Posts Tagged ‘detox treatment’
Signs of Hydrocodone Addiction
 Signs of hydrocodone addiction are no different than most other painkiller addictions, or any addiction for that matter. Here is just a short list of some of the things I have experienced in my own life. If any of these things sound familiar whether it’s in your life or the life of someone close to you, it could be the beginning of a hydrocodone addiction.
Not taking the drug as prescribed by your doctor. There are a specific ways to take hydrocodone for it to be effective to treat pain, taking it for any other reason could be a sign of addiction. Taking hydrocodone for sleep, to get high, to relax, to calm the nerves, mixing it with alcohol or other drugs, and taking them more frequently than your doctor recommends. If you are running out of pills long before your next prescription, than you may want to tell your doctor so he can monitor your use better. Doctor shopping is a definite no no when it comes to having pain medication prescribed. Not only is it a sign of drug abuse, it is also against the law. Â If you are caught doctor shopping then you may never be able to get pain medication prescribed again. This can be a big problem if you are taking them for legitimate pain.
If you feel ill a lot for long periods of time then you may be going through hydrocodone addiction withdrawal. This can make someone very irritable and lash out to the ones close to them. Withdrawal can make you sick for days on end and if you must come off the pain medication, then it is best to do so under the care of a doctor and enter a detox center. Hydrocodone addiction is a serious issue. If you feel you may be addicted please consult a doctor. Hydrocodone contains acetaminophen, and if over exposed can lead to liver damage in the future. A doctor can best advise proper hydrocodone addiction detox treatment. Then later after the drug is removed from the system, then you can think about drug addiction recovery. There are many great treatment centers available that can be visited around your schedule. A 28 in patient treatment may be the best route, but outpatient treatment is also available. 12 step recovery is also a great way to deal with addiction once released from treatment. This way you can have a form of personal treatment when released into the real world.
By Gordon Thomas
What to Do After Detox
The first step in recovery is asking for help and physically getting off whatever substance you were abusing. Detox is only the beginning of your transition into a new life of sobriety. Once your body is clean of drugs and alcohol and you have completed your detox program my suggestion is to attend a drug rehab center. Some will tell you that this is not necessary and for the few people out there that have an extremely strong sense of discipline and are absolutely sure that they want to live a drug free life then they may be able to stay clean and sober without attending a rehab. However the statistics prove that your chances go up 10 fold if you attend and complete a drug treatment program.Â
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There is a variety of drug programs available ranging from the traditional 28 day inpatient rehab to some less intensive outpatient programs. Through my own personal experience I have found that the best way to stay off drugs and alcohol is to attend an inpatient rehab program with a minimum length of 28 days. There are also some residential drug treatment centers that offer longer programs (3-9 months) but many find that they are unable to put this amount of time aside. If you are able to invest 6 months into drug rehab because you feel that you need to then that is a great testament to your commitment to your recovery.
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When choosing which rehab to enter be wise and select one that fits your individual needs. If you also suffer from depression or anxiety make sure that they have a psychiatrist on staff that will be able to meet with you and assess your situation. If you feel more comfortable in a single sex environment then choose a treatment center that has separate units for men and women. Most important before you check yourself into any drug treatment facility, do a little research on their history and their success rates; it doesn’t hurt to do some investigating. If you are in need of some advice of where to go and are in the South Florida area, New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania email me and I will share my experiences with you.
Choosing the Right Detox
There is a huge difference in the quality of care from one detox center to another. The uneducated consumer may not know the difference but I have been to my fair share of detox’s and I am here to share my experience with you so that you can receive the highest level quality of care possible. One mistake that people often make when deciding on which detox center to go into is that they think they are limited to the facilities in their immediate area, which is entirely untrue. Drug dependence is a serious physical condition that requires emergency medical care and I know that when I am sick I want to be treated by the best and have the most well trained professionals by my side.
The best detox center in my experience has been The Sunrise Detox located in Lake Worth, Florida. They have a gentle and loving approach towards drug detoxification patients and treat all of their clients with dignity and respect. The staff at Sunrise Detox is the most caring and genuine that I have ever encountered. They actually care and want to see you recover and that is why there is such a comfortable and safe feeling there.
According to the Sunrise Detox website: “We believe that recovery from alcohol and drug addiction should be dignified. We’ve gone to great lengths to create a feeling of home at Sunrise Detox. There are no locked doors, and Sunrise Detox is not an antiseptic hospital environment. Our clients reside in comfortable, modern, elegantly furnished rooms, with plenty of space for personal belongings, and they are not required to wear uncomfortable hospital gowns during detoxification. Individuals can dress in the clothing of their choice, and have easy access to in-house laundry facilities. We also operate our own full-service, on-site gourmet kitchen which serves a diverse menu of nutritionally balanced meals and snacks.â€Â It makes a huge difference to be able to wear your own clothing and not be forced into a medical gown while going through withdrawal. Each and every creature comfort that is afforded at Sunrise Detox makes the process of coming off drugs easier to bear.
The most praiseworthy aspect of Sunrise Detox is that they understand what a comfortable detox means and they don’t see detox as a time to make the patient suffer. Through a comfortable, medically monitored detoxification process they aid their clients in their first steps towards recovery.
The Benefits of Inpatient Detox
Inpatient detox is the best solution for anyone who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol. I have tried more than once to attend an outpatient detox and the results were not positive for my family or me. There are many detox centers and drug rehabs that will try to convince you that their services will help you and that they are the best choice. Very few drug abusers succeed when they choose an outpatient detox because there is a lack of structure and the addicted individual is left in their using environment. This makes it very difficult to change behaviors and often times the temptation to use drugs is too great and the addict relapses.
