|
Opioid Painkillers Sometimes Make Pain Worse
2008-09-23 15:57:00 We?ve talked a lot here about the problem of chronic pain and the issue of treating it in light of the issue of painkiller addiction, and here?s a bit of news that may add to that conversation: it seems that there is new evidence that opiate treatment for chronic pain may actually make the pain worse for some people. This condition has a name: Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia or OIH.
By: Suboxone Blog
Taking Prescription Painkillers During Outpatient Rehabilitation
2008-08-16 15:36:00 A couple weeks ago I had an accident that ended with me sustaining some fairly serious injuries, and since then I?ve been on prescription painkillers. Needless to say, this is not good. Physical pain definitely isn?t fun but it?s the painkillers that are really messing with me. I?m not happy. When I?m on them and I feel any sedative effects, I feel guilty. When I?m not on them and I?m in pain, obviously, that?s not a happy time, either. Either way, I?m not getting a whole lot done.
By: Suboxone Blog
An Alcoholic on Painkillers
2008-08-11 09:02:00 Yup, that was the highlight of my flight this weekend. I was standing at the boarding door when a couple came staggering on board. The man could barely mumble a coherent sentence while his wife seemed pretty hyper. As they passed by me, I could smell the alcohol. I immediately expressed my concerns to the Station ...
By: An Island Life
5 Tips to Help Your Child Deal With Opiate Addiction
2008-05-29 16:12:00 For parents, there are few things worse than discovering that their child is addicted to opiates. But there?s one thing that few parents realize: there are few things worse for your child to discover about him or herself as well. As the anti-drug commercials put it, ?No one ever said, ?When I grow up, I want to be a junkie,?? and for your child, finding themselves in the tortuous position of physical addiction can be terrifying. As the parent, you may be the only person who can really help him or her to get through this experience and come out on the other side a happier, more well-adjusted person. Here are some 5 tips to help you along the way.
Natural Painkillers - Avoid the Dangers of Aspirin & Ibuprofen
2008-05-28 11:54:00 Nearly one-third of all gastrointestinal bleeding related hospitalizations and deaths are the result of using aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), according to an August 2005 report in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. But you may think, oh well I'm only on low dose aspirin, or baby aspirin, and my doctor told me to take it for heart attack prevention. However, up to one-third of these GI bleeding deaths were due to low dose aspirin. In real-life numbers, this means that out of every 100,000 people that use aspirin, ibuprofen and other NSAIDS, 15 will die from it.If these odds look okay to you, then carry on. But if they seem rather high, and out of proportion to the reason you're using painkillers, then you may want to look at some natural alternatives.If you find yourself in need of a painkiller, you should investigate both acupuncture and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), if you want long-term results. Taking a pill or supplement ...
Painkiller Addiction Versus Chronic Pain Management
2008-05-17 20:59:00 It?s an ongoing debate in the medical community and among those who suffer from chronic pain: is it worse to suffer from pain or deal with addiction to the opiate painkillers prescribed to alleviate that pain? According to Medical News Today, the debate continues and neither side of the argument shows signs of giving way.
Understanding Arthritis Painkillers DMARDS
2008-05-12 22:51:00 When you have arthritis pain, you need relief. But with so many warnings in the news about painkillers, it's hard to know the best choice. Many medications that ease arthritis pain have the potential for health risks, including increased risk for heart attack, stomach problems, or infections. You have difficult decisions to make, whether you're fighting pain from osteoarthritis that comes with age -- or pain from rheumatoid arthritis, a debilitating immune disorder. Do you somehow tough out the pain? Or do you accept the risk because your pain requires it, and take the drug for arthritis? Which drug is right for your body? And which medicine may work best for your type of arthritis?Easing arthritis pain can help someone with osteoarthritis "get up and going, and get walking," White tells WebMD. "If you have osteoarthritis, losing 15 pounds will stop the progression of your disease and reduce your pain. Then you can quit taking the pain medication!" Although pain from rheumatoid a...
How Do Painkillers Find & Kill Pain?
2008-05-11 15:43:00 First, we need to make a distinction between the two main classes of painkillers, which are used for different situations and function via different mechanisms. The first class is the narcotic drugs. These are the heavy-duty drugs, like morphine and codeine, used to treat severe pain. They relieve pain in two ways: first by interfering with and blocking the transmission of pain signals to the brain, and then by working in the brain to alter the sensation of pain. These drugs neither find nor kill pain, but reduce and alter the user?s perception of the pain. They?re kind of like having an optimistic friend that says, ?Hey man, everything will be cool. Nothing?s wrong. Here, look at this shiny, distracting thing!? The other class is the aspirin drugs, like paracetamol and ibuprofen. These are the over the counter drugs we reach for whenever we?ve got a headache or a sore back. Throughout history, people all over the world were using botanical remedies for pain. The ancient Egyptians u...
