Complications of Suboxone
By C.King, M.Ed. | December 11, 2008
Suboxone, also known as buprenorphine and naloxone in the generic forms, is a commonly used treatment for opiate addiction. This powerful drug is one that must be taken in a very specific way under a doctor’s close supervision. Also, there are a number of suboxone complications that can arise while taking the drug. For this reason, it is vital that your doctor knows everything before you begin taking it. For this reason, it is vital that you are completely honest with your doctor about everything before taking suboxone.
Here are a number of things that can be a problem if not revealed:
-You should not take suboxone if you have any type of lung or breathing problems. The interaction could be a serious issue if you take suboxone.
-Liver problems can also be a problem with suboxone usage, and should be investigated fully before you start a regimen.
-Gall bladder, Kidney or urination problems can also be a problem with suboxone.
-Hallucinations or other severe mental issues
-Other addictions such as alcoholism
-Hypothyroidism or low thyroid hormone counts
-Problems with the prostate gland
This list is far from all inclusive, but it is some of the primary problems that can be affected negatively by suboxone. Each of these conditions should be clearly defined for your doctor before beginning a suboxone regimen.
Suboxone is a powerful drug that can have complications if you do not take it exactly as prescribed. The medicine is not designed to be a miracle cure, and will only work when coupled with a serious commitment and a great deal of therapy. The suboxone itself can actually be addictive, and you have to make sure that you communicate with your therapist and doctor about this.
If you do come off of suboxone, it should be a gradual thing. Do not take suboxone as needed. Suboxone is not designed to be taken in this manner. It is a regimented program that has to be taken on a schedule to be effective. Only stop taking suboxone under a doctor’s care. Failure to do so will result in severe withdrawal symptoms that can be as severe as the drug addiction itself.
Also, it is very important that you reveal any other medications to you doctor before you begin suboxone. These medicines may interact violently with the suboxone, and it can be very dangerous to mix certain types of medications. If you are taking anything to include over the counter medications, you should first check with your doctor to be certain that they are completely safe to take with suboxone.
Suboxone also must be taken in a very specific way. You must place suboxone under your tongue and allow it to dissolve. If you try to chew, swallow, or take suboxone in any other way, then it will not be effective. The withdrawal symptoms will be soon to follow if you take the medicine incorrectly.
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | No Comments »
Chronic Drug Relapse
By C.King, M.Ed. | November 30, 2008
Fact 1: The possibility of going back to their destructive behavioral patterns haunts all recovering drug addicts.
Fact 2: Chronic Drug Relapse is one of the most common post-drug rehabilitation issues facing addicts, yet is the most misunderstood.
Drug addiction is a path towards disaster and can only come to an end with a commitment and a desire to better one’s life and stave off drug use. But even when a hundred percent is dedicated towards total recovery, setbacks-called relapses are bound to happen.
A drug relapse is relatively common during addiction treatment therapy, usually during instances when the addict feels isolated, angry, sad, or guilty, or whenever thoughts about going high again entertain him, thereby a craving for going back to old behavior patterns heightens.
Although this phenomenon is not the outcome we would wish for the recovering addict, it is considered as something that comes along with drug addiction recovery. It is believed to be the most difficult challenge for drug addicts.
The most extreme form of drug relapse is Chronic Drug Relapse, a phenomenon that can have potentially disastrous effects on the addict’s recovery process. Chronic Drug Relapse is characterized by a powerful irrepressible craving, need, and desire for drug intake which can last for months or even years after the addict stops taking them.
Steps that can help the recovering addict from launching into relapse do exist. One of these is to stay away from former companions who may influence the addict to go back to his old drug using life.
Another is to keep the mind productive and refrain from discussing the positive effects of drug use. This will rouse interest and may trigger drug use cravings. The best way would be for the addict to speak out once he senses a craving for drug use to a support group. The recovering addict needs to surround himself with people who can provide him with helpful insights and who understands his situation, a group that knows his goals and is supportive once he starts to steer away from them.
Drug addiction counseling will also contribute significantly. This is the perfect avenue for former drug users to point out what made them start to use drugs, whether it was influenced by family or friends, a job loss or the death of someone important. From thereon the addict can start to develop more healthy coping strategies that will help them overcome these problems with the goal of pursing a more meaningful and fulfilled life as core.
While addiction counseling, drug treatment and rehabilitation all lead to the road to recovery, it is the addict’s sole decision whether to walk away from, or towards the light.
