Buprenorphine (suboxone) Assisted Treatment for Opiod/Opiate Addiction and Abuse
Opiod and opiate addictions killed over 1000 people in Indiana in 2018, and are destroying many more lives at this very moment. In fact, today more people die of drug overdoses that any other form of accidental death. Even when people get medical help to stop using opiates/opiods (i.e. medical detox, which is different from medically assisted treatment) and engage in psychological counseling after detox, 90% of those people return to using opiate/opiods again.
Buprenorphine treatment is different than "medical detox". Buprenorphine is a medication that targets the same receptors in our body as the commonly misused opiates (ie. heroin, hydrocodone, oxycontin, fentanyl, morphine, etc), but unlike those misused opiates it does not create the "high" that a user is seeking. It will, however, prevent withdrawl, treat pain, and stop cravings for opiods/opiates without creating significant sedation. Furthermore, buprenorphine treatment dramatically reduces the risk of death for someone addicted opiates. People who start buprenorphine are more likely to remain off other opiate/opiods, to have better relationships, and to stay employed.
Buprenorphine treatment is different than "medical detox". Buprenorphine is a medication that targets the same receptors in our body as the commonly misused opiates (ie. heroin, hydrocodone, oxycontin, fentanyl, morphine, etc), but unlike those misused opiates it does not create the "high" that a user is seeking. It will, however, prevent withdrawl, treat pain, and stop cravings for opiods/opiates without creating significant sedation. Furthermore, buprenorphine treatment dramatically reduces the risk of death for someone addicted opiates. People who start buprenorphine are more likely to remain off other opiate/opiods, to have better relationships, and to stay employed.
Buprenorphine Treatment consists of 3 phases :
Induction - This can be done at home or in our office depending on the patient and physician's decision. In this phase the dosage is set a a level that prevents withdrawl sympmtoms. This phase lasts about 1 week and requires 2 office visits.
Stabilization - In this phase we adjust the dose to eliminate cravings for more opiates/opiods. This may take 2-4 weeks and may or may not require additional office visits.
Maintainence - Here the patient continues on the dose established during the stabilization phase and checks in monthly with Dr. Starsiak. A patient can be mantained safely on buprenorphine until they are ready to wean off. Success at stopping buprenorphine without starting other opiods increases the longer one is on buprenorphine. Once someone is no longer experiencing all of the stress associated with seeking and using opiates they have more resources to put towards adressing the reasons they are seeking the drug in the first place. It is easier to engage in counseling, mantain exercise routines, nuture relationships, and perform at work once buprenorphine has stabilized a patients misuse of opiates/opiods.
If you or someone you love would benefit for buprenorphine assisted treatment for opiod dependency, please use one of the links below to contact Dr. Starsiak to discuss treatment with buprenorphine
Induction - This can be done at home or in our office depending on the patient and physician's decision. In this phase the dosage is set a a level that prevents withdrawl sympmtoms. This phase lasts about 1 week and requires 2 office visits.
Stabilization - In this phase we adjust the dose to eliminate cravings for more opiates/opiods. This may take 2-4 weeks and may or may not require additional office visits.
Maintainence - Here the patient continues on the dose established during the stabilization phase and checks in monthly with Dr. Starsiak. A patient can be mantained safely on buprenorphine until they are ready to wean off. Success at stopping buprenorphine without starting other opiods increases the longer one is on buprenorphine. Once someone is no longer experiencing all of the stress associated with seeking and using opiates they have more resources to put towards adressing the reasons they are seeking the drug in the first place. It is easier to engage in counseling, mantain exercise routines, nuture relationships, and perform at work once buprenorphine has stabilized a patients misuse of opiates/opiods.
If you or someone you love would benefit for buprenorphine assisted treatment for opiod dependency, please use one of the links below to contact Dr. Starsiak to discuss treatment with buprenorphine
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