Posts Tagged ‘heroin’

Heroin and opiates are physically addicting. Heroin detox becomes necessary when the body adapts to the presence of the drug and more and more is needed to reduce the cravings for the drug. Withdrawal symptoms will definitely occur if heroin use or opiate use is abruptly discontinued.

Generally speaking, withdrawal from heroin and other opiates may occur as early as a few hours after the last use. The withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction include:

•  drug craving
•  restlessness
•  muscle and bone pain
• insomnia
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• sweats and cold flashes

Major withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction and other opiate addictions peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose. Without proper medical care seizures or convulsions can occur. The good news is that an addict can usually complete heroin detox or opiate detox within five and seven days.

Choose Inpatient Heroin Detox or Opiate Detox Programs

Heroin detox and opiate detox can be a very challenging process both physically and emotionally. It is my opinion that anyone undergoing heroin detox or opiate detox, should do so in drug rehab programs or addiction treatment programs that specialize in medical detox programs. All heroin detox programs should be medically monitored, complete with 24 hour nursing, able to dispense medications as needed and directed by a physician trained in addiction medicine (addictionologist).

Ongoing Addiction Treatments

Even after heroin or opiate detox is complete, many people require ongoing addiction treatments, therefore heroin detox should take place within one of many drug rehab centers or addiction treatment programs. Drug rehab programs provide a smoother transition from heroin detox and opiate detox programs, which are medically driven, into a clinically driven level of care within the drug rehab.

Structure is Key

Another reason we feel that heroin detox should be provided within the confines of drug rehab programs or addiction treatment programs is due to the structure they provide. Many people attempt heroin detox on an outpatient basis. While outpatient heroin detox can work for some, most addicts require the structure of inpatient detox programs to deal with the cravings and keep them away from their environment, old friends and access to opiates.

While in the grips of heroin or opiate addiction, addicts are often involved in high risk activities. By undergoing opiate detox or heroin detox in drug rehab centers, addicts receive a comprehensive physical examination. This will help identify any medical problems that are present and need to be addressed. This examination process is begun in detox and ongoing support is available if a person transitions into drug rehab.

We begin by taking two pills instead of one to produce the effect that we desire. The prescriptions run out before they were supposed to. We wonder whether the pharmacy will realize that we are taking too much of the medication when we request a refill. Two soon becomes three, and four, and five… Panic sets in because one physician will not provide all the medications we now require. We begin seeing other physicians and even make up different pain stories. We take the prescriptions to different pharmacies in order not to be discovered. We hope the pharmacies’ computers will not expose us.

Eventually, we are taking enormous amounts of one or more medications. The “high” just isn’t the same anymore so we might use some other substance to give the medication a “kick.” Some of us turn to alcohol to combine with the medication. Others turn to illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Others begin to steal prescription pads from physicians and forge prescriptions. Whatever the methods, the unmanageability reaches critical stages.

Remember all of those negative feelings we thought the drugs were relieving? Well, now that we are in our addiction, they have returned with a vengeance. Our world now revolves around our medications just the way it did with our chronic pain. We become very lonely. Our medication comes first and we once again alienate ourselves from our loved ones. Shame and guilt set in and our self-esteem lowers even more. Anger, resentments, fear, frustration, depression and anxiety once again dominate our minds. We now need the medications just to feel normal and if we try to stop the medications, we become ill. We have come full circle, and are now prisoners to both our medications and chronic pain.

If you are reading this pamphlet, chances are good you have met the diagnostic criteria for chemical dependency. You only need to relate to three of the following:

For help with drug addiction treatment contact Sunrise Detox.

Oxycontin Detox is possible with professional help from a Medical Detox.

When you are in the grip of heroin, it seems like you’ll never be free of it. Heroin addiction is one of the most difficult drugs to overcome, it’s true, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You do need to be prepared for a long haul. And you do need courage and conviction.

What Happens in the Body With Heroin Addiction

Just why it’s so hard to overcome heroin is easy to see when you look at what the drug does to your body. Over time, your nervous system has adapted to accommodate chronic use of the drug. When heroin first infiltrates your body, your brain’s natural chemistry reacts with heroin’s toxins to create the feeling of heroin euphoria. Other effects include a feeling of heaviness and inability to move, dizziness, nausea, change in skin temperature. You feel tired, and the world seems to no longer exist around you. In effect, you are incapable of functioning either mentally or physically.

