 Florida Detox tranquilizer detoxification occurs in the hospital and lasts five days. Florida Detox can safely and humanely accomplish tranquilizer detoxification, in five days, when traditional tranquilizer programs require four to six weeks, to accomplish similar results. Intense panic, anxiety, insomnia, tremors and irritability are painlessly eliminated, by our treatment. Florida Detox uses non-addictive intravenous medication, for tranquilizer detoxification. These medications are safe for patients with elevated liver enzymes or hepatitis. Since anesthesia is not used in our tranquilizer detoxification, many patients with medical complications, can be treated. Florida Detox has successfully treated patients who were using 60 milligrams of Xanax daily. (This would be approximately equivalent to 600 milligrams of Valium daily). Florida Detox treats dependency for the following tranquilizer medications, sleeping pills and muscle relaxants:
Benzodiazepine tranquilizers, Sleeping Pills Ativan lorazepam ; Centrax prazepam ; Dalmane flurazepam ;
Doral quazepam ; Klonopin clonazepam ; Librium chlordiazepoxide;
Restoril temazepam ; Rohypnol flunitrazepam ; Serax oxazepam;
Tranxene clorazepate ; Valium diazepam ; Xanax alprazolam
Barbituates, Sleeping pills Amytal, Amobarbital;
Fiorinol , Fiorcet butalbital; (Used mainly for migraine headache)
Nembutal pentobarbital sodium;
Luminal Phenobarbitol phenobarbitone ;
Seconal, Secobarbital;
Tuinal, amobarbital-secobarbital
Imidazopyridine Sleeping pills Ambien Zolpidem
Muscle Relaxants Soma Carisprodol
INSOMNIA
Insomnia affects up to thirty percent of the population. Unfortunately, benzodiazepine and barbituate tranquilizer dependency, often begin as insomnia treatment attempts. Newer, safer insomnia medications, including Ambien, and Lunesta have allowed many insomniacs to obtain relief, without risking chemical dependency. Some older medications, including Trazodone and Doxapin have also proven themselves effective for insomnia. Florida Detox uses prescription and nonprescription sleeping aids. We have successfully used the following non-prescription hormones and amino acids for insomnia. It is often helpful to rotate non prescription sleep aids after 3 or 4 nights, to prevent down-regulation of neurotransmitter receptors. Amino acids are best taken on an empty stomach.
NON PRESCRIPTION SLEEP AIDS
Melatonin
Melatonin is the sleep hormone and decreases with aging. Melatonin levels decrease approximately 50 percent by age 60. Decreased melatonin levels contribute to sleep disorders in older individuals, especially the elderly. Melatonin is an extremely safe supplement, tested at 6,000 milligram per day, in humans, with no adverse effect, except mild stomach discomfort. (Usual dose for insomnia is 3 to 5 milligram per day for 65 plus age group) Melatonin is a very powerful antioxidant and also improves thymus function, contributing to increased immunity. Melatonin sometimes works, when tryptophan and 5-HTP don’t work. If melatonin works for you, results usually occur the same evening it is taken. Liquid or sublingual tablets often work, when gelcaps, powder capsules or non sublingual tablets do not. Melatonin shortens sleep onset time, but seldom produces large increases in total sleep time.
Products which we know have decreased insomnia:
Nature’s Plus lipoceutical sublingual spray, 3 to 8 spray “shots”/ night $8-$12/ mo
Source Naturals Nutraspray Timed release Sublingual Melatonin
Glutamine
Glutamine is considered a semi essential amino acid, since it can usually be produced from other amino acids. Glutamine can indirectly increase GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid), which is most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter, in the brain. Benzodiazepine tranquilizers including Valium, Ativan, Klonipin, Xanax barbiturates including Phenobarbitol, Seconal and Amytol , and newer imidazopyridines including Ambien, all increase receptivity of the GABA receptor. All of these prescription medications have at least some addiction potential, although it is much lower with Ambien.
Glutamine also acts as a reserve source of blood glucose and can improve sleep in hypoglycemics. Glutamine is more effective for anxious, racing thoughts which prevent sleep and can work the same night taken.