By: Curious? Read
Getting Painkillers to Those Who Need It and Away From Those Who Don?t
2008-04-14 20:04:00 ScienceDaily recently did an article called Doctor's Offices Can Help Stem Abuse Of Oxycontin, Other Narcotic Painkillers, summarized as, ?a new study shows how doctor's offices and clinics can identify patients who may be diverting or misusing narcotic painkillers such as OxyContin, and steer them to help, while preserving access to the drugs for patients who truly need them to control their pain.?
Handling a Percocet Withdrawal
2008-03-22 03:59:00 Percocet is the brand name for a drug that combines oxycodone and acetaminophen. This same combination but in different strengths can also be found in the brand name drugs, Roxicet, Tylox and Endocet, but Percocet is by far the most popular prescription painkiller.
Are Generic Drugs as Addictive as Brand Name Drugs?
2008-03-18 20:30:00 Chances are that about half of you who have prescriptions for Vicodin or Lorcet or Norco don?t receive a little bottle from the pharmacy with the brand name on it. Most likely it will use the generic name: Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen. Is there any difference between brand name and generic prescription painkillers? And more importantly, is either more or less addictive than the other?
Taking the Plunge
2008-03-11 02:53:00 When the folks here at Suboxone Blog asked me to write a few guest posts, I was flattered and really excited. I also thought the writing would be easy. It's easy enough for me to bang out posts over at Diary of a Quitter, after all.
By: Suboxone Blog
Painkillers That Kill
2008-03-09 21:03:00 The prescription was almost out and Jim knew he wouldn’t be able to get another fill from his doctor. He didn’t think he was addicted, but he wanted the euphoria to continue. There must be another way… More: continued here
10 Signs You May Be Addicted To Painkillers
2008-03-01 15:23:00 Each year, more than 2 million Americans are given powerful prescription painkillers that contain opiods (sometimes called narcotics) for the relief of pain and discomfort brought on by injury, surgery, menstrual cramps, and even headaches. But a growing number of people taking these medications are becoming addicted to them. And it’s not hard to understand ...
What Winners on Suboxone Do is Blog
2008-02-29 04:12:00 There are two excellent blogs out there run by a rad lady in recovery named Erin. One is What Winners Do and the other is her latest addition to the recovery blogging family, The Suboxone Help Spot.
What to Expect if You Overdose
2008-02-17 12:38:00 We?ve talked a lot about how to recognize an overdose when you see it, what not to do it if it happens to a friend of yours and certain risks you can avoid to keep yourself out of the emergency room, but in most cases, if you overdose, you aren?t going to know what hit you, much less what to do about it. So if the worst happens and you end up flat on your back on a gurney, here?s what the medical professionals will most likely do.
Know an Overdose When You See One
2008-02-17 00:38:00 You may know what to do when someone you are with overdoses and you may know what not to do as well, but if you don?t know what an overdose looks like, that knowledge isn?t going to help very much. An opiate overdose is often difficult to discern in its early stages as the effects of opioid-based drugs can be pretty overwhelming. But there are a few signs and symptoms that can tip you off before things get out of hand.
3 Tips to Avoid a Codeine Overdose
2008-02-12 20:57:00 Codeine is a highly addictive opioid-based prescription medication. Taken every six to eight hours based upon your level of pain, it doesn?t take longer than a few weeks to build up a tolerance and require a larger dose to get the same initial pain relieving effects. However, even though you may not feel the effects of the codeine, it doesn?t mean that the drug isn?t in your system. Some may make the mistake of taking more than the prescribed dosage in order to self medicate their pain. Even taking the drug exactly as it is prescribes can result in an overdose. Unless you are vigilant, if you are taking codeine, you are at risk for a codeine overdose.
Substitution in Drug Addiction Treatment
2008-02-09 06:42:00 Some knock the use of Suboxone to detox off of opioid-based drugs by saying that it?s merely substituting one addictive drug for another. In a sense, yes, Suboxone is addictive so if you replace your current opiate of choice with this form of buprenorphine then you are substituting one drug for another. The difference is that Suboxone is a partial agonist and opiate painkillers are full agonists. In terms of their action in your brain, partial agonists manage to trick your body into thinking that you are still getting your old drug so you don?t go into withdrawal when you quit taking it. However, you won?t get that cloudy feeling when you take Suboxone, the one that comes with other opiates, especially when they?re abused.
