Dr. Henry Paul, MD

Psychiatrist, Author and Educator

WHY SHOULD I GET NARCAN™ TRAINING?

April 4th, 2016

Narcan™ (naloxone) is an opiate antidote that saves lives! And, you should know how to use it because someday someone in your family just may need it.
Overdoses from painkillers and heroin, both opioids, are alarmingly on the rise in the United States. Opioids include heroin and prescription pain pills like morphine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone and Vicodin. When a person is overdosing on an opioid, breathing can slow down or stop, and it can be very hard to wake them from this state.

20160404_142120Who is at risk for overdose? Your grandmother who just had a knee replacement, your aunt who is dealing with chronic back pain, your teenage son or daughter who first takes painkillers while recovering from a sports injury. The list can go on and on. Sadly, painkillers are prescribed at alarming rates, and long-term use leads to addiction. These painkillers are often the gateway drug for heroin.

On Tuesday, President Obama announced a series of initiatives aimed at curbing America’s opioid addiction epidemic. The steps he outlined would make it easier to obtain medication-based treatment, expand Medicaid coverage and increase the availability of a drug that saves people from overdoses.

Narcan is a drug that can save people from overdosing. It can be delivered in the nostrils with the use of a mucosal atomization device (MAD) or intramuscularly with a syringe. Narcan is a non-patient specific prescription that is distributed through an authorized agency, such as a local health department, and given to individuals who have been trained in opioid overdose recognition and response consistent with that agencies registration with their state.

What does Narcan do? Simply, Narcan knocks the opioids out of the opiate receptors in the brain. Tom Ferraro, professor of biomedical sciences at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, N.J. told Newsworks in an online article published in 2014 that it essentially “blocks the ability of opioids to do what they do at the molecular level.”
Ferrero went on in the article to explain, “The proteins in your brain have special receptors that, when unlocked, release certain biochemical reactions. Think of opioids, like heroin, as being special keys, says Ferraro. When they get in your brain, they seek out those receptors, ‘latch on’ and unlock the lock. When the drug opens and closes that lock repeatedly, it ‘triggers a cascade of biochemistry inside that particular cell.’” He says, “this is the basic mechanism of being high. The heroin repeatedly unlocks the lock, releasing euphoria, pain relief and addiction from that cell.”

Narcan, on the other hand, cannot be used to get a person high, and if given to an individual who has not taken opioids, it will not have any effect on them. For more information on Narcan visit FDA.gov

LINKS
Obama Pushes For More Treatment for Opioid Addiction
CVS to Sell Heroin OD Reversal Drug Narcan in More Pharmacies
The overdose ‘antidote’: how Narcan works

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription.

YES, IT CAN HAPPEN IN YOUR FAMILY!

March 9th, 2016

22616601_sThe hardest part about the heroin epidemic in this country is getting those who think “not in my family” to understand that it happens to ANY family. It happens to high school and college athletes – the “good kids” — and it occurs in higher numbers in our adult population over age 50. Why? Because painkillers are prescribed to injured athletes and adults with injuries and chronic pain, and painkillers are a gateway drug to heroin.

Let’s focus today on adolescent athletes and how an injury can lead to addiction. A 2013 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that young athletes are 50 percent more likely to abuse painkillers. Just yesterday CBS News ran a story about college high school wrestler Robert King who was prescribed the painkiller Percocet for his broken foot and who just a few years later found himself addicted to heroin.

According to CBS, “King’s story is not an uncommon one. As the heroin epidemic continues to rage throughout the country, high school athletes are falling victim to addiction in alarming numbers.”

I have written blogs about painkiller and heroin addiction for the past year and the need in this country for more awareness, and I applaud families who are opening up about their loved one’s addiction. Now, even in obituaries families are candidly disclosing the cause of death as a drug addiction. Families are not trying to scare anyone. On the contrary, they are helping to promote awareness that just may save a life.

In the CBS story, Jack Riley, Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), emphasized that addiction cuts across every demographic group. He told CBS, “Heroin never discriminates, and athletes are no different. This dangerous drug has become a powerful weapon of mass destruction for drug addicts, some of whom are athletes who first became addicted to painkillers while rehabilitating from sports injury.”

So what should parents do? Most important is to educate yourself about the growing painkiller and heroin epidemic. If your school or community is offering drug awareness education forums — go! Encourage your friends to go with you too. Learn about Narcan™ (naloxone) an opiate antidote. Opioids include heroin and prescription pain pills like morphine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone and Vicodin. Many local communities are training first responders and school staff in the use of Narcan.

Trust your instincts. If you think something is off with your teen, you’re probably right. Ask questions and get answers. If you have a child on pain medication, ask the doctor about it. In the end, remember this is an epidemic in this country so do what you can do to prevent it from spreading to your family. Knowledge is power – always a good place to start!

LINKS

The surprising path from student athlete to heroin addict  CBS

You can make a difference in the growing heroin epidemic. Blog by Dr. Henry Paul

He died of a Heroin overdose! Blog by Dr. Henry Paul

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription.

 

A SURGE IN BIRTHS OF DRUG-DEPENDENT BABIES

June 19th, 2014

“No one who hears it ever forgets the sound.

When newborn babies begin to withdraw from powerful drugs, they shriek at a high, telltale pitch. Cut off from the substances they ingested through their mothers, they convulse, projectile vomit or writhe from skin-scorching diarrhea.

Their tiny bodies shudder violently. They cannot be consoled.”  

Quote from USA TODAY, June 2015, “Drug dependent babies challenge doctors, politicians”    Shelley DuBois and Tony Gonzalez, The Tennessean

The state of Tennessee has been monitoring a growing epidemic since the beginning of 2013 – a surge in births of drug-dependent babies. The state is dealing with a pain medication epidemic that is claiming the tiniest victims – newborn babies! Last year, 921 babies were born addicted in the state and now, Tennessee is fighting back by cracking down on what is known as “doctor shopping” — a trend that is all about finding a doctor that will prescribe pain medications. For an addict this means they can get multiple prescriptions to fuel their habit.

With Tennessee’s 2012 Prescription Safety Act things have changed for the better. The new database system flags people who try to get drugs from four or more sources. This amped up state prescription database requires doctors and pharmacists to use it when doling out pain meds. What a great idea! Why didn’t we think of this sooner?

As we have seen over-and-over for the past six months abuse of, and addiction to, Opioids (prescription painkillers) has skyrocketed leading to a heroin epidemic, and now, an epidemic of drug-dependent babies. Babies born addicted have to go through an excruciating drug withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). These babies can have seizures, brain damage and in later years school difficulties and behavior problems.

The complicated issue here is that the mothers are victims, too. Many are prescribed these addictive medications by a doctor to treat their pain. These women not only become addicted to the pain medications, but they also become pregnant. Once pregnant they become fearful of discussing their addiction with their doctor, family or friends. What needs to be understood is that there are two victims who need treatment – mother and child. This is a very heart-wrenching time for both and so compassion and understanding are necessary. Also, necessary are laws that make women feel safe so they can seek help for their addiction, and not fear losing their babies.

If you suspect that a friend or loved one is addicted to pain medications and pregnant you should talk about it with them, suggest they speak with their doctor, not be judgmental and help them to find the correct treatment.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription. Dr. Paul does not assume any responsibility or risk for the use of any information contained within this blog.