Demerol is the American brand name for a substance called pethidine, or meperidine hydrochloride to give it its full name. It is an opioid that is designed to act quickly. It was first created in 1932 through synthetic methods. Later, its analgesic properties led it to cure pain. Hydrochloride salt tables and syrups acted as the delivery methods. It was the opioid of choice for doctors throughout most of the 20th century.
This substance is not as easy to get a hold of as it was in the past since countries like Australia have started to place strict limits on when and where doctors can prescribe it. Originally, it was thought of as a less addictive version of morphine. The truth is that it is more addictive and it offers less potent pain relief.
Demerol Side Effects
Becoming addicted to demerol displays many of the side effects associated with opioids in the same class. These include constipation, dizziness, nausea, and sedation. In higher doses, the taker can begin to experience some of the more serious side effects. These include respiratory depression, clammy skin, coma, and muscle flaccidity. There have unfortunately been many deaths from overdosing on this drug.
Addiction Treatment
Addictions to demerol are not as common as they once were due to doctors reducing the amount of prescriptions they write. It is often the case that obtaining something like codeine will have the same effects.
Residential treatment is always the best way to undergo drug rehab for demerol, simply because it is a controlled environment. The serious side effects like respiratory depression can kill if not dealt with immediately. Within rehabilitation treatment, a qualified professional can watch for the warning signs, including when the withdrawal symptoms begin to kick in. It truly is the ideal place for dealing with withdrawal symptoms and targeting the source of the addiction.
