Category Archives: Opiate Withdrawal

Texas Methadone and Opioid Treatment Programs

Posted on March 11, 2011 | Comments Off on Texas Methadone and Opioid Treatment Programs

texas-methadoneTexas is America’s second largest state by size and second in total population figures with just over 25 million people. Adding to Texas’ impressive statistics is the fact that Texas has five of the country’s top 20 largest cities: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth.

The U.S. database of opioid treatment clinics currently lists 81 separate methadone clinics in operation throughout Texas. Many of these methadone program clinics also offer suboxone. This number does not include the individual suboxone-approved physicians in private practice. That number is many times larger. For example, there are 132 suboxone doctors in Houston alone. These numbers offer some indication of the magnitude of America’s opioid abuse problem as well as the ever increasing availability of treatment professionals ready to help.

The diversity of opioid treatment programs is somewhat revealing too with many being private clinics, and others being state-funded or affiliated with area mental health centers or general substance abuse programs. More clinics are based out of the (VA) Veterans Administration Hospital system while some are supported through the research or medical school division of the State University system.

Opioid addiction is a subject of considerable interest to addiction researchers as well as private pharmaceutical companies. That addiction is recognized as a legitimate medical condition lends serious examination, and commitment, to discovering causes of addiction as well as potential treatments.

Texas is a state that has a very well-developed medical research network and general above-average health care delivery system. These characteristics can only help to advance opioid addiction treatment, either directly or indirectly, and perhaps lead more people into medication-assisted addiction recovery.

To browse the Methadone.US Texas page, visit: Texas Methadone Clinics

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Texas Methadone and Opioid Treatment Programs

Posted in Methadone, Methadone Clinics, Methadone Maintenance, Methadone Programs, Methadone Treatment, Opiate Withdrawal, Suboxone, Texas Methadone Clinics

Prescription Monitoring Helps Suboxone and Methadone Treatment

Posted on March 9, 2011 | Comments Off on Prescription Monitoring Helps Suboxone and Methadone Treatment

methadone40Dr. Jana Burson, in her opioid treatment blog, has written two important and interesting entries on the value of prescription monitoring programs (entry 1, entry 2). Prescription monitoring allows approved physicians to review a database listing controlled substances a patient receives (like opioids or benzodiazepines), the prescribing physician, and the pharmacy that filled the prescription.

This information is extremely useful for monitoring patient behavior in opioid treatment and helping to provide a measure of patient accountability. Some patients have a pattern of doctor shopping and abusing prescription medications even after entering opioid treatment. This monitoring program allows doctors to identify doctor shopping activities and to intervene with their patients who may be abusing prescription meds or selling them.

Dr. Burson writes that 42 states have approved a prescription monitoring program, and a majority of them already have the program up and running in their state. One notable exception is the state of Florida. Dr. Burson writes that Florida’s Governor Scott has blocked the implementation of the prescription monitoring program. This is detrimental to identifying & managing prescription abuses across the state. It is reported that Governor Scott has been contacted by other State Governors urging him to reconsider.

Methadone and suboxone treatment programs aim to help their clients change their lifestyle & behavior, and to make choices rooted in healthy recovery. Prescription monitoring enables treatment professionals to assist their clients in examining negative behaviors and correcting them.

Some individuals who doctor shop find themselves in legal trouble and facing possible incarceration. This can derail a client’s opioid treatment, as well as compromise the integrity and reputation of the methadone treatment program trying to serve addicted people. It is much better to identify prescription abuses early on and to intervene quickly.

Prescription monitoring programs are ideal for the safety and security of clients and the welfare of communities. The over-prescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines has become a major problem in the United States, and prescription monitoring is a huge forward step in rectifying this troubling issue.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Prescription Monitoring Helps Suboxone and Methadone Treatment

Posted in Benzodiazepine, Methadone, Methadone Clinics, Methadone Programs, Methadone Safety, Methadone Treatment, Opiate Withdrawal, Prescription Monitoring

Opiate Addiction and Recovery

Posted on February 27, 2011 | Comments Off on Opiate Addiction and Recovery

methadone35With an estimated two million people in America dealing with an opioid problem, finding solutions is obviously important to a great many individuals and families. Drug addiction treatment has been around for many decades as have Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous self-help programs.

Opioid dependency, in particular, can be a very tough addiction to live with due to the powerful physiological addiction (and withdrawal syndrome) that opiate addicts must face. However, people find recovery every day. Or perhaps more accurately said: People choose the path of recovery every day.

