Abuse of opiate-based prescription painkillers (Oxycontin,
Vicodin, Percocet, etc.) is on the rise among both adolescents and adults.
These medications can easily cause addiction, and the incidence of accidental
overdose and death is increasing at an alarming rate. Trying to get off of
these drugs can be a difficult journey. When trying to kick the habit, people
experience a myriad of severe withdrawal symptoms that can include nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, sweating, and chills. My patients often say
they “feel like they want to die” when going through withdrawal. While
withdrawal symptoms are severe, they usually pose no medical risk to the
patient. However, due to the severity of the symptoms, many people cannot make
it through withdrawal on their own.
Fortunately, an extremely effective treatment option is
available for opiate addiction. Specially certified doctors can prescribe a
drug called buprenorphine during an office visit to assist the detox process.
Taking buprenorphine allows a person to stop taking opiates without
experiencing withdrawal symptoms. In addition, buprenorphine takes away the
cravings for opiates, blocks the ability to get high on opiates, and is not
fatal on overdose. After
taking buprenorphine for a period of time, a person can taper off of buprenorphine
without experiencing the severe symptoms associated with opiate withdrawal. Additionally,
buprenorphine treatment can be managed in a doctor’s office without the need
for inpatient “rehab”.
There are two approaches for buprenorphine treatment—a quick
detox and maintenance mode. With a quick detox, a person takes buprenorphine
for a short period of time (two weeks to a few months) and then tapers off of
it. With maintenance mode, a person takes a maintenance dose of buprenorphine
for a longer period of time (six months or more) before tapering off of the
drug. I usually recommend the
maintenance mode for my patients, particularly for those people whose drug
habit has lasted longer than a year. Being on a maintenance mode of
buprenorphine affords people the opportunity to make the changes necessary in
their lives to allow them to stay off of drugs. They have the opportunity to
get their work situation and finances in order, repair relationships and regain
trust, get new friends who do not take drugs, and generally learn how to live
without drugs. Once their life is in order, a person can then taper off of buprenorphine
and be well prepared to stay drug-free. I have found that the relapse rate with
a quick detox is much higher because they have not had time to make the changes
necessary to support a drug-free life. Studies have shown that the longer you
take buprenorphine, the greater the chance of maintaining abstinence
permanently.
If you are interested in buprenorphine treatment, you should
contact your primary care doctor. Alternatively, you can visit
www.buprenorphine.samhsa.gov for a listing of doctors authorized to prescribe
buprenorphine in your area. This website will also provide you with more
information about buprenorphine.
You should be aware that there are other treatment options available
for opiate addiction such as Naltrexone, Vivitrol, and Methadone. However, I
generally recommend buprenorphine treatment for most of my patients because it
manages withdrawal symptoms and cravings, it is a relatively easy treatment
plan to follow, and it has a higher success rate.
As I mentioned earlier, it is possible to detox from opiates
on your own without medical assistance. Withdrawal symptoms are severe and
scary, but generally do not pose any medical danger for most people. However,
certain medical conditions (pregnancy, heart problems, etc) can make the
withdrawal process dangerous and may require monitoring or assistance from a
doctor. If you are considering doing this on your own, please consult with your
physician to make sure it is safe for you.
The medication is a true life saver. The Buprenorphine gave me the only real chance to kick my opiate addiction which was the direct result an injury. I have to say though that if you are unsure about the medication or which Dr to use please at least do one session with dr Weiner and then make your decision. I believe you'll find his knowledge and genuine kind and caring demeanor will help you decide to stay in his care. I've seen him for 6 or 7 years and couldn't imagine seeing anyone else ever.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry I didn't see the notification that you had commented on my blog so it was never published. Here it is. I appreciate it.
DeleteI see my comment was removed. I thought that it might inspire someone on the fence to move forward. I guess not. Tom C.
ReplyDeleteSorry, again. See my comment above.
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