Once you develop an opioid or alcohol addiction, your brain and body can’t function without the drug, and they let you know it loud and clear with intense cravings that make it impossible to stop using the substance. Expert addiction medicine physician Sirisat Khalsa, MD, and the exceptional team at Clarity Medical Group in Sherman Oaks, California, help you overcome this challenge by prescribing anti-craving medications. Call the office or request an in-person or telehealth appointment online today to learn how you can get anti-craving medications as an outpatient.
Anti-craving medications have a crucial role in your detox and recovery. They protect your health, make it possible to detox, and lower your risk of relapsing by eliminating cravings.
Cravings occur when your brain and body get used to having the drugs and need them to function. If you reduce the amount you use or try to stop, your brain and body immediately have a physical and psychological reaction that causes an uncontrollable craving.
Cravings (and the withdrawal symptoms that appear if you don’t give in) are one of the biggest challenges patients face when they decide to break away from a dependency or addiction.
Your Clarity Medical Group provider may prescribe one of the following anti-craving medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders:
Buprenorphine stops opioid cravings. This medication is available in many forms, including sublingual tablets and films (they dissolve when placed under your tongue or in your cheek), implants (Probuphine®), monthly injections (Sublocade®), and combined with naloxone (Suboxone®).
Acamprosate significantly decreases your cravings and urges for alcohol. However, acamprosate doesn’t help you detox because you can only use it to prevent cravings after you stop drinking.
Naltrexone (a daily pill, monthly injection, or long-lasting implant) works differently than methadone and buprenorphine, but it still stops cravings. This medication prevents opioids and alcohol from triggering your brain. As a result, you don’t get the same euphoria, your cravings diminish, and it’s easier to resist the temptation to use these substances.
Your Clarity Medical Group provider discusses everything you need to know about the specific anti-craving medication they prescribe, beginning with explaining how to take it and any side effects you may experience.
Most side effects are mild and don’t last long, but you’ll also learn about potentially serious problems that can develop when you take potent medications. Your provider will also remind you of the importance of taking your medication as prescribed.
If you have any problems or concerns, talk with your provider before suddenly stopping your treatment. Many medications need to be tapered down gradually to prevent the serious side effects that occur if you quit cold turkey.
Call Clarity Medical Group today or use online booking to request an in-person or telehealth appointment to learn more about anti-craving medications.