Medication-Assisted Treatment
Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) services are led by Board Certified Addiction Medicine physicians to provide medication-assisted treatment and group, individual, and family therapy for those addicted to opioids, such as pain killers and heroin.
Opioid Treatment Program
Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) services are led by Board Certified Addiction Medicine physicians to provide medication-assisted treatment and group, individual, and family therapy for those addicted to opioids, such as pain killers and heroin. OTP provides Methadone to chronic opiate-dependent persons, unison with therapeutic services and family therapy. Suboxone and Vivitrol are also used in opioid addiction treatment.
Benefits of Opioid Treatment:
- Prevents onset of withdrawal for 24 hours or more
- Reduces or eliminates craving for opioid drugs
- Blocks the effect of other opioid drugs
- Raises the overall quality of life for patients
- Initiates psychiatric evaluation and treatment for co-occurring disorders
- Helps to normalize the body’s neurological and hormonal functions
- Improves pregnancy outcomes
Eligibility:
- 18 years of age or older
- Opioid substance abusers with at least one year of addiction to opiates with evidence of opioid usage or withdrawal symptoms
- Pregnant women currently using opiates
Methadone
Methadone treatment has successfully been used with pregnant women since the early 1970s. There is little to no risk for both the mother and infant. Women can conceive and have normal pregnancies and deliveries while Methadone provides a non-stressful, noneventful environment for the fetus to develop.
Vivitrol
Vivitrol is a prescribed injectable medication given once a month to treat alcohol dependence and assist in preventing relapse to opioid addiction after opioid detoxification. A recent study showed alcohol and opioid-dependent patients who participated in counseling and took Vivitrol (naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) after detox had better results than patients who participated in counseling without Vivitrol. In order to avoid sudden opioid withdrawal, patients must stop taking opioids or any medications containing opioids, including buprenorpire or methadone, for at least 7 to 14 days. Sudden opioid withdrawal can be severe and may require hospitalization.
Buprenorphine (Suboxone)
Buprenorphine is a prescribed medication that is used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to help people reduce or quit their use of heroin or other opiates, such as pain relievers like morphine. One of 2 formulations can be prescribed to treat opioid addiction –one formulation only contains buprenorphine and the other contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Unlike methadone treatment, which must be performed in a highly structured clinic, buprenorphine is the first medication to treat opioid dependency that is permitted to be prescribed or dispensed in physician offices, significantly increasing treatment access. As with all medications used in Medication Assisted Treatment, buprenorphine is prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes counseling and participation in social support programs
Locations
Medication-Assisted Treatment is available at the following Meridian locations: