Posts Tagged ‘Morphine’

Methadone: to Take Or Not to Take This Anti-narcotic Drug

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KNOWING METHADONE

Methadone is an Opioid. Methadone is synthetic by nature. Methadone is also an analgesic. Methadone is basically recommended for the chronic drug abusers. Methadone has been found to be an ideal medication for the treatment of addiction from narcotic substances. Of late, methadone has been widely recommended for patients suffering from chronic pain. Methadone’s effective action remains for long duration. Moreover, Methadone is quite cheap as well. As per the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, methadone is included in the list of Schedule II drug.

METHADONE METABOLISM

There are two reasons as to why Methadone effects last longer than other morphine drugs. First, methadone’s lipid solubility is quite high. Second, methadone metabolism is slow. Most importantly, the dependence incidence of patients is low. Hence, there is less danger of a heroin detoxified patient treated on methadone getting hooked to the synthetic opioid. Methadone keeps intact the analgesic effects from a day to two at the most.

IDEAL FOR DE-ADDICTION UNITS

Methadone is ideal for the de-addiction units particularly because of the life of a methadone dosage. Moreover, methadone can be given by injection or even orally. For instance, a single daily dose of methadone is enough to keep under control any heroin addict for the entire day.

TOLERANCE & DEPENDENCE OF METHADONE

The tolerance and dependence of methadone increases as one keeps on taking more doses of the synthetic opioid. In this aspect, methadone is similar to heroin. However, the tolerance factor as well as the effects (physiological) differs. Still, it has been found that methadone leaves no tolerance to constipation. However, the other opioids do leave tolerance effects on the patients especially with respect to constipation. Mentionably, analgesia tolerance appears in the first month after one starts taking the drug. But, tolerance to nausea, sedation and respiratory depression commences within four days after one takes such medications.

METHADONE & NDMA

There is a close link between methadone and the brain receptor known as NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid). Methadone can even control tolerance and psychic dependence. This is possible because of its strong reaction against opioid. It is due to this reason that patients taking methadone exhibit lesser withdrawal symptoms than those who are into heroin or morphine. Nonetheless, the methadone withdrawal symptoms linger more than the latter.

THE METHADONE LAUNCHER

Methadone was commercially launched by Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company.

THE INVENTORS OF METHADONE

German scientists Methadone Gustav Ehrhart and Max Bockmühl jointly synthesized methadone in 1937. They were in search of an analgesic in the Hoechst-Am-Main (IG Farben) laboratory. Their mission was to invent such an analgesic that would solve the twin problems faced by surgeons during surgical operations.

SOLVING SURGEONS’ SETBACKS

First, surgeries were rather problematic with the then extant analgesics. Secondly, the commonly used analgesics were having a high addiction effect. So, both the German scientists found out that synthetic analgesic which would have low addiction effects on the patients and also would be easier to use. They called it Polamidon or Hoechst 10820.

PATENT RIGHTS

It was on September 11, 1941 that the duo filed for patent rights. The structure of this invention was totally different from and least connected with the opioid alkaloids or morphine. Nonetheless, methadone brings about the same types of effects as heroin or morphine. This is because methadone acts on the opioid receptors. Among the opioids, methadone has the simplest chemical composition.

AMERICAN CHAPTER

The Americans came to know of methadone as an analgesic in 1947, courtesy: Eli Lilly and Company. It then rechristened Polamidon or Hoechst 10820 (methadone) as Dolophine. It was under this registered name that methadone was subsequently registered to Roxane Laboratories. Incidentally, the term ‘Dolophine’ has its roots in the German word Dolphium. The Latin word dolor means ‘pain’ while phine means ‘end’.

In the USA, Dolophine (Methadone) was first manufactured by the St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt pharmaceuticals. It is a subsidiary of the Tyco International Corporation. Mallinckrodt enjoyed the patent up to the early part of the 1990s. It still remains the major manufacturer of methadone. The producers of methadone generic preparations also collect their bulk consignments from Mallinckrodt. Nonetheless, many other pharmaceutical companies also produce and distribute methadone today. Moreover Mallinckrodt sells its typical brand of methadone named Methadose as oral concentrate and dispersable tablets in the United States.

