Effective treatment for opioid deficiency
You have been taking opioids
for pain and do not want to take them any longer, but you know that withdrawal
from opioids can be difficult. You have developed a dependency on your pain
medication. You are aware that dependency, in conjunction with sudden
withdrawal, results in unpleasant symptoms.
What should you do?
It is important to understand
what opioids are, so that you know what happens when you stop taking these
medications.
Opioids are chemical substances
that cause a morphine-like response in the human body.
There are four classes of
opioids including natural opiates, derived from the resin of the opium poppy,
like morphine and codeine. Semi-synthetic opiates like heroin, are derived from
natural opioids. Fully synthetic opioids, include medications like fentanyl and
methadone. Endogenous opioids are produced naturally, like endorphins and
endomorphins. (1)
Signs and symptoms:
The signs and symptoms of
withdrawal from opioids vary, depending upon the medication you are taking.
Other factors to take into consideration include the dosage, how long you have
been using the pain medication and how often you are taking it.
Withdrawal symptoms from
opioids include severe dysphoria, sweating, nausea, rhinorrea, depression,
severe fatigue, vomiting and pain. (2)
Other withdrawal symptoms
include flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, bone aches, "feeling like you are
crawling out of your skin", goose bumps, chills, tremor and difficulty
sleeping. (3)
How to cope during withdrawal:
If you gradually begin to
reduce your intake of opioids, over a number of days or weeks, the severity of
withdrawal symptoms will be reduced. (4)
Seek advice from your
physician, as withdrawal should be under proper medical supervision. Obtaining
mental, emotional or spiritual help and counseling for withdrawal, is
important. Find a family member, or a friend to encourage you.
Medications used for
withdrawal:
Your physician will prescribe
medications to help you succeed in overcoming your opioid dependency.
These may
include:
Buprenorphine:
An article by Anita Srivastava
and Meldon Kahan, in the Canadian Medical Journal, entitled
"Buprenorphine: a potential new treatment option for opioid dependence,"
suggested that this drug increases the safety of treatment, because of its low
risk of over dosage. This is a semi-synthetic opiate.
Buprenorphine-Naloxone:
A study done by the University
of Pennsylvania and the National Institute of Drug Abuse, suggested that
buprenorphine in conjunction with naloxone, was more effective than
detoxification with counseling, for fifteen to twenty one year old opioid
addicts. (5)
Methadone:
No medication other than
methadone was recommended for pregnant, opioid dependent women. (6)
Be aware that it is possible to
withdraw from opioids. You may become relatively pain free, without taking any
opiods or any other medication, as the human body can produce its own, natural
pain medication.
Consider your options and
accept the challenge. You will succeed in overcoming your opioid dependency and
be able to claim your life back.
1.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioids
2. Ibid.
3.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/pain_medications/page6_em.htm
4. Op. cit. Opioids
5. http://buprenorphine.samhsa.gov/presentations/Woody.pdf
6.
http://buprenorphine.samhsa.gov/presentations/Jones.pdf
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