Understanding Drug Dependence

12/14/2009:	HOW LONG WILL MY NOVUS MEDICAL DETOX TAKE?
	When someone decides that they need to go to a medical detox facility to help them withdraw from a drug or alcohol, they always ask how long it will take to complete their detox.
12/08/2009:	HOW DO I TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT GETTING HELP?
	No matter what you say, unless the person has some hope of success, most will not risk failing again. This is something that you have to help the person realize is still possible if you are going to have any real chance of success.
11/23/2009:	Opioids Increasing Pain
	Many people who are prescribed opioids, like OxyContin, for pain find that they have to continually increase the dosage of opioids they take in order to get the same pain relief.
11/16/2009:	High Dose Methadone Detox
	We are going to talk about what methadone is and what it is not. Then we will set forth a program that will allow someone to withdraw from methadone on their own, and how they can do the withdrawal at Novus Medical Detox Center.
11/09/2009:	No Opiate/Opioid Withdrawal Pain?
	At Novus our patients do not suffer the withdrawal pain that they have experienced at other detox facilities or when they tried to withdraw from opiates or opioids on their own. Here is why.
11/03/2009:	Need Alcohol Detox--Why Novus?
	Alcohol is a growing problem in this country. This is partly because it is legal for adults to drink and partly because drinking is considered "normal." However, many people who abuse alcohol don't really understand what alcohol is doing to their bodies and also are not sure what steps to take to safely stop drinking.
10/28/2009:	Prescription Drug Abuse--It Affects All of Us
	The National Community Pharmacists Association estimates that the cost of prescription drug abuse is more than $100 billion per year. They also estimate that 40% of teenagers agree that prescription drugs, even if not prescribed by a doctor, are much safer than illegal drugs.
10/20/2009:	Methadone--A Killer
	Originally marketed as a pain reliever, methadone was considered dangerous and not as effective as drugs like morphine, hydrocodone and oxycodone and was not successful. In the 1960's, a new market was found for methadone. Make no mistake, drugs are marketed and it was decided that the way to make money from methadone was to promote its use as a substitute for heroin.
10/13/2009:	www.BanOxyContin.com
	According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, every day in the United States, 2,500 American teens age 12 to 17 illegally take a prescription pain reliever for the first time. Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem across the United States. More than 16 million Americans age 12 and older took a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative--just for the effect--at least once in the previous year.
10/05/2009:	The Planned Torture of Babies---Methadone, OxyContin and Pregnancy
	One of our saddest moments at Novus is when we are contacted by a woman who is addicted to narcotics like methadone or OxyContin and is pregnant. It is sad for us because our facility cannot provide the type of medical care that is needed to safely detox a pregnant woman. Few facilities do.
09/29/2009:	I heard the Owl Call Their Names
	There is a book entitled I Heard The Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven, which is a beautiful celebration of life among an Indian tribe living in a remote area of British Columbia and the effect it has on a young vicar sent to minister to the tribe. The Indian tribe believes that you will live until you hear the owl call your name. On Thursday, Larry Golbom, Ed Vanicky, Pete Jackson, Paula Hayes and I heard the owl call the name of many more people who will die or start on the path to addiction. The owl was speaking through an FDA Advisory Committee which recommended to the FDA the approval of the new formulation of OxyContin.
09/22/2009:	Purdue Admitted Lying But Wants Us To Trust Them Now
	Purdue Pharma manufactures and distributes OxyContin. Purdue is the same company whose top three executives pled guilty to lying about the addictive qualities of OxyContin in 2007. Doctors accepted this false information and began widely prescribing Purdue's form of legal heroin because "it was less addictive" than other similar drugs and told patients it was not really addictive. Purdue was making lots of money--even though many were harmed by their deliberate false statements. Pure evil? Yes.
09/14/2009:	A Father's Statement to the FDA
	Pete Jackson never asked to be a leader in the movement to ban OxyContin. He is a biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago. He and his wife were raising two great children and looking forward to being grandparents. Then it all changed. The following is the statement Pete sent to the FDA.
