Chico DeBarge Discusses His Past Addiction To Oxycontin (765 hits)
FDA and Purdue Pharmaceuticals have strengthened the warnings and precautions sections in the labeling of OxyContin, a narcotic drug approved for the treatment of moderate to severe pain, because of continuing reportsof abuse and diversion. The changes are intended to reinforce proper prescription practices and increase physician focus on the potential for abuse, misuse, and diversion.
Narcotic dependence develops when the body adapts to repeated drug exposure and leads to tolerance or the need for increasing doses to maintain the defined effect of the drug. When the drug is withdrawn, physiologic reactions occur. This is known as the withdrawal syndrome. The withdrawal syndrome is characterized by restlessness, lacrimation, rhinorrhea, yawning, perspiration, chills, myalgia, and mydriasis.
Narcotic addiction is a state in which an organism engages in a compulsive behavior, even when faced with negative consequences. This behavior is reinforcing, or rewarding. A major feature of addiction is the loss of control in limiting the intake of the addictive substance. Detoxification is a process whereby individuals are systematically withdrawn from addicting drugs in an inpatient or outpatient setting, typically under the care of a physician. The term "weaning" is typically used to describe the gradual tapering of a narcotic in a physically dependent person, leading to the cessation of therapy.
The controlled-release nature of the formulation allows oxycontin to be effectively administered every 12 hours. The advantage of a slow-release form is that it has a slow onset, which avoids the peaks and valleys of immediate-release forms. The gradual onset of the slow-release form may avoid the euphoric effect and perhaps the abuse potential. However, the oxycontin delivery system has been developed with a biphasic release pattern. The product has a quick initial delivery, which mimics the quick peak of an immediate-release formulation, followed by a more prolonged slow release. To my knowledge, there are no published trials using oxycontin in detoxification or maintenance for opioid addiction.
Juicy!! I just recently found out that oxycontin... is snorted and smoked!!! YUK!! I could never do the drug scene.... snorting crap UP my nose!! I can't see it happening!!
Monday, January 10th 2011 at 12:59PM
Cynthia Merrill Artis
It is only by God's grace that we don't have those kinds of problems. Unfortunately getting hooked on prescription drugs is easier than you think and happens too, often to count. My husband was given Vicodin by the FMD for an ankle sprain. I had him flush those pills down the toilet asap and told hm to take Ibuprofen. So you see, it can happen just like that because we as Black people are taught to trust our doctors, but as nurses we know that the doctors rely on us a great deal more than they would care to let on.
I recently took care of a guy who came in the CCU complaining of heart pain/ chest pain. He had a history of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) treated with open heart surgery a few years back and was also a long time Diabetic. To call the story short, I told the Cardiologist that I suspected the the man was "doctor shopping" for drugs because I noticed inconsistencies in his story and also noticed severe mood swings when he wasn't medicated with Tylenol with Codeine. You bet that I made sure that he had his medication because because I wasn't trying to "detox" him like I see some nurses playing games like that. Ha!
