Dr. Karl Spector
Addiction Medicine
Bel Air, MD
26 years experience male
Locations
Karl Spector, MD & Associates
Bel Air, MD
About
Bio
Solo Internist in suburban Baltimore. I specialize in addiction medicine--I have been treating patients with Suboxone out of my office since 2003. During this time,
I have treated well over 1000 patients with Suboxone. I am also the medical director of a methadone clinic and I am the former medical director of addiction services at the Harford County Health Department.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Addiction Medicine
Internal Medicine
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
97 Answers
6 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Unlikely: It would be unlikely that you have true cirrhosis at the age of 21 but, of course, it is possible. However, if you are feeling so bad that it mimics ... Read More
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Don't drink alcohol!: It may be that you are having a "reaction" to what's in the alcoholic drink (preservatives, sulfur dioxide) , rather than the alcohol itself, which is... Read More
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Then don't: As we continue to figure out what the true health benefits vs risks alcohol has on the human body, I am not currently recommending to my patients who ... Read More
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Not really: Drinking "too much" water, and i'm not really even sure what that means, could only potentially cause the pregnancy test to be negative if it is actua... Read More
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Umm...likely not.: Just in case you're in denial, 10-15 alcoholic beverages is a lot of alcohol. A lot! and because it probably did not happen overnight, you've likely... Read More
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
The next day!: To be sure you're going to drive safely, just wait until the next day. No one ever lives with the regret of doing the right thing. Don't find out yo... Read More
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Absolutely!: Suboxone is fda approved for just your situation. Just remember, despite what you hear from others, Suboxone is not necessarily easier to detox or ta... Read More
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Probably: Smoking only one cigarette a day typically does not lead to addiction but ask every addict and they will tell you that's usually how they started. Ju... Read More
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Most likely.: Smoking marijuana after having surgery is generally a bad idea. Even if you weren't on coumadin (warfarin). Smoking (cigarettes or marijuana) will i... Read More
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Not sure..: We're really not sure. But, it is certainly much more likely that smoking marijuana while pregnant would cause more harm than actually help anything. ... Read More
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
May be Rosacea: You may have something called rosacea. This is when some blood vessels are closer to the top layer of skin than usual. It usually occurs on the nose a... Read More
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Technically, yes.: Yes, but unless you actually have a medical disorder that warrants it, it will be more risky than beneficial in the long run. Medications like amphet... Read More
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Not really known way: Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), there really isn't any way to speed up the end of a marijuana high. Some patients hav... Read More
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Not that we know of: Actually, as drugs go, caffeine consumption seems to be relatively safe (i guess this is why so many of us use it). In some people excess caffeine (m... Read More
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Short answer: YES: The fact is that all patients who take narcotic or opiate pain medications are at risk for addiction. That said, studies suggest that only between 5-... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
YES!: No matter what anyone may tell you, tramadol (ultram) can absolutely be addictive! if you are taking 15 to 20 a day, i guarantee your use has gotten ... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 17-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
2 words: oral cancer: Chewing tobacco has been definitively linked with increasing a person's incidence of developing oral or mouth cancer. It can be fatal in some cases a... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Very unlikely: Even at this late stage in your pregnancy, only taking the diluadid for 5 days should not cause any problems or make your baby go through any withdraw... Read More
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Yes, among others: Abusing alcohol for a long period of time has many serious consequences. One of them, in fact, is the effect it has on a person's immune system. By ... Read More
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
YES!: Because tramadol is an opiate-like substance, many people are using it to try and taper themselves off the "hard" opiates. I believe this is a mistak... Read More
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
We're not sure: The jury's still out on this very good question but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that 2nd hand smoke cannot be good for anyone! a... Read More
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 26-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Then quit smoking!: A high hemoglobin level is usually from smoking. A person's hemoglobin level is essentially the amount of red blood cells. A low hemoglobin is referre... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
No!!: I assume that you have actually read the warnings that are on each pack of cigarettes-- especially the one that says that smoking cigarettes while pre... Read More
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Scars or marks: Usuually you can suspect someone may be using drugs via injection(iv) methods when you see multiple puncture marks on their arms (usually at the fold ... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Gamblers anonymous!: It's would suggest that you're very likely addicted to gambling . This is much more common than people think. One of the best way to see if you do,... Read More
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Erectile dysfunction: If you are a male smoker, then one of the biggest risks to your sex life is erectile dysfunction. An erection is a result of blood being able to prop... Read More
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
If we only knew,: That is one of the most important questions in addiction medicine--how long until i feel good again? I think that if we knew the answer to this quest... Read More
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Yes: The withdrawal symptoms of a drug are often the exact opposite of what the drug does for you-- opiates usually make people feel wonderful(euphoria), i... Read More
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old female asked:
I have been on suboxone for almost 8 years. what's your opinion about remaining on it indefinitely.?