09/10/2009:	There May Be A Silver Lining In The Pfizer Settlement
	On September 2, 2009, a Department of Justice press release proudly announced that Pfizer, Inc. had agreed to pay 2.3 billion to settle criminal and civil claims for fraudulent marketing. The Justice Department let Pfizer, like Purdue Pharma before it, have Pharmacia and Upjohn Company, Inc. plead guilty to a felony for illegal marketing instead of Pfizer itself.
09/01/2009:	Vicodin, The Other Killer Narcotic
	There is a joke being told by a number of comics: "I am on Vicodin that I got when my wisdom teeth were pulled-eight months ago." They think it's funny. However, to many people it is not funny. To some, Vicodin is the drug that started their son, daughter, father mother, brother, sister or friend on the path that led to a drug overdose and death.
08/25/2009:	Addiction: The FDA and OxyContin
	In this newsletter we publish articles about topics that we believe will interest our readers and articles that educate and enlighten. Larry Golbom is a good friend and is the host of the Prescription Addiction Radio Show which airs in the Tampa Bay market on WGUL 860 AM every Sunday night at 9:00 pm. He has written an excellent article that appeared on US Recall News. With Larry's kind permission, here is the article.
08/17/2009:	FDA--We Are Your Clients Not The Drug Companies
	Drug companies continue to prove to us that they don't care about the harm their products do to people who use their drugs, but only about the profits the drugs make.
08/10/2009:	A Ten Year Old Girl Who Died
	This week's newsletter is about a ten-year-old girl that died. It could have been about a 30-year-old man or an 18-year-old girl who died. These deaths are happening with alarming frequency. But always when an older person dies from prescription drugs, there is an assumption that they "should have known better." There is always the suspicion that even though the news reports say that this fatal overdose was caused by prescription drugs, there must be more to the story.
08/04/2009:	The Novus Prescription Drug Booklet-Educate Yourself and Others
	Some say that it is intended and others say that it is unintended, but one certain consequence of President Obama's planned health care reform is that the move toward the medical model of "giving a drug to treat the symptoms" will accelerate. One thing seems agreed-they are going to reduce the amounts paid to medical doctors for their services to help pay for the bill.
07/28/2009:	Taking A Drug Is The Last Thing to Do
	Everyone agrees that we have to treat medical problems. However, there is a very important and critical disagreement about the definition of "treat" and "cure".
07/20/2009:	Heroin and New Allies in the Fight Against The OxyContin Epidemic
	Heroin is one of the best known drugs of abuse. When you mention heroin, most people think of a person who hasn't bathed or combed their hair in weeks lying on a dirty mattress with a needle stuck in their arm. In this article we are going to look at what heroin is, the way it is sold, the health problems, the withdrawal problems and the competition from OxyContin-legal heroin.
07/13/2009:	A Story By An OxyContin Survivor
	Here is a description of one person's journey from pain to addiction and back. She has generously given us permission to reprint her story.
07/05/2009:	Adrenal Testing and Treatment
	In this newsletter we will look at the tests used to determine adrenal problems and the most common treatments.
06/30/2009:	Michael Jackson, A Victim of Radio Medicine
	The Novus newsletter this week was intended to be about how to test and treat the adrenal gland. However, the tragic death of Michael Jackson has shown the nation a very public and dramatic example of the consequences of Radio Medicine and the risks of prescription drugs. Next week we will pick up with the final installment on the adrenals.
06/23/2009:	The Adrenal Glands, Part Two; Cortisol, Hypoglycemia, Fatigue, Insomnia, Obesity and Hydration
	Last week we discussed the adrenal glands, their purpose and some of the effects of adrenal problems. In this week's newsletter, we are going to discuss cortisol, hypoglycemia, fatigue, insomnia, obesity and hydration. Again, for anyone wanting to understand a more about how adrenals work, we recommend the book Adrenal Fatigue, by Dr. James L. Wilson.
