A New Beginning... A New Outlook... A New You...
The Wisconsin Opiate Management Center offers a variety of potential services to assist you in your mission to reclaim your individuality, including SUBOXONE, psychotherapy, and psychiatric medications. I truly understand what you are going through, and will help you along the way.
Your dependence and obsession to seek out prescription or non prescription opiates has controlled your thoughts at the expense of more natural body processes. This overwhelming urge to take drugs is a form of self medication to treat yourself medically and psychiatrically. Perhaps the underlying disorder that began this self treatment was depression, anxiety or lack of self confidence, or perhaps the medications were initially started by a physician to control pain. But now the opiates have created a new drive based on addiction, and new brain pathways that serve only to fill the void that withdrawal creates and avoid those unpleasant new feelings due to the this cycle of addiction. The restructuring of your brain is a complex process that needs time, treatment and the proper environment.
While Methadone must be administered at a government approved clinic and generally requires patients to return daily to get their doses, SUBOXONE can be prescribed by a doctor in the office and does not require the patient to return daily. Once the maintenance dose is determined, a doctor can prescribe a patient SUBOXONE for an extended period. This drug is better tolerated by patients, gives them more freedom, and makes them feel "normal” but not high.
EXPLANATION OF TREATMENT
INTAKE
You will be given a comprehensive substance dependence assessment, as well as an evaluation of your psychiatric status. The pros and cons of the medication, SUBOXONE, will be presented. Treatment expectations, as well as issues involved with maintenance versus medically supervised withdrawal will be discussed.
INDUCTION
You will be switched from your current opiate (heroin, methadone or prescription painkillers) onto SUBOXONE. You must arrive for the first visit experiencing moderate opiate withdrawal symptoms. Arrangements will be made for you to receive your first dose in the doctor's office. Your response to the initial dose will be monitored. You may receive additional medication, if necessary, to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
Since an individual's tolerance and reactions to SUBOXONE vary, follow-up contacts will be scheduled and medications may be adjusted until you no longer experience withdrawal symptoms or cravings.
Intake and Induction often both occur at the first visit, depending on your needs and your evaluation. Induction will not be performed in the absence of moderate withdrawal symptoms, for reasons described above.
STABILIZATION
Once the appropriate dose of SUBOXONE is established, you will stay at this dose until steady blood levels are achieved. You and your doctor will discuss your treatment options from this point forward.
MAINTENANCE
Treatment compliance and progress will be monitored. Participation in some form of behavioral counseling is strongly recommended to ensure best chance of treatment success. Initially, you are likely to have scheduled appointments on a weekly basis. If treatment progress is good and goals are met, monthly visits will eventually be considered sufficient. The Maintenance phase can last from weeks to years-the length of treatment will be determined by you and your doctor. Your length of treatment may also vary depending on your individual needs.
MEDICALLY SUPERVISED WITHDRAWAL
As your treatment progresses, you and your doctor may eventually decide that medically supervised withdrawal is an appropriate option for you. In this phase, your doctor will gradually taper your SUBOXONE dose over time, taking care to see that you do not experience any withdrawal symptoms or cravings. It should be noted, however, that studies have generally shown high relapse rates in patients who choose to discontinue SUBOXONE. For this reason withdrawal of SUBOXONE is most appropriate for those who have made significant progress in stabilizing and improving their psychiatric status, behavior, and psychosocial environment.
