The world is experiencing unprecedented simultaneous events between the novel coronavirus compelling people to dramatically alter lifestyle habits and current events that are causing people to question how their deepest beliefs drive their actions and impact others. I work with people who share different political beliefs and I serve patients from different walks of life. Based on our upbringing and the news we listen to, we have all arrived wherever we are with our own version of what is true.  

Your Truth and Your Opioid Detox

In this sense, we are the product of everything we have consumed, whether it’s from our parents, our schools, our churches or our preferred source of information. That makes these ‘truths’ susceptible to being subjective and conditional. The good news is it has created a platform for meaningful dialog and the possibility of change where change is needed, but only if these changes are built upon the bedrock of the deepest values that serve humanity. So, although our clients at the Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine may cover the spectrum of political beliefs and perceive the threat of COVID-19 differently, the physical act of detoxing from opioids has no preference for any ideological or philosophical opinions.

Why is “Cold Turkey” Opioid Detox So Difficult?

Detoxing off opioids is an equal opportunity offender, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and severe stomach and muscular cramping to anyone who goes through it. This is why it is so very difficult for people to simply stop taking this kind of drug. It holds a person hostage, and for those who have had the experience of a cold turkey detox, the terror of repeating this scenario will keep many locked in the misery of continuing to use, simply so they don’t get sick.

UNDERSTANDING ACCELERATED OPIOID DETOX

  Certainly for the clients we see at the Coleman Institute, they are no longer ‘having fun’ using their substance. The greatest portion of our patients are desperate to get off this horrible treadmill they’ve created for themselves.

Opioid Detox at the Coleman Institute

The opioids we help people eliminate from their bodies include hydrocodone products such as Vicodin® and Vicoprofen®, oxycodone, and the various forms it takes. Other opioids include hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) or oxymorphone (Opana®), fentanyl, Stadol®, kratom, poppy seed variants, and heroin. We also help people get off longer acting opioids and partial opioid agonists such as methadone and buprenorphine (Suboxone®, Zubsolv®, Butrans®, etc). Our accelerated opioid detox process is done in an outpatient setting so our patients can stay with their support person and have minimal time in our medical office. We use a combination of medications — each carefully chosen to address the symptoms of opioid withdrawal and achieve the right balance of comfort and safety. The Coleman Institute has been a leader in using long-acting naltrexone as its preferred form of Medically Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) for over twenty years. Upon completion of the detox, patients receive a naltrexone injection or implant. Differing from methadone or buprenorphine treatment, naltrexone is a pure opioid blocker and does not create physical dependence. Beyond the medical treatment, patients are provided a plan for ongoing treatment to create the greatest opportunity for long-term recovery.

Detox Support at the Coleman Institute

Our staff is — dare I say — wonderful. Sometimes I just smile to myself as I hear the laughter or the quiet chatter. The standards that guide our office are safety and science; the values are kindness and compassion. We understand how difficult it is to detox on your own. If you or a family member are dealing with the tough reality of trying to get off opioid medications, please give us a call at 877-773-3869. Although the emergence of COVID-19 has caused us to create some new protocols for staff and patient safety, we have yet to turn away the first patient. Joan R. Shepherd, NP

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