THE HITLER LINK…

There is a belief that the German creators coined the name ‘Dolophine’ as a tribute to Adolf Hitler. The Church of Scientology also buttresses this with the data that the earlier name for this synthetic analgesic was actually ‘Adolophine’ or ‘Adolphine’. To make matters worse, vocal Scientologist and actor Tom Cruise also backed the literature in 2005. He was giving an interview to the Entertainment Weekly. However, the weekly soon came out with a follow-up story which nullified the claim. It is, however, now established that the term ‘Dolophine’ was coined by the American wing of the Eli Lilly Corporation after the World War. What is more, the magazine put the lid on the controversy by proving that the 1970 nomenclature of ‘Adolphine’ (which wasn’t ever used for the drug) was also brought into being in the States.

THE METHADONE ADVANTAGE

The low cost of methadone as well as its effectiveness over a long period of time made it rather popular too. While 30 days dose of the analgesic Demerol cost $ 125 in the fag end of 2004, the equivalent amount of methadone cost $20.

METHADONE COUSINS

There are many drugs similar in composition and effects to methadone. They are Buprenorphine, heroin (diamorphine), ORLAM and dextropropoxyphene.

Buprenorphine and methadone are used in the UK and many other countries for the treatment of narcotic addicts. Heroin is also known as diamorphine. Many countries allow heroin to be prescribed for patients undergoing detoxification programs. Heroin is also given to patients taking treatment for many other opiate addictions.

Interestingly enough, an Austrian study shows that orally tendered morphines are more effective than its oral methadone counterpart. Patients developing immunity to many traditional detoxification programs positively respond to a combination of morphine and a low dosage of methadone.

ORLAM is a synthetic compound. It is also known as LAAM. It is composed of levo-alphacetylmethadol. LAAM ‘s effects last from 42 to 72 hours. This compound was okayed as a medication for the patients suffering from chronic narcotics addiction in 1994. LAAM is also included in the US Controlled Substances Act (Schedule II). After reports were received that LAAM intake caused cardiac complications in some people, it was withdrawn from the American and the European markets.

Dextropropoxyphene is popular as a pain reliever. In the USA, more than 100 ton of this oral analgesic is produced annually. It is most effective in patients suffering moderate pains.

Dextropropoxyphene overdose is reported to have been the cause of many deaths especially among the recreational youth generation. In fact, it is among the top 10 such drugs in the USA. Dextropropoxyphene is included within Schedule II of the US Controlled Substances Act. However, medications containing Dextropropoxyphene are put in the Schedule IV. Its strength can be gauzed from the fact that aspirin takes 600 mg to be equal to just 65 mg of Dextropropoxyphene. It was first marketed in 1957 as Darvon.

METHADONE ABUSE

Methadone abuse is not common primarily because it is not strong. Besides, the addicts prefer such opioids whose effects are instant or fast. In this aspect, methadone is rather slow. But abusers use the snort method to elicit a stronger euphoric and faster effect. There are, of course, occasional reports of deaths occurring due to methadone overdose. Such instances are more among the perennial drug abusers. Such habituated abusers go for methadone species like the ‘Street Meth’. Many illicit drug markets sell methadone as alternatives to other opioids.

METHADONE ABUSERS

Such demands are usually from three types of people. Those addicts who had at one point of time taken methadone as a part of medical regimen may again feel a strong tendency to go for methadone. Moreover, kin of patients having methadone may fall easy prey to the synthetic drug. There can also be a demand for methadone from the habituated opioid abusers if they are unable to get hold of any other brands.

METHADONE ILLICIT MARKET

The methadone consignments enter the illicit drug market via two ways. Methadone packets usually get diverted into the illicit market from the destinations. It can also enter the drug market through theft. This is done mainly from the shippers or from the factories. Such methadone consignments rarely find their ways to the illicit drug market from the patients prescriptions.

THE METHADONE DEBATE

Of late, there has been a growing controversy about the efficacy of methadone. This is notwithstanding its proven track record that methadone is an opioid analgesic. There has been a rise in the number of methadone related deaths around the globe. Many vouchsafe that methadone is intimately connected with the drug abusers. Above all, there has not been a single scientific report that methadone is an ideal medication for relieving chronic pain. One thing is for sure, though. Methadone does not possess any extra-strong pain relieving effects compared to the other opiates. It has, however, been established that methadone is far more dangerous than most opiates. It is for such reasons that many physicians do not encourage methadone use.