06/16/2009:	Radio Medicine and The Adrenal Glands, Part One
	This week's newsletter addresses Radio Medicine and the adrenal glands and the role that both play with our health. First, a brief summary of the problems we have seen caused by Radio Medicine and our suggested way of handling these problems.
06/10/2009:	Novus Psychoactive Drug Health Package
	Often, people on psychoactive drugs call us and say that they would prefer to come to Novus, see doctors and other professionals and not leave until they have handled their drug withdrawal and are on the way to handling their physiological problems. We listened and have worked out a solution.
06/02/2009:	FDA HEARINGS, OXYCONTIN AND MORE BIG PHARMA DELAYS
	The recent FDA hearings on May 27th and May 28th were the latest in a series of meetings conducted by the FDA to discuss the implementation of an opioid Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy ("REMS"). The first part of this process is to determine if opioids like OxyContin are more dangerous than beneficial. If they are found to have some legitimate medical uses but are creating many harmful effects (which they unquestionably are), then the REMS will set forth restrictions on the use of the opioids in order to reduce the harmful effects of the deadly drugs.
05/26/2009:	Purdue Pharma, OxyContin and Hitler
	On this Memorial Day we are reminded that many of our freedoms have been won and maintained, not by diplomacy, but by the willingness of millions to make any sacrifice necessary to keep their freedom. Many of our parents or grandparents were involved in World War II. They were forced to fight a war that could have been prevented if our leaders had listened to Hitler, took him seriously, and then taken action to prevent this madman from starting a war that killed over 72 million people and cost tens of billions of dollars.
05/18/2009:	If Heroin is Illegal, Why Is OxyContin Legal?
	On May 5, 2009, the FDA invited me to provide testimony for a second time before a special FDA committee that was investigating what Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategies ("REMS") to impose on dangerous prescription narcotics like OxyContin.
05/12/2009:	Selecting A Medical Doctor and Radio Medicine
	Doctors are valuable and necessary members of our communities and should be honored when they do good. The purpose of this newsletter is to look at how the practice of medicine has changed--for the worse--and what you can do to ensure that you find the right doctor, get the right care and help change the system back to a better standard of medical care.
05/04/2009:	Different Justice For A Drug Dealer
	The most abused prescription narcotic in the US today is OxyContin. It is manufactured and distributed by Purdue Pharma. All of us who have seen the suffering caused by OxyContin addiction or dependency or who work to repair the ravaged lives created by OxyContin were excited when we read that Purdue Pharma and its executives pled guilty to felony criminal charges in 2007 and admitted that they had lied about the addictive qualities of OxyContin, their narcotic drug.
04/27/2009:	Columbine High School--What Have We Learned?
	On April 21, 1999, two high school students went to Columbine High School and calmly killed twelve students and a teacher and wounded 23 others. Then the two shooters committed suicide. While the media has speculated that there were numerous reasons that led to these two young men killing their classmates and friends. It is known that Eric Harris, one of the two shooters, was on the antidepressant Luvox. The medical records of Dylan Klebold, the other shooter, are sealed and we don't know if he was taking psychoactive drugs.
04/21/2009:	The Failed War on Drugs?
	Sunday night, April 19th, on the Prescription Addiction Radio Show, Judge Jim Gray, a Superior Court judge in Orange County, California and the author of Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It spoke with host Larry Golbom and myself about his proposals to address the drug epidemic in our country.
04/13/2009:	The Thyroid, Part Three
	In the first two parts of this series of newsletters about the thyroid gland, we covered how the thyroid works, the relationship between the thyroid, the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus and the most common types of thyroid problems. In this issue we will look at the tests that are used to detect thyroid problems and some of the treatments recommended if there is a thyroid problem.
