Dr. Lisa Baird, D.O.

Not necessarily. It is possible to wean someone off a medication if they have identified all their triggers (what makes you drink) and fixed them. For example, if you drink more when you are stressed, once you get healthy stress coping techniques, you may be a candidate to be weaned off. Counseling is extremely helpful is addressing your triggers and helping you put up roadblocks to keep them from causing a relapse. Truth be told, the combination of counseling and medications is more successful than either alone. If you want to recover, I would strongly suggest not just medication but counseling as well.

Ultimately, this is a decision that you and your doctor will need to make together. Sit down with your physician and tell him or her your concerns.

Once you believe you have identified all your triggers and dealt with them, ask your doctor if he/she thinks it would be alright to go off the medication. Don't stop it yourself. I can't tell you how many times a person was sitting across from me because they stopped their medication and relapsed. Every time that happens, I would say, "Let me guess. You relapsed because..." and I was always right. The doctor may see something that you don't...an area that still needs to be addressed. Good luck!

Hi there! Without knowing which medication your husband is taking, I really can't give you a specific answer. Having said that, headaches are a common side effect of many medications. This is particularly true if he is using more than one medication to quit smoking at the same time. For example, combining Chantix with a nicotine patch is known to cause headaches. Your best bet is to discuss this side effect with his doctor to see if there are other options available. Best of luck!

Hi there! There are many options available for your brother to stop drinking. With such a long history of alcohol addiction, he should not try to do it on his own. Quitting alcohol suddenly can lead to seizures and even death. It really does need to be done under the supervision of a physician.

Some of the options available include entering into a detox unit. This would allow him to be monitored closely to treat any seizures, hallucinations or other life threatening symptoms that arise during the withdrawal. From there, he should go into a rehab facility. Medications such as antabuse, campryl, and vistaril to name a few, are available to help defeat the alcohol abuse. Some of these stop cravings. Others will make him sick if he drinks alcohol while taking them. As always, the best outcomes are when a person combines counseling with medications.

Your brother needs to take a good look at his drinking pattern to see if any causes can be identified. For example, does he drink more when he is stressed? When he is angry? When he is hungry or tired? How about when he's lonely? Once he knows his triggers, the counselor will be able to target his treatment to help him overcome them.

Make sure your brother contacts his physician so he can get the help he needs.

Unfortunately, there isn't a magic sentence that works. I wish there was. Each person has to come to the realization that what they're doing is wrong in their own way. Having said that, he is 18 which means if you push him, he will become oppositional. You're going to have to walk a fine line. Teenagers think that nothing bad is going to happen to them. As a mother, I know I would be tempted to yell, scream, jump up and down, cry....anything to get his attention. Here's the thing though. If you yell, he will shut down and you won't get anywhere. He isn't going to understand that what sounds like anger is really fear and frustration. Your best bet is to set up an intervention with a professional. He or she will be able to guide you through it so emotions don't run too high. Go online and look up drug interventions near you. Do not attempt to do an intervention on your own or with family and friends. You can make it worse. Good luck!

Hi! I'm glad your son has chosen to get help! Buprenorphine (which is found in Suboxone) can help with cravings. Having said that, it should only be started if he is still using opiates because it too can be addicting. There are other options available if he has been off opiates for awhile such as the Vistaril injection and naloxone tablets. He should sit down with his doctor and discuss which treatments would work best based on the stage of recovery he is currently in. Good luck!

Your best bet is to contact her physician and explain your concerns. If she has not signed a release of information, they can't discuss her with you, but that doesn't mean they can't listen. Her physician can then set up a treatment plan if he/she deems it necessary. There are multiple medications available if she has become addicted. Medications including buprenorphine (Suboxone, Zubsolv, Subutex), Vistaril, and methadone will help with the cravings. Counseling will help with the underlying triggers which are causing the abuse. Good luck!

Every medication you take, whether aspirin, acetaminophen, or an addiction medication has potential side effects. Most people don't experience any side effects and those that do usually only have mild ones. Mild side effects are generally relatively easy to treat. For example, one of the side effects to an addiction medicine I prescribe is constipation. For that, the person just has to drink more water and increase the fiber they are taking. It can also give people insomnia. When that happens, they just take the medication in the morning instead of at night. Severe side effects are rare.

I hope this helps!

Interesting question. The first thing that needs to happen is to check to see if there is a physical problem which is causing the cravings. Perhaps her blood sugar drops too low at night. I would suggest she eats a small, healthy protein rich snack before the cravings start to see if this is a contributor. Also, if you have any way to check her blood sugar when the craving hits, that would be helpful, too. Does she binge when the craving hits or is she able to just take a bite and stop? If she just takes a bite and stops, this really isn't a problem.

Having said that, many cravings are caused by the brain wanting a reward. Some people find relief by taking a hot shower or bath. Others by simply drinking a glass of water. Also, exercising can relieve cravings by releasing the feel-good hormones called endorphins. Also, she needs to see if she has any triggers that make her crave sugary treats more. Does she crave them more when she is stressed? Angry? Tired? Since it is at night time, fatigue may be a trigger for her, in which case getting a bit more sleep may help.

I would also suggest you have her remove any and all sugary snacks from the house to take away the temptation. If these suggestions don't help, have her contact her physician. Good luck!

