Gradzino McIllwain, promising football player and all

Gradzino McIllwain, promising football player and all 'round good citizen of Oklahoma died nearly four months earlier from an overdose of methadone. The father, Rick, recently told Tulsa World of his two year struggle with his son's addiction to prescription painkillers. "There are countless people within the same situation, " he said, "not knowing where to turn. inches It seems that Rick did everything proper, everything he could do. But Gradzino is dead. Even drug cleanse and drug rehab failed your pet. Why?

Spencer was first prescribed OxyContin when he sustained an ankle accident in 2003. None of the reports offered say how long he was on the medicine but two years later, Spencer's dad received a call from a dental professional who reported that Spencer acquired asked for a prescription for painkillers because of a toothache. Spencer's dad understood he didn't have a toothache, and decided to look into it.

Spencer's fathers and mothers went to see him, and Gradzino acknowledged that he had a drug difficulty. He said he could handle that on his own but when his parents checked out on him a few weeks later he was a mess. They quickly got your pet into a 30-day drug rehab software followed by a six-week outpatient software. The articles don't say if Spencer also did drug detoxification.

It appears Spencer was doing alright for several months after that, but a further surgery - this time for an intestinal tract block - again pushed best kids dentist mukilteo him into painkillers. He went back in order to rehab, where he overdosed on methadone and died.

How can you avoid such a situation happening to someone you love?

1 . If it is necessary for a person to have painkillers for surgery or a personal injury, find out from the doctor if it's probable to take non-narcotic painkillers - zero morphine, no methadone, no OxyContin or any drug containing oxycodone.

2 . Whatever drug is chosen, make certain you research that drug fully therefore you know what to expect. Check the Internet, as well as with your local doctor. As we discovered in the OxyContin hearings, doctors could be misled by drug companies. Completely familiarize yourself with the side effects, and with the drug's potential for dependency, abuse, and obsession.

3. As soon you can, within a day or two if possible, get the person to stop the painkillers. This will reduce the risk of dependence together with addiction. If they have to stay on them much longer than a few days or a week, speak to a medical drug detox program that helps with withdrawal from prescription pain relievers. They can help you determine whether the person should stop trying to take the drug on their own or perhaps if they need medical drug cleansing.

4. If the person does build an addiction, get them into a health-related drug detox program as a first step. This will allow them to withdraw from the drug safely. It will also set them up to be able to go through drug rehab.

five. After drug detox, ensure that they get into drug rehab immediately. Choose a residential treatment program that lasts no less than two months, if not longer. This gives the person enough time to address the personal issues that induced the addiction in the first place and coast line them up against the possibility of relapse. The person should not leave the drug rehab system until those issues are dealt with and are no longer bothering them.

six. After they leave drug rehab, be sure they are not going back into the same environment and situation that got all of them involved in drugs in the first place. This would normally be addressed as part of a good medication rehab program, but keep you eyes on it. Stay in very close touch together. Watch for any signs of drug use, and also watch out for alcohol. Alcohol can occasionally fuel drug abuse.

7. At the initially sign of any trouble whatever, be expecting the worst. Not a nice thing to say, I know, but with dangerous drugs you can't be too careful.

It is possible to help an individual overcome prescription drug addiction and even dependency with a good medical drug detoxify program and long-term residential medication rehab. Prescription painkillers are so widespread these days that no one can afford to never know about their dangers and what to do about them. Learn what you need to, teach others, be inform, and act fast. You could help save the life of someone you care about.