Handelsman et al reported 2 rating scales for a patient undergoing opiate withdrawal, one subjective and the other objective. The authors are from the VA Medical Center in the Bronx.
Patient selection: opiate withdrawal
Symptoms:
(1) feel anxious
(2) feel restless
(3) feel nauseous
(4) feel like vomiting
(5) feel like using now
(6) yawning
(7) perspiring
(8) tearing eyes
(9) running nose
(10) shaking
(11) aching bones and muscles
(12) twitching muscles
(13) have goosebumps
(14) have hot flushes
(15) have cold flushes
(16) have stomach cramps
Response
Points
not at all (none)
0
a little
1
moderate
2
quite a bit
3
extremely
4
total score =
= SUM(points for all 16 symptoms)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 64
• The higher the score the more extreme the subjective symptoms of opiate withdrawal.
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