04/06/2009:	The Thyroid, Part Two
	Last week we discussed how the thyroid works, how it fits into the endocrine system and the symptoms created by thyroid problems. In this week's newsletter, we will look at the two most common types of thyroid problems.
03/30/2009:	The Thyroid, Part One
	Many of you have made suggestions for future newsletters and one of these suggestions was to discuss the one of the most important glands in the body-the thyroid.
03/23/2009:	Salt Consumption and Depression?
	In a number of previous newsletters we have examined the overwhelming evidence that far too often the physical causes of illnesses we have and unwanted sensations that we feel are ignored. Instead, doctors just prescribe a pill that might reduce the symptoms but doesn't treat the cause.
03/16/2009:	THE DISEASING OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN -- Exposing the ADHD Fiasco and Empowering Parents to Take Back Control
	Many of our patients who come to us because they are addicted to drugs have one thing in common-they were diagnosed as having ADHD and put on drugs like Ritalin, Adderall or Concerta. Since these are Schedule II drugs and are molecularly very similar to cocaine, it is not surprising that many studies show that people taking these drugs are much more likely to abuse drugs than people who have not taken them.
03/10/2009:	Supreme Court Refuses to Shield Drug Manufacturers From Liability
	On March 4, 2009, the United States Supreme Court released their decision entitled Wyeth v. Levine.
02/28/2009:	Suboxone and Subutex--How Are They Used? Part Two
	Not all opioids are the same. There are three types of opioids that are classified by the effect that they have on the endorphin receptors. They are the full agonist, the partial agonist and the antagonist.
02/24/2009:	Suboxone and Subutex--How Are They Used? Part One
	The purpose of this newsletter is to explain how buprenorphine works and why, in the hands of skilled medical personnel, it is a powerful tool to reduce the discomfort of opioid withdrawal.
02/16/2009:	Opioid Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy
	Along with a dozen other members of our national coalition, Advocates For Prescription Opioid Drug Reform, Larry Golbom, host of the Prescription Addiction Radio Show, and I attended a meeting on February 10, 2009 that was convened by the Food and Drug Administration. This was an "invitation only" meeting to discuss possible actions that the federal government could take to address the misuse of prescription opioids.
02/09/2009:	Drug Ads on Television--How Did It Happen?
	Most of us often wish for easy solutions to our problems. If we see that our clothes are getting tight, what is wrong with wishing for a harmless pill that will allow us to lose weight without changing our eating habits? However, most of us have learned that these pills don't really work.
02/02/2009:	YOU GET WHAT YOU REWARD - PART TWO
	Last week we discussed how the 'You Get What You Reward' principle applied to the practice of medicine. In this week's newsletter we are going to discuss how the application of this principle relates to the actions of the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
01/26/2009:	YOU GET WHAT YOU REWARD - PART ONE
	It is intuitive to most of us that when you reward someone for a certain behavior, it is likely that they will continue that behavior. Reward hard work and you will get more of it. Reward shoddy work and you will get more of that.
01/19/2009:	THE METHADONE PRISON
	My answer to the question is that for most people the methadone "solution" is really not a solution but a trap every bit as terrible as heroin or OxyContin addiction. Putting people on methadone is like putting them in a prison where they are not confined by walls but by their dependence on the drug.
01/12/2009:	LETTER TO THE FDA
	On January 20, 2008, we will have a new president and a new administration. One of the priorities for the new administration will be to appoint a new head of the FDA.
01/05/2009:	The New Opium Epidemic
	Larry Golbom, a good friend to all who want the truth about prescription drugs revealed and the host of the Prescription Addiction Radio show, has written an excellent article about OxyContin and what it really is. The author and publisher have graciously allowed us to reprint the article.
12/22/2008:	A MESSAGE FROM ADVOCATES FOR PRESCRIPTION OPIOID DRUG REFORM
	The article below was written by Dr. Kirk Van Rooyan, is a plastic surgeon and consultant to the Medical Board of California. This letter is being sent to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein. Dr. Sharfstein is currently the Baltimore Health Commissioner but is widely believed to be appointed to head the FDA in January.
