Clear And Immensely Practical
Dr. Schaller is a Top-Gun Prolific Physician Who Looks for
Medical Addiction Promoters
Many opiate dependent people successfully detox with suboxone,
October 11, 2006
By Steven Sponaugle, Research Director, Florida Detox
Suboxone is less than 10 percent as addictive as methadone and less than 30 percent as addictive as heroin. It is available from private practitioners, and can legally be prescribed, for 30 days at a time. In contrast, many methadone patients suffer long daily commutes, to undesirable neighborhoods, to obtain highly addictive methadone maintenance. They are often treated rudely and disrespectfully, at methadone clinics. Methadone was a factor in the deaths of 2,992 people in 2003, up from 790 in 1999, according to an analysis of death certificates conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Less than five percent of methadone patients are able to taper or withdraw from methadone's "liquid handcuffs." Calsyn D, Malcy J and Saxon A. Slow tapering from methadone maintenance in a program encouraging indefinite maintenance J Subst Abuse Treat. 2006 Mar;30(2):159-163.
Wider use of suboxone would reduce these alarming numbers. Physicians certified to administer buprenorphine have recently been allowed to treat 100 patients at a time, instead of 30. Buprenorphine and Suboxone treatment availabilty is rapidly expanding, while in some states, patients travel 3 hours each way to obtain methadone treatment. With competition from Suboxone certified physicians, methadone clinics hopefully will be forced to treat patients more considerately and offer more convenient hours of operation.
Suboxone is a readable and thorough discussion of how to use suboxone to treat pain and opiate dependency. I agree with Dr. Schaller that slower suboxone tapers are more effective than rapid tapers and decrease opiate relapse rates.
Suboxone explains that the adverse buprenorphine/benzodiazepine reactions reported in France, only occurred when intravenous administration occurred. Suboxone contains detailed lists of possible Cytochrome P450 3A4 detoxification interactions with other medications. Patients and Practitioners will both find these useful.
The discussion distinguishing genetically transmitted anxiety from an unwillingness to cope with normally occuring anxiety is especially needed, in a society which assumes all benzodiazepine patients are "pillheads" or addicts. Dr. Schaller observes that genetically anxious patients can maintain the same therapeutic daily dose for years, while true addicts, continue increasing daily maintainence doses, after the first year. Schaller distinguishes addiction from dependency - something the general public needs to comprehend. Considering Dr. Schallers impressive credentials and ability to detect neurotoxicity, nutritional and hormonal deficiencies and other less apparent anxiety causes, laymen and practitioners need to accept that some anxious patients will continue to require benzodiazepine medication, despite the most brilliant testing, diagnosis and treatment of other possible anxiety causes.
Read this book to learn how freedom from opiate dependency can be obtained. I agree with Dr. Schaller, that Suboxone is the best drug that almost no one has heard of. Suboxone will be available generically, in about two years and hopefully more widely used.
Steven Sponaugle, Research Director, Florida Detox
Excellent Professional Data, May 18, 2006
By Irv K
Another great and readable book by Dr. Schaller. This author makes reading both interesting and educational. Lookiing forward to more publications by this learned medical author.
Dr. Schaller has done it again!, May 9, 2006 By Cheryl Roberts, Ph.D. "Dr. Cheryl" (Lakewood, NY)
I have known Dr. James Schaller for several years now; he is brilliant, compassionate, witty, highly evolved, and most informed. I am not even slightly surprised that he could write a book on such a compelling and prescient subject as addition to pain medication. My own family's personal struggles with drugs caused by inappropriate treatment to bipolar disorder and from misdiagnoses to horrendously advanced Lyme encouraged me to read Dr. Schaller's newest book. I was tranported by its simple clarity, vision, and elegance. The man is a genius. Thank God, drug addition to pain meds is one problem I have not experienced, but I have many friends who cannot say the same thing. I am referring ten friends to this book tonight. I can tell anyone reading this review that my decades as an English professor and medical research writer have taught me a lot. I can spot an "empty" book in about ten minutes. Dr. Schaller's books are all "replete"; they are pithy, well-documented, and comporting. I cannot recommend it highly enough, and I will pass it along to my medical doctor friends. TONIGHT! Cheryl Roberts, Ph.D. Lakewood, New York
Suboxone is now being widely accepted, May 8, 2006
By John Rutger (Asheville, NC
Dr. Schaller's highly readable book is able to bring the reader up to speed on Suboxone in no time. It is organized in such a way that you can focus on the topics that are most relevant and then come back and fill in the gaps as you have the time.
Highly recommended.
Suboxone: Take Back Your Life! A must read., May 8, 2006
By L. Whiteman "Pa Psychologist" (Phila, PA) -
Dr. James Schaller has provided the first of it's kind book on a brand new treatment for opiate users. This fine resource is a "must have" for those who want to learn how to over come their addiction, or for the loved ones who want to help them. I would highly recommend this book.
Suboxone-State of the art for consumers or therapists, May 7, 2006
By Michael F. Sheehan "MD, Board Certified Addic... (Tampa, Florida)
Having had access to the final drafts and being acknowledged for some technical assistance in finalising the text, I have no hesitation in recommending this book to anybody interested in obtaining a concise guide to Suboxone. Suboxone (Buprenorphine+Naloxone) is THE major advance in the treatment of opiate/ pain medication dependence/addiction in the last 30 years, and this book is an excellent explanation of the what, why, when and how it should be used. This book is useful to anyone who is interested in using Suboxone as a consumer, or prescriber, or learning about the details of this drug's use. If you have a heroin, opiate or pain pill problem, or know someone who has, buy this book to get an informed and concise reference to the most promising treatment for opiate dependence, a highly disabling, dangerous, and potentiallly fatal illness. This book could save your life.