Opioid Addiction Treatment

This Is Not a Willpower Problem.

WHAT IS OPIOID USE DISORDER

Opioid use disorder is a chronic medical condition – not a character flaw, not a failure of discipline, and not something you should be able to overcome on your own through sheer determination.

When opioids are used over time, they change the way the brain processes pain, pleasure, and reward. Those changes are real and measurable. They are also the reason that stopping is so much harder than people expect – and why trying to white-knuckle through it so often does not work.

Opioid use disorder affects people across every background, income level, and walk of life. It can develop from prescription medications after an injury or surgery. It can come from heroin or fentanyl. The substance is less important than the fact that help exists and that it works.

You do not need to be at rock bottom to deserve treatment. You just need to be here.

Recognizing When Things Have Gone Further Than You Planned.

SIGNS YOU MAY HAVE OPIOID USE DISORDER

Many people spend a long time wondering whether what they are experiencing is serious enough to seek help. It is. If any of the following sounds familiar, that is enough of a reason to reach out.

Physical signs:

Strong cravings that are hard to ignore or push through
Withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut back or stop – nausea, sweating, pain, anxiety
Needing more of the substance to feel the same effect
Physical discomfort that only the substance relieves

Behavioral signs:

Using more than you intended or for longer than you planned
Spending significant time obtaining, using, or recovering from opioids
Pulling back from people, activities, or responsibilities that used to matter
Continuing to use despite knowing it is causing problems

You do not need to check every box. If this is resonating with you at all, that is worth a conversation.

Evidence-Based Care Built Around You.

HOW SHIVANI TREATS OPIOID USE DISORDER

Medication Assisted Treatment is the most effective clinical approach to opioid use disorder. The research behind it is not ambiguous – it reduces overdose deaths, improves treatment retention, and gives people their lives back.

At Lotus, treatment starts with a real conversation. Not a screening. Not a checklist. A conversation where I listen more than I talk, understand what you have been through, and build a plan that actually fits your life.

Medications I prescribe:

Depending on your history, lifestyle, and goals, treatment may include one of the following FDA-approved medications.

Suboxone – the tried and true option, available as a daily film or tablet
Zubsolv – similar to Suboxone with a mint flavor and faster dissolve time, with lower doses available to support tapering
Sublocade – a once-monthly injection for patients who prefer not to take daily medication, with a 60-day half life that supports gradual tapering
Brixadi – a weekly or monthly injectable option with flexible dosing and multiple administration sites
Vivitrol – a monthly injection that treats both opioid and alcohol use disorder by blocking opioid receptors entirely

[Learn more about each medication here.]

WHAT TO EXPECT

Simple, Straightforward, and On Your Terms.

Step 1

Your First Appointment

A private telehealth visit where I listen to your story, understand what you have already tried, and learn what you are hoping for. There is no right answer to any of my questions. This is a starting point, not an audition.

Step 2

Your Treatment Plan

Based on our conversation and a clinical assessment, I will put together a personalized plan - which medication, what dosing looks like, and what the path forward might be. I walk you through all of it before we move forward.

Step 3

Starting Medication

Once we are both confident in the plan, I will prescribe your medication and walk you through exactly what to expect in the first days. You will not be left to figure it out on your own.

Setp 4

Ongoing Care

Regular check-ins to track your progress, adjust your medication if needed, and work through whatever comes up. Recovery is not linear and I do not expect it to be. I am here for the long haul.

Care That Comes to You - Without Anyone Else Knowing.

WHY TELEHEALTH CHANGES EVERYTHING

Stigma is one of the biggest barriers to addiction treatment. I have had patients tell me they drove past the clinic three times before they could make themselves walk in. Others who skipped appointments because someone they knew worked nearby.

Telehealth removes that barrier entirely.

Your appointment happens in your home, on your schedule. There is no waiting room, no front desk, and nobody in the parking lot. Beyond privacy, telehealth also means:

No transportation barriers or missed work
No childcare scrambles to attend an appointment
Care available anywhere in New Hampshire – rural or urban
The same clinical quality you would receive in person

For opioid use disorder specifically, removing the friction and the fear of being seen is not a small thing. It is often the difference between starting treatment and not starting at all.

Opioid Addiction Treatment FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of opioids does this cover?

All of them. Whether your opioid use involves prescription medications like oxycodone or hydrocodone, or illicit substances like heroin or fentanyl, this program is designed to help. What you have been using does not determine whether you qualify for care.

Will anyone find out I am in treatment?

No. Your care is protected under federal confidentiality law – specifically 42 CFR Part 2, which provides stronger privacy protections for substance use disorder treatment than standard HIPAA. What you share in our appointments stays there. You can be completely honest with me.

What if I have tried MAT before and it did not work?

Then something about that experience was not the right fit – the medication, the dose, the support, or maybe just the timing. A previous attempt that did not stick is not a verdict on whether treatment can work for you. It is a starting point for figuring out what might be different this time.

What if I relapse during treatment?

We talk about it and keep going. A relapse is not a reason to stop treatment – it is often part of the recovery process. I will not discharge you or make you feel like you have failed. We adjust and move forward.

Is this covered by insurance?

Coverage varies by plan. I recommend contacting your insurance provider to ask about telehealth MAT coverage. I am happy to provide documentation to support any prior authorization requests.

Serving all of New Hampshire via telehealth

When You're Ready, I'll Be Here.

A lot of people spend a long time thinking about getting help before they actually do it.

There is no judgment in that.

But opioid use disorder carries real risk every day, and treatment is available right now – not after a waiting list, not after you have proven yourself, and not after things get worse.

You just have to make one appointment. Everything else we figure out together.