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | No Comments »
Taking Out Those Opioids with Suboxone Therapy
By C.King, M.Ed. | October 9, 2008
Among the many kinds of drug dependence that are difficult to treat, opoid dependence is among the most difficult to cure. Opioid includes a wide array of drugs like heroin, methadone, morphine, hydrtocodone and oxycodone. All of these have very addictive effects given the sensations derived from taking these things in. The most common are relaxed breathing and euphoric feeling. On of the most effective yet, altogether dangerous ways of treating opioid addiction is through suboxone therapy. This kind of treatment is medicine based and is supplementary to other mechanisms in a staying in treatment. Suboxone therapy utilizes active ingredients like bupronorphine and naloxone to curb addiction.
The first thing to consider in suboxone and its main ingredients, bupronorphine and naloxone is that all of these are actually opioid-like drugs. Yet, they function in such a way that the receptors that open addiction have to be blocked by these opioid-like substances in order to stop the full effects of the drugs.
The analogy is basically simple. There are things called full opioid agonist that are the addictive opioid themselves. They allow the full effect of the drugs in the person’s body and in doing so they promote addiction that, later on, becomes a form of dependence. Yet, there are also partial opioid agonist and opioid antagonists that block the full effect of the drugs in differing levels. Bupronorphine, a partial opioid agonist, reduces the effect of the drugs while naloxone, an opioid antagonist, blocks the effect of the drugs completely.
The aforementioned analogy helps the patient in thee curative ways. First, the treatment helps in suppressing drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone does this by attaching itself to the opioid receptors of the brain. Second, the treatment prevents other opioids from taking effect given that the suboxone is already fixed upon the receptors. Finally, the buprenorphine component of the treatment establishes a ceiling in the slowing of the patient’s breathing. As a result, an overdose that causes slow breathing is dramatically reduced.
In sum, the therapy works by curbing the effects of the full opioids first. In doing so, the patient is able to move on without his/ her dependence on the drug. Yet, one will have to take into consideration that suboxone is still an opioid like substance that may become the substitute of the former drug itself. This is the reason why this therapy has to be supervised by medical experts. Furthermore, it follows a rigid process that includes supplementary treatments.
Suboxone therapy is the full treatment process undergone by a patient with opioid dependence. There are four general steps here: induction, stabilization, maintenance and medical withdrawal. In the first step, induction, the early and minimal doses of suboxone are given for the patients to take. This step spans around a few days until the attending physician is able to determine a daily dose target which falls within 12-24 mg. This is where stabilization of the treatment occurs. From stabilization to the maintenance phase, the doctor must provide for supplementary counseling treatments. Finally, suboxone therapy ends with a withdrawal phase that is characterized by a careful and gradual reduction of suboxone intake.
For live online support with addiction please visit us at The Sober Village!
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | 1 Comment »
Suboxone Therapy: Success Rate
By C.King, M.Ed. | September 4, 2008
Suboxone Therapy: Success Rate
Suboxone therapy is the most popular medication administered to opioid dependents. It is mainly done under strict and monitored conditions and taking suboxone will always require the assistance of an attending physician to make sure that the correct dosage is taken.
What it does
Suboxone is a medication that contains buprenorphine – another type of opioid that elicits minimal euphoric effects as compared to addictive drugs such as morphine and heroin. The drug works to help curb a patient’s cravings and minimize, if not prevent, the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms that are normally associated with quitting drug use.
The therapy usually starts when the patient is already in a mild withdrawal state. The first dosage of Suboxone is administered to the patient so that buprenorphine attaches itself to the opioid receptors in the brain that were once occupied by morphine or other drug. Throughout the duration of the therapy, patients and health care professionals are supposed to watch out for any signs of relapse or the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms especially when dosage is gradually being decreased.
Does it work?
Based on theory, Suboxone therapy can be considered a miracle drug because it is meant to mirror the effects of an addictive opioid without causing dependence. Its mechanism is essentially geared at taking the place of the opioid in the brain receptors until such time that the patient doesn’t experience withdrawal.
Because opioid dependence is a long-term medical issue, there aer many cases in which patients will need to undergo this therapy for longer periods of time so as to minimize the possibility of relapse. The typical therapy lasts for three to five months during such time, dosage may be adjusted according to the patient’s needs.
Surveys suggest that Suboxone maintenance can increase the chances of recovery because it targets the main control centers for pleasure which is where addiction is rooted in the first place.
