Brixadi Injection for Opioid Use Disorder in Fort Lauderdale
Same-day visits are often possible
See us in our Fort Lauderdale office or by video anywhere in Florida. We take Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare and most major insurance plans. Se habla español.
Brixadi is a buprenorphine shot for opioid use disorder. It comes in a weekly version and a monthly version, so you can start with frequent visits and stretch them out once you’re steady.
We give Brixadi at our Fort Lauderdale office to adults with moderate to severe opioid use disorder, as part of our substance use treatment.
What Is Brixadi?
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist. It eases withdrawal and cravings without the highs and lows of full opioids. Brixadi goes just under the skin and slowly releases buprenorphine, so you don’t need daily films or tablets.
What It’s Used For
Moderate to severe opioid use disorder in adults who have started buprenorphine with a single dose under the tongue or are already being treated with it. It works best as part of a full plan that includes counseling and support.
How the Shot Is Given
If you’re new to buprenorphine
You’ll get a small test dose of buprenorphine under the tongue once you have clear signs of withdrawal. If it goes well, you can start weekly Brixadi. During the first week, an extra weekly shot can be added if you need it.
If you’re already on buprenorphine
You can switch straight to weekly or monthly Brixadi. The monthly version is only for people already on buprenorphine.
Where it goes
Under the skin of the buttock, thigh, belly or upper arm. Weekly shots rotate to a new spot each time. Weekly shots can be given up to 2 days before or after the due date, and monthly ones up to a week either way.
Is It Right for Me?
Your provider will ask about breathing or lung problems, sleep apnea, liver disease including hepatitis B or C, heart rhythm problems, head injury, adrenal or thyroid problems, trouble urinating, heavy drinking, depression and every medicine you take. If you’re pregnant or planning to be, tell us. We treat opioid use during pregnancy too.
Side Effects
The most common are pain, redness or itching where the shot went in, headache, constipation, nausea, trouble sleeping and urinary tract infections.
Call us right away or get emergency care if you have:
- Slow, shallow or difficult breathing, or extreme sleepiness
- Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine or pain in the upper right belly
- Signs of withdrawal that don’t settle
- Rash, swelling or trouble breathing
- Swelling, heat, redness or drainage at the injection site
- Chest pain or a changed heartbeat
Important Safety Information
This shot turns into a gel or solid deposit under the skin. Injected into a vein, it can cause serious harm or death. That’s why the FDA only lets it reach patients through a safety program called a REMS. It’s never handed to you to take home. It’s given only by a healthcare provider in a certified setting.
Don’t drink alcohol or use street drugs, sedatives or benzodiazepines unless your provider says it’s OK. Mixing them with buprenorphine can slow your breathing to a dangerous level. In an emergency, make sure family or medical staff know you’re on buprenorphine. We’ll check your liver tests before and during treatment.
If You Miss a Shot
Call us and come in as soon as you can. If you stop treatment, we’ll keep an eye out for withdrawal for several months, because the medicine leaves your body slowly.
Getting Brixadi at One Stop Psychiatry
1. Reach out
Call (754) 270-6322 or request an appointment online. We’re open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. If you already get this shot somewhere else and need a new place to keep it going, tell us when your next one is due so we can try to see you in time.
2. We check your coverage
Our staff verify your insurance, send your intake packet and confirm the time of your visit. Some plans require prior authorization before they’ll cover an injection. Our staff send your insurance company the information it asks for, but the insurance company makes the final decision on coverage.
3. Evaluation
Your provider goes over your history, the medicines you’ve tried, how you’ve done on them and your medical health. We’ll also talk about counseling and support, which work alongside the medicine.
4. Your injection visits
Shots are given by our medical providers at our office at 3015 N Ocean Blvd, Ste C101, Fort Lauderdale. Between shots, many check-ins can happen by video if you’re in Florida.
Common Questions
Is Brixadi weekly or monthly?
Both versions exist. Most people new to buprenorphine start weekly. People already on buprenorphine can go straight to monthly.
Do I have to be in withdrawal to start?
If you’re new to buprenorphine, yes, mild to moderate withdrawal is needed before the first test dose. If you’re already on buprenorphine, no.
How is Brixadi different from Sublocade?
Both are buprenorphine shots under the skin. Brixadi has weekly and monthly options. Sublocade is monthly. Your provider will help you choose.
Can I get Brixadi by telehealth?
The shot has to be given in our office. Some follow-up visits can be by video.
Is my treatment private?
Yes. Your records are protected by privacy law, and we don’t share them without your permission except where the law requires it.
Related Pages
- Sublocade shot
- Vivitrol shot
- Substance use treatment
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- All long-acting injections we give
Insurance and Cost
We take Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana and Optum, and we offer sliding-scale self-pay rates for visits. What you’ll pay for the medicine itself depends on your plan. We check your benefits before your first shot, though your insurance company makes the final call on coverage. More on insurance.
Several of our providers and staff speak Spanish.
We aren’t an emergency service. If you’re thinking about suicide or you’re in crisis, call or text 988. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Andrew C. Rucker, DO, psychiatrist, on October 6, 2026.
Sources: FDA label: Brixadi; MedlinePlus: Buprenorphine Injection. This page is general information, not medical advice.
Who You'll See
Your care is with our team of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Some of them speak Spanish. Our staff can help you choose someone who's a good fit.
Dr. Andrew C. Rucker, DOPsychiatrist
Dr. Murtaza Ali, DOAddiction specialist and family physician
Dr. Heather Brathwaite, PhD, PMHNP-BCPsychiatric nurse practitioner
Michelle KovalPsychiatric nurse practitioner
Neal Fouke, PAPsychiatric physician assistant
Muhammad Nawaz, PMHNP-BCPsychiatric nurse practitionerRequest an Appointment
Tell us how to reach you. Our team calls back the same business day, Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Your appointment is confirmed once staff call you to set the time and place.
Prefer to talk to someone? Call (754) 270-6322.
Our Office
3015 N Ocean Blvd, Ste C101, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308. Phone: (754) 270-6322. Open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Video visits are available anywhere in Florida. Directions and parking.