Naltrexone
Naltrexone: An antagonist therapy for heroin addiction The best way to describe what it does is to simply say that it blocks the effects of opiates. That is the intention. It prevents the euphoric feeling the user gets when using heroin and the idea is, over time, the heroin user, when on it, and participating in other therapy, will stop using the heroin because it simply doesn’t provide any benefit. The Opioid antagonist, i.e. the Naltrexone, fights against the effects of the drug. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in a 1997 workshop study by Betty Tai, Ph. D.; Jack Blaine, M.D.; and colleagues, said the lack of reinforcement, that is the “high” would lead to a feeling of “futility” and that would gradually curb the use of heroin. The study praised Naltrexone as being an “ideal opioid antagonist” because it could be taken once a day or every other day, it was not habit forming and had minimal side effects. The limitation of it seems to be with the addict, not the drug. That is, if a patient refuses to take the antagonist in favor of the heroin, the treatment stops. Addicts using it need to be closely monitored and there also needs to be a good therapeutic relationship. Naltrexone is often used in combination with Clonidine, as this combination reduces the detoxification period from heroin or methadone dramatically. Detox can take up to two weeks, but this combo can shorted that to as little as a day, resulting not only in an effective detox, but saving cost as well. Recently, it has been used with general anesthesia and heavy sedation to shorted the already shorter detoxification to 4-6 hours. This rapid detox is sought by patients who fear withdrawal symptoms. Also, the shortened procedure will shorten the hospital stay and reduce coast. On the upside, it has very few bad side effects. It is a popular tool for highly-motivated patients. But the downside is many people who are not highly motivated, fail to stay on the it program, mainly because when they go off the medication there are no side effects, such as withdrawal symptoms. Without the negative consequences, some patients just fall away. A study revealed that of 252 street heroin users tested, only 5% made it 60 days and none made it to nine months. Primarily used for opiate dependence, Naltrexone can also be used for alcoholism treatment. However, as much as scientists understand how it is effective for heroin patients, the same is not true for alcoholics. It has been shown to reduce alcohol consumption in clinical studies. The mechanism of action of it in alcoholic patients is not understood. However, in an interesting study of 104 alcoholic patients, the results were favorable. In this double-blind test, patients received 50mg, once daily, of Naltrexone over 12 weeks, in addition to receiving other social and psychotherapeutic treatments. Compared to the placebo groups, who also receive the other treatments, Naltrexone patients had an abstention rate of 51%, compared to 23% for placebo patients. Also, drinking relapse in the it group as 31%, compared to 60% in the other group. A subsequent study, with 82 patients, rendered similar results. One of the concerns about Naltrexone is that a person could experience a sense of not being well, or nor bearing up. Some submit that this is a drug-related “dysphoria” caused by the fact that if the it blocks the pleasure effects of opioids, it also blocks naturally occurring pleasure, like the pleasurable feeling one gets from eating good food, or smelling roses. But studies have shown little evidence of this kind of side-effect. It may also be used in the treatment of obesity, but in much higher doses. A 50mg per day does might be prescribed for opioid treatment, but in the obese patients, a 100-300mg dosage may be used. At this level, liver enzyme levels can rise, causing some doctors to go another route with their obese patients. Naltrexone is often compared to methadone, but to understand the difference, you have to understand that it is an “antagonist” and methadone as an “agonist.” Here’s the difference: the agonist, according to Miriam-Webster, is “a chemical substance capable of combining with a specific receptor on a cell and initiating the same reaction or activity typically produced by the binding endogenous substance.” While the antagonist is, in the case of Naltrexone, “a chemical that acts within the body to reduce the physiological activity of another chemical substance (as an opiate); especially : one that opposes the action on the nervous system of a drug or a substance occurring naturally in the body by combining with and blocking its nervous receptor. Like any other treatment for opioid addiction, a specific program for the patient needs to be mapped out to assist the patient’s transition into treatment. For example, the formula of it might be adapted for longer-lasting effect, such as up to 30 days. The reason for a longer lasting formula is to help patients stay on the regiment and not wander off. Naltrexone can also be administered with antidepressants, to help patients cope with the psychological issues. For more about Naltrexone go to books HOW TO USE THIS SITE:This site contains five MAIN pages that EVERYONE should read: RECOVERY… Yourself... Your Family... Your Friends... Your Community... The rest of the pages are there for your reference to explain important topics in more detail.  You Can Be ADDICTION FREE FOREVER!Are you or your loved one struggling with addiction?YOU MUST TAKE ACTION NOW! Use this at-home guide to End Addiction Forever:Click here for details!
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