Prescription Drugs

Unfortunately, the need for prescription drug detox here in Georgia is on the rise. There has been an increase in abuse of prescription drugs such as hydrocodone and Oxycodone products such as Vicodin and OxyContin. These drugs are often initially prescribed by a doctor for pain, but can cause dependency and addiction. To obtain additional pills, hooked patients will go from doctor to doctor trying to get more than one prescription.

But it’s not just patients who are experiencing prescription drug abuse. Because of easy access to prescription drugs, doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are becoming addicted to prescription drugs at alarming rates. Some health care professionals have even gotten involved in the illegal sale and distribution of these drugs.

Drug replacement therapy is also causing a problem. A drug like Methadone, which is used to help addicts come off of strong opioids like heroin, is being prescribed now for pain because it is cheaper than Oxycodone. However, Methadone is highly addictive with a detox that is said to be harder than heroin. To then get off of Methadone, doctors are prescribing yet another drug: Suboxone, which is also a drug with an extremely difficult withdrawal. The addiction cycle just keeps continuing with one drug replacing another.

We believe that the best approach is not to replace drugs with drugs. To be rid of a pill addiction, an individual must get off of all pills. This is why ExecuCare implements a nutritionally assisted detox for neurotransmitter restoration. This process brings the brain back into balance and allows it to function as it did prior to the physical dependency to prescription drugs. This is done without the use of prescription drugs. Our ExecuCare detox is very effective. Along with our stellar ongoing executive coaching program, it can pave the way to a solid recovery.

 

Right now, the dangers of treating addiction with Methadone or Suboxone are not yet widely accepted. Doctors continue to prescribe methadone to get off of heroin and other narcotics. They then prescribe Suboxone to get off of Methadone! It’s a vicious cycle that often results in painful withdrawal and/or the inability to become drug-free.

Recently, on a site discussing Methadone and Suboxone detox, a woman posted: “If I had known what I know now about Methadone, I would never have started taking it!”  She had used Methadone to get off of Oxycontin, Fentanyl and hydrocodone.  She went on to say how her doctor said he would prescribe Suboxone to help her with the transition off of the Methadone, but Read more →

In November 2010,  the FDA recommended pulling propoxyphene products after new studies found they can create abnormal heart rhythms even at normal doses. As a result one of the makers of the pain medication Darvon and Darvocet said they will stop marketing the prescription drugs.

Darvon (with active ingredient propoxyphene) was first marketed in 1957. Darvocet contains propoxyphene and acetaminophen. Both drugs are popular with more than 10 million prescriptions written for them in 2009. Safety concerns have been raised about propoxyphene for decades, but studies have only linked them to episodes in which a patient exceeded the recommended dose.

The FDA issued the following statements: “Using propoxyphene causes significant changes to the electrical activity of the heart. These changes are linked to potentially deadly abnormal heart rhythms. It is not possible to monitor for, or mitigate, the risk of a fatal cardiac arrhythmia that may occur within the recommended dosing range for propoxyphene.

The drug was kept on the market 2009 with the FDA issuing its toughest warning label “taking too much of the drug could be fatal,” despite a panel having voted to have it removed from the market.

The drugs were developed by the Eli Lilly & Company, who no longer makes them. Companies that continue to produce them are generic drug companies like Xanodyne, who agreed to remove the drugs from the market. The FDA asked other companies to do the same.