The Latest Government Study on Buprenorphine
For centuries, the use of opiates and addiction to opiates has posed a problem—not only for those addicted but for those in positions of authority in the community. In lieu of a cure, researchers have studied everything from the causes of addiction to its mechanisms, looking for more information on how to help people who inadvertently become addicted to their medications.
In the latest of these studies, the United States has launched the largest study to date on the effectiveness of the most recent treatment for painkiller addiction: buprenorphine. Paid for by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the study will specifically focus on Suboxone, a pill that combines buprenorphine and naloxone tablets. The study will be run by researchers at New York University Medical Center, New York City, in partnership with Bellevue Hospital Center and cover addicts at 10 sites across the country, most of which are outside of major cities where prescription painkiller addiction is especially high.
Dr. Nora D. Volkow, the director of the National Institute of Drug Addiction, prepared a statement: “Opioid analgesics were designed to help people in pain, and we want to be sure that those who require them for legitimate reasons can continue to effectively manage their pain. However, we must also recognize the risk of addiction to pain medications and develop treatments for those who become addicted to them. This trial is an important first step in reaching that goal.”
And a professor of medicine, the director of the division of general medicine, and a principal investigator for the NYU Bellevue site, Dr. Marc Gourevitch, concurred: “Addiction to prescription painkillers has rapidly become a major problem, for which effective treatment strategies are sorely needed.”
It’s true; effective treatment for prescription pain meds is sorely needed. In 2005, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health discovered that more than 2 million people over the age of 12 claimed to be new users of painkillers without a prescription, a number higher than the reported new smokers of weed. We don’t necessarily need a new study to prove that Suboxone treatment works, but maybe another study of this nature will help get the word out and more people will know where to turn when they’re ready to treat their addiction.
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October 7th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
How about returning to plant-derived,plant based medicines prescribed and taken responsibly with proper dosing and breaks from dosing. Synthetic opioids do not treat chronic pain like natural opiates do. Most of our meds in USA are synthetic or semi-synthetic, and otc acetominophen and ibuprofen are pickling livers all over the place. Same with hormones. There are now bio-identical hormones available to women who need replacement that are much safer and less cancer causing than the synthetic ones full of pig skin and horse urine. Yet many mainstream obgyns are completely clueless. In 1990’s it was proven that salivary hormone testing provides more accurate results than blood testing. Do the ob’s accept this? Probably, but you’ll have to be messed up enough and sent to endocrinology for anyone to do something newer and different. yuk. In 2001, Bush policy went into effect and for the first time required resident medical students to complete 3 course credits in “abberrant drug behavior”. Opiate therapy was once known as the best therapy for managing and even curing chronic pain. Along with exercise, whole health support, and physical therapy, the doctor would treat you and your pain with different therapies in conjunction with each other. Opiates were used but for shorter stints, change-ups, titrations and tapers. How many chronic pain patients today are handed a referral for physical therapy 3x a week along with their security scripts at their 5 minute, once a month, $80-120.00 in their pocket doctor’s appointment? When the DEA stops controlling what doctors learn in school, and how they treat their patients, maybe doctor’s, and patients can stop blaming and pointing fingers at each other and point them at the Government, Big Insurance, and Big Pharma. Maybe then patients would actually be treated instead of pushed through the revolving door, and dr’s could get back to what they started in the first place, healing people. Many chronic pain patients are and feel like guinea pigs, given every drug under the sun in hopes that they won’t have to use the security pad. Remember, no matter what Bush says, refusal to treat and abandoning an opioid - dependent patient is still a crime in this country. Altho, the courts and docs are very well aware of Bush policy and are pretty sure an angry patient will do nothing because they are dependent, already sick and hurting, and slammed for time having been shut off or turned away. Plus Bush also added to the books caps and time limits for medical malpractice. See the relationship? Scary. Has anyone been following the robust poppy trade going on between Afganastan, Britain, and USA???? Addicts are dying all over the place in major coastal cities cuz it’s more pure now than in the last 30 yrs. Stats are through the roof on heroin od’s in teens and young adults. But ever since the oxycontin, hill-billy heroin, Rush Limbaugh, and the war on drugs in rural america, Chronic pain patients have never suffered so….and still will, because how in the world with undertreated pain can any of them stand up for their rights.?..when you have chronic pain and are even taking prescribed opioids, just getting up in the morning can be a nightmare and take 3 hours. When are they going to get serious about the synthetic, bathtub, goldmine, soul-stealing