In the modern age of detoxification treatment, a few drugs that treatment centers use have been proven to help patients just like you to get through the worst of opiate detox. These drugs are:

• Methadone
• Burprenorphine
• Suboxone

Before choosing an opiate detox drug, you need to be aware of what the drug does and the side effects of using it. If you want to find any a treatment center that can help you detox, just call 888-810-3710 Who Answers? .

Methadone

Methadone is the most commonly used drug for opiate detox in the United States. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, methadone is used in detox almost 250,000 times more than any other detox medication.

What it does

Methadone is a full opioid agonist. This means that it binds to the receptors in the brain that opiates normally fill. Since the receptors are full, your body and brain react as if you are still taking the opiate. This is what stops the withdrawal symptoms.

Side effects to be concerned about

Although methadone has some side effects that are not dangerous and go away after a few days, some can be dangerous. These side effects are:

• Seizures
• Unusual itching
• Rash
• Hives
• Swelling of your eyes, tongue, or throat
• Extreme drowsiness
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty, labored, or stopped breathing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hallucinations

These are all signs of an allergic or bad reaction to methadone.

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is also a common drug that treatment centers use to treat opioid and opiate addiction. Many people consider it a lighter version of methadone. It has the same warnings as methadone does but you are less likely to be dependent on it.

What it does

Buprenorphine alone is a partial opiate agonist. It blocks many of the opioid receptors in the brain. This causes a reduction in withdrawal symptoms but many times does not completely stop them.

Serious Side effects

According to the National Institute of Health, buprenorphine has some serious side effects. These side effects are:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Swelling of the face, tongue, or throat
• Rash
• Hives

Many of these indicate an allergic reaction to buprenorphine.

Suboxone

Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone that is growing in popularity. Unfortunately, unless it is covered by insurance it can be cost prohibitive.

What it does

Suboxone works to end addiction in two ways. The first is as a partial opioid agonist, buprenorphine blocks the opioid receptors in the brain. The second part is as an opioid antagonist, to blocks the feelings of euphoria.

If you take too much Suboxone, you reach a ceiling at which it stops making you feel better. If you take opiate while on Suboxone, you do not feel the desire effects of the opiate.

Serious Side effects

You could experience several side effects while on Suboxone. These are:

• Allergic reaction (hives, swelling)
• Slowed breathing
• Confusion
• Blurred visions
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Lack of energy
• Lack of appetite
• Yellow skin or eyes
• Pain in the upper right side
• Dark-colored urine
• Light-colored stools

All of these serious side effects can be dangerous.

Finding a Detox Center

These are the most commonly used opiate detox drugs. They are available in treatment centers and medical detox centers. To find the center that is right for you, call 888-810-3710 Who Answers? .