Heath Ledger Dies of Accidental Overdose
2008-02-07 21:39:00 So it turns out that the initial speculation was correct: Heath Ledger did accidentally overdose on a variety of prescription drugs including oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine. This information was released by the New York medical examiner?s office, so it?s pretty much an accepted fact. I apologize to those who don?t want to believe that it?s true, but like I?ve said before, Heath?s death only proves that even with a ton of money, even when everything is legally prescribed and you have all the medical attention and treatment you could possibly want, overdose is still a real possibility.
By: Suboxone Blog
Drug Addiction and Organ Transplantation
2008-02-06 19:52:00 It?s common knowledge that addiction can tear up your body, especially your kidneys and liver for prescription painkillers and alcohol and your lungs, gums and mouth if you smoke, not to mention the not so healthy decisions you make while under the influence that put the rest of your body in harm?s way. So it should make sense that a number of drug addicts and alcoholics end up needing an organ transplant of some kind. A big area of concern is that transplant patients with a history of addiction will relapse after the surgery and in effect, ?waste? the organ by destroying it with drugs and alcohol. But according to a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal and online, only about 6 percent of former alcoholics and 4 percent of drug addicts relapse in a given year after their transplant.
By: Suboxone Blog
Methadone is Deadly Even When Taken as Prescribed
2008-02-05 06:04:00 There?s a new study out by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University that doesn?t paint methadone in a very pretty light. It seems that through their work, they have found that methadone can be deadly even when it is taken as prescribed whether the goal is pain management or drug addiction. Even at therapeutic levels, methadone can be the cause of sudden cardiac death, according to The American Journal of Medicine.
Subconscious Signals Trigger Drug Craving
2008-02-04 19:24:00 The word ?trigger? is a common one heard in drug rehab and support group settings and refers to just about anything that makes you want to get loaded, get drunk or get high. It could be something negative like dealing with family members who stress you out or something positive like a New Year?s Eve celebration where everyone else is under the influence. New research on brain imaging, however, says that triggers to use can start in addicts even before an obvious stressful trigger event happens.
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Chyna, AKA Joan Marie Laurer
2008-02-02 07:24:00 In the ring, she?s known as Chyna, but in the world of VH1?s Celebrity Rehab, she?s better known as Joan or Joanie. In her former life, she was considered "The Ninth Wonder of the World" (Andre the Giant being the eighth). However, with Dr. Drew Pinsky and the rest of the celebrities undergoing drug rehab, she can?t decide whether or not she?s actually an alcoholic and addict. This ambiguity, although unexpected in this context, is common in rehabs across the country.
Are Patients or Doctors Responsible For Opioid Medication Abuse and Addicti
2008-01-31 07:39:00 Peggy Compton, RN, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the UCLA School of Nursing, Los Angeles and recently published an article online at Pain-Topics.org, "Should Opioid Abusers Be Discharged From Opioid-Analgesic Therapy?" Basically, she says that those who are using prescription opiates are in a precarious situation and that abruptly stopping their medication is dangerous. A thorough exit plan is a necessity when doctors take on the responsibility of prescribing opioid-based medications like Vicodin, Norco, Fentanyl, OxyContin and others.
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Seth ?Shifty? Binzer
2008-01-27 21:41:00 Seth Binzer, otherwise known as Shifty, is one of the celebrities sharing his drug addiction recovery with the world on VH1?s Celebrity Drug Rehab. Born in LA, he moved around in his childhood only to return to the City of Angels for his teen years. He immersed himself in the West Coast hip hop scene and became a graffiti artist, meeting all the people who would help him start his music career. His high point came when he was the lead singer for Crazytown and their singles ?Butterfly? and ?Starry Eyed Surprise? were at the top of the charts.
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Jessica Sierra
2008-01-25 06:13:00 The biggest complaint about Jessica Sierra?s appearance on VH1?s Celebrity Drug Rehab reality TV show is the fact that she?s not really a celebrity. Where everyone else in the house has logged years in the entertainment industry, Jessica Sierra entered a contest and lost. Granted, it?s one of the most-watched contests on TV--American Idol--and she wasn?t the first one cut or anything, but as far as celebrity goes, you have to define the word pretty loosely to include Sierra.