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
I support it!: That's truly one of the best parts of suboxone-- there is no medical reason that you have to taper or come off suboxone. Of course, it goes without s... Read More
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Just don't smoke!: It's one of the biggest reasons why smokers go back to smoking: weight gain. It's because you are no longer getting nicotine-- an effective appetite s... Read More
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Go online!: There are websites you can go on and ask doctors who are credentialed to prescribe Suboxone for maintenance. Most are willing to do so if you ask.
Go... Read More
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Both!: It actually depends on the fraternity, but many of them are "clubs" that pressure young adults into excess. Drugs, alcohol, partying, dangerous/risky... Read More
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Pump 'n dump: Just to be on the safe side, you may want to "pump 'n dump" before breast feeding again (when you pump your breast milk and then throw it away). It is... Read More
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Depends: It depends on the antidepressant--some do give people feelings of euphoria that is strong enough for a patient to develop an "addiction"--to make some... Read More
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Doubtful: Although it is still extremely important you quit smoking, after 10 years its not likely effecting you circulation to cause fatigue. It doesn't reall... Read More
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Varies: Most patients tell me it is anywhere between 3 and 7 days. This, however, refers to mostly physical symptoms - not the mental or emotional ones like... Read More
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Hang in there: You probably haven't evacuated your bowels in a few days because there is nothing there to evacuate! after people have "heavy" diarrhea, they can cle... Read More
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Sorry, You can't. : Unfortunately, you can't do anything "naturally" that will improve your eyesight. There are no known exercises, or supplements/vitamins or herbs that ... Read More
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Live healthy!: Not exactly sure what you mean by "stout and strong as a teen boy" but i'm guessing you mean something along the lines of energetic and healthy. If s... Read More
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Not enough: Most likely you are not on enough Suboxone and should be on a higher dose. The symptoms you describe are likely withdrawal symptoms so i would ask yo... Read More
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Yes: Yes, although it can take a while. Most clinics and doctor's offices use an on-site urine or saliva screen for certain drugs and medications. What i... Read More
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
This is the problem!: This is the biggest problem with trying to come off any opiate--the profound fatigue and even depression. And, unfortunately, there is absolutely not... Read More
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Nothing: There is no interaction between the antibiotic athithromycin(zithromax) and suboxone. They can be safely taken together.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Probably not: Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally found in your brain which we believe helps us regulate our sleep cycle. It is not known what happens if a per... Read More
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
If we only knew...: That's the "holy grail!" i believe if we knew this answer, there would be much less drug abuse in the world. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula... Read More
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Not a good idea: The problem with taking Soma along with Suboxone is that Soma can be very sedating. Soma is a muscle relaxer but very similar to the tranquilizers li... Read More
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
No: Suboxone does not contain iodine and should not effect your thyroid scan or test.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old male asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
Yes: Taking Suboxone does not interfere with taking thyroid medication or a thyroid condition.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
It's up to you!: It's not clear how much genetics play in alcohol abuse but one thing is certain--children will copy and behave as their parents do. If your child see... Read More
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Karl Spectoranswered
Addiction Medicine 26 years experience
See a psychiatrist. : I'm really not sure exactly what you mean by this but if you are talking about the sudden loss of the concept of money- i would certainly see your pr... Read More
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
2
Recommendations
228
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Spector is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Spector is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! I finally had my first bowel movement last night. Quite thin.
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thank you so much for your time, you have helped me so much.
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! thank you. i will stop smoking before the damage starts
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada
Graduated 1996MD
Residency
Franklin Square Hospital Center
Awards
Resident of the year, Outpatient Medicine 1998
Affiliations
ACP
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
Answer emailed
in 24 hours or less