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Hydrocodone: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing


Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from two of the naturally occurring opiates, codeine and thebaine.

Hydrocodone Prescription, Dosage & Administration:

Hydrocodone is an orally active, narcotic analgesic and antitussive. Being a narcotic analgesic, it is prescribed for the relief of moderate to severe pain & being a antitussive, it is prescribed as a medicine used to suppress or relieve coughing.

Hydrocodone comes both as a tablet and also in liquid form & thus can easily be taken orally. 5 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 30 mg of codeine when administered orally. Earlier hydrocodone and morphine were considered equipotent for pain control in humans. However, it is now considered that a dose of 15 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 10 mg of morphine. Hydrocodone is considered to be morphine-like in all respects and thus, final dosage is adjusted by physician according to the severity of the pain and the response of the patient.

Hydrocodone Abuse:

Vicodin i.e. hydrocodone in combination with acetaminophen, is a commonly abused version of hydrocodone in United States and Canada. Vicodin, as with all narcotic analgesics, can be habit forming—causing dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms if not used as it is prescribed. The presence of acetaminophen in hydrocodone-containing products deters many drug users from taking excessive amounts.

Effects of Hydrocodone Abuse:

Some of the common side effects of drug abuse include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, drowsiness, euphoria, vomiting, and constipation. Some of the lesser common side effects are various allergic reactions, blood disorders, mood swings, mental fogginess, anxiety, lethargy, difficulty in urinating, ureter spasms, rashes and irregular or depressed respiration etc.

Physical Dependence on Hydrocodone:

Opioid analgesics such as Hydrocodone may cause psychological and physical dependence. Physical dependence results in withdrawal symptoms in patients who abruptly discontinue the drug. Physical dependence usually does not occur to a clinically significant degree until after several weeks of continued opioid usage, but it may occur after as little as a week of opioid use.

Commercial Status in United States:

There are over 200 products containing hydrocodone in the U.S. When sold commercially in the US, hydrocodone is always combined with another medication due to a separate federal regulation. In its most usual forms, hydrocodone is combined with acetaminophen. Such commercial hydrocodone products which are combined with acetaminophen are known by various trademark names such as Vicodin & Lortab. Hydrocodone also can be combined with aspirin (Trade name: Lortab ASA), ibuprofen (Trade name: Vicoprofen), & certain antihistamines (Trade name: Hycomine).

Pure Hydrocodone tablets or capsules are not offered currently by any USA drug company. The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest available US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.

With such a huge number of Hydrocodone containing products, the possibility of misuse and addiction remains substantial. As a result, Sales and production of this drug has increased significantly in recent years & so has its diversion and illicit use. To limit abuse of opioid drugs like Dilaudid it is necessary to properly assess the patient, employ proper prescription practices, periodically re-evaluate the opioid therapy, and properly dispense and store the drugs.

Hydrocodone Testing:

Hydrocodone may not cause a positive result in a standard opiate urine test. Many opiate tests test only for morphine (which both codeine and heroin break down into). This is true for both home/business kits and laboratory testing.

However, there are several specialized home and laboratory testing kits available that specifically detects hydrocodone (& hydromorphone, its metabolic product). So test results usually depend on the particular type of test that is used and whether or not laboratory verification is done. If a home drug test is given and the opiate test shows a positive result (due to hydromorphone use), laboratory verification might not result in a positive test because the lab may only test for morphine.



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Pill Addiction; 3 Ways to Beat an Ultram Addiction


Ultram (tramadol hydrochloride) is a synthetic codeine type of non narcotic pain killer, and although touted as a far less addictive alternative to drugs like vicodin, oxycontin and morphine, tens of thousands of Americans have developed serious dependencies on the drug, and have found that the drug they were prescribed as a safer alternative has a syndrome of detox as severe as many of the more potent pain killers.

Symptoms of detox

Some symptoms of detox are nausea, vomiting, tremors, sweating, chills, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, leg restlessness and even seizures; and the risk of seizures increases when people make an attempt at a cold turkey detox.

Withdrawal pains will begin within a day of cessation of use, and will continue with intensity for three or four days before gradually subsiding over a period of months.

3 ways to get off Ultram

1) Cold Turkey

Some people, with enormous will and a determination to endure the pains of detox, can get through withdrawal after quitting without any attempts to first wean down the dosage. Most people cannot endure these detox pains, and since the risks of seizures increase with a dramatic cessation of use, detoxing without medical supervision is unadvised.

