Heroin Detox: Methadone Facts

Question: What happens when an individual undergoes heroin detox?

(Posted by: alannah ds on 2007-06-12 18:19:11)

What is done to the patient? I'm just curious since my sister will be undergoing this soon as she goes into rehab.

Posted by: arleen a on 2007-06-12, 18:31:38

Well, the first stage of detox would be the clearing out of narcotic residues. This is needed to ensure that your sister's body no longer has traces of heroin. The next stage would have nutritionists designing a specific diet that your sister must adhere to. This is important because it's needed to restore your sister's body to its healthy state. The last stage of detox would be the emotional detox, wherein a sense of drug-independence is further inculcated into the patient so as to prevent her from relapsing. I hope your sister recovers soon.

Posted by: sketch660 on 2007-06-12, 18:27:08

Often they put them n methodone to take the edge off. This way they can ween them off the hard stuff and gradually step them down. The really brutal ones will make you go cold turkey but I don't think anyone really does that. Don't know for sure though...

Posted by: DEE on 2007-06-12, 18:33:33

She will be detoxed off the drugs with the medication they give her. This can vary from methadone, subutex, dfs plus they will give her sleepers, painkillers and any other drug she may require. This normally takes around a week. She will then talk through all her drug issues through with her key worker. The reasons around why she became addicted to drugs. They will also do group work where all the detoxers get together to talk, or work through drug related exercises. Once she is ready to leave she will be offered help in the community by drug agencies. I hope this has helped. I wish her all the best, its not easy but can be done.