Finally, a Home Detox –
MAY 16, 2018 – “The physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal can be one of the biggest barriers for patients seeking help and ultimately overcoming addiction,” said Dr. Scot Gottlieb, the FDA’s commissioner. “The fear of experiencing withdrawal symptoms often prevents those suffering from opioid addiction from seeking help. And those who seek assistance may relapse due to continued withdrawal symptoms.” Most patients who take opioid painkillers with a doctor’s prescription can manage their withdrawal symptoms by slowly tapering their dose, giving their body a chance to adjust.
But when people have become addicted to opioids, going without the drugs can be an uncomfortable and painful experience. In as little as a few hours, patients may experience stomach cramps, muscle aches and spasms, a pounding heart, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms include anxiety, agitation, depression and insomnia. “Withdrawal is notoriously hard to endure for people addicted to opioids,” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, wrote on her blog. “Approval of the first medication to treat the physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal is a major milestone, one that could improve the lives and treatment success of thousands of people living with opioid addiction.” Lucemyra, also known as lofexidine hydrochloride, was originally intended to be a hypertension medication. It acts to reduce the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that increases heart rate and blood pressure.
