The brand-name medication Lucemyra can be a useful part of your opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment plan.[1]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lucemyra in May 2018 to mitigate symptoms you might feel when abruptly quitting opioids.[2] While Lucemyra can’t treat your underlying OUD, it can make withdrawal easier.
Lucemyra (generic name: lofexidine) is used to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms. The medication comes in pill form and requires a prescription. Most people take the pills for about 14 days.
While Lucemyra treats opioid withdrawal symptoms, it does not treat opioid use disorder long term. Lucemyra is neither an opioid agonist nor an opioid antagonist. This means that it’s a completely different type of medication than FDA-approved OUD therapies such as Suboxone, methadone, and naltrexone.
Lofexidine is a non-opioid central alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist that can help to temporarily reduce the unpleasant side effects of opioid withdrawal, including these: [3]
Lucemyra relieves these symptoms by slowing the release of norepinephrine and restoring the brain’s chemical balance. While Lucemyra may not completely treat all withdrawal symptoms, it can ease discomfort.
Any adult who suddenly stops taking opioids may be a candidate for Lucemyra. It can help to relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms.
If you fit this description, talk to your doctor to determine if Lucemyra is right for you.
While Lucemyra is considered safe and effective, it's not the right choice for everyone. Your doctor can help you decide, but you must be honest about your medical history.
Tell your doctor about the following risk factors:[1]
Your doctor may run tests before you start taking Lucemyra to ensure you’re a good candidate.
Typically, withdrawal symptoms are most severe in the first 5 to 7 days following the last use of opioids.[1] It is during this period that patients begin Lucemyra.
Because withdrawal symptoms don’t last long, Lucemyra should only be taken up to 14 days.[1]
Lucemyra only treats the uncomfortable, short-term symptoms of opioid withdrawal, not underlying OUD. Lucemyra is recommended as part of a long-term treatment plan involving a maintenance medication such as buprenorphine/naltrexone (Suboxone).
Lucemyra works best when the medication remains in your system at a constant level. Use your phone to remind you when to take your next pill, or ask someone to give you your pills when they are due.
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it’s close to time for your next dose, take that instead. Never take two doses at the same time.
If you’re not sure whether to take your next dose or skip it, ask your doctor for advice.
Lucemyra does have the potential to cause serious side effects in some patients. These can include the following:
If you experience any of these side effects, call your doctor immediately.
Read all of the documents that come with your pills, and ask your doctor about how to stay safe while you're using your medication.
In general, these are things to avoid while using your medication:[1]
Medications for opioid use disorder are critical tools for individuals struggling with opioids.[4] Research has repeatedly shown the efficacy of this pharmacological component in treatment.
To date, three medications are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat opioid use disorder (OUD): methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone.[5,6,7]
All brand-name OUD prescriptions include one, or a combination, of these three medications. Common medication brand names include Belbuca, Suboxone, Vivitrol, Sublocade and Zubsolv.
Medications like Suboxone can be used temporarily or long term to prevent opioid relapse. Patients on long-term treatment plans have significantly lower rates of relapse.[8] The long-term use of medications for OUD is widely considered safe, effective, and evidence-based.
If you have to suddenly stop taking opioids, whether you have been legitimately taking them with a valid prescription or misusing them, Lucemyra may help to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms. Regardless, the gold standard medications for OUD and withdrawal are still the three FDA-approved medications:
Talk to your doctor about how Lucemyra could help your withdrawal and support your recovery. They can determine whether it’s a good choice for you or if another medication or therapy may work better.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
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