12/14/2008:	GABA--WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES
	Gamma-aminobutyric acid ("GABA") is a chemical in the brain that is very important to how we feel and even to how we act. In this article we will explain how GABA works and how we use GABA to help our patients.
12/05/2008:	ANTIPSYCHOTICS
	Typical and Atypical Antipsychotics--their uses and their side effects.
11/29/2008:	Benzodiazepines
	Benzodiazepines ("Benzos") are drugs that were first marketed in the 1960's for the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, seizures, convulsions and as muscle relaxants. Today these drugs account for about one out of every five prescriptions for controlled substances.
11/25/2008:	TURKEYS, THANKSGIVING AND DROWSINESS
	For many of us, eating turkey at Thanksgiving is a ritual that has been passed down for generations. We thought that you might enjoy learning some things about turkey of which you may not be aware!
11/17/2008:	AFTER I LEAVE NOVUS--WHAT SHOULD I DO?
	Here are some recommendations that patients can do to help ensure that they continue the health and nutritional gains made at Novus, after completing the Novus program.
11/12/2008:	INTERVENTION--WHAT IS IT AND WHEN SHOULD I CONSIDER IT?
	Few things are more tragic than watching a friend or family member ruin their lives by abusing a substance. Learn what a professional intervention is and when it might be needed.
11/04/2008:	Before You Take that Drug
	There are at least four things that can happen when you take a drug and all but one of them are bad. These are not good odds.
10/29/2008:	HOW DO I TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT GETTING HELP?
	When speaking to groups of people about drug abuse, there are a number of questions that we receive. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer but there are some guidelines that have worked for many people.
10/21/2008:	Sin Stocks by John Carey
	It is part of the American dream to put a dollar into a company stock today, and get lots of dollars back when you sell. The only modifier to this dream by some is an aversion towards "sin" stocks - avoiding companies that make alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, guns or provide gambling.
10/14/2008:	International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology Conference
	Novus presents a program on how to do a successful medical detox from drugs and alcohol at the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology Conference.
10/08/2008:	Mad In America
	Questioning the mental health practices and their effectiveness in America.
09/30/2008:	Zinc Deficiency Causes ADHD and Depression
	Recent studies have linked Zinc deficiency to ADHD, ADD and depression, as well as several other diseases.
09/23/2008:	Is My Job Protected If I Get Substance Abuse Treatment?
	In some circumstances, many people are reluctant to obtain substance abuse treatment because they are concerned about their ability to obtain future employment or retain their employment.
09/16/2008:	Depression And Its Causes
	Most drug companies and most psychiatrists propose that the cause of depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain-a physical cause.
09/10/2008:	Sleep, Sleeping Pills And Other Alternatives, Part II
	Last week we discussed the five stages of sleep, some of the conditions which affect sleep and some of the facts and myths about sleep.
09/03/2008:	Sleep, Sleeping Pills And Other Alternatives, Part I
	The Irish have a long list of proverbs that they love to quote. One of them is, "A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book."
08/27/2008:	WHO SHOULD COME TO NOVUS?
	We have received a number of requests for an explanation of the types of withdrawal situations that are best handled at an inpatient facility like Novus Medical Detox Center.
08/19/2008:	The Latest Drug Company Scam
	There are some good things produced by Big Pharma - antibiotics, some cancer drugs and numerous other drugs.

08/12/2008	Patients, Drugs and Accidents:Who is responsible?
	Many people tell us that the pursuit of money is not a worthy goal. Perhaps the “philosopher” Woody Allen summed up the way that many of us feel about money, “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.”
07/31/2008	The Mother's Act - A Bad Idea
	All of us have heard that Congress’ approval rating is falling and now hovers between 10% and 15%. We hear about the millions spent on building a bridge that only a few people will cross and wealthy...