Heroin also damages the central nervous system, and may also cause short- and long-term harm to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Many users overdose and die from the drug’s toxic effects, while others suffer severe and permanent damage.

A University of California study of 581 male heroin addicts monitored over 30 years (1964 to 1994) found alarming results. After 30 years, more than half (284) of the original participants, had died. Causes of the deaths: 22 percent died from overdose, 15 percent of chronic liver disease, and 20 percent from suicide or homicide. Of the remaining 43 percent of the deaths, the causes were AIDS, cancer or cardiovascular diseases. What about the 297 addicts still alive after 30 years? The sad truth is that 43 percent of them were still using heroin.

You’ve Made the Decision to Enter Detox – Now What?

Just by entering detox you’ve made a powerful first step. You may have finally hit bottom, due to a combination of physical and emotional consequences of the effects of heroin. Perhaps you had an intervention and that’s why you arrived at detox. The point is that you’re here. Now what?

Some of the immediate effects of detoxification from heroin are those you’re already quite familiar with. Every time your high wore off and you didn’t get your fix right away, your body started to feel some of the withdrawal symptoms. You may have even tried to quit cold turkey – not a good idea, as you well know if you’ve tried it.

Physical withdrawal symptoms include: a 3- to 5-day period of intense anxiety, insomnia, flu-like symptoms, cramps, chills, sweating, diarrhea and goose bumps. Muscles start to tighten and twitch, leading to involuntary spasms or kicking. Psychological cravings for the drug become almost unbearable, impossible to fight. Peak withdrawal symptom severity occurs about 24 hours after termination of the drug, and can last a week or more. Without medication to manage the withdrawal symptoms, the pain can be excruciating. But unless other medical problems exist, detox itself is not life-threatening.

Detoxification under medical supervision alleviates the discomfort of heroin withdrawal, managed by administration of medication – if the patient chooses this method. Using medication, the effects can be minimized or even prevented. Drugs used include methadone, clonidine and buprenorphine drugs like Subutex or Suboxone.

By Suzanne Kane

Buprenorphine was initially introduced on the market in the 1980s as an analgesic. Now, its primary use is for the treatment of opioid addiction.

One dose of buprenorphine remains active in the human body for as long as 48 hours, which provides a longer duration than morphine. This is one of the qualities that make this drug ideal for helping opioid addicts to break free of their addiction. Since the drug remains in the body for 48 hours, it also ensures that the withdrawal symptoms that people experience are significantly decreased.

Buprenorphine requires sublingual (under the tongue) administration on a frequent basis. Drug administration should always be supervised by a substance abuse treatment professional, and doses must be strictly monitored. Federal regulations require this in order for treatment centers and medical facilities to be able to administer the drug at all.

There are some side effects that can occur along with the use of buprenorphine. They range from moderate to severe, and it should be pointed out that this drug can, in some cases, produce fatal side effects. The most commonly occurring side effects include the following:

• Headache

• Drowsiness

• Dizziness

• Vomiting

• Decreased libido

• Constipation

• Respiratory depression

Respiratory depression is the side effect that presents the most serious problems with the use of buprenorphine, as it can be fatal in some people. Unfortunately, there is no way to correct or treat this problem should it develop.

While undergoing buprenorphine treatment, all patients are regularly monitored to see how their livers are functioning, as some adverse effects can be caused by using this drug.

Even though buprenorphine is used to treat people with opioid addictions, the possibility does exist for an addiction to the buprenorphine itself to develop. The types of dependencies that can develop include both physical and psychological. People who are considering undergoing treatment with this drug should be aware, however, that instances of people becoming addicted to buprenorphine are quite rare.

Often times, one of the primary questions that people have is whether they should choose buprenorphine or methadone as a treatment option. Both of these drugs are routinely used for short-term and long-term treatment of opioid addiction. Dosing requirements may be a bit better with buprenorphine simply because of the drug’s ability to remain in the body for 48 hours, thereby offering longer-term effects. With buprenorphine, patients typically only have to receive a dose every other day, while methadone requires daily dosing.

