How to Get and Use Naloxone, a Medicine That Can Prevent Opioid Overdose
Welcome to another one of those posts that you hope you never need. Today we’ll talk about how to use naloxone (including the Narcan and Evzio brand names) to help someone who has had an opioid overdose such as heroin or prescription pain relievers.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is a medication that can reverse opioid overdose. You can get a shot in the thigh or puff up your nose. In about two minutes, a person can sit down from the unconscious and barely breathing and speak to you.
It works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain. (Opioids include heroin, fentanyl, morphine, codeine, and prescription pain relievers like OxyContin.) Opioids stimulate these receptors in the brain, and when someone has enough opioid in their system, they can suppress the breathing part of the brain .
Naloxone displaces the opioid from receptors in the brain, but does not depress respiration or induce highs. If you find that someone is not responding and you are not sure if they were taking opioids, no big deal: naloxone can still be given to them.
Who can use it?
If you think you will ever witness an overdose, you should know how to use naloxone and consider purchasing it. The observer can use naloxone in the same way as first aid or artificial respiration.
So you may have a friend or family member who is using opioids. Or maybe you are making contingency plans for an event or organization. (For example, music festivals in Ottow cannot get a permit unless they demonstrate that they are willing to administer naloxone.) You can get your own supply of naloxone and store it in case you ever need it.
How do you get it?
Naloxone is usually a prescription drug, but all 50 states have laws that make it easier to get it. These laws usually allow you to go to the pharmacy and either the pharmacist can write you a prescription, or there is a standing order that acts like a prescription that anyone can follow.
In some states, community organizations may transfer naloxone to people at risk. Use this tool to find the nearest overdose prevention team or contact your local health department.
If you think you are at risk of overdose, you can get naloxone for yourself, then make sure your friends and family know how to use it. (You should also take other steps to reduce your risk of overdose, including seeking treatment . But yes, take naloxone as well.)
You can also use naloxone in your name, knowing that it is not for you. So you don’t have to ask for “some naloxone for my sister who has a problem,” you just get it for yourself and you can use it for your sister or her friend who has passed out in your living room. , or the guy who overdoses next to you on the bus.
How much is it?
You can sometimes get naloxone for free through the Overdose Prevention Team or through a program run by your local health department. (Again, look at the group here , or just Google “naloxone” and your city name). If you choose it at the pharmacy instead, your insurance may cover it; check to be sure.
Naloxone comes in a variety of forms. Prices may vary, so always ask, but these are typical prices:
- Narcan that comes in a small spray bottle. You spray it into your nose. Cost: $ 140 for a two-pack (you may need to use both).
- A preloaded syringe that you also spray into your nose. Cost: $ 50 .
- Evzio , a rectangular device you use to inject naloxone into a muscle (such as a human thigh). The recorded voice will guide you through using it. The cost is $ 4,000 (not a typo), but you can get it “for free” with the company’s coupon .
- A vial of liquid that you load into a syringe and then inject . This is the cheapest option at around $ 15 , but you should be fine using a needle and disposing of it safely.
If you get naloxone through a community or government program, it will likely be one of the cheaper options and may come with gloves, a mouth-to-mouth face shield, and other convenient accessories.
How do you know when to use it?
Someone who has overdose and could benefit from naloxone usually looks like this:
- Doesn’t answer . Scream their name and rub their sternum with your knuckles. (It hurts. It will wake them up if they just sleep.)
- Doesn’t breathe or breathes very slowly. Less than 12 breaths per minute means it is serious.
- Blue lips and nails. This means that their body is not getting enough oxygen.
- Hurgling or similar sounds like snoring or choking.
Read this for a more complete description of what you might see in someone who takes an overdose. In an emergency, you may not know if the person is taking opioids, or opioids mixed with something else, or something else entirely. Maybe they’re just drunk . If they breathe normally and wake up when you call them by name, this is not naloxone time, but watch them to make sure they don’t get worse.
But every time someone doesn’t answer or finds it difficult to breathe, call 911 . Tell them where you are and that you are with someone who is breathing slowly or not .
Hopefully you got some training when you took naloxone, but you can also get training now online . It only takes about 20 minutes and teaches you who is most at risk of overdose, how to spot the signs of an overdose, and what exactly you should do. If you’ve read this post, you really should take a few minutes (even if you don’t plan on taking naloxone!) To find out what to do in this situation.
What happens next?
Naloxone does not work miracles; his job is simply to keep the person alive until help arrives. In fact, you need to do about three things at the same time:
- Call 911.
- Inject naloxone.
- Give resuscitation (mouth-to-mouth) or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if you know.
If other people are present, ask one to call emergency services and the other to take naloxone while you start mouth-to-mouth.
If the person who has had an overdose does not wake up 2-4 minutes after taking naloxone, give more; this is why doses are usually supplied in two packs. Also give a second dose if they feel better but then stop responding again before help arrives.
When a person wakes up and seems to be okay, you still have to stay with him . Naloxone usually works for 30 to 90 minutes, but depending on how much opioid they took in the first place, they may still have it in the body when naloxone wears out.
A person may feel withdrawal symptoms. While you are waiting for help, part of your job is to make sure they no longer use the drug.
Finally, naloxone only counteracts opioids in their bodies. If they are taking other drugs or alcohol at the same time, they may still experience these effects. Waking up from an opioid overdose is horrible, but less horrible than dying.
Bottom line: Even if they look normal, you need to make sure the person gets medical attention before the naloxone runs out. Most states have Good Samaritan laws, so you won’t be in trouble if you call emergency services.