07/23/2008	Alcohol, Underage Drinking and Why Alcohol Affects Us
	In his book, Preventing Alcohol Abuse: Alcohol, Culture and Control, David Hanson traces the origins of the use of alcohol. He points out that beer jugs were found in excavations of Stone Age dwellings that...
07/18/2008	Prescription Drug Deaths: What Can We Do About It?
	The Encarta Dictionary defines autopsy as “The medical examination of a dead body in order to establish the cause and circumstances of death.” The early Egyptians performed autopsies. An autopsy was...
07/08/2008	How Much Do They Have To Lose?
	Commenting on the abuses of a 19th century business that defrauded a number of shareholders, the writer Ambrose Bierce said, "Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility."
06/26/2008	A Contract For Narcotic Painkillers
	Commenting on the abuses of a 19th century business that defrauded a number of shareholders, the writer Ambrose Bierce said, "Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility."
06/18/2008	How Long Will My Detox Be?
	When someone decides that they need to go to a medical detox facility to help them withdraw from a drug or alcohol, they are concerned about a number of things that concern most of us going for medical treatment.
06/11/2008	Hydration, How Important Is It (Part Two)
	Last week's newsletter discussed the elements of hydration and how our body needs and uses hydration. In this week's newsletter, we will discuss some of the research on the effects of dehydration...
06/06/2008	Hydration, How Important Is It (Part One)
	Many of our patients at Novus Medical Detox Center are "veterans" of prior medical detox facilities. The present record is nine previous medical detox programs before the patient came to Novus. These "veterans"
05/27/2008	MORE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ANTI-DEPRESSANTS
	Big Pharma has made billions of dollars promoting the use of psychotropic drugs like Zoloft, Paxil and Zyprexa for every condition imaginable. If you are trying to lose weight, they tell you...
05/20/2008	FOR THE HIGH METHADONE USER WHO IS TRAPPED--
	Methadone, an opioid, was first produced in 1939 at the pharmaceutical laboratories of I.G. Farben in Germany. Named Amidon, and although there is evidence that some testing was done of the drug...
05/15/2008	What Is Medical Detox and Why Do I Need It?
	When a person is taking a drug or alcohol into their body, there are both mental effects and physiological adaptations by the body. The drug or alcohol stimulates reactions in the body that were formerly...
05/08/2008	The Fix Wasn't In
	About fifty years ago, General Motors President Charles Wilson was quoted as having said, “What’s good for General Motors is good for the country.” This same statement could easily be attributed...
05/02/2008	Do Opioids Actually Increase Pain?
	As we discussed last week, Purdue Pharma is the maker and advocate of pushing OxyContin, legal heroin, in the name of profit. We are now a week closer to the FDA hearing where Purdue Pharma's...
04/25/2008	FDA TO APPROVE NEW FORMULATION OF LEGAL HEROIN
	Purdue Pharma, the company that, along with three principal officers, pled guilty in May of 2007 to criminal charges of misleading doctors and patients about the addictive qualities of OxyContin and paid...
04/17/2008	Prescription Drug Monitoring Bill
	Florida is known as the state with multiple pain clinics where people can obtain multiple prescriptions for narcotic painkillers and other dangerous drugs because it does not have any way for doctors...
04/03/2008	Antidepressants and Teacher/Student Sex: Is There a Connection?
	One of the people that I have long admired is Winston Churchill. Churchill never hesitated to expose evil where he saw it-no matter how unpopular his comments were. When questioned about his aggressive
03/27/2008	Counterfeit Drugs, the FDA and Liability
	All but counterfeit prescription drugs can be obtained either free or for much less than the price of the real items. (At most internet pharmacies, the price you pay for the counterfeit prescription drugs
03/18/2008	SOME ALTERNATIVES TO DRUGS
	At Novus, we are always looking for alternatives to drugs. Many of our patients were originally prescribed the painkillers to which they have become addicted to handle the pain associated with an accident or injury.