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Daniel Baldwin
2008-01-25 03:10:00 Daniel Baldwin is better known for his association with his two brothers, Alec and Stephen, than for his own acting career. He?s done a bit of producing and directing work as well, but his most famous exploits are off camera, including a cocaine-induced streaking incident in New York?s Plaza Hotel and arrest for grand theft ...
Heath Ledger Dies of Prescription Painkiller Overdose
2008-01-23 07:11:00 The story according to the New York Post is this: Heath Ledger, the Oscar-nominated actor, died of a pain pill overdose. Was it suicide? They don?t think so. He had prescriptions for the Vicodin and Xanax that were the apparent cause of his death.
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Jeff Conaway
2008-01-21 09:03:00 Jeff Conaway is one of the celebrities on VH1?s Celebrity Drug Rehab, a popular new reality TV show that I?ve talked about here before. I?ve been doing celebrity drug profiles this year as a way to encourage you?either by an example to shoot for or by showing you how bad it can get?and it seems to make sense to do a celeb drug rehab profile on each of the celebs currently sharing their very painful experiences on national television.
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Winona Ryder
2008-01-20 06:56:00 A beautiful woman and an incredible acting talent, Winona Ryder is unfortunately best known for her performance on a security camera in a Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue in November of 2002. She was convicted of grand theft and felony vandalism (i.e. shoplifting) but her sentence took into account the large amount of prescription painkillers in her possession at the time of her arrest and she was ordered to go to drug counseling in addition to paying a $10,000 fine.
United Amerindian Center Closes Down Due to Lack of Funds
2008-01-20 04:55:00 In Green Bay, Wisconsin there is an organization called United Amerindian Center. They provide medical services and drug and alcohol counseling free of charge to American Indians who don?t live on reservation land. Or they did. The center has been forced to close its doors to due to a lack of funds, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette.
Local Programs Break the Culture Barrier in Drug Addiction Treatment
2008-01-19 04:55:00 The problem with many of the federally funded studies that provide valuable information to treatment and rehabilitation centers across the country is that their main study samples are usually made up of white men. The majority of people in treatment in the United States are white men, so in the beginning, this approach to research studies made sense. However, now that the basic epidemiological studies have been done, it?s about time to focus on different cultures and ethnicities that may have characteristics that affect the outcome of drug addiction treatment.
Celebrity Rehab Drug Profile: Ozzy Osbourne
2008-01-16 06:26:00 Ozzy Osbourne isn?t known as ?The Prince of Darkness? for no reason. His antics on stage and rock and roll behavior are legendary. From inadvertently biting the head off a live bat to running around on fire while under the influence, the stories he?ll one day tell his grandchildren are innumerable.
By: Suboxone Blog
Addictionologist Agresti Comments On VH1?s Celebrity Rehab
2008-01-15 10:50:00 Dr. Mark Agresti is a leading addictionologist and the operator of Meditox, one of the fastest growing, outpatient opiate detox programs in the United States. He?s seen VH1?s latest reality TV show hit, Celebrity Rehab and, to be blunt, he?s not impressed.
By: Suboxone Blog
The Big Picture of Genetic Influence in Drug Addiction
2008-01-13 21:13:00 A new genetic drug addiction study was published last week in PLoS Computational Biology. According to the report, researchers from the Center for Bioinformatics at Peking University in Beijing have put together the gene atlas that underlies drug addiction and identified five molecular pathways that are commonly found in people who are addicted to four different drugs.
By: Suboxone Blog
VH1?s New Celebrity Reality Show, Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew Tonight
2008-01-12 21:06:00 VH1 has a new celeb reality show that premieres tonight: Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew. If you?re a fan of VH1 or reality TV, you may already be familiar with Dr. Drew Pinsky. He?s been on the radio, MTV?s Loveline and CNN?s Strictly Sex With Dr. Drew. He?s also a writer/researcher/addictionolog-ist and he?s bringing all that expertise to the world of B- and C-list celebrities with a problem with substance abuse and a penchant for the camera.
By: Suboxone Blog
13 Ways to get a buzz other than popping a pill
2008-01-09 18:02:00 1. Knitting, ok stay with me. Knitting is the new punk. Check out these guys 2. Make a cable. I don’t know about you but I always need cable, and they are never the right size. These guys show you how easy it is to do. Check out the size differential, you will know ...
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Michael Jackson
2008-01-08 00:49:00 If ever there was a fable about why drugs are bad for you then the story of Michael Jackson?s sad life would be it. His legal problems and eccentric lifestyle choices have most often been in the news and so sensational were they that his addiction to prescription painkillers is hardly ever the focus of tabloid stories. Yes, opiate drug addiction is mundane when compared to living in a real live petting zoo and the possible molestation of small children.
