Naloxone/Other Current 'Alternative' Cures for Opiate Addiction

[centeotl]

I'm a Brisbane student writing a non-fiction piece on the experiences and attitudes towards recently approved drugs in use for the treatment of opoid addictions. I can always get the opinions of local and international researchers/enforcers/clinicians but the experience of the users themselves is premium stuff, especially since
my drug circles are almost exclusively into soft stuff. I'm interested in the controversies around the treatment of addiction as well, stigmas, job market opportunities and all that jazz.

I mentioned Naloxone in the title because of the recent FDA approval of a hand-held version of the drug for the emergency treatment of opoid overdose symptoms. Info on that here (if you haven't already heard): http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm391465.htm

Has anyone been treated with Naloxone in Australia? Does anyone know the current emergency overdose treatment protocols in Aus? For the particularly brave, would anyone agree to be interviewed about their experiences kicking a habit? What kind of home-cures are going around etc? (Not that I condone home-cures, with the state of the health sector here at the moment I wouldn't be surprised that there were a heap of different home-cures and related experiences I could put down on paper).

Cheers!

 

[mostly-human]

I've been treated with Naloxone in Australia, for heroin over dose, on multiple occasions, I've also assisted with others who have dropped. Standard procedure is to call an ambulance immediately, perform CPR until they arrive, then the first thing they do is administer the Naloxone (by IM), if nothing else is involved (alcohol, benzos) - it's common to come out of it straight away, otherwise the ambo's continue to perform CPR - the more sever the case, then the higher level of CPR that will be performed. If the firecrew (or some other safety service) arrive before the ambulance, they won't have any naloxone, in which case they perform CPR until the ambulance arrive with naloxone.

once you wake up, you're given the option of going into hospital, or staying where you are (with the risk that the naloxone will wear off and you may OD again) - I've never seen anyone take the ambulance ride to hospital.

After they leave - you go into immediate withdrawal for about 30minutes, it feels like death. Then you start to feel stoned again.

 

[mostly-human]

All opiate addicts should be allowed to have prescribed naloxone, it would save so many lives.

 

[mostly-human]

You also may be interested in 'naltrexone' implants.. They current prescribe these in Australia to treat opiate addiction, as a more hardcore alternative to the standard maintenance programs like 'done and bupe.

 

[footscrazy]

This thread is fine, but just a note that there is a proper protocol to go through if you want to recruit people for interviews. You can check out the Drug Studies forum here, and what criteria you should meet before asking for participants here. We would highly advise anyone not to be interviewed, just because this is such a sensitive subject, and without displaying the appropriate credentials (and even then), there's no way to identify who you are and what this information would be used for. It's nothing personal - outing yourself as a drug user can unfortunately have dire consequences so it's something that needs to be handled with a lot of care.

I hope this thread stimulates some useful discussion for your project

 

[spacejunk]

You also may be interested in 'naltrexone' implants.. They current prescribe these in Australia to treat opiate addiction, as a more hardcore alternative to the standard maintenance programs like 'done and bupe.

Hardcore is right. Unethical and fucking nasty are some other words people throw around with this treatment.
This thread has some great examples of why these implants are so controversial.
And a bunch of ranting from me...anyway, it is certainly an "alternative treatment", regardless of individual opinions.
Definitely worth looking into - good call.

 

[mostly-human]

Hardcore is right. Unethical and fucking nasty are some other words people throw around with this treatment.
This thread has some great examples of why these implants are so controversial.
And a bunch of ranting from me...anyway, it is certainly an "alternative treatment", regardless of individual opinions.
Definitely worth looking into - good call.

Yeah - it would take a lot to bring me onto naltrexone implants, that said - I got a mate who's on his third and it's kept him clean..

 

[ayjay]

All opiate addicts should be allowed to have prescribed naloxone, it would save so many lives.

Naloxone has now been listed on the PBS. There has been a project in Canberra run by CAHMA for over a year on peer administration of naloxone. It has been very successful. In Victoria similar projects have commenced over the last year. There have been a number of successful reversals already. A script for 5x 400ug ampoules costs $5.60 if you have a health care card and around $35 if you don't. Technically any GP could prescribe it to you but in reality these projects provide training to people so that a GP can be satisfied that it is appropriate to prescribe.

 

[mostly-human]

Naloxone has now been listed on the PBS. There has been a project in Canberra run by CAHMA for over a year on peer administration of naloxone. It has been very successful. In Victoria similar projects have commenced over the last year. There have been a number of successful reversals already. A script for 5x 400ug ampoules costs $5.60 if you have a health care card and around $35 if you don't. Technically any GP could prescribe it to you but in reality these projects provide training to people so that a GP can be satisfied that it is appropriate to prescribe.

How is there not more promotion of this??