Addiction Services
Opioid Addiction treatment
What are opioids?
Opioids are powerful drugs that can be prescribed to treat severe pain, or it may be used for non-prescription or illegal purposes. They can produce feelings of pain relief and pleasure in your body, which can potentially lead to an addiction even if taken as prescribed from your doctor. Some examples of opioids are heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, and codeine.
What is an opioid addiction?
It is a compulsive urge to use opioid drugs, even when they are no longer required medically. The urge can become so strong that it can negatively impact professional and personal relationships, daily activities, finances, and risks of having a life-threatening overdose.
What are the treatments?
Methadone and suboxone are medications which are used to treat opioid dependence and addiction.
We understand access to treatment is of high importance and for your convenience, we offer both methadone and suboxone treatments. We will work closely with your doctor to provide personalized dispensing of all your medications. If you do not have a family doctor, we will be happy to give you a referral to ensure all your health needs are met.
If you find it hard to stop taking an opioid drug and you would like to get help in stopping, we are here for you.
Naloxone
Our pharmacist will provide you with training on how to identify an opioid overdose and train you on how use a naloxone kit.
Who can get a naloxone kit?
Anyone who uses opioids or knows a family member or friend who uses opioids should be equipped with a naloxone kit. Naloxone kits are free of charge and can be obtained from any pharmacy in Ontario.
What are the symptoms of opioid overdose?
- They are not breathing at all or are breathing very slowly
- Their lips and fingertips are turning blue or purple
- They are asleep and making an unusual gurgling or loud snoring sound
- They can’t be woken and/or don’t respond to pain (e.g., pinching)
- The person is “on the nod” (falling asleep)
Be prepared to protect your loved one with a naloxone kit.
Smoking Cessation
Reasons to reduce or quit?
Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. Cigarette and second-hand smoke contribute to lung diseases such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma.
It can also have a huge financial impact and affect the time you spend with family and/or friends.
We know quitting can be hard…
Our team of highly skilled pharmacists can support you in quitting, at your own pace, whenever you are ready.
What we offer?
We provide FREE, private consultations with the pharmacist to discuss and prescribe different smoking cessation strategies that will work best for you. We will follow up with you to ensure that you are reaching your goals and to support you along the way.
Who is eligible?
Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) recipients will be funded by the Ontario government
If you’re interested in quitting smoking, we are here for you.
Hepatitis C Screening
Who is at risk for Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is more likely to be contracted by people who are/have:
- Pregnant women
- Gay or bisexual men
- Current or past injection drug use
- Travelled from countries with high rates of Hepatitis C
- Received blood transfusions or organ transplants before 1992 in Canada
- Hemodialysis
- Needlestick injuries
- Other highrisk exposures
Coverage:
Treatment of Hepatitis C is covered under the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) for eligible recipients.
The Test: OraQuick HCV
This test screens for Hepatitis C, with a 99% accuracy. All it takes is a single, quick finger prick with results appearing within 20 minutes. If the test is positive, we’ll refer you to the appropriate doctor so you can get the treatment you need.
Find out your results within 20 minutes.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
What is HIV?
Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) can spread through bodily fluids from infected people, such as blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions, or from mother to child during pregnancy and birth. Overtime, HIV can weaken your immune system, interfering with your body’s ability to fight off infections and diseases. This condition is known as Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
There is no cure to HIV/AIDS but there are medications to prevent your risk of contracting it.
Who will benefit from PrEP?
Those at risk for contracting HIV such as those who:
- Have unprotected sex and do not always know their partners sexual health status
- Have a partner who is HIV positive and not on successful treatment
- Have another sexually transmitted infection (syphilis, herpes, chlamydia,gonorrhoea, bacterial vaginosis)
- Have anal sex
- Are gay or bisexual men
- Are transgender women
- Are people who inject drugs or share contaminated needles
Coverage:
PrEP is covered by many insurance companies and the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB), Ontario Works, and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
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My Whole Health Pharmacy group is an independently owned and operated pharmacy with convenient and easy to access locations in Mississauga, Brampton, Oshawa, Welland, and North York.