2 Wean yourself off

The most commonly attempted method is to gradually wean yourself off of the pills, reducing the dosage slowly over a period of month, or even years. By slowly tapering down, you minimize the intensity of the detox pains, and you also reduce the risks of seizures. Experts advise cutting down by 50 mg’s and waiting for the sensations of slight detox to subside before making another reduction in daily dose. It’s not at all uncommon to wait weeks between reductions in daily dosage.

As you get closer to your goal of complete abstinence, each 50 mg reduction represents a greater percentage of your total daily dose, and the difficulties in the tapering process intensify. If you find that detox symptoms are too severe, you may wish to reduce the doses by only 25 mgs as you get closer to abstinence.

3 Detox under supervision

You really should not attempt to detox cold turkey on your own. You are unlikely to be successful and the risks of seizures are real. If you do not wish to send months of gradual and uncomfortable detox, you may wish to accelerate the process through a brief but intense medically supervised detox.

Certain pharmaceuticals can minimize the risks of seizures inherent in a complete cessation of use, and by detoxing under medical observation; you may safely end a physical addiction in a mater of days. The long term withdrawal symptoms will endure for months, but the immediate and intense symptoms will have ended with the end of detox.

Recovery is possible

Many people also benefit from a period of drug treatment therapy, whether in or outpatient, after a successful detox off of Ultram.

Whichever method you decide on, consulting with your doctor before attempting the process may increase the safety of withdrawal, and your doctor may also prescribe certain medications to reduce withdrawal discomforts.

If you are using Ultram, but are not yet addicted, be very careful with the seductive temptations of Ultram, and spare yourself a long and uncomfortable period of addiction and then withdrawal.



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Is Tramadol Safe?


Tramadol is the generic version of Ultram which is a synthetic pain medication with properties that have been known to react similarly to that of morphine. Tramadol is an opiate; therefore it affects the opioid receptors in the brain which are responsible for pain management. Tramadol can be extremely safe if it is taken correctly, for short durations of time, and is monitored by a physician. Normally, Tramadol is prescribed for moderate to severe pain but Tramadol is not as strong as Vicodin or Oxycontins. Because Tramadol is an opiate antagonist its primary job is to alter the way that the body reacts to pain.

Tramadol, when prescribed can be written for immediate release or extended time release. Of course they are available in various milligrams too; normally the immediate release is dispensed as 50 mg and the time release are dispensed in 100 mg, 200 mg, and 300 mg. Usually the time release Tramadol is used for patients who require long term pain management. It is also very important to take Tramadol exactly as directed, which is to be swallowed whole. Chewing them, crushing or splitting them is not recommended and is not safe. Because Tramadol is a member of the opiate family it does have addictive properties and when taken over a long period of time it is quite common to acquire a resistance to it which might make you feel as if the Tramadol is no longer working. Do not increase the amount of Tramadol that you take without consulting your physician and do not just stop taking it either as you will likely experience some unpleasant side effects while in opiate withdrawal. The dose should be professionally decreased gradually.

Tramadol can further be considered safe as long as you are honest with your doctor about the current medications that you might be taking as some can have a detrimental effect when combined with Tramadol such as Carbamazepine, which is normally taken for the treatment of epilepsy or bi polar disorder. The Carbamazepine reduces the effect of the Tramadol. Quinidine which is used for specific heart diseases makes Tramadol about 50-60% stronger than when Tramadol is taken by itself. Taking Tramadol with

MAO (monoamine oxidase inhibitor) inhibitor or SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can actually cause seizures and other serious side effects. Tramadol should never be used in combination with alcohol, narcotic drugs, anesthetics, tranquilizers, and sedatives. It should also not be taken by pregnant women or nursing mothers.

Of course there are certain side effects associated with taking Tramadol just as there is with any medication. When not mixed with any other drugs that can cause unpleasant side effects, Tramadol is safe to take however, the issue lays with its addictive properties. Many people have been known to literally become addicted over a period of time which can lead to craving stronger opiates. This is why it can not be stressed strongly enough that Tramadol must be taken only when monitored by a physician. Tramadol can be a very effective and safe pain reliever if is taken correctly and monitored so that a dependency does not occur.



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This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a medical doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner or other qualified health professional.