What is Opioid Use Disorder?

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a chronic medical condition characterized by a problematic pattern of opioid use. This includes prescription pain relievers (like Oxycodone or Hydrocodone), synthetic opioids (like Fentanyl), illicit opioids (like Heroin), and kratom.

OUD changes the chemistry and even the physical circuitry of the brain, making it extremely difficult to stop using despite a desire to do so. These changes are reversible with time and effective treatment.

The Cost of Untreated OUD

Without medical intervention, OUD can have devastating effects on your health and livelihood:

• Physical Health: increased risk of infectious diseases, heart infections, and a critically high risk of accidental overdose and death.

• Mental Health: heightened anxiety, depression, and emotional instability.

• Life Impact: strain on family relationships, loss of employment, and potential legal complications.

Our Medical Approach: MOUD

We utilize Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), the gold standard in modern addiction medicine.

• Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone): This medication relieves opioid withdrawal and cravings, and protects against the effects of other opioids if taken while on buprenorphine. It is a “partial opioid agonist” that stimulates brain opioid receptors in a controlled, stable way without producing the level of activation that leads to a high.

• Naltrexone: A non-narcotic option that blocks the effects of opioids and reduces cravings. This is a much less effective treatment option for most patients, but it has a role depending on preferences.

We also address other mental and physical health conditions to improve your success in OUD care and overall wellbeing. Commonly, this may include depression, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, infections, or sleep disturbances.

For some patients with opioid use disorder, particularly those also experiencing diabetes, obesity, or alcohol use disorder, GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic (popular for weight loss) may offer some off-label benefit.

Expectations & Outcomes

Through our telemedicine platform, we can prescribe medications to your local pharmacy.

• Stabilization: Within days, most patients feel "normal" again, relieved from the cycle of withdrawal and unwanted use.

• Long-term Success: Patients on MOUD have significantly higher survival rates and retention in sustained recovery (remission) compared to those who try non-medical approaches or therapy alone.