DOSAGE: 3 to 6 grams, 1 to 2 teaspoons, powdered drink mix at bed time, on empty stomach or with fruit juice. Glutamine has a slightly sweet taste. Powdered drink mix is available in 1 pound or 1 kilogram plastic jars, can be mixed with water and does not taste bitter or sour, $12 to 25/ mo
Rogers and Pelton, (1957) found glutamine supplementation reduced anxiety and improved sleep, in a 6 week double blind crossover trial, with 7 men and 3 women. During the crossover phase of the study, only 2 or 3 subjects responded to the lactose placebo. The glutamine dosage used in the study was 200 milligrams, taken 5 times per day, or 1000 milligrams per day. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid, in the human body and the body contains approximately 100,000 milligrams of glutamine. Glutamine can be transformed into blood glucose and blood glucose is the only fuel of the brain, which uses at least 20% of the body’s energy and requires a constant supply of blood glucose. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, when glutamine is not metabolized to supply blood glucose, glutamine increases protein production and release of human growth hormone. GABA CalmThese sublingual GABA tablets, manufactured by Source Naturals, provide a more effective absorption route, for GABA. Generally, GABA does not cross the blood brain barrier, in amounts adequate to impact anxiety or sleep. GABA is produced in the brain, from glutamate. We have not had impressive results with GABA Calm although Julia Ross, is highly complimentary of Gaba Calm, in The Mood Cure.
DL Phenylalanine
DL phenylalanine, is a mixture of dextro phenylalanine and levo phenylalanine. Levo phenylalanine is one of the eight essential amino acids, which the body needs, but can not produce. It is a component of leucine and methionine enkephalins, which are simple pentapeptides (molecules containing 5 amino acids). The anesthetic (pain killing) effect of the enkephalins is over 100 times more powerful than morphine. Unfortunately, the addictive potential of enkephalins is also over 100 times more powerful than morphine. Dextro phenylalanine is not required by the body, but transforms to an enkephalinase inhibitor, which slows metabolism or breakdown of enkephalins. Enkephalinase inhibition does not appear to increase addiction potential. Since enkephalins also decrease anxiety, D phenylalanine supplementation can increase sleep, by reducing anxiety. Enkephalinase inhibition will not improve sleep, if you are medicated with the opiate blockers Naltrexone or Naloxone. Phenylalanine can raise blood pressure, in some individuals. DOSAGE: DL Phenylalanine dosage should range from 500 to 3000 milligrams per day. Since Phenylalanine must compete with at least four other amino acids to cross the blood brain barrier, it should be taken on an empty stomach, preferably sublingual (under the tongue). DL Phenylalanine is available as 500 milligram powder capsules, at health food stores. It can be ordered as a loose powder, in 300 gram bottles, on the internet. D Phenylalanine is difficult to find, even on the internet. It may be ordered at beautynhealth.com/fth/fth002.html
Magnesium Taurate
Magnesium Taurate can also reduce anxiety. (Ikeda H, 1977) reports taurine is a nonessential amino acid which has reduced severity of alcohol withdrawal tremors by about two thirds. Taurine effectively reduces anxiety and is inexpensive, but produces large volumes of sulfurous gas, which can be very unpleasant.
CAMPRAL (ACAMPROSATE) is diacetylhomotaurinate, a prescription medication approved for treatment of anxiety, during early alcohol abstinence. Magnesium Taurate can reduce anxiety, without the expense of CAMPRAL or the unpleasant sulfurous gas, which taurine usually produces. Our patients often experience decreased anxiety, beginning the same day they begin using Magnesium Taurate.
DOSAGE: 400 to 1200 milligrams per day or higher; Magnesium can have a laxative effect. Dosage of Magnesium is bowel tolerance level. Spread doses 4 to 6 hours apart. (To determine bowel tolerance, increase dosage from 400 milligrams, upward till stool begins to loosen, then decrease dosage, till stool is firm. This is the dose you should use. Many of our patients can ingest 800 – 1200 milligrams, daily) Magnesium Taurate can be difficult to find at health food stores and is probably easier to order on the internet, from familypharmacy.net/shopping.htm, myvitanet or totaldiscountvitamins.com
Diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine is the generic name for the over the counter medication commonly called by the original brand name Benedryl. This antihistamine increases drowsiness and has relatively few side effects. It can aggravate dry eye syndrome and the following warnings are listed at the rxlist.com website:Antihistamines should be used with considerable caution in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma, stenosing peptic ulcer, pyloroduodenal obstruction, symptomatic prostatic hypertrophy, or bladder-neck obstruction.
