Opioids are one of the most addictive substances, and breaking the addiction can be extremely difficult both mentally and physically. This is why many addicts remain hooked to avoid the withdrawal period.
Opioid addiction often starts out innocently enough, with a prescription for pain relievers. With prolonged use, however, opioid use can turn into a full-blown heroin addiction when the prescription drugs are no longer available. In fact, during the 2000s, at least 75% of heroin addicts who entered rehab had used prescription opioids before turning to heroin.
Withdrawal from opioids is one of the main hurdles for addicts who want to get clean. Quitting an opioid addiction should never be done without a doctor's supervision, as these symptoms are often intense for several days after the last drug was taken, and symptoms can even last up to six months on a much lesser scale. Symptoms include:
- Muscle aches
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Sleeplessness and depression
- Excessive sweating
- Fever and chills
- Abdominal cramping
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- High blood pressure
To help those who have an opioid addiction, Dr. McElya offers suboxone, which contains buprenorphine and naloxone. In short, suboxone is a step-down drug that still contains opioids, but it reduces the “high” considerably. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that doesn’t get an addict as high, and it also satisfies the body’s need for the opiate. The naloxone component acts as an opioid antagonist.
Combined, the two ingredients in suboxone greatly reduce the withdrawal symptoms in opioid addicts, allowing them to wean off of the drug gradually and safely. Dr. McElya works with his patients throughout the process to ensure the best chances for success, which includes counseling and addiction treatment recommendations.