Category Archives: Prescription Drugs

How Bad Is Opioid Withdrawal

There is an informative video by Sarah Wakeman on the physical and psychological perils of severe opioid withdrawal. Sarah is a Medical Director at Mass General Brigham. They are an integrated health care system that conduct medical research, teaching, and patient care.

In the video, Sarah explains how opioid withdrawal can become so severe with diarrhea and vomiting that individuals can die from extensive dehydration. As physicial dependency progresses, the brain becomes increasingly imbalanced and unable to function without the presence of opioids.

When opioid withdrawal commences (usually 8-12 hours after last use), it becomes increasingly unbearable as the body is flushed with stress hormones. The withdrawal discomfort builds in intensity over days, and can last up to a week or more. For many, this withdrawal process feels akin to a severe case of the flu, but then potentially reaches levels of sickness even far beyond that.

In the video, Sarah goes on to discuss the benefits of methadone and buprenorphine in reducing severe withdrawal symptoms and in helping patients to ultimately not die from overdose. She also illuminates on how rational decision-making is so extremely difficult when struggling against the intense pain of opioid withdrawal.

Please check this video out, and share it with anyone you believe can benefit from its message.

Caution: Street Oxycodone Might Be Fentanyl

Minnesota officers recently seized a large quantity of fentanyl in the Midwest based on extensive investigation and “very, very good police work”.

The drug bust removed enough fentanyl pills to kill over 1 million people, and the suspected dealer now faces federal charges for possessing a large quantity of synthetic opioids.

Of particular concern was that the fentanyl doses had been pressed into a familiar pill that was indistinguishable from that provided in a typical oxycodone prescription. So oxycodone obtained on the street now presents with a much higher risk of fatal overdose than was previously thought.

The article reported that large quantities of fentanyl continue to come across the U.S. southern border. The U.S. Senate is currently examining how this influx of fentanyl is impacting American communities as drug seizures hit historic levels.

Those currently struggling in active opioid addiction should explore getting professional help as soon as possible. Fentanyl “in disguise” is making its way across the country.

Learn About: Acadia’s Comprehensive Treatment Centers
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New National Buprenorphine Website

buprenorphine-websiteBuprenorphine.US is the newly developed companion website to Methadone.US. Methadone has been in use as an opioid addiction treatment medication for nearly 50 years. In 2002, buprenorphine became available in the U.S. as a new alternative for people suffering with opioid addiction. Since then, various medications containing buprenorphine have been released such as suboxone and zubsolv.

Buprenorphine for opioid addiction treatment can only be prescribed by qualified physicians who have received training on the proper use of buprenorphine. As the opioid addiction problem grew over the last 15 years, many thousands of doctors pursued training and were approved in the use of buprenorphine-based medications to treat opiate addiction.

At Methadone.US, we have served over 1 million U.S. visitors since the website’s launch in 2011. Buprenorphine.US will aim to connect many more individuals with qualified physicians who can help them in their journey toward a genuine recovery and improved quality of life.

President Proposes Funding Increase for Treating Opioid Addiction

funding drug treatmentPresident Obama recently attended the National Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. Professionals and concerned citizens used the forum to explore ways to address America’s rising opioid addiction problem.

The President agreed that increased funding is needed to raise access to drug treatment in an effort to simply avoid incarcerating those addicted to heroin and other potentially deadly opioids.

The NBC article referenced here states that over 28,000 people died last year from opioid overdose in the United States. This number has quadrupled since 1999. Many of the overdoses occur from various opioids laced with a powerful prescription pain killer called fentanyl.

Methadone and buprenorphone (the active ingredient in suboxone) are the leading medications used in medication-assisted treatment approaches. Naloxone is another important medication which has been used to reverse opioid overdose. It has saved thousands of lives and is being widely adopted by first responders and police departments across the country due to its proven effectiveness.

President Obama expressed that the U.S. will move toward improved drug treatment access for opioid addicted individuals and that the issue of addiction will be dealt with more as a public health issue as opposed to strictly a criminal act. Included in the proposed legislation is doubling the patient limit such that doctors can treat up to 200 people with buprenorphine (suboxone). The current patient limit is 100.

The Department of Health and Human Services is reported to have committed another $94 million to community health centers to boost their provision of medication-assisted treatment in poor and isolated communities. Many rural areas of the U.S. have very limited availability of opioid addiction services.

Online Methadone Assessment

CVS Standing For Life and Safety

methadone-recovery-1It was announced late last month that CVS Drugstores intends to expand their provision of non-prescription naloxone into 12 additional U.S. States. Currently, they provide naloxone over-the-counter in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, but will begin offering the life-saving medication in California, Minnesota, Mississippi, Arkansas, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Naloxone has gained attention in recent years due to its ability to reverse opioid overdoses. Over 44,000 people have died annually in the United States from drug overdose with a majority of those stemming from heroin or prescription pain medication. Naloxone has been successfully utilized in emergency rooms and on site in communities around the country reversing opioid overdose and saving thousands of lives.

It is critically important to recognize that people who have suffered with addiction are sometimes close to a lasting recovery. There is a popular expression used lately that is somewhat stark though true and thought-provoking. The expression goes “You can’t recover if you’re dead.” While this may sound off-putting to some, it reminds us that people stuck in years of painful addiction can, and do, change. We would much rather have naloxone readily available to save a life and to provide a son, daughter, or friend the opportunity to change direction.

An addicted individual could be much closer to choosing a life of recovery than we might imagine. This happens on a daily basis. How, and when, someone recovers from addiction is hard to predict. All we can do is to offer them an open door to a new and better life.

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