The drug itself works. It does what it is supposed to do. But Suboxone therapy on its own will not cause addiction recovery. It is, after all, just one part of the medication.
Supplementing the therapy with counseling
It is important to understand that opioid addiction is not just an affliction of the body. Drug dependents do not only suffer the addiction on a physiological level but also on a psychological aspect as well. Suboxone therapy targets brain functions with the goal of treating drug dependence at its physiological root.
However, just as any other addiction medication, Suboxone therapy is meant to be administered in conjunction with counseling. It helps to buy the patient time to come to terms with his addiction and work towards being more proactive at overcoming the problem. Therapy is usually given alongside counseling sessions that are aimed at attacking the emotional and psychological cause of the individual’s predisposition for drug use.
On the whole Suboxone therapy will only work given proper rehab conditions. Medication is given with psychological treatment and a re-introduction to society. Becaues suboxone in itself can cause dependence in the long run, it is important that the patient is taught to recover his self-esteem while undergoing therapy. If anything, Suboxone therapy just makes it easier for the individual to quit drug use.
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | 4 Comments »
Addiction Services of Sober Sources
By C.King, M.Ed. | August 21, 2008
Addiction recovery, no matter the type of addiction, has become the focus of several online sites. The Sober Source Network is the flourishing and leading resource network offering support for alcoholism and addiction.
The Sober Sources Network (www.sobersources.com), since its launch in December 2007, has been on the rise as the leader in network resources for alcoholism and addiction recovery. The Sober Village forum (www.thesobervillage.com) had a very successful launch in February 2006 as well as Sober Teens Online forum (www.soberteensonline.com) and the Sober Sources Network succeeds these two successful launches. Combine those with the most recent addition to addiction resources offered by the network, Recovery Works (www.recoveryworks.info) and you have a very
comprehensive network of support of addiction and alcoholism issues.
The Sober Sources Network features over 21 sites with informative resources and blogs to provide the latest articles on addiction added to the network. The Sober Sources Network evolved from one idea that online recovery resources and online information providers are a dime per dozen. There are not many web-based resources that provide a complete directory of support resources and important information that are desperately needed by the people who are searching for help with addiction. The Sober Sources Network incorporates websites such as Sober Resources (www.soberresources.com), which provides comprehensive information on 12-step programs, articles on addiction and information for treatment programs and centers. Along with Sober Resources, Addict Central (http://addictcentral.com) provides up-to-date information such as books and audio on recovery from alcohol addiction to bipolar disorder and everything in between.
The mission of Sober Sources Network is “to provide quick access to the information you are looking for which includes a client built directory and support for advertising your business on our domains.” The Sober Sources Network was created with the understanding that people often battle with more than one addiction, so the network is helpful to those under the stress of dealing with themselves or a loved one who has an addiction and who are seeking help online. The Sober Sources Network provides the information and the access to the information in the simplest and user-friendliest ways possible. The categories in the network consist of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Counseling Services, Eating Disorders, Mental Health Issues, Hotlines, Communities, Recovery Stories and Literature, Treatment Centers and more. The Sober Sources Network provides a base for people looking for information on addiction and support and an environment where those people can interact with one another that are in the same situation dealing with addiction.
The Sober Sources Network provides those looking for information and resources for addiction recovery and support, the avenues to find that vital information for what they are looking. Support and connectivity are the most important components of what people search for when they are looking for resources on recovery from addiction and alcoholism as well as other debilitating issues that may be plaguing their lives.
For more information contact info@sobersources.com
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | 1 Comment »
History of Meth
By C.King, M.Ed. | July 27, 2008
What Is Methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine is an illegal drug and it is a very strong addictive substance. It is a psycho stimulant drug. It is’s medical use was initially used to treat attention-deficit- hyperactivity disorder. It is a crystal form of hydrochloride which stimulates the nervous system. Sometimes it is used as a medication prescription for obesity. It is otherwise called as meth, ice, crystal or glass. It is used illegally to reduce the weight and to maintain, motivate the medical clarity and for recreation. Comparing other drugs it is very lethal to the nervous system and it affects some of the brain systems. It is highly possible to misuse and it can be prepared in the small laboratory but it pollutes the environment while producing it in meth labs.