Recovery from opiate addiction is entirely possible and always available. Unfortunately, addiction tends to wear people down and sap one's energy. For this and other reasons, individuals will sometimes put off seeking treatment telling themselves "I'll call for help tomorrow." When tomorrow comes, something else seems to inevitably pop up delaying the decision yet another day.

Recovery is literally waiting. It is an open door. And one only needs to decide they are willing to step forward to get the process started. This first step is sometimes a simple phone call, or asking someone to help you find a recovery resource. There is an old saying "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

Recovery represents an investment in the rest of one's life. Waiting for things to change does not work. But you do not have to wait around. Decide to take action, and set the wheels in motion. Your recovery … begins with an honest desire to get help. Do something today. Choose recovery. Make the call. Ask for help. The rest of your life is waiting for you.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Opiate Addiction and Recovery

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Drug Treatment, Methadone, Methadone Programs, Opiate Withdrawal

Methadone Treatment and Recovery Require Scheduling

Posted on February 18, 2011 | Comments Off on Methadone Treatment and Recovery Require Scheduling

methadonecalendarAdmission to a methadone clinic is initially prompted by an individual's daily struggle with opioid withdrawal symptoms and the desire to avoid being sick. To address this problem, new clients arrive each day to receive their medication. The first 1 – 3 months are referred to as the induction period, and center around increasing a client's methadone dosage until the client's opioid withdrawal is effectively eliminated. Regular daily visits to the clinic are critical to this process.

Being a client in a methadone program requires careful attention to program guidelines and expectations. Clients must dose within a specified time frame, keep appointments for counseling, and provide a urine specimen upon request for random drug testing. There are payments for treatment services, and other considerations like participating in pill counts with the nurse, occasional lab work, and "call backs" for take home accountability, etc. 

Some clients find it helpful to keep a personal calendar so as to schedule their activities in advance. Planning ahead & becoming better organized is a highly useful recovery tool. Get into the practice of writing things down. This will lead to more success in meeting daily responsibilities. Not to mention the positive effect of reducing one's stress level. 

The addictive lifestyle often breeds a number of "bad habits". A goal of treatment is to gradually replace bad habits with healthy practices! Time management & scheduling are indeed healthy practices that yield great benefits for recovering individuals. Getting by with minimal effort is a common bad habit that often becomes characteristic of an addictive lifestyle and an addictive mindset. This will need to change … sooner or later.

The old cliche suggests "we get out of it what we put into it." Think about this a bit. Maybe keeping a personal calendar is a good idea for you & a solid investment in managing your recovery. Operating with a schedule in mind doesn't have to be limiting, or a nuisance. It's about being conscious of what's important in your new drug-free life. And being sure you don't shortchange yourself by accidentally forgetting important things. Maybe scheduling would be a good topic for your next counseling session. 

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Methadone Treatment and Recovery Require Scheduling

Posted in Addiction Recovery, Methadone, Methadone Treatment, Opiate Withdrawal

Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

Posted on January 23, 2011 | Comments Off on Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

client77Those not familiar with opiate addiction may not readily grasp what it means to go through opiate withdrawal. For the addicted individual, he or she knows all too well how sick and uncomfortable it feels when withdrawal symptoms begin to surface.

Typical symptoms include diarrhea, muscle aches, cramps, fatigue, chills, runny nose, nausea & vomiting, sweating, shakes, sleeplessness, agitation, and depression. The duration of opiate withdrawal symptoms varies from person to person depending on the type of opiates used, amount, length of time, and method of use.

Some individuals may feel symptoms dissipate after just 1 or 2 days (obviously a preferable scenario). Others may feel withdrawal symptoms for weeks after last opioid use. Continued cravings for opiates may extend well beyond the disappearance of physical withdrawal sickness. This is due in part to structural changes which have occurred in the brain in which additional opiate receptors have been created along with a heightened sensitivity to the absence of opiates.

Cravings, like the other more prominent withdrawal symptoms, tend to fade over time as the body tries to restore an equilibrium. However, drug use urges can be brought on when an individual is exposed to triggers associated with past drug use. There are those opioid dependent persons who seem to never reach a normal equilibrium again, and who may benefit from long term methadone maintenance. This allows them to feel normal, and to achieve a higher level of functioning & comfort. Buprenorphine is now also used for long term maintenance although the vast majority of maintenance cases are achieved through methadone.

Email, RSS Follow
Email
Print

Comments Off on Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

Posted in Methadone, Opiate Addiction, Opiate Withdrawal