Replacement therapies for opiate addiction – Opiate interventionists and rehabs in British Columbia and Alberta – Options Okanagan Treatment Centers in Kelowna, British Columbia treating opioid, drug, opiate, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol addiction and recovery.
Drug detoxification in British Columbia and Alberta
Detoxification therapies
While medical staff at a drug rehab center may use a variety of medications to relieve withdrawal or alcohol withdrawal symptoms in addicts, some detox facilities use a process called “replacement therapy.” Replacement therapy uses less addictive drugs to interact with opiate receptors in the brain and eliminate the dopamine “surge” that causes addictive euphoria. These types of drugs are always administered under strict supervision and are carefully monitored by qualified medical personnel.
The most commonly used substitute drugs are methadone and suboxone.
Methadone in British Columbia and Alberta
Although methadone is as addictive as other opiates, it has a longer half-life of up to 72 hours. Methadone is usually given in small doses to opiate addicts because of its long-term effects on the brain. Treatment helps prevent severe withdrawal symptoms. During the detoxification process, the addict slowly withdraws from the drug until the body is completely free of all opiates.
Suboxone in British Columbia and Alberta
Suboxone has a duration of action of 72 hours and has been shown to be highly effective in treating drug addiction. Contains the opiate antagonist “Naltrexone” and works on 2 levels:
a) The opioid properties of Suboxone bind to opiate receptors in the brain, which helps prevent severe withdrawal symptoms;
b) The naltrexone antagonist in Suboxone blocks the ability of opiates to produce a euphoric effect in the user, creating a ceiling effect.
Similar to methadone treatment, the use of suboxone is slowly decreased until all the opiates are removed from the body. Depending on the addict’s personal needs and preferences, the use of opiate substitutes during withdrawal therapy can be very effective. Because the process involves tapering off very slowly, treatment can last up to 21 days.
Traditional opiate detox therapy
With traditional opiate detoxification methods, drug withdrawal can occur naturally without the use of additional opiates. However, it’s not just the “cold turkey” method, as medications such as sedatives and blood pressure medications can be used to treat severe withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety.
Traditional opiate detoxification can take anywhere from 5 to 14 days, depending on the severity of the case. The ultimate goal of any detox program is to remove all traces of the drug from the body, which in severe cases includes the use of additional medications to reduce anxiety and aid sleep.
Drug Detox
This type of opioid detox involves a medical procedure in which the addict is placed under general anesthesia to administer an antagonist, resulting in immediate withdrawal. Anesthesia is required because there is no gradual development of withdrawal in this process and it can be very hard for a person to experience sudden and fully conscious withdrawal. Rapid detoxification is always used in a hospital setting, where constant monitoring and monitoring ensures patient safety and medical complications can be avoided. Treatment is usually completed within 48 hours with constant monitoring.
Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol 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 Opiate Drug and Alcohol 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 Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, heroin drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.
Our (Kelowna) Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program Location:
(Not Mailing Address) – Contact Us – Web Page
For Mail Delivery :: Please contact each center for correct mailing addresses, also this location is the location of our residential treatment programs in Kelowna. Please call Toll Free 1-855-335-0331 – to contact the treatment center you are going to for the address and directions.
Options Okanagan Drug and Opiate Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll-Free Phone Number: 1-855-335-0331