Methamphetamine can be used in the form of syringe, smoke and it can also be taken orally. The person who misuses this drug will soon become addict by requiring more dose than the normal dosage. This addiction can be treated by the behavioral therapy. The use of meth can be withdrawn by sleeping and eating at right time. Sometimes this may refer to speed but it is amphetamines. The meth inhaled and smoked will deposit on the brain and affect the cells bind over the brain. The color of the meth can vary by their manufacturers and they are available in the form of pills or tablets. The treatment for meth is very complex when the addicted person is affected by any illness and some mental depression.
Effects of Methamphetamine
The effects of methamphetamine are divided into short-term and long-term effect. The short-term effect may include increased attention, activity and decreased fatigue, appetite and it increase the rate of respiratory system and the blood pressure. Some of the long-term or chronic effects includes the loss of weight, changes the control of brain and nervous system, damage of major organs such as heart, lung etc, violent behavior, uncontrolled driving of vehicle, mood disturbance and anxiety. The misuse of meth may also transmit the infection of HIV and hepatitis b and c.
Symptoms of Meth Addiction
If the person withdraws the usage of meth then the following symptoms such as depression, anxiety, loss of weight, intense drug carving etc will occur. It increases the level of neurotransmitter which stimulates the brain cells and it changes the mood of the person who takes meth. Methamphetamine also damages the cell of animals when they penetrate into their body. The dopamine and serotonin which contains neuron does not die after the use of meth. Instead they terminate the process of division and give rise to growth of new cells. The person who uses meth undergoes emotional problems and memory loss.
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | No Comments »
The official guide to getting sober and knowing what to expect.
By C.King, M.Ed. | July 21, 2008
Getting Sober: What To Expect, is written from first hand experience of a recovering alcoholic. I know all to well the fears you may face when thinking about getting sober. Just the idea in itself wants to make you keep drinking! It’s not so bad, there’s 2 years of research in this book explaining what the majority of alcoholics go through when recovering in the early days of alcoholism.
In this book you will have all those questions answered and more! It is my hope that knowing what to expect when getting sober will make that decision all the easier. Getting Sober: What to Expect was written with your best interests in mind. I hope this book makes that decision easier for you once you know what to expect.
Good luck and I wish you the very best on your road to recovery!
Please visit www.sobertime.net to get your copy of Getting Sober: What to Expect.
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | 2 Comments »
Beware:Suboxone Side Effects
By C.King, M.Ed. | June 27, 2008
Undoubtedly, Suboxone is the best detoxifying treatment for opiate dependents. Buprenorphine (Suboxone) was first introduced to the market as analgesic in the early 1980s. Presently this drug is used to treat opioid addiction. Pain pill addicts who have undergone various therapies and detoxifying treatments would aver that this drug granted approval by the FDA is the most effective means to cure drug addiction. With Suboxone, the detoxifying treatment will be accomplished with the least discomfort for the patient. This is because no cravings for the addicting drug will be felt by the patient. Withdrawal symptoms will be eliminated after a short period of time.
Suboxone detoxifying treatments can only be performed by medical practitioners who passed the qualifying requirements set by the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000. This ensures that the treatment protocol will be strictly followed. These medical practitioners have affirmed that this treatment have very low rate of relapse.
Suboxone is considered as a miracle drug when it comes to treating opiate dependence. But as in all other drugs, Suboxone comes with side effects too. Suboxone induction could cause nausea, headache, vomiting and drowsiness. Hazardous activities like operating machineries and driving must be avoided. Patients may also experience decrease in libido and ejaculation difficulties. These are the more common side effects of a detoxifying treatment using Suboxone. Hepatitis and liver necrosis were also reported although these are very rare cases.
A very serious reaction to this drug is respiratory depression that can result to the death of the patient as unlike morphine Suboxone has no known effective antidote. Overdose of this drug is fatal. It could result to death especially if it is administered with a tranquilizer. It is therefore necessary for drug dependents to inform doctors that they are undergoing a detoxification treatment.
Other opiate dependents view a Suboxone detoxifying treatment as replacing one addicting drug with another. This is because Suboxone is addicting too. A patient on a detoxifying therapy may experience withdrawal symptoms too if the drug is suddenly discontinued. This is the reason for the tapering dosage-to lessen withdrawal symptoms. A patient should be cautious in taking over the counter medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, anxiety medicines and pain relievers as the effects of these medications can be considerably increased if taken with Suboxone. Even herbal products should be taken with caution.