If you have been using pain medication, benzodiazepines, heroin or any other addictive street drugs than I suggest that you check into an inpatient detox center where you will receive 24 hour medical attention from a trained nursing staff. It is essential to have the help of a doctor who can slowly wean you off of the addictive substance that you have in your body in a closed environment. I know that for me the temptation of using drugs was too great when in an outpatient detox center. I would begin to feel the slightest withdrawal symptoms and my mind would convince me that I could use just one more time to help myself through the detox.  Of course this was part of my sick thinking as an addict not only our bodies become ill but our minds as well. Inpatient detox’s are equipped to handle people who are suffering from withdrawal symptoms and adjust their detox medication dosages accordingly.
Inpatient detox is much more effective because of the daily structure and comprehensive medical care that is provided. Inpatient detox comes with round the clock nursing and physician assistance while in an outpatient detox program you can only see a doctor by appointment and you are on your own when you return home every evening. In addition to the lack of structure people in outpatient detox are exposed to the same elements as when they were using. In an inpatient detox program, the only people you see are approved by your therapist with your consent. Always look towards inpatient drug detox when looking to discontinue your drug use.
There is hope! With the proper medical care and the right attitude anyone can get clean. If you want it bad enough then nothing will stop you from achieving your goal. Just remember to take each day at a time and that if I could do it so can you.
The Facts on Ultra Rapid Detox
I have had many people ask me what the difference is between Rapid Detox and Ultra Rapid Detox and whether I would recommend either procedure. There is a great deal of confusion with respect to these terms. Ultra Rapid Detox generally indicates a detoxification process which is done under general anesthesia, which lasts somewhere between 4 and 24 hours. Rapid Detox, in general, can be used to denote anything from Ultra Rapid Detox to a detox process that lasts 10 days or more. Unfortunately, many clinics and websites now use these terms interchangeably. This can be confusing to individuals seeking information and treatment.
In general, Ultra Rapid Detox is a process of accelerating the detoxification process in patients who are addicted to drugs such as opiates, heroin, and even prescription pain relievers. The Ultra Rapid Detox process should be conducted in a hospital setting while the patient is under general anesthesia. The process needs to be overseen by certified anesthesiologists and a nursing staff that specialize in such procedures. While under anesthesia, the patient is administered medications that counteract the addictive substances. If the procedure is done correctly, the patient awakens from general anesthesia having gone partially through the drug withdrawal syndrome. Depending on how long the individual is under general anesthesia, withdrawal symptoms and physical cravings may be absent or partially absent upon awakening. However, the psychological and emotional aspects of addiction are not treated and, also, the patient hasn’t learned to change their behavior or response to their emotions regarding drugs. Because of this there is a significant risk that the patient will return to drug use shortly after ultra rapid detox.
Myths About Ultra Rapid Detox
With Ultra Rapid Detox I’ll wake up completely free from my addiction
Depending on the length of general anesthesia, you may or may not wake up free from the physical cravings of your addiction. In either case, you will still be completely addicted psychologically to the drug that you are addicted to.
I won’t feel any withdrawal symptoms with Ultra Rapid Detox
If you are under general anesthesia long enough, this might be true. However, there is a marked risk of death when one is placed under prolonged general anesthesia. Therefore, more recently “ultra rapid detox” treatments are done where the patient is under for no more than 4 to 6 hours. With shortened general anesthesia there’s a higher likelihood of having residual withdrawal symptoms upon awakening.
Ultra Rapid Detox is safe
Ultra Rapid Detox has higher risks than other detox methods and remains controversial within the medical community. There is a relative lack of scientific research to support the safety of this procedure. General anesthesia carries with it a risk of death and this risk is increased when anesthesia is prolonged. Some facilities will keep a patient under for up to 24 hours. Safety increases when time under general anesthesia is lessened, for example, down to 4 to 6 hours. However, a shorter course of general anesthesia may result in the individual experiencing more withdrawal symptoms upon awakening than otherwise.
Ultra Rapid Detox works!
Despite the wide publicity of Ultra Rapid Detox, there have not been any controlled studies to prove its effectiveness. This lack of scientific support makes it an unproven and controversial treatment for drug and opioid addiction. Ultra Rapid Detox does not treat the psychological, behavioral, and lifestyle aspects of addiction, only the physical addiction and, as time and practice prove, it is these latter aspects which hold the most control over the recovering addict.
Oxycotton Trend in Florida
The official name is OxyContin, but on the street it’s known as “oxycotton.” Oxycotton has become quite the popular drug in South Florida these days. Thanks to the easy access Florida Pain Clinics, oxycotton has reached the hands of many and has created a legal drug addicted society in Florida.
When taken in pill form, OxyCotton is a slow-release narcotic prescribed for pain caused by cancer, severe arthritis, sickle cell disease, and nerve damage. The active ingredient in the drug is a morphine derivative, the same as that also found in Percodan.
Oxycotton has become big on the street when resold by the drug dealers. Drug addicts are crushing and snorting it and smoking it to get a powerful and fast high that many users say is better than heroin.
Oxycotton has even grabbed a hold of many people that have never been addicted to a drug. It is tricky and sneaky. People start out taking oxycotton for pain relief and before they know it they are taking 50 pills per day.
Oxycotton has created an entire slew of new drug addicts and has given the average recovered heroin addict an easy way to slide back into addiction. If this is you then we only hope that you find a way to detox off this drug as soon as possible.
You might try going to some Narcotics Anonymous meetings. If you have insurance or a way to pay for detox seek out detox treatment as soon as possible. If you do not have insurance or a way to pay then their are plenty of state detox and treatment facilities that will service you if you are willing. Above all remember there is a way out and you do not have to stay addicted to oxycotton.
