Because of fentanyl’s high potency, it is much more complicated to treat than other opioids like heroin. Traditional treatments like Suboxone, if given too soon after opioid use, can actually make the withdrawal symptoms worse.
“Think about the worst flu that you’ve ever had and multiply it by ten. That’s what people can go through during opioid withdrawal,” explained Dr. Engeriser. “The withdrawal symptoms when someone is using opioids can be absolutely miserable and incredibly painful. It is so horribly uncomfortable that people may be desperately wanting to stop using the fentanyl, but they just can’t, because it’s so difficult to get through that process.”
However, leaders in the addiction medicine field are finding that ketamine, an anesthetic medicine often used to treat chronic pain or treatment-resistant depression, can greatly reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
“If somebody comes in and they are having moderate opioid withdrawal, we give an injection of very low-dose ketamine. That, in itself, helps relieve a lot of the opioid withdrawal. And then 30 minutes later, we give that first dose of Suboxone,” said Dr. Engeriser.
In the past, Dr. Engeriser explained that it could take a few days to help patients transition from fentanyl to buprenorphine due to the intense withdrawal symptoms. But with the use of ketamine, patients are able to return home in a matter of hours.
“When we treat these individuals at the BHCC, they can now walk out on the same day with a prescription for Suboxone and a follow-up appointment with our substance use treatment programs at AltaPointe Health,” added Dr. Engeriser.
He hopes that this breakthrough can offer a more manageable path to recovery for those who are trapped in the cycle of opioid dependency.
“We are in the midst of a horrible opioid overdose epidemic, where people are dying every day. The use of ketamine in this way may be new, but I think there is a really important place for this in helping people transition to Suboxone quickly, safely, and comfortably,” explained Dr. Engeriser.
ABOUT ALTAPOINTE
AltaPointe Health is an extensive behavioral and primary healthcare system in Alabama. AltaPointe operates two psychiatric hospitals, one behavioral health crisis center, and 24 outpatient clinics. A leader in behavioral health for more than 60 years, AltaPointe expanded its service array in 2018 to include primary care. Its clinicians provide more than 1.3 million services annually to more than 45,000 people across seven counties, including Baldwin, Clay, Coosa, Mobile, Talladega, Randolph and Washington.
Media Contact
April Douglas, Director of Public Relations, AltaPointe Health, (251) 544-4639, [email protected], www.AltaPointe.org
SOURCE AltaPointe Health