A 25 milligram dose is often adequate, and a 50 milligram dose is safe for most people.
PRESCRIPTION SLEEP AIDS
Gabapentin (Neurontin)
Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant which decreases calcium firing of excitatory neurotransmitter receptors. Structurally, Gabapentin consists of a GABA molecule, with a pentyl ring attached to it. Gabapentin is eliminated in the urine and can be used, when liver damage is present, since the liver is not required to metabolize it. Gabapentin is off patent and available as a less expensive generic medication now. Gabapentin half life is 5 to 7 hours.
DOSAGE: Gabapentin dosages for sleep range from 100 to 900 milligrams. Common capsule sizes are 100 and 300 milligrams.
Trazodone (Desyrel)
Trazodone is available generically and has proven an effective sleep medication for many of our patients, although it was originally produced as an antidepressant. It can increase levels of digoxin and phenytoin and should be avoided, when a history of cardiac irregularities exists. The half life is approximately 9 hours. It is available in 50 and 100 milligram doses.
Lexapro (Excitalopram)
Lexapro is the most selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and appears to have fewer side effects then other SSRIs. Some Florida Detox patients have succeeded in sleeping, with Lexapro, when Ambien and other insomnia medications did not work. Lexapro has a half life of approximately 27-32 hours. It is available in 5, 10 and 20 mg tablets.
Zolipdem (Ambien)
Zolipdem is a prescription medicine, which appears to have much less addiction potential, than other sleep medications. Jacob Teitelbaum,MD in Pain Free 1-2-3!, cites the Fibromyalgia Network, April 2004 newsletter, p 6-7, describing a 2 year study of 4000 patients showing no significant problems with this medication. Florida Detox has encountered some patients who were addicted to Zolipdem, although it is a rare addiction. Ambien CR is a timed release dosage which usually lasts about 7 hours.
DOSAGE: Zolipdem is available as 5 and 10 milligram tablets and 6.5 and 12.5 milligram CR (time release) It has a short half life and usually provides only about 3- 4 hours sleep, per dose. Some of our patients report Ambien CR provides up to 7 hours sleep duration.
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Eszopiclone has been available for 7 years in Europe and was recently approved for long term use, after 6 month clinical trials, in the United States. Clinical trials indicated no alterations in sleep stages. Test subjects medicated with Lunesta, actually scored higher on the Digit Symbol subtest of the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale, after using Lunesta, indicating Lunesta not only did not impair memory, but improved mental performance. Lunesta has worked for at least one patient when benzodiazepines, Trazodone and Ambien did not. Lunesta usually provides 7 to 8 hours sleep. Some patients have discontinued Lunesta due to an unpleasant taste remaining the next day. Lunesta is available in 1, 2, and 3 milligram tablets. One milligram tablets are mainly used for elderly patients. Additional Lunesta information, including graphs depicting decreased sleep onset time and increased total sleep time are available at http://www.medscape.com/pages/sites/infosite/lunesta/article-rapidSeroquel(Quetiapine)
Seroquel is especially effective when background noise interferes with sleep. Seroquel is a newer atypical antipsychotic, which increased total sleep time, sleep efficiency and stage 2 sleep, in a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized crossover study, of 14 healthy male volunteers. (Cohrs, S., t. al.,2004) Seroquel half life is about 6 hours, but patients often feel lethargic, 12 hours after using Seroquel.
References
Cohrs S, Rodenbeck A, Guan Z, Pohlmann K, Jordan W, Meier A, Ruther E., Sleep-promoting properties of quetiapine in healthy subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Jul;174(3):421-9. Epub 2004 Mar 17.
