Meperidine
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Meperidine is the generic medication for the brand name Demerol. Similar to morphine, Meperidine is part of a group of drugs considered to be narcotic pain relievers. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain in patients. Known as an opiate agonist, Meperidine and Demerol are both found illegally on the streets and known as Demmie(s).
Meperidine is a white crystalline substance that is readily soluble in water, has a neutral reaction and a slightly bitter taste. Meperidine is offered in both tablet and liquid form to be taken orally. It is also available to be administered through an injection into a large muscle or through intravenous methods.
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Abuses of Meperidine
As an opiate agonist, Meperidine is a Schedule II Controlled Substance as it has a high abuse liability. When the drug is abused, it is taken orally, injected or snorted after it has been crushed. Despite its similarities to morphine and other related opiates, Meperidine is structurally distinct. It alters the perception of pain in the spinal cord and central nervous system, but has no effect on nerve endings. It does trigger the brain’s pleasure centers while blocking the pain, which intensifies its ability to generate an addiction.
Patients and other users of Meperidine can quickly build a tolerance for the drug and require more to achieve the desired effect. Signs of dependency and abuse include a strong desire or need to continue taking more of the medicine; a need to increase the dose to maintain the effects of the medicine; and withdrawal symptoms occurring after the patient stops taking the medication.
Effects of Meperidine
Meperidine can produce effects that can be felt 10 to 15 minutes after it is ingested and will typically last anywhere from two to four hours. Effects are similar to that of morphine, although Meperidine tends to deliver sedation, respiratory depression and euphoria that are less intense than morphine.
When taking Meperidine, patients can often experience specific side effects, such as light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and sweating; although weakness, headache, agitation, tremor, uncoordinated muscle movements, severe convulsions, transient hallucinations, disorientation, visual disturbances, dry mouth, constipation, flushing of the face and other skin rashes.
Withdrawal of Meperidine
Continuous or prolonged use of Meperidine can lead to a physical dependence on or tolerance of the drug. If the drug is abruptly stopped, users with a physical dependence – and even those taking it regularly for medical reasons – can experience intense withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms associated with Meperidine use can occur four to five hours after the last dose and can include, but are not limited to:
· severe anxiety
· insomnia
· profuse sweating
· muscle spasms
· chills
· shivering
· tremors
Treatment of Meperidine Addiction
Meperidine users should taper off the medication slowly under the care of a board-certified physician and board-certified addiction psychiatrist to ensure withdrawal symptoms are prevented or at least minimized. To ensure the individual rids their body of the drug completely and has a better chance of staying off the drug in the future, entering a center for 24/7 comfortable detox treatment is highly recommended.
Such an approach to treatment uses withdrawal medications that are highly effective for those suffering with a Meperidine addiction. A quality treatment center will do a full physical on a patient and have a board-certified addiction psychiatrist determine the right medications for comfortable detox.
