Oxycontin Treatment Basic Facts
Oxycontin Treatment
The need for oxycontin treatment in the United States is great. Oxycontin has been helpful in the fight again severe pain. While most people who use oxycontin for pain never have addictive problems, it is important to know some basic facts about oxycontin.
- The generic name for oxycontin is oxycodone hydrochloride
- In 2009, 16 million Americans over 12 a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative for non-medical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. (SAMHSA)
- 5.1% of 12th graders had abused OxyContin for nonmedical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed (link)
- Oxycontin is a Schedule II medication meaning it has a high potential for abuse. Drug in this Class can lead to severe physician and psychological dependence.
- Oxycontin is an opioid medication and has side effects similar to methadone and other narcotics
- There had been a dramatic increase in the use of oxycontin since 1997
Oxycontin Treatment Options
Abstinence is one of the three main oxycontin treatment options. This option may work for the person who is slowly weaned from their medication under the supervision of their doctors. People in this category who are likely to do well are those who do not have a prior addictive disorder. Having a short duration of oxycontin treatment at average doses may do better. This option works well for the vast majority of patients. This option is likely not a good choice for the seriously addicted individual.
Suboxone Treatment is another oxycontin treatment option. This is a good option for those who have not been able to slowly taper their oxycontin. Some people feel detoxing from suboxone is easier for them while others dispute this. Suboxone can be used for short or long-term detox. It can also be used for maintenance treatment in patients showing more severe physical and psychological dependence.
Methadone maintenance treatment is the last major oxycontin treatment option. Methadone maintenance has a long history and is highly regulated. Traditionally it is reserved for the seriously opioid addicted individual. It is also used where suboxone treatment does not give the desired result or by patient preference.
I will mention rapid detoxification. While select, highly motivated persons may benefit from this, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports no advantage from this treatment. Other studies support maintenance treatment with suboxone of methadone for truly opioid dependent patients.
The Benefits of Oxyconin Treatment with an Opioid Maintenance Treatment:
- Decreased crime
- Improved outcome for babies
- Reduced transmission of blood borne illnesses
- 30% reduction in death over time
- Stable employment and family life
- Less use of opioid drugs
- Injection drugs use stops or slows down
Oxycontin Treatment : How Safe is Maintenance?
Suboxone treatment has been closely studied over the past 10 to 15 years and is has been found to be safe and effective. Suboxone treatment is safe when patient does not combine the suboxone with alcohol or sedating drugs. There has been a recent consensus that suboxone is as safe as methadone treatment during pregnancy for an addicted mother. Suboxone has less of a risk of respiratory depression (stopping breathing) than other narcotics including methadone.
Methadone treatment has now been studied for close to 50 years. There are risks with methadone treatment (overdose,respiratory depression,misuse), but these need to be weighed against the cost of not getting treatment. It is available and physicians are familiar with this medication.
Summary of Oxycontin Treatment Facts:
Oxycontin use has skyrocketed the past 15 years. With increased availability has come more problems with opioid dependence. Oxycontin treatment using methadone or suboxone are good options for opioid addicted individuals. Obtaining abstinence with a slow, supervised taper works for most of the non-addicted general public. Getting oxycontin treatment will allow an individual to have a more stable work and family situation, and avoid or reduce legal problems. I will allow a person to get their life together.
Here are some other oxycontin treatment useful links:
National Survey On Drug Use and Help
Monitoring the Future Study of American Youth
Purdue Oxycontin Dear Healthcare Provider Letter