(Ikeda H, 1977) Effects of taurine on alcohol withdrawal. Letter. Lancet ii:509, 1977).
(Rogers LL, Pelton RB. 1957) Glutamine in the treatment of alcoholism. Q J Stud Alcohol 18(4):581-7)
(Teitelbaum, J, 2005) Pain Free 1-2-3! Deva Press, Anapapolis, MD
Disclaimer
This information is not considered to be medical advice or diagnosis. If high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, liver disease, diabetes, renal disease, hemophilia or other medical complications exist, a physician should be consulted. These statements have not been approved or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
XANAX TESTIMONIALS
 It's so different at FD - left 28 day program, in 13 days
Previously Addicted to: xanax
| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 10:21 pm Post subject: Working my recovery | |
| I thank the entire staff at Florida Detox for their extreme dedication, professionalism, courtesy and love filled hearts. Dr. Spaunagle, in my opinion is one of the most intelligent, caring individuals I have ever met, and somehow the entire staff that helped me during my procedure were the same. I was very leary about making the decision to come to Florida and go under anesthesia to stop my craziness and begin my recovery. Distance was an issue, since I live about l800 miles from FD, money was a huge concern, and I was leary due to the fact the this was not my first attempt to stop my addiction. A few months prior coming to FD, I had gone to a very prestigious West Coast facility that I had found on the internet. It was a 28 day program (VERY EXPENSIVE), and according to the net advertisements, it was geared "for the professional", with your own private suites on the ocean, internet access (so that you could continue to run your business while there), a personal chef, daily one on one counseling and so much more. Well, I went. I should've been leary when they encouraged me to take whatever meds I wanted to to get there. (that way you don't read the fine print when they give you the paperwork upon arrival.) Where do I start.....the photos on the net were very deceiving, the personal chef had just gone into treatment, therefore, there was no personal chef, the internet access never did work, the air conditioner never worked, the "house" that I stayed in _co-ed, was not locked, nor did we have locks on the bedroom doors. Also, there were no supervisors, just those of us there for treatment. (Quite interesting, what I didn't already know about drugs, I learned). Most unbelieveable is that in l2 days, I saw my "one on one" counselor ONE time. Something else rather odd, to get to the main facility for meetings and meds, etc., I had to walk down an alley, up a road (past a really Unique (to say the least) bar, cross a four lane highway, and ring a bell to get in. This included the 9:00 PM med call. One night I got up to the main blg. sobbing my eyes out of fear and the other detox anxieties. I finally called my husband, told him to make me a flight home asap and left. I believe it was on me l3th day. The managed to get an old licoln to drive me to the airport, with an old driver who, I swear did everything he could to make me miss my flight. Including letting me off at the total opposite end of the airport from where my flight was and stopping to get gas on the way. With literally minutes to spare, I boarded the airplane, took a zanax and made it home. The program obviously didn't work. It's so different at FD. It's amazing. The procedure is the first step, there's still work everyday in recovery, but it's the best I've done so far. I would not hesitate to reccomend the facility to anyone. It's been a little over 3 months for me and I still am working at it, guess I always will. At least I have the opportunity to do my best w/ a clear head, thanks to everyone at Florida Detox. All my best and God bless,
Missy
|
Beez88
Looking for Recovery
Joined: 19 May 2006
Posts: 1
Location: Tampa, Fl | Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 2:14 am Post subject: Life is Good ! (XANAX and VICODIN) | |
| The night before I was supposed to enter traditional detox I found Florida Detox. It was by the grace of God that I happened upon the testimonial of Stephanie and then back paged to read the Florida Detox website.
At the time I was consuming at least 10 Vicodin a day and probably at least 30 mg of Xanax. I had totally destroyed my career, my finances, and my family. In the months before I was detoxed I closed myself off from everybody, only leaving my house to do absoulutely what was needed. Suicidal thoughts ran through my mind hourly and I didn't think I could get back from this dark terrible place that my addiction had created.
Like many people my road to prescription medication addiction began with back surgury. I was also "diagnosed" with panic/anxiety disorder and depression and was prescribed Xanax and a multitude of medications over the years to treat those symtomns. I also indulged in a great deal of self medication. I now realize that my addiction began many years ago. I only changed my vices. However, I had reached the point of being sick and tired of being sick and tired.
