While the abuse of Oxycontin has declined across the United States due to a change in the Oxycontin processing method that has caused it to be more complicated for opiate addicts to abuse, a newer type of opiate with twice the strength of Oxycontin has begun to take its place. The brand new type is called Opana, or oxymorphone hydrochloride, and the new opiate drug can be crushed and chewed, snorted, and even injected. As a result, admissions for Opana addiction treatment are on the rise while addiction treatment for Oxycontin abuse is declining. This direction means that addiction treatment staff need to be knowledgeable this new form of opiate, if they haven’t already done so.
Street names for Opana include O’s, Blue Heaven, Blues, Mrs. O, New Blues, Octagons, Oranges, Orgasna IR, OM, Pink, Pink Heaven, Pink Lady, Pink O, Stop Signs, and The O Bomb. The color references in these slang terms refer to the strength of the Opana pill. For the older, round Opana pills 5 milligram pills are blue and 10 milligram doses are pink. The newer, extended relief kinds of Opana are 8 sided in shape like a stop sign and can be found in a variety of colors and higher strengths that can include the following:
• Pink octagonal Opana pills are 5milligram
• Orange octagonal Opana pills are 10mg
• White octagonal Opana pills are fifteenmg
• Green octagonal Opana pills are twentymg
• Red octagonal Opana pills are 30mg
• Yellow octagonal Opana pills are 40mg
With the stronger doses available for the extended relief forms, Opana addiction treatment admissions have gone up drastically recently at addiction treatment programs throughout the United States. Similar to Oxycontin, Opana addiction happens quickly especially if the person is misusing Oxycontin or other opiates like Vicodin, heroin, or Norco. Even if the Opana has been legally prescribed by a doctor for pain, however, individuals taking Opana can inadvertently become addicted very quickly as well, causing the need for Opana addiction treatment for people with no record of drug abuse.
Opana addiction treatment is just like drug treatment for other forms of opiates. A well run Opana addiction treatment starts with a detox in either a residential detox treatment facility or possibly a hospital setting. The withdrawal symptoms in the detox stage of the Opana addiction treatment can be very similar to other opiate withdrawals. They include bone pain, muscle cramping, emotional distress, and nausea and vomiting. As a result of the difficulties that go along with with the detox part of the Opana addiction treatment, it is important for the individual to undergo the detox process in a professional setting where addiction treatment professional will help them through the hardest phases of the withdrawal process.
Following the detox treatment process, it is nearly always certain that additional Opana addiction treatment will be required, especially for those individuals with a history of opiate addiction or other types of substance abuse. After detox, Opana addiction treatment will include a longer term stay in a residential treatment facility (AKA rehab), intensive outpatient counseling, or pychosocial activities like attendance at12 step meetings.