At the pre-induction interview, it would be better to tell your doctor about all the other medications you are taking. Likewise, tell your doctor of all medical conditions that you have. Kidney, lung, gall bladder problems or a brain problem may not qualify you to take this drug or a decreased dosage may be prescribed
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency | 1 Comment »
How Suboxone Therapy Is Done
By C.King, M.Ed. | June 18, 2008
A drug addict would not mind being ostracized by the society. For the rush, a drug addict would not mind the risk of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis. Drug addiction is one of the major problems of the society. In US, more than a million individuals are addicted to opioids. Some would submit themselves for treatments and detoxifications while others would deny their addiction.
These chronic addicts would need medical treatments to decrease their dependence to drugs. Aside from health benefits this too will improve their social standing in the society. For an opiate dependent, Suboxone is the best option that would cure the dependency.
To be able to use Suboxone to treat opioid dependence, a physician must submit a letter of intent to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Further, these physicians must be able to meet the qualifying requirements of the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000.
So how does a qualified physician undertake a Suboxone therapy? Suboxone would hardly ever be effective if the prescription is simply given to the patient as close monitoring is needed to insure that the right dosage is given. At the onset of the treatment, the patient will be interviewed to determine the level of opioid dependence. Induction instructions will be given during this interview. On the day of induction, the patient has to be in a mild opiate withdrawal state. Suboxone has to be administered in increasing dosage every few hours until the withdrawal symptoms receded. The patient will have to stay in the treatment facility for the entire day. The last dosage of Suboxone for the day will be given only when the patient is comfortable and not feeling any withdrawal symptoms for an extended period of time. The patient may then be allowed to go home. The patient has to return the following day for the second treatment session. If the first dosage is found to be sufficient, it will be used by the patient for a time. The dosage will be tapered until the dependence is totally eliminated. Basically this Suboxone therapy will take three to five months.
Suboxone is dubbed as the miracle drug that can effectively cure opiate dependence. However, it should be understood that there are underlying concerns that would drive a person to be a drug dependent. Some may be considered accidental addicts who used drugs as pain management while others may have deliberately chosen opiate to conform to peer pressure. What ever the case may be, it should be understood that drug dependence carries with it health related risks that can have lifelong negative results.
For help visit www.recoveryworks.info
Topics: Treatment Options | No Comments »
Suboxone for Opiate Dependency
By C.King, M.Ed. | June 15, 2008
Suboxone for Opiate Dependency
When you hear the word drug abuse or opiate dependency, pot sessions in dimly lit rooms and drug dealers illicitly selling their merchandise from half closed doors would immediately come to mind. You would never think that these drug addicts can and are getting their daily fix from the neighborhood pharmacy.
Percodan, Oxycontin, Lortab and Vicodin are opium based pain killers. These medications are usually prescribed to patients after undergoing a surgery. These pain killers are also given to patients suffering from arthritis and any other ordinary aches and pains. But after the surgical wound have healed… after the pains is gone, the patients find themselves with a new problem. They have become dependent to the drug that is supposed to heal them. Any attempt to break away from the dependency would cause cravings for the drug and severe discomfort. These accidental addicts would find it very hard to break free from the dependency.
This opiate dependency may be treated with detoxification. However, severe withdrawal symptoms associated with this treatment have caused many patients to give up. The success rate of detoxification is very discouraging. 85% to 90% of drug addicts who have tried detoxification as a means of breaking free from addiction have relapsed.
If you have been a pain pill addict for years, most probably you have tried drug dependency treatments. You may have detoxified several times to no avail. Suboxone is another treatment for your drug dependency. Why is suboxone dubbed as miracle pill by medical doctors and by drug addicts? Chiefly because of the agonist effect-meaning this drug sets off a response by combining to specific cell receptors that result in a ceiling effect. A higher dose will still have the same 4 mg opiate effect. Suboxone will also eliminate the drug cravings.
When a craving for the drug hits a drug addict, he or she will do anything and everything to get a fix not withstanding the effect it will have on his/her personality. Suboxone is well tolerated by a drug dependent. After a few days of treatment the patient will feel normal. This is the reason for the high success rate of this treatment. Without the drug cravings and the withdrawal symptoms, drug dependents will have no reason to long for the addicting pain pills.
If your dad, your mom, a family member or a friend is an opiate dependent and you know that all the other drug dependency treatment have failed to eliminate the remission, don’t you think it is high time to find a doctor with a Suboxone treatment program? This may be the ultimate treatment that will finally enable you to say “He/She is back”!
Topics: Addiction and Drug Dependency, Prescription Pain Pills | 4 Comments »