What Kinds of Meds. Can Doctors Prescribe to Help With Heroin Withdrawl?
Question by jessica: What kinds of meds. can doctors prescribe to help with heroin withdrawl?
Besides Methadone and Suboxone which most professionals can’t legally prescribe and most view as “opiate substitutes”. My boyfriend is trying to get off of heroin and got into a wonderful detox/rehab but can’t go for almost another week so what is he supposed to do in the meantime? He is VERY SICK and even crying. I feel so bad for him. Yes, it was stupid to ever do it in the first place but maybe once he gets clean, he can help others from starting. I don’t want him to continue using until then because that “next fix” could be his last! I know he is suffering horribly and there must be some meds. that he could take until he is better to calm him. I also fear that he may try to hurt himself since he isn’t in the right state of mind. Should he go to the ER or would they laugh at him? Would a general practioner be able to help at all? Please be kind if you answering. We all know that drugs are dumb!
Best answer:
Answer by gigi
I have always heard that most doctors will give Methadone to help them get off of drugs. I would take him to ER and get him help. I would not let him suffer any more, we all know that suffering is not good and can actually cause a lot of damage to his body. I will pray for both of you, and hopefully there will be a person in the ER that will be sympathetic to his needs and will be able to help both of you. I think that they have to help you if you go into the hospital, I don’t believe that they can legally deny your boyfriend help. Have them keep him in the Hospital to watch him until he can get into rehab. Don’t let them send him away, because you know that would be the worst thing for him. IF they try to do that, tell them that you are going straight to a lawyer and then to the press. Any one in their right mind knows that this is a touch and go situation and he is in desperate need. Addiction is a terrible thing and I have seen peoples hearts stop because the body could not handle the withdrawal. Get him help right away.Please.!!!!
Answer by Dayna W
I am sorry for your boyfriend, and for you, for seeing what he is going through. As a former heroin addict for years, I can tell you that Methadone saved my life. I have to tell you something first : detox programs do NOT work, if your bf is in that bad of a withdrawal state! (unless they are long-term detox, which would be at least 28days) There are PLENTY of places where he can go, that will take him in IMMEDIATELY. For example, all major hospitals have a “detox floor”, and people arrive every morning. They are admitted on the spot in the ward, for about 5-8 days, but as it is not long enough, as soon as they are back on the street, relapsing rate is very high. Also, check to see, A LOT of programs admit people the SAME DAY, why does he have to wait?? Don’t let him do that, you are right, he may severely hurt himself (or you!!), since the drug is very addicting physically and psychologically. Crying is only the beginning stage: he will go through bone marrow pain, vomiting until there is nothing to vomit, and then he will KEEP doing it, since the body is reacting as if it is poisoned, and is trying to do a gastric excretion(the fastest way to get something out of the body). In the following 2 days it will get worse, he will not eat/drink, will dehydrate, get unbearable headaches, unreal abdominal cramps with water-diarrhea, will get chills/sweats, will not sleep for DAYS, and all this will peak at about the 4th to 5th day. (depending on how much he was using, how long he was using for, and how he was using it [nasally or injecting?], and also on how fast his body metabolizes the drug.
So please, take him to the ER, they will most likely give him Methadone. If not, and he’s in bad shape, they give him Vicodin, Hydromorphine, Hydrocodone, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, all of which are opiates, to ease the pain/withdrawals. If you don’t want to do any of the above, I will tell you home remedies (which are helpful, but some are illegal!!). Do not give him coffee: caffeine was used to detox people, long ago, so it will make him feel worse. Hot showers help with the cramps and chills. Deep-tissue massage helps with the bone pain, but careful, he may not like to be touched one minute, and need it the next ! Also, benzodiazepines, like Xanax or Clonazepam(Klonopin) will ease the withdrawals a lot, but you will have to get it from a MD, or the street. ( a white pill is 1mg for Xanax, 2mg for Klonopin. Tell him to try taking 2, and get some sleep when they kick in. Be careful, benzodiazepines show up in urine for 3 days or so). Best thing, take him to ER, though. Lots of luck,E-mail me for more info, or help, if you need it. Oh, I forgot: OASAS agency deals exactly with this, call them up for help.!!
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