LAAM Overdose
LAAM, short for Levo-Alpha Acetyl Methadol or Levomethadyl, is a narcotic analgesic, a drug commonly used as a harm reduction measure for those who are addicted to street opiates like heroin or morphine. Rather than using needles, addicts can stop injecting their drug of choice and switch to LAAM without dealing with the withdrawal symptoms or drug cravings that they would otherwise experience.
LAAM is not a cure for opiate addiction. In fact, LAAM can be quite dangerous on its own. Even though it is used in drug treatment, it is not a cure; it is only a harm reduction measure. The benefits lie in the fact that you no longer need to depend upon needles as your mode of drug ingestion nor must you risk overdose by using street drugs with variable quality. However, overdose is still a risk with LAAM, a risk that Meditox can help you avoid.
What are the Signs of a LAAM Overdose?
If you are taking LAAM, it is easy to overdose. Combining it with other drugs or doubling up on your dose because you're not feeling its effects are the most common causes of LAAM overdose. The signs of an overdose include:
- Slowed and labored breathing
- Slowed heartbeat
- A stupor or coma
- Clammy skin
- Pupils that are pinpoints
In the worst cases, a LAAM overdose ends in cardiac arrest, coma and/or death.
What Do I Do in the Event of a LAAM Overdose?
If you are concerned that you or someone else has overdosed on LAAM but you are unsure, call 1-800-222-1222 toll-free. This is the National Poison Control Center, and they are available to answer questions any time of the day or night. If you feel quite sure that you or someone you are with is experiencing a LAAM overdose, it is imperative that you call 911 before doing anything else. Do not waste time with any so-called "home remedies." Instead, be prepared to answer questions about the overdose victim's age, weight and symptoms as well as the drugs taken, how much and the time of the last dose.
How is a LAAM Overdose Treated?
When paramedics arrive, they will first make sure that the victim is breathing and that a pulse is present. They may administer a dose of naloxone to immediately put a stop to the detrimental effects of the overdose. In the emergency room, treatment will continue by pumping the victim's stomach or administering a laxative or activated charcoal, and monitors will be used to make sure that breathing, heart rate and blood pressure are stable.
How Do I Avoid a LAAM Overdose?
Avoiding a LAAM overdose starts when you begin your prescription. Learn everything you can about the drug, what it interacts with and what you should bypass. You should not take the medication daily as this will definitely result in overdose. Make sure your doctor knows everything you are taking, including prescriptions, over the counter medications and nonprescription supplements and vitamins.
Of course, the best way to avoid a LAAM overdose is to detox off the drug. Meditox can help you do that with a Suboxone opiate addiction treatment.
Avoid a LAAM Overdose Through LAAM Addiction Treatment at Meditox
Suboxone is a prescription medication that is approved by the FDA for one purpose only: treating opiate addiction. Meditox, too, has but one mission: to help you break your addiction to opioid-based drugs like LAAM. If an outpatient LAAM detox is what you need to make sure that you don't fall victim to a LAAM overdose, then contact the Meditox calling center today and make an appointment.
If you feel that Meditox might be the right solution for you or your loved one, please call us for a toll-free and private consultation:
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