Lucemyra, also called lofexidine, is a non-opioid prescription medication that is used to help with the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Withdrawal happens when you stop taking an opioid suddenly or take less of it. This drug was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2018 and is the very first opioid drug that has been approved to help relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms. A clinical study that was conducted for this drug included adults that suddenly stopped taking opioids. In the study, the adults took either a placebo (a treatment with no active drug and without their knowledge) or the Lucemyra. They then measured the success rate of both after treatment for 7 days. The percentage of people who remained in treatment after 7 days was 41% of people who took the Lucemyra and only 28% of people remained who took a placebo. During this study, people who took the Lucemyra also had less severe withdrawal symptoms than those who took the placebo. 
How Lucemyra Can Help During Opiate Withdrawal
When opioids or opiates are first taken, the brain will produce lower levels of a natural hormone called norepinephrine that affects breathing, muscle tension, and sleep ability. Over time, your nerves will become used to having the drug in your body. When you stop taking the opioids your body essentially goes into a frenzy trying to balance itself out. That is when withdrawal occurs. Lucemyra helps restore the chemical imbalance and relieve the symptoms associated. The dosage of Lucemyra that is prescribed by your doctor will depend on several factors including:
- How your body responds to the drug
- The severity of your addiction that you are using Lucemyra to treat
- Any other medical conditions you may have
Usually, a doctor will start you out on a low dosage of Lucemyra and they will adjust the dosage over time until they reach the amount that is best for you. The general starting dosage for opioid withdrawal is three .54 mg tablets taken 4 times a day. This will most likely be the dose for the first 5-7 days of withdrawal. As the withdrawal symptoms become less severe, your doctor will slowly decrease the dosage over 2-4 days.
More About Using Lucemyra During Opiate Detox
While Lucemyra is effective in minimizing opiate and opioid withdrawal symptoms, it does come with some side effects that can range from mild to severe. Common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and orthostatic hypotension. These side effects will go away with time. Serious side effects from this drug aren’t common but they can occur. They include low blood pressure, and bradycardia, or slow heart rate. Withdrawal from opiates and opioids on your own is never advised because the withdrawal process can be extremely painful and many do not make it through without turning back to drugs to alleviate the symptoms. There are much safer and effective ways to get sober from opioids. The most efficient and safest way to get sober from opioids is with a medically assisted detox. Detoxing is the process of removing the drugs from your system. This is not something you should do on your own either. The main purpose of using a medically assisted detox is to safely manage the withdrawal symptoms that will happen and to monitor your safety and progress 24/7.
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Abuse
Addiction isn’t an easy thing to face. Luckily you do not have to face it on your own. Our admissions counselors and professionals are available around the clock. We are ready to help you or a loved one overcome the disease of addiction. Now is the time to change your life. Let Evoke Wellness at Miramar, help you do it.
