Medication for opiate withdrawal in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and other parts of Alberta by Options Okanagan Treatment Center in Kelowna, British Columbia treating drug addiction and recovery.
While opiate withdrawal medication works well, it’s also important to note that there are some side effects of such medications.
Withdrawals from opiates occur due to the stopping of the opiate medication that was being ingested or due to the reduction of the medication that was being ingested. Opiates can include doctor prescribed hydrocodone or oxycodone, as well as street drugs including heroin and morphine. They are available in a variety of ways and strengths. All opiates are addictive and anyone who takes one risks the chance of becoming an addict.
Diagnosis And Treatment For Opiates
A complete physical as well as a person’s previous drug use, and their medical history can all indicate whether or not a person is at risk for an opiate addiction. Doctors may use a urinalysis as well as blood tests and other labs to confirm opiate use and withdrawal from opiates. Doctors will treat the condition according to the length of time that the person was addicted as well as the strength of the medication or street drugs they were on and they may also use supportive care that will help reduce the intensity of the symptoms of withdrawal thus helping the person to detox.
Medications
Medications include such drugs as methadone, clonidine and others that will help to reduce the anxiety, sweating, muscle aches, cramps, digestive issues and agitation oft he patient. It’s important to note that just as each drug works differently on each patient, the medications that work on withdrawals will also work differently.
These drugs will help to stabilize the blood pressure and decrease the chemical levels in their blood. They will also help the person to relax and thus ease the stress on the heart. Clonidine can be administered via a transdermal patch or orally.
Sometimes, a transdermal patch must be augmented with an oral medication the first few days to help regulate the withdrawal and symptoms. It may take up to 48 hours for such transdermal medications to make it through the skin and into the body.
Another medication, buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opioid. It’s widely used to help opiate addiction that were much higher dose. Buprenorphine is known to help reduce the severity of withdrawals. It’s also been known to shorten the duration of the detox time. It can be used long term and often this is needed in acute withdrawal patients. Interestingly, it’s also used to treat long-term cases that are addicted to methadone or clonidine.
Hydroxyzine and trimethobenzamide are used to treat nausea and the vomiting and dicyclomine treats the cramps. Ibuprofen is used to treat the aches and pains as well as headaches that occur. Loperamide can help with diarrhea and ginger and Valerian can help to promote the detox process by regulating the sleep patterns and the stomach issues.
It’s vital to know that the term detox under anesthesia or rapid opiate detoxification is often suggested as the most effective method to treat such conditions. The person may be placed under the anesthesia and given the opiate-blocking drugs to help speed up the process of detox. Experts are divided as to the effectiveness of such methods and it’s imperative to have proper medical supervision during the process.
As always, drugs work differently on each person and detox is no different. What works well for one patient may not work at all for another patient. Dosages will vary and the length of time that a person is on such a withdrawal medication will also vary. Always follow the doctor’s directions and if you have any questions be sure to discuss them thoroughly with your doctor. Never stop a medication without first discussing it with the doctor.
Options Okanagan Drug And Opiate Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.
Our unique and distinctive drug treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.
Numerous clients come to us from Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, meth drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.
Our Opiate Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331