Buvidal for Heroin Detox
Get advice from an addictions clinician on all aspects of using Buvidal for opioid detox. Free, confidential and impartial advice on detox,withdrawal,rehab,admission,cost, therapy,counselling and aftercare.
Buvidal
Buvidal is increasingly being discussed as an option for Heroin Detox.
A new treatment in the field of opioid addiction.
Buvidal is a gamechanger.
No more having to take tablets every day.
No more embarrassing trips to the chemist.
Starting with a weekly injection, Buvidal can be used for long term maintenance or safe detox from all types of opioids, including heroin.
Buvidal is not a new drug, but a new way of delivering a drug that has been around for decades: Buprenorphine.
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What is Buvidal?
Buprenorphine is an opioid.
It is used in pain management as well as helping those recovering from addiction.
Also known as Subutex and Espranor, Buprenorphine is a very well-established treatment.
The way it works is slightly different to other opioid addictions treatments such as Methadone.
Opioids are agonists. This means that they open chemical channels when they activate receptors in the brain.
Whereas Methadone will sit on all opioid receptors in the brain, Buprenorphine doesn’t.
However, the difference is that Buprenorphine attaches itself more securely to receptors and will knock off anything else that is sitting there.
This affects the way you start treatment with Buvidal (which is explained further down).
Buvidal
How does Buvidal work?
Buvidal is an opioid.
It will do precisely the same thing that the heroin or other opioids do.
By taking it, you do not need to take the heroin or other street drug you were taking to fend off withdrawal symptoms.
When you are ready, in collaboration with your clinician, you simply reduce the amount of Buvidal you take. This can be done in three ways:
Reduce the strength of the injection (it comes in three different strengths)
Reduce and then swap to oral tablets (these come in much smaller doses so tapering can be easily controlled)
Stop taking it and the level of Buvidal in your system will reduce, by itself
Buvidal
Can it be started at any time?
Buprenorphine sticks, very strongly to opioid receptors in your brain.
When it does this, it will knock off any opioids already attached to the receptors it sits on. This means that you will go into withdrawal.
As such, Buvidal must be started when you’re in withdrawal.
You don’t need to be in full blown withdrawal, but to a significant degree.
What If I am Allergic to Buprenorphine?
Allergic reactions are rare.
If you haven’t had buprenorphine before, you will be given a small dose, in tablet form. If, after an hour there are no ill effects, you will be able to commence treatment.
Buvidal
How many injections will I need?
The first injection you have is for your first week of treatment.
Sometimes, the first injection will not be enough to get you through, so it is very common for people to have top up doses in the first week.
For the remainder of the first month, you will have weekly injections and then monthly ones.
If you want to maintain Buvidal, which is highly recommended, at least for a year, you just carry on with the monthly injections.
It can be used for opioid and heroin detox in rehab.
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Using Buvidal in Rehab
Using Buvidal in Rehab is an emerging treatment.
While not available everywhere, it is certainly possible to have a detox with Buvidal in the UK.
Our experienced addictions clinicians, who work in rehab centers, will be able to advise you where to go to have this treatment.
What Are the Advantages of Buvidal?
There are some distinct advantages with Buvidal, namely:
No tablets or liquid medication to take: Buvidal is a very small injection which is relatively painless
Missed dose allowance: With Buvidal , because it is long lasting, there is some leeway if you miss your injection date
No more missing medication: As Buvidal is an injection, you cannot lose your medication.
You don’t need to worry about safe storage of medication at home. If you are going on holiday, there is nothing for customs to be concerned about.
Ceiling Effect: It is difficult, though not impossible, to overdose on Buprenorphine. It will reach a ceiling effect when a high dose is taken.
However, it is still possible to overdose if a sufficient dose is taken.
Buvidal
Considerations
Buvidal is new, but the drug it contains, Buprenorphine, is not.
When it comes to opioid/heroin addiction, medication, while important, is secondary to therapy, relapse prevention skills, and aftercare.
Buvidal injections, on their own, will not be the answer.
Other things to consider:
Your GP cannot prescribe it for you: Due to the way GP services are commissioned, your GP is unable to help you with a prescription for
Buvidal
Can be Difficult to Access: It is not available at every local authority funded free access services. This is due to the cost.
Increased crack use: Research shows that those who use crack and heroin can sometimes experience increased crack use when using Buprenorphine.
Using it as a blocker: Buprenorphine will reach a ceiling effect, usually after 16-32MG a day. This means that, if you take more, it won’t do much for you, but you can still overdose.
The problem is that some people think that, if the take Buvidal or oral buprenorphine, they can use other drugs, and nothing will happen. Sadly, that isn’t true.
Medical procedures: Because of the way it works, if you need surgery, you must tell your surgeon, beforehand, that you are using Buvidal.
Because of the time it would take to withdraw from it, surgery could be delayed.
Buvidal
What about home treatment with Buividal ?
After you have completed rehab it may well be possible to continue with Buvidal back at home.
Remember: Buvidal is not a standalone treatment. If you don't keep up with your support meetings, linking in with your recovery network taking Buvidal, alone, is not going to be sufficent.
It is neither possible, nor advised, to simply commence Buvidal before rehab. It just won't work.
Therapy
All centers who provide treatment for heroin and opioid addiction provide a fully immersive therapy programme, either along a 12 step approach or a SMART based recovery model. These run seven days a week and , those in treatment, are obliged to attend all sessions if physically well enough to do so. For new admissions, it can be 24-48 hours , on occasion, before someone is able to take part.
Sitting alongside this programme, many centers also offer adjunctive treatments and therapies such as:
Yoga
Mindfulness
Art therapy
Gentle exercise and group walks
Music therapy
Individual sessions (for those staying more than a week)
Clients, before leaving, are linked in with support groups in their local community, be they voluntary or statutory. A psychological tool kit is built up so that clients have a selection of techniques to employ.
If you need treatment for alcohol addiction, heroin addiction advice call and speak to us. We can provide heroin addiction help on 0333 041 9922.
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