Addiction Medicine
live your life again.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid abuse. Our goal is to bring recovery to men and women suffering from substance abuse and addiction. We offer compassionate, individualized care without judgment for addiction.
Program Details
first visit | induction
- Getting to know you as a person, the impact of opioids use disorder on your social life and work.
- Discussion about your perception of opioids use disorder and how motivated you are to move forward with the treatment,
- Detailed history of opioids use in the past including prescription, non prescription opioids as well street drugs
- We will also pull up history of prescription opioids from the pharmacies in Arkansas and outside AR (if applicable) so we can have a detailed history on the dose, frequency and duration of opioids use.
- History of past treatments for opioid use disorder.
- If you are good candidate for Buprenorphine and other Buprenorphine related products such as Buprenorphine / Naloxone combination also known as Suboxone, we will have you sign a contract of treatment after having you sign other necessary forms.
- You will have to be off opioids for at least 24 -36 hours before we can start induction so that induction with Suboxone can be done while you are in at least moderate withdrawal. Induction may be done during first visit if we already have the required information.
- Since the goal of treatment is to have you come off opioids and assist you through the withdrawal and craving phase with Buprenorphine Naloxone combination, you cannot have other opioids once you are on Suboxone
monthly follow up
Typically involves history, exam, discussion of new or old concerns. urine drug testing
Urine sample is collected in the office
Frequency of follow up is decided based on Suboxone dose, previous history of relapses, presence of risk factors, compliance with appointments and other factors.
New patients who are already on Suboxone and are transitioning service over to us, won’t typically have to start from the beginning unless there are other concerns.
If the patient fails 3 urine drug screens over 3 month period, then as per contract, we will have to terminate the services and would recommend inpatient rehab.
We may request the patient randomly to visit our office for pill count and / or urine drug screens. Pill count can also be done on live audio / video HIPAA compliant platform.
Decision to further wean Suboxone dose depends on multiple factors including patient’s motivation, willingness, current social and job situation, previous history of failed wean, history of multiple drugs abuse in the past and any ongoing opioid withdrawal related medical issues. Typically this can take months.
Sometimes, in order to keep the craving suppressed, some patients prefer to be on a low dose of Suboxone for a long time before being completely off.
Psych counseling is equally important during this time period.