03/12/2008	NOW THE DRUGS ARE IN OUR WATER!
	People with enough water in their body are said to be hydrated and those without enough water are said to be dehydrated. In previous newsletters, we have discussed how most people who come to Novus...
03/06/2008	But Mother, They Were In Your Medicine Cabinet
	Though overall teen drug use is down nationwide, more teens abuse prescription drugs than any other illicit drug except marijuana - more than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined.
02/27/2008	Narcotic Painkiller Withdrawal
	At Novus Medical Detox Center, an increasing number of our patients are coming to us for assistance in withdrawing from narcotic painkillers. Most of these patients have attempted to withdraw from narcotic...
02/21/2008	WE KNOW IT WHEN WE SEE IT
	All of us have seen violent acts either in person or on television. Fights occur. Some fights result in deaths. There are few things in life more difficult to confront than random violence.
02/11/2008	Prescription Addiction Radio-One Courageous Man's Fight
	Who would create a radio show that directly challenges and attacks a $250 billion dollar industry that values profit over lives and employs more lawyers than the population of many towns?
02/07/2008	Easy Way To Report Adverse Drug Reactions
	All of us see an endless stream of television ads showing happy, attractive people who no longer have the aches, pains or allergies which were ruining their lives before they took a wonderful pill manufactured...
01/30/2008	An Alternative to Narcotics?
	Millions of people are suffering from pain. Sometimes it is from accidents and sometimes it is a consequence of surgery or an illness. Treatment is traditionally to take pain pills (narcotics).
01/22/2008	Which God Do I Obey?
	In light of the recent New England Journal of Medicine article detailing the intentional decision by Big Pharma to mislead medical doctors and the public as to the effectiveness of anti-depressants like Lexapro...
01/18/2008	Were They Really Unintended Consequences?
	The story tells of a servant who bumped into Death in the shape of a lady in the Baghdad marketplace and Death made a threatening gesture at him. Returning to his master’s home, he told his master...
01/8/2008	The Fentanyl Patch
	Recently there was alarming news about yet another drug that some of our patients arrive at Novus Medical Detox using and from which they want to detox. A number of people are suffering overdoses and deaths...
12/17/2007	Informed Medical Consent
	Many of our patients at Novus Medical Detox Center remark to us how they believe that their doctors that prescribed them medication on which they became dependent and/or addicted did not adequately warn them...
12/11/2007	Pain Part Two
	Many of us who have experienced extreme and chronic pain wish that we were like the lady who went to her doctor complaining of pain. The doctor asked, "Where are you hurting?" "I hurt all over", said the lady.
12/03/2007	Pain
	At Novus Medical Detox Center, many of our patients tell us that they came to us because their lives were being ruined by highly addictive narcotic painkillers like OxyContin, Lortab, Percocet, oxycodone or even...
11/26/2007	Why We Use Omega-3 Supplements
	At Novus Medical Detox Center, we believe that it is important that our patients receive the best care and are as comfortable as possible during their medical detox program. This is why we provide private rooms...
11/19/2007	Turkeys, Thanksgiving and Drowsiness
	Although a day of thanksgiving was celebrated by the early colonists to America (the first recorded official holiday of Thanksgiving was in July), it was not officially recognized as a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln...
11/12/2007	FDA Revitalization Act--Is It Enough?
	On September 27, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act (“Revitalization Act”) was signed into law by President Bush. A controversial law, it has been criticized by both the pharmaceutical...
11/05/2007	Discussion of Stimulants
	A stimulant is a type of drug that is supposed to increase your feeling of happiness, contentment and even euphoria while at the same time it increases your energy and alertness. (While alcohol...
10/29/2007	Marijuana Use--Harmless or Addictive
	In recent years there has been a growing debate about marijuana—legalize it or not? Is it harmful or not? Is it addictive? Why is alcohol legal and marijuana illegal? Both sides cite “scientific”...
