Long-acting buprenorphine formulations — the Probuphine implant and monthly injections like Sublocade or Brixadi — release medication steadily over weeks, which changes what “stopping” actually looks like compared to daily tablets or film.
Why this is different: Because these formulations create a depot of medication that releases gradually, discontinuation doesn’t produce an abrupt drop the way stopping a daily dose would — instead, blood levels decline slowly over weeks after the last dose or implant removal.
What this means for withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms, if they occur after stopping, tend to have a delayed onset and a very gradual, extended tail — sometimes harder to recognize as withdrawal because it doesn’t match the more familiar pattern of daily-dose discontinuation.
What this means practically: If you’re considering stopping a long-acting formulation, discuss the specific tapering or monitoring plan with your prescriber — the depot nature of these products means the process looks different from stopping a daily tablet, and general withdrawal timelines elsewhere on this site won’t map directly onto it.
Medically reviewed by [pending]. Sources: FDA prescribing information for Probuphine, Sublocade, and Brixadi.