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Last month, the U.S. Department of Defense ruled the authorization of Tricare (the U.S. Military’s insurance program) to cover drug maintenance programs. This important ruling will allow the military’s active duty members, veterans, and their families to participate in methadone maintenance programs, which have shown to greatly improve the likeliness that an individual will fully recover from drug addiction.Often, military members return from service with both physical ailments as well as psychological issues that must be addressed with prescription drugs. It’s an unfortunate fact that a growing number of soldiers are becoming dependent on painkillers. As beneficial as these drugs may be, there is a great risk of chemical dependency for many of these drugs. According to a study released by the Army in 2010, over 1 in 7 service members received a prescription for pain medication, which comes out to nearly  250,000 active duty troops. Many of these individuals […]

Narcan, also known as the generic drug Naloxone, is an antidote to opiates like heroin and prescription pain medications like codeine, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Methadone, and Vicodin. When an individual overdoses on an opiate, his or her breathing will begin to slow down and can even stop, making it nearly impossible for an observer to wake them. Narcan is an injectable prescription medication that can work to reverse an overdose by blocking the effects of opioids. However, it’s important to note that Narcan and Naloxone are ineffective if used on a person overdosing from any drug other than opioids. Additionally, Narcan is a non-narcotic and cannot get a person high.Narcan works to inhibit the brain’s opiate receptors. While it doesn’t help non-opioid drug overdoses, Narcan can still help if opiates have been taken in combination with other drugs. Following administration of Narcan, the person will most likely start to resume normal […]

A number of misconceptions surrounding methadone maintenance treatment exist, both among patients as well as practitioners.  Here we’ll discuss seven of the most commonly mistaken beliefs regarding the use of methadone to treat opioid addiction.1.  True or False: By using the methadone maintenance method to treat opioid dependence, aren’t I just trading one addiction for another?False.  Prescription methadone is given to patients as maintenance therapy, as it works to normalize their systems as opposed to working as a narcotic. When compared to the addiction that occurs in patients who are addicted to heroin and other prescription opioids like oxycontin, methadone patients are still able to function intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Furthermore, methadone is ingested orally and does not produce narcotic effects such as tranquilization or mood swings. Methadone patients are perfectly capable of living productive, normal lives free of addiction over time.2.  True or False: Methadone is unsafe for use […]

When making the decision to end the addiction to opioids like heroin, oxycontin, Vicodin, and other prescription drugs, the individual must consider a variety of options and select the option best suited for him or her. Currently, the two main treatment options are:Maintenance of the addiction through methadone or other prescription drugs such as buprenorphineAbstinence treatment which entails quitting opioids cold turkeyContrary to wishful thinking and what most people who have not read the scientific research believe, abstinence treatment, or “detox,” is often ineffective.  While this is not news to experts and most who suffer from opioid addiction, a recent PBS interview with expert Dr. Bohdan Nosyk — an associate professor of health economics in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia – reported that abstinence treatment too often results in overdose and death.Despite there being numerous treatment options available to help treat opioid […]