[mrbrew]

Hey there all.
Just been running down the latest postings from everyone and decided that it was about time that I introduced myself. I have been reading this forum for a few months now and have really gotten a lot out of it. I am currently active and really do not care to be but I have been here before and stopped and it was the most awful thing that I have ever been through. In Aug. of '03 I went through 4 days of detox from oxy's. I was taking roughly 90 20 mg. pills every 7-8 days. And the messed up thing about it was that I was getting them totally legal. From one doctor. I was stationed in Puerto Rico at the time and the doctor that I was seein was a really nice guy. A navy doc. We got to know each other so well that he gave me the direct line to his desk. I didn't even need to go see him for my scripts. All I would do is call him and he would put them in the computer for me. This went on for about a year (the dosage increased to this amount over the course of the year)until the pharmacy eventually caught on. At this time I was down to 2 pills and know what was going to happen if I did not get more. They would not let me get anymore for two more weeks. So I knew the withdrawls were coming. Long story short, I detoxed for 4 days inpatient and 23 days of treatment in Florida. I was clean that time for roughly 8 months and ended up relapsing. I got clean again and that lasted about 2 months. Then I got injured. I herniated a disc in my lower back and also tore a ligament at the same time. Now, a year later I am back on the pain meds (not only for my back but also for the feeling). I am currently taking 10-13 10/500 lortabs a day. 10 is the minimum anount that I get by on. My prescribed amount is 4 a day but with a few scripts it is easy to get by. I haven't tried going lower, but probably could. I just do not want to do this anymore. I still have 2 months to wait to get my back fixed and from there it is 6-12 months of physical rehab. I know what the effects are going to be when I stop and I am not looking forward to them AT ALL. My question is, should suboxone be something that I should mention to the doc about taking seeing as how I have been on hydros "4 a day" for over a year now? And if she says yes, Is it going to help? Are the withdrawls diminished or are they still very prevalant? Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all.

[mpvt]

Suboxone was made for patients just like you who have a mild to moderate addiction (for lack of a better term).It will take away any withdrawls and or cravings allowing you to get things straitened out and when you and your doctor decide you then start a sloooow detox from the suboxone.Or you can go on the suboxone for 2-3 weeks and do a quick detox,it's up to you really.Good luck.....Dave

[Cats Meow]

First thing, lower the dose of acetaminophen, more then 4000mg a day is going to cause your liver to hate you. 4000mg is the daily max dose, ask if you can go on Norco it's 10/325, tell your doc you've been reading up on Tylenol and you are concerned.
The Suboxone is tough to get, doctors are limited to see only 30 patients per day, therefore few doctors want to hassle with the paperwork and training and loss of income, it may take months in advance to even get an appt. if you can even find one, it's worth a shot though.

^..^ ~~ ,
=´`= ___ )-~

[BSGjunkie]

Mrbrew,

I know where you're coming from. I was in a similar situation a few years ago, and just like you, I will always be an addict.

Suboxone helped me get clean about a year ago. It was easy and painless. I felt like I was cheating. I had done a normal detox prior, and didn't want to do that ever again. If you can get a hold of it for detox, it would make it a lot easier.

The other thing many look past is the use of buprenorphine (suboxone) for pain management. It is a long lasting opiate and some chronic pain suffers claim it has saved them. The big downside to Bup is its highly addictive as well - just like all the opiates. It has a longer half life, so it stays in your body longer, which will make WDs last longer if you get addicted. A few people have talked their doctor into writing Rx's for Bup for pain for the last few weeks of treatment. Bup can be written by any doctor, as long as its for pain. To write Bup for addiction, they must be registered, and they are strickly limited. Two weeks of Bup at the end of your treatment