question and medication planning when relevant. When wanted or clinically recommended, the care plan can also include counseling, recovery support, and closer follow-up. Related information: outpatient addiction care.
Patients who want more support can add counseling, relapse-prevention work, care coordination, and recovery follow-up through the outpatient addiction program.
Coverage depends on your exact plan, clinician, location and service. Check participation and expected charges with the clinic and your insurer before booking. Review addiction-treatment insurance support
Content was updated August 2, 2026 from the cited sources and Nao Medical's current service information. Medical guidance, prescribing information, medication availability, and insurance rules can change. A licensed clinician must confirm current information and determine each patient's eligibility, testing, treatment, administration setting, and follow-up. Call 911 for a medical emergency. Contact Nao Medical with a question or correction.