10/23/2007	The Controlled Substances Act
	Many of us have an understanding that some types of drugs are supposed to be harder to obtain than others. However, most of us may not know how these determinations are made and under...
10/15/2007	Do Only Addicts Go To Detox
	Most people assume that the only types of people who go to medical detox are drug addicts. When many people think of drug addicts, they get visions of people lying in dingy rooms with needles in their...
09/26/2007	Xanax--The Dangerous Benzodiazepine
	This article presents some basic information about benzodiazepines. However, everyone needs to keep in mind that all of us have different DNA and we will metabolize and use all drugs...
09/21/2007	What Is A Protocol
	Webster’s Medical Dictionary defines protocol as, “A detailed plan of a scientific or medical experiment, treatment, or procedure.” A medical protocol is a compilation of the successful actions of medical...
09/08/2007	Withdrawal Symptoms
	One of the questions often asked our admissions counselors by a substance abuser or a member of his or her family is, "What will I feel during my detox at Novus?" There is no easy answer to the...
08/31/2007	Is the FDA Protecting Us
	While all of us are used to hearing that some Member of Congress has been indicted or that a local politician admitted to taking a bribe, most of us have felt that certain parts of our federal government are somehow...
08/25/2007	What Am I Going To Feel? Is This The Real Concern?
	It has been said that most of our life is spent solving problems. When we are born we have the problem of communicating with our parents which we solve by crying. As we grow older, we have the problem of getting
08/16/2007	Internet Pharmacies-The New Drug Dealer On The Corner
	For most of us, even our spam filters cannot stop all of the email we get advertising “You can now order prescription medication on the internet without a prescription.” Even a simple web search will reveal literally
08/09/2007	Kits For Passing Drug Tests-Who Is Fooling Who?
	When you type into Google the term "drug detox", the page will show the websites of drug detox facilities and websites advertising products that guarantee they will enable anyone to pass a drug test. Obviously, if you...
07/26/2007	OxyContin Settlement, Physical Dependence and Addiction
	To a person whose life has been ravaged by Purdue Pharma's Oxycontin, the fact that three Purdue Pharma executives pleaded guilty to misleading the public regarding the dangers of OxyContin and agreed...
07/12/2007	Is My Treatment Confidential?
	It has long been recognized by society that certain communications will not be made unless they are understood to be confidential. Common examples of confidential communications that are protected from...
07/03/2007	Why Does Alcohal Make Me Drunk?
	For many of us, the consumption of alcohol was a rite of passage—it was something that we did to show that we were becoming adults. In fact, turning 21 wasn’t important because we were able to vote, but...
06/27/2007	What Is Opiate Withdrawal?
	It is generally only a matter of time before a person addicted to an opiate like heroin, OxyContin or Vicodin decides that they have to stop using the opiate or their life will be ruined. In an estimated 95% of the...
06/21/2007	Rapid Drug Detox-Is It To Good To Be True?
	It is generally only a matter of time before a person addicted to heroin, OxyContin, Vicodin or other opiates decides they have to stop using the opiate or their life will be ruined. In most cases a person tries...
06/13/2007	Does Withdrawal Have To Be This Bad?
	The words of the bluegrass song say a lot about drug addiction: “Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.” For an addicted person, heaven can be equated to being off a drug or drugs...
06/06/2007	Can I Afford To Handle My Addiction?
	When most people think of drug dealing and addiction, they think of cocaine or heroin users. However, the United Nations-affiliated International Narcotics Control Board reports that abuse of prescription...
05/30/2007	Adverse Drug Reactions And Metabolism
	There is an old Chinese proverb that says, "It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy." More and more frequently, when we visit a doctor because of an ache or pain...
05/23/2007	Prescription Drug Abuse
	At Novus, a significant number of our patients arrive with an addiction problem that stems from a prescription drug that was not bought on the street or in a dark alley but was medically prescribed to treat pain...