Legacy Healing Center Blog

Medications Used to Treat Opiate Addiction

Trying to quit using opiate drugs when you are addicted is no easy task and can be painful, psychologically distressing, and extremely difficult to get through. The good news is that you can go to a drug rehab facility offering opiate addiction treatment. At Legacy Healing’s behavioral health center, you will be screened and evaluated and then connected with the treatment you need to stop opiate use in a safe and measured way. A medical detox program is a typical way to have medical oversight, combined with therapy and medications that will help you get through your detox period as comfortably and safely as possible. Another way is medications to ease the symptoms of opiate withdrawal. Keep reading to discover the drugs used to treat opiate addiction in Fort Lauderdale.

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Methadone

Methadone is a painkilling drug that can relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms. It is used as a replacement drug, meaning it takes the place of the opiate you are addicted to by moving into the same receptor sites in the brain. This stops the intense drug cravings that come with detoxing and the flu-like withdrawal symptoms, keeping the patient comfortable so they can concentrate on rehabilitation efforts.

Suboxone

Suboxone is a synthetic opioid that is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. This medication was created explicitly for use in opioid addiction treatment. It binds to the opioid receptors in the brain to help withdrawal symptoms, as the naloxone blocks opioid effects, so you cannot get high if you take opiates again. Suboxone does not create a “high” feeling like methadone does, so the likelihood of abuse is much lower.

Buprenorphine

This medication reduces opioid cravings and minimizes the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that come with opioid detox, like cramping, nausea, headache, flu-like symptoms, and other painful feelings.

Naltrexone

This medication is used for both opioid and alcohol addiction once the initial detox is complete. It is a medicine that blocks the euphoric and sedating feelings that drugs and alcohol can provide, which helps reduce relapse.

Drugs Used to Treat Opiate Overdose

The risk of opiate overdose is high, especially if fentanyl is present. A person overdosing from opiate drugs will have their breathing slow down so much it will eventually not be strong enough to sustain life. Hypoxia can quickly lead to a coma and death if it is not treated immediately.

Opiate overdose looks like this:

• Snoring
• Limp body
• Pale or clammy face
• Weak or slow pulse
• Blue/purple fingertips/lips in lighter-skinned people
• Blue/purple inner lips in darker-skinned people
• Slow, shallow breathing
• No breathing at all

When present during an overdose, the best thing to do is provide naloxone to treat the symptoms and call 911 immediately. The faster the person gets proper medical care, the more likely they can escape brain damage or even death.

Naloxone

Naloxone is used in an emergency overdose situation when breathing is too shallow or stops entirely due to an opiate overdose. It is a medication that can reverse the effects of opiates on the body for a short period. It may take multiple doses of naloxone to get breathing going again. It is imperative to get the person overdosing to a medical facility right away, as the opiate causing the overdose may last longer than the naloxone does.

Where to Get Medication for Opiate Addiction

If you or a loved one is suffering from opiate addiction and need help quitting or finding drugs used to treat opiate addiction, you can contact Legacy Healing. We will help you stop using opiate drugs in a safe and effective medically assisted treatment (MAT) program that uses a combination of medications, clinical care, counseling, and therapy to treat you as a whole patient, keeping you safe and comfortable as your body adjusts to the lack of opiates in your system. We can help you taper off the drugs and provide emotional support, providing strategies to help you cope with anxiety and stress, along with a relapse prevention plan.

Our programs are designed to help you detox and transition into a fully integrated drug rehab program within our Fort Lauderdale luxury facility. This process will not only give you the sobriety tools you will need, but it will also help you find the root of your addiction and heal the trauma and mental health issues that contribute to drug use. Our caring staff and our luxury facilities will ensure you are calm, comfortable, and well-taken care of during your stay with us. You can enjoy amenities like a full fitness center and boxing gym, excellent food, a pool, a recreation center, and beautiful grounds to explore. During the evenings, you become our guest, and we will treat you as such.

To learn more about luxury rehab in Fort Lauderdale and how we can help you through opiate addiction treatment with the drugs used to treat opiate addiction, contact Legacy Healing at 888.534.2295 today.