Prescription Drug Detox

Doctors commonly prescribe opioid prescription drugs for chronic and acute pain management. Though it is true that opiate prescription medications are very effective at relieving pain, they are also highly addictive. Extended use of any opiate painkillers will lead to a prescription drug addiction requiring detox and treatment. The fact that a doctor prescribed the drugs leads most into a false sense of security: how can it be dangerous if my doctor gave it to me? Unfortunately, opioid-based drugs can be very dangerous to the other systems in the body causing damage over time and when combined with other drugs including alcohol or taken improperly, overdose can occur as well.

What is a Prescription Drug Addiction Detox?

Prescription drug addiction detox generally entails two steps. The first is to stop the prescription drug of dependence. This inaction quickly results in withdrawal symptoms as few as four to six hours after the missed dose. The second step is to abstain from using the prescription drug while the body breaks its dependence of and need for a certain amount in the bloodstream. Under the weight of debilitating withdrawal symptoms, this can be a difficult thing to do. With a Meditox prescription drug detox, you can treat your addiction and avoid the withdrawal symptoms that keep most chained to their opiate addiction.

Opioid-based prescription drugs work because they block the perception of pain in the brain and body. They also affect the regions in the brain that relate pleasure or euphoria. When you abruptly stop taking your opiate prescription or lower the dosage dramatically, the effects or withdrawal symptoms can include:

Involuntary leg movement or spasms
Cold flashes with distinct goose bumps on the skin
Insomnia
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Restlessness
Pain focused in the muscles and bones

With a medical detox like the one provided by Meditox, you can avoid these withdrawal symptoms and detox without feeling sick.

How Do I Avoid Withdrawal Symptoms During a Prescription Drug Addiction Detox?

At Meditox, we advise you to consult with a qualified physician that specializes in substance abuse treatment before embarking on a detox alone. Withdrawal symptoms can be harsh and taxing on the body as well as the mind. A medical detox, on the other hand, will replace the prescription drug with a synthetic opiate that will react to the brain and body the same way the dependent drug does. However, the synthetic drug will not provide the euphoric “high.” This method provides a safe and effective detox without the withdrawal symptoms.

What is a Suboxone Prescription Drug Addiction Detox?

Suboxone is the first opioid-based medication approved by the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) and the FDA for the exclusive treatment of opioid dependence in an office-based setting. Suboxone contains the partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine, and an opioid antagonist, naloxone. When Suboxone is used in prescription drug addiction treatment opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings are suppressed. This helps more patients stay in treatment and abstain from opioid use for the long term. If used as directed, Suboxone detox has also been proven to shorten detox time, allowing people to get back to their lives more quickly and safely.

How Can Meditox Help Me With a Prescription Drug Addiction Detox?

If you are seeking a confidential, outpatient prescription drug addiction detox treatment, turn to Meditox. All of our doctors are certified to prescribe Suboxone and are specialists in substance abuse and addiction. We are different in that we require just one appointment to create and implement an individualized treatment plan that can get you drug-free in as few as six weeks.

At Meditox, we are committed to helping you stop using prescription drugs and provide 24-hour telephone support as well as assistance in finding local support groups, physicians and other resources to help you attain your goal. Call today.

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:

Additional Resources

National Institute on Drug Abuse InfoFacts: Prescription Painkillers
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Prescription Drug Use and Abuse

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“Today is week #5! I have my life back, this morning my husband told me he hadn't seen me like this in three years! My daughter told me "your back Mom"! My Fybromyalgia is down to 2 to 3 percent of what it was, I am fully able to live with the Joy and Love and Laughter which has always been my way.”

Mother, Real Estate Agent, 49
August 11, 2006

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