Buprenorphine also has an advantage regarding the total amount of treatment time that is required to successfully complete a detoxification program. With buprenorphine, treatments generally last for a few months, while with methadone indefinite or sometimes lifelong treatment is necessary.

It is very important that buprenorphine be administered in an inpatient treatment facility, particularly one that specializes in substance abuse treatment. Inpatient treatment programs not only offer patients detox programs, they also offer treatment or rehabilitation programs that are designed to help people learn healthier ways of living. Some of these treatment programs include counseling, diet and exercise, massage, acupuncture, and group therapy.

The purpose in these additional treatments is to give patients a better chance of maintaining success by giving them the tools they need to lead lives that are free of substance abuse. If patients learn how to be healthy and happy (physically and emotionally) then they will be far less likely to have a relapse.

I have had many people ask me what the difference is between Rapid Detox and Ultra Rapid Detox and whether I would recommend either procedure.  There is a great deal of confusion with respect to these terms.  Ultra Rapid Detox generally indicates a detoxification process which is done under general anesthesia, which lasts somewhere between 4 and 24 hours. Rapid Detox, in general, can be used to denote anything from Ultra Rapid Detox to a detox process that lasts 10 days or more. Unfortunately, many clinics and websites now use these terms interchangeably. This can be confusing to individuals seeking information and treatment.

In general, Ultra Rapid Detox is a process of accelerating the detoxification process in patients who are addicted to drugs such as opiates, heroin, and even prescription pain relievers. The Ultra Rapid Detox process should be conducted in a hospital setting while the patient is under general anesthesia. The process needs to be overseen by certified anesthesiologists and a nursing staff that specialize in such procedures. While under anesthesia, the patient is administered medications that counteract the addictive substances. If the procedure is done correctly, the patient awakens from general anesthesia having gone partially through the drug withdrawal syndrome. Depending on how long the individual is under general anesthesia, withdrawal symptoms and physical cravings may be absent or partially absent upon awakening. However, the psychological and emotional aspects of addiction are not treated and, also, the patient hasn’t learned to change their behavior or response to their emotions regarding drugs. Because of this there is a significant risk that the patient will return to drug use shortly after ultra rapid detox.

If you are looking to get clean and stay clean clean then visit Florida Sunrise Detox or New Jersey Sunrise Detox where true medical professionals can assist you in the recovery process.  At Sunrise Detox they will treat you with care and compassion and help you through one of the most difficult times in your life.  You don’t have to detox alone and with the proper care you are more likely to stay off of drugs and lead a fulfilling life!  Sunrise Detox is a renowned  drug treatment facility specializing in detox for heroin, cocaine, alcohol, benzodiazepines and other prescription drugs.

Myths About Ultra Rapid Detox

With Ultra Rapid Detox I’ll wake up completely free from my addiction
Depending on the length of general anesthesia, you may or may not wake up free from the physical cravings of your addiction. In either case, you will still be completely addicted psychologically to the drug that you are addicted to.

I won’t feel any withdrawal symptoms with Ultra Rapid Detox
If you are under general anesthesia long enough, this might be true. However, there is a marked risk of death when one is placed under prolonged general anesthesia. Therefore, more recently “ultra rapid detox” treatments are done where the patient is under for no more than 4 to 6 hours. With shortened general anesthesia there’s a higher likelihood of having residual withdrawal symptoms upon awakening.

Ultra Rapid Detox is safe
Ultra Rapid Detox has higher risks than other detox methods and remains controversial within the medical community. There is a relative lack of scientific research to support the safety of this procedure. General anesthesia carries with it a risk of death and this risk is increased when anesthesia is prolonged. Some facilities will keep a patient under for up to 24 hours. Safety increases when time under general anesthesia is lessened, for example, down to 4 to 6 hours. However, a shorter course of general anesthesia may result in the individual experiencing more withdrawal symptoms upon awakening than otherwise.

Ultra Rapid Detox works!
Despite the wide publicity of Ultra Rapid Detox, there have not been any controlled studies to prove its effectiveness. This lack of scientific support makes it an unproven and controversial treatment for drug and opioid addiction. Ultra Rapid Detox does not treat the psychological, behavioral, and lifestyle aspects of addiction, only the physical addiction and, as time and practice prove, it is these latter aspects which hold the most control over the recovering addict.