By: Suboxone Blog
Celebrity Drug Rehab Profile: Drew Barrymore
2008-01-06 21:17:00 Despite the highly successful Hollywood family from which Drew Barrymore hails, her life has been far from a fairy tale. She landed her first acting role at the age of 11 months and made a few more TV and film appearances before playing Gertie in the cult classic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. She was 8 years old at the time and it was soon after that things started going downhill.
By: Suboxone Blog
Doctors Play a Big Part in Painkiller Overuse
2008-01-05 19:41:00 When it comes to drug addiction, everyone wants to point fingers and place blame. As a result, ?blaming the victim? is quite common. Addicts are accused of being weak-willed and at fault for their own addictions, especially when the addiction is opiate prescription medications. How hard is it choose not to take a pill?
Celebrity Rehab Profile: Marshall Mathers (aka Eminem)
2008-01-04 22:28:00 Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, is one of the most successful recording artists of the past decade. Each of his three albums have hit number one on the pop charts and 5 of his singles have been in the top 10 with "Lose Yourself" hitting number one. Unfortunately, like many others who share the spotlight with him, Eminem found himself addicted to sleep medications and went to a short-term inpatient rehab to cover.
Guns for Painkillers
2008-01-04 21:53:00 The police chief of Killian, Louisiana, has been arrested on drug charges after exchanging guns for pain pills he said his wife needed. According to an affidavit filed in federal court, a local paper reports, "Acting Killian Police Chief Joseph Guy Crawford Jr., 38, allegedly told federal agents that his wife’s prescription did not provide ...
By: Gun News
Clemens: Painkillers were injected (PA SportsTicker)
2008-01-03 23:58:00 Roger Clemens told “60 minutes” that he received injections from his personal trainer, according to a statement released Thursday by CBS. Read the full story.
By: MLB News Blog
Genetic Link Found in Family Members with Opioid Dependence
2008-01-03 18:14:00 It is a well known fact that if either of your parents or your grandparents were or are addicted to drugs and alcohol then chances are you will most likely develop an addiction if you decide to use, too. The Yale School of Medicine has further clarified this assumption by identifying a common gene among ...
Celebrity Rehab Profile ? Nicole Richie
2008-01-02 20:44:00 Nicole Richie has suffered in the spotlight: her struggle with maintaining a normal weight, her spat with Paris Hilton, her in and out rehab status for heroin addiction. The gossip columns and paparazzi love to report that she is on her way back to rehab or going AWOL from a rehab facility to hit the shopping mall. At 26 years old, Richie has lived 10 lives in the press and with the conflicting stories from CNN, her press agent and the tabloids, who knows what?s really true?
Celebrity Rehab Profile: Robin Williams
2008-01-01 21:19:00 It?s a brand new year and with the change of date often comes a change of heart. Resolutions are fun to make and can be as exciting as the fireworks at midnight. The idea of a new you is often enough to propel you through the first few weeks of the new year but your good intentions fizzle under the weight of the same old responsibilities at work and at home. Resolving to get clean and kick your prescription painkiller habit is an excellent new year?s resolution, and in an effort to help you on your way, I?m going to profile a few celebs who have made the same resolution.
By: Suboxone Blog
Large Family Study Pinpoints Genetic Linkage In Drug Addiction
2007-12-31 18:52:00 We?ve known for quite some time now that if your parents or grandparents had issues with addiction that you, too, would have a lower tolerance to drugs and alcohol. Now, researchers at Yale School of Medicine have identified a gene that shows a predilection for addiction to opioid-based drugs like OxyContin, heroin and morphine.
Pros and Cons of Medical Detoxification
2007-12-30 18:36:00 Medical detoxification is a way of breaking an addiction to drugs with the help of a prescription designed to ease the symptoms of withdrawal. The alternative?quitting ?cold turkey??can be painful and even deadly depending on the dosage. A medical detox gives you the benefit of a drug-free life without the nasty physical withdrawal symptoms that would otherwise be a part of the experience.
By: Suboxone Blog
Deadly Mechanism of Methadone
2007-12-29 19:36:00 In 2004, more than 3800 people died from methadone overdose in the United States, according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Every year since, overdoses due to methadone have continued to increase by about 20 percent. Once the gold standard in drug addiction treatment, methadone has quickly become one of the most commonly abused prescription opiates on the black market and by legal prescription for chronic pain.
By: Suboxone Blog
|
|
 |
|
 |
