Demerol addiction treatment that actually works

Demerol is the brand name for a drug called pethidine, or meperidine. It’s a painkiller that may be prescribed as a tablet or as an injection for acute episodes of moderate to severe pain.

Demerol is a manmade synthetic opioid compound similar to those derived from the opium poppy flower. Like natural opioids, it relieves pain by binding to receptors in the brain that alters a user’s perception of pain and trigger the release of dopamine and other feel-good neurotransmitters.

Even when taken correctly, opioid medications like Demerol may cause side effects such as:

• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Skin rash
• Itching
• Sweating
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Headache

These side effects often become magnified by addiction. Opioid tolerance can lead users to take such high amounts of these drugs that the side effects become extreme.

For example, heavy users may frequently experience intense nausea and vomiting, yet continue taking the drug in higher and higher doses.

When a user starts taking the medication for the high rather than to relieve pain, this is Demerol abuse (clinically regarded as opioid use disorder). As they consume more of the drug over time, they will become physically dependent on the drug – they have developed a Demerol addiction.

With physical dependence and addiction comes tolerance, meaning they will need to take more of the drug to get the same desired effects. Without a constant supply of the drug in their system, they will also start to experience highly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common behaviors associated with Demerol addiction include:

• Taking escalating doses
• Visiting multiple doctors trying to get more prescriptions, a practice called “Doctor shopping”
• Tampering with pills before taking them (e.g., breaking them, crushing, dissolving)
• Taking pills in any way other than orally (e.g., snorting, injecting)

When someone is addicted to opioids like Demerol but they’re unable to access the drug, they may look for ways to buy it illegally or seek easier-to-find, cheaper alternatives such as heroin.

Even if taken as prescribed, patients can develop a physical dependence for Demerol, which means long-time users may experience opioid withdrawal symptoms if they simply stop taking it. This is why prescriptions usually include directions for tapering the dose down before discontinuing entirely.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms include:

• Restlessness
• Yawning
• Sweating
• Runny nose
• Chills
• Muscle and back aches
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Irritability, anxiety
• Dilated pupils
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heartbeat or breathing

The time to onset, severity, and duration of withdrawal symptoms varies from person and depends on factors like how much the person had been taking and for how long.

Demerol addiction treatment begins with medical detox. Longer-acting opioids such as Suboxone are administered to stabilize patients and reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Patients then slowly taper off the substitute under close medical supervision.

Patients usually experience the most discomfort during the first one to three days of the opioid withdrawal phase. During this time, additional medications may be prescribed to help patients feel more comfortable, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) or a mild sedative.

Enterhealth utilizes Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone) to treat opioid addiction. It works by activating the same opioid receptors in the brain that Demerol does, but without producing the same euphoric high, which makes it safer than short-acting opioids.

As a result, patients report that Suboxone helps by minimizing cravings and relieving some of the withdrawal symptoms so they can actively participate in their treatment program.

Patients typically leave detox by the end of day three when most of the withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings have subsided and they are ready to proceed fully in their Demerol addiction treatment program.

The risk of overdosing on any opioid drug, including Demerol, is high. Prescriptions are tailored in specific doses, and the effects can have adverse reactions in others. Taking too much Demerol can result in a life-threatening overdose.

What are the symptoms of a Demerol overdose?

• Trouble breathing
• Cold and clammy skin
• Fast heartbeat or chest pain
• Extreme drowsiness leading to coma
• Circulatory collapse
• Heart attack

The most common way that people abuse Demerol involves taking more than prescribed or recommended. Other ways include tampering with the pills so that the medication absorbs into the body faster, which produces a more intense and immediate high.

Methods of tampering include crushing, chewing, snorting, and injecting pills. All of these methods come with additional health and safety risks.

Yes. Demerol is labeled by the DEA as a Schedule II controlled substance due to its addictive properties. As such, possession and intoxication on the medication without a prescription is a crime, as is sharing, giving away or selling it.

Besides the risk of overdose, using Demerol in ways it’s not designed can also have negative effects. Injecting Demerol is particularly harmful and can lead to infection and cardiovascular disease.