Unfortunately, no. This is a journey she needs to take on her own. The best you can do is to support her in her recovery. Having said that, you should consider going to Al Anon, Narc Anon or counseling so you can learn to cope and work through the emotions you are experiencing.

Unfortunately, this journey is your son's to take. All you can do is support him. The best way I can explain it is this: Picture you and your son in a car. Your son is driving while you are in the passenger seat. You can point the direction you want him to go, but, ultimately, he will drive where he wants. He determines the speed, the direction, and the final destination. He has to take responsibility for his recovery or it won't work. Part of long-term recovery is for him to learn how to be responsible for his own life so he can make better decisions in the future. Help him get to meetings if needs a ride every once in awhile. Take him to counseling on occasion if he's having a problem getting there. If he relapses, go pick him up and help him get back on his feet.

I know you're anxious and scared and want more than anything for your son to recover, but you can't let it take over your life. My heart always bleeds for the parents, but the thing is this: you wanting his recovery doesn't make a difference in the outcome. He has to want it. He has to do the work. He has to bear the consequences. You can help a bit, but if you do more of the work on his recovery than he does, he won't make it. I know this is hard to hear. I've been where you are. I would suggest you enter Al Anon, Narc Anon, or counseling to help you with all the emotions you are feeling. It helps. Trust me.
Good luck!

Hi there!

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Do they know what the cause of your headaches is? Have you had a full work-up for them? What sort of treatment have you undergone for your addiction? Detox, rehab, buprenorphine, methadone? Buprenorphine does provide relief from pain so that may be an option for you. Also, there are some powerful painkillers (such as diclofenac) that aren't addicting. Your doctor does have some weapons in his arsenal that can help you. Just sit down and talk to him or her.
Good luck!

Some of the medications that are given are ones that mask the symptoms of withdrawal. Others are blockers so if the person relapses, they won't get impaired. Some medicines will make the person sick if they relapse like Antabuse for alcohol. Still others, like methadone, are in the same class of drug as the person was using off the street. Really, the answer depends on which type of addiction you are attempting to treat. I hope this helps!

Actually some anti-depressants, like Wellbutrin, make quitting easier. Talk to your doctor so he or she can put you on a medication for both depression and for smoking cessation.

Without knowing which medication she has recommended, it is difficult to answer this. Having said that though, there are medications which can help you quit smoking. Like all medications, there are side effects to anything you take. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for what the most common ones are. Good luck!

Without seeing you and knowing the particulars of your situation, it is difficult to give an answer. Having said that, there are some general rules. Most of the time you will be on any medication depends on you...how quickly you identify your triggers and put up roadblocks so you don't end up relapsing. A good counselor can help you with that. Remember, addiction isn't just a physical disease. It also has a mental component. Most addicts used drugs as coping mechanisms to deal with life. For example, did you use more when you were stressed? Then you need some good stress coping techniques. How about when you were angry? Then you need anger management. When all your triggers have been identified and dealt with, that's when your doctor will consider tapering you down. If he or she tries before that, you would have a high chance of relapsing. Good luck to you!

Some of the medications used to treat addiction (such as buprenorphine and dolophine) can cause another addiction if taken over long periods of time. Having said that, these medications can be useful. They stop or reduce the physical withdrawal symptoms so you can work on the other part of addiction...the psychological. Think about it. When a person quits smoking, many will use nicotine replacement (like a patch or gum). Even though they are getting nicotine, they still experience cravings. That is because of the psychological component. These medications will allow you a better chance of long term recovery. Good luck!

Yes! There are medications that can help with alcohol addiction, including Campryl, antabuse, nalmefene and topirimate. Talk to your doctor to find out which would work best for you. Good Luck!

While I'm not sure which medication is being given to your cousin in a patch, I can think of 2 possibilities. The first is a clonidine patch. Clonidine is a blood pressure medicine which helps to treat some of the symptoms of withdrawal. It reduces or relieves insomnia, anxiety, rapid heart rate, chills, goosebumps, racing thoughts and restless legs. The second would be a buprenorphine patch. Buprenorphine alleviates even more of the symptoms of withdrawal by working on the opiate receptors themselves. The beauty about this medication is the addict feels "normal", not high but doesn't feel withdrawal symptoms. I hope this helps!

Good question! It depends upon which drug he is addicted to. Either way, if he goes into a rehab, they can reduce the symptoms of withdrawal with medications. Good luck to you and your son in his recovery!

You are absolutely correct!

The simplest way to answer this would be to explain the difference between 2 common terms used in addiction. The first term is called dependency. A dependent person is physically dependent on a drug to feel normal. Their body has adapted to the drug so now their body needs it. If they don't take the drug, they go into what is called withdrawal. On the street, most people call this addiction but it's not.

An addicted person, on the other hand, will actually continue using the drug despite negative consequences. Their spouse leaves because of drugs and they continue to use. They lose their children because of drugs and they continue to use. They go to jail because of drugs and they continue to use. They lose their job because of drugs and they continue to use. They value the drug so much that they are willing to lose everything or almost everything for it including their life.

Let me tell you about a conversation I once had with a recovering addict so you can understand what a true addiction is like:
Me: "With all these overdoses, I don't understand why my phone isn't ringing off the hook."
Recovering addict: "That's because it's good stuff."
Me: "Yeah but they could die."
Recovering addict: "We don't care. We know it's the best high we're ever going to get."

Says it all. Hope this helps!