MAJOR — Use With Caution
DANGEROUS — FDA Black Box Warning; buprenorphine ceiling effect does NOT eliminate risk
Evidence level: STRONG
The FDA warns against combining Suboxone with Xanax — overdose deaths occur even with buprenorphine partial agonist ceiling effect.
FDA Black Box Warning for opioid + benzodiazepine. Though buprenorphine has a ceiling effect on respiratory depression, the combination still significantly increases overdose risk.
Avoid if possible. If patient is on both, prescribers must coordinate. Carry naloxone rescue kit.
FDA BLACK BOX WARNING: Combining benzodiazepines with opioids can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. If both are prescribed, your doctor has determined the benefit outweighs significant risk. Take exactly as prescribed — never take extra doses. Do not drive or operate machinery. Seek emergency help for extreme drowsiness, slow/difficult breathing.
High benzodiazepine doses, concurrent alcohol, early buprenorphine treatment, IV buprenorphine misuse
Excessive sedation, respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, death
FDA Black Box Warning applies. Discuss benzodiazepine taper. Provide naloxone rescue prescription.
Opioid combinations carry serious risks including respiratory depression. Talk to your pain management specialist about non-opioid alternatives: physical therapy, NSAIDs (if appropriate), nerve blocks, or non-sedating supplements like PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) or curcumin for inflammation.
The FDA warns against combining Suboxone with Xanax — overdose deaths occur even with buprenorphine partial agonist ceiling effect.
FDA BLACK BOX WARNING: Combining benzodiazepines with opioids can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. If both are prescribed, your doctor has determined the benefit outweighs significant risk. Take exactly as prescribed — never take extra doses. Do not drive or operate machinery. Seek emergency help for extreme drowsiness, slow/difficult breathing.
Excessive sedation, respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, death
Opioid combinations carry serious risks including respiratory depression. Talk to your pain management specialist about non-opioid alternatives: physical therapy, NSAIDs (if appropriate), nerve blocks, or non-sedating supplements like PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) or curcumin for inflammation.
FDA Black Box Warning applies. Discuss benzodiazepine taper. Provide naloxone rescue prescription.
Or browse the full interaction database (121,000+ pairs).