My experience with Florida Detox began after making that first phone call. Nobody judged me but rather they set in place all the mechanics to enable me to go in. Barb even called my family for me to explain the procedure. Shortly after the first phone call I received a call from my father who said I was set to go in on April 17, 2006. When the car came to pick me up I had a wonderful driver, Faruz. He had also picked Stephanie up and he talked me through the whole ride. Had it not been for him I do not know if I would have made it in. In the following few days I met so many wonderful and great people, Dr. Sponaugle, his staff, the nurses and many of the other people who detoxed at the same time as me. I can not express in words what a relief it is to finally be able to, "leave your shame at the door", after so many years of having to lie & scheme to make sure I didn't go without my drugs. The procedure was so much less painful than going through being drug sick and in the following days everything was done to assure that I was mentally and physically comfortable. As I was also on benzos I had to be weaned off of those but was given medication to ensure that I didn't have seizures, withdrawls, or cravings.
I have been clean for a month now and it is a day by day process. However, everybody at Florida Detox has supported me. Dr. Sponaugle truely gave me my life back. I was finally diagnoised correctly and everything in my life made sense. I have ADHD and am on medication that treats the problem not the symptoms. I am also able to handle my back pain without the use of narcotics.
I would like to let anyone who reads this know that there is hope. No matter how far down you believe you are there are people who care and are willing and able to bring you back. Life is good again! :D
If anybody would like to contact me please send me a PM. I will return any messages within a short time. |
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DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION PROSECUTING INTERNET CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE SALES Obtaining pharmaceutical medications over the internet, without establishing an actual doctor- patient relationship, including a physical examination is illegal. Although many patients obtain pain killers and tranquilizers, on the internet, increased law enforcement investigations increase risks of obtaining controlled substances, via the internet.
Karen P. Tandy
Operation Cyber X Press Conference
Dallas, Texas
September 21, 2005
You’ve most likely been spammed by them. Websites advertising a full medicine cabinet of drugs with no prescriptions needed, no waiting, and no hassle. It sounds too good to be true—and it is.
What these rogue websites peddle is illegal. And today, with Operation Cyber X we show the website operators for what they truly are: a new kind of drug kingpin—operating not from jungle hideaways but from behind computer monitors in their mansions. From suburbia, these e-trafficker kingpins command multimillion dollar nationwide pill empires. Today, we are moving against them in force.
Law enforcement joined together in a 15-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation. Today, we arrested 13 Internet drug dealers here in the Dallas area and 5 in Florida. We arrested the ringleaders and suspended the registrations of 20 doctors and 22 pharmacies.
What is significant about Operation Cyber X is not the number of arrests and suspensions—but the fact that this is the largest Internet pharmacy investigation targeting U.S. based e-traffickers.
To give you a sense of the expanse of this criminal enterprise…the defendants:
• Bought $1 million worth of controlled substances each month,
• Handled 15,000 customers each week, and
• Filled 3,000 orders for controlled substances each day.
DEA and IRS logged 2 and a quarter million Internet sessions during the course of the investigation to track the narcotic sales by these defendants. Operation Cyber X is the domestic bookend to last spring’s Operation Cyber Chase where we targeted international Internet drug traffickers operating in the U.S.
The 18 people arrested today owned, operated, or were affiliated with an astonishing 4,600 rogue pharmacy websites. A simple search linked to many of these sites. The sites sold Schedule 3 and 4 controlled substances. Among the drugs they offered were narcotic painkillers, tranquilizers, and stimulants. Once orders were placed—and almost 1 million were processed and mailed during the course of the 15-month investigation—they were rubber-stamped by unscrupulous doctors and processed at pharmacies owned by these operations . . .
These websites are fueling prescription drug abuse, which is at an all-time high, and exceeds all other drug abuse except marijuana. Almost 1 out of every 10 high school seniors has abused prescription drugs. Last year, 12,000 new users a day were abusing prescription drugs—and their average age was 23. |