killer, methamphetamine? It kills me. Families are being destroyed by the stuff but a single father with disc degeneration takes his pill so he can get his kids breakfast, off to school, and himself to work and the war on drugs is with him????? I hate to even mention the 35/5 of school age children who’s behavior is medically manitained with D-AMphetamine? Why can’t we get a handle on all of this? One more thing I need to vent. I’ve heard it said that “opioid withdrawal feels like it but won’t kill you”, That is an absolute lie. People have died in withdrawal due to cardiac complications, de-hydration, seizure, and serotonin syndrome. S.Syndrome usually caused by combining scripts of drugs like tramadol and antidepressants like fluoextine in order to avoid “giving you the good stuff”. I see a MAJOR problem with Doctor’s having no compassion and being reckless either because they have been educated incorrectly or bullied by the DEA. Can we not figure this out?? i’m doubtful when it’s a decade later and add to that the other policies we’ve had to live under. Economic, Energy, Food and Drug ingredients/toxicities, War, Our government is stripping us piece by piece and we all just sit,wait, and watch our t.v.’s hoping something will change. Opioids inevitably cause physical dependence, so do many other drugs, why do we stigmatize this class? Insulin, cholesterol and blood pressure meds, anti depressants, Attention Deficit meds, ALL result in physical dependence and inability to stop abruptly. Why the opioids??? Money, foreign policy, poppy cultivation and trade, and did I say money? sorry so long all. I had to vent. When I hear stories of 70 year old women being treated like a heroin junkie and shut off of pain meds because her cleaning lady or her grandson stole her meds, My blood boils…..Know this, “harm no one” is a serious oath the med community takes….Reaping what they sow will be sumthin’else….So I’d like to take this opportunity to address the 20 or so out of 30 doctors, nurses, and surgeons, pain clinic dr.’s nurses and staff, I forgive you all for the cruel, dangerous, lack of compassion, treatment, or lack thereof, that I had to endure over the 6 years that entailed multiple surgeries, multiple procedures, multiple medical mistakes, forgetting or refusing to wash hands and/or instruments, artery tie-offs coming loose and no nurse in recovery to monitor, death experience(s), blood transfusions, multiple pumps of anesthesia and morphine, take homes of very high-dose post op pills, complete lack of education regarding those pills, and then the abandonment of many when the part they played didn’t “fix me”. Their assumptions that I was now a prescription drug addict, and should be “healed up by now” therefore subjected me to guinea pig prescriptions, un-necessary, invasive, demoralizing, un-related exams and procedures, and years of riding the almost constant opioid withdrawal rollercoaster ride. Yes I forgive each and every one of them. “they know not what they do.”
Love to all.
Thankfully I now have a caring, compassionate doctor who has taken the time to read the lengthy 6 inch thick surgical file, the 3 inch thick primary care file, and the 1 inch thick pain clinic reports. He explains my medications, answers all my questions, NEVER rushes me, listens, supports and encourages me to help myself with exercising, stretching, good nutrition, hydration, keeps my case confidential, (no funny looks from staff or lingo dropping. I once had a nurse say to me, “hi sally, what are you here for today the percs?!) and aknowledges that none of what has happened to me was self - inflicted. None of it. He explained that addiction and dependence to opioids is inevitable. It is what it is and we have to together be vigilant about whole health, careful dosing, changing things up, and taking breaks if narcotics are needed. He also amazingly rewards progress and success with lots of positive reinforcement and motivational encouraging words. Just that right there enabled me to cut my pain meds in half as I was not worried, stressed or in pain + w/d. I was able to do the other things needed for quality of life besides just focusing on the pain and the pills. Too often the focus becomes just the pain and the pills, the rest of you gets pushed aside. Pain management means management of pain. It does not mean “you should be all better cuz if I don’t cut you off I might as well throw my license out the window”. (yes that too is verbatim from doctor # 3 year 3. Needless to say the next doctor actually scheduled an MRI before assuming I was a pill head and Surprise Surprise!! Still more surgery was needed. Don’t ever stop being an advocate for yourself if you suffer from chronic pain or permanent injuries, Quality of life is your right and there are doctor’s out there who still care about people more than $$$ or their own butts. Peace and productivity to all my fellow chronic painers:) I pray that you all find the health care teams that will support and care for you, treat the whole person you are instead of numbing damaged goods.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Hey “sally”, my prayers are with you. I once had a nurse tell me, “Ms. C., weren’t you in here two days ago?” Yeah and so what, two days ago I had swelling on my knee; today, I was bitten by a spider in my garden and this ring on my foot that was the size of a dime last night is now covering the entire top of my foot. The young lady at the desk went on to explain that “us rich housewives” have nothing better to do but to drink martinis with our percocets! This brought about a laugh throughout the front office staff until the doctor came out and wanted to hear the “punchline”. I went on to explain that my being considered “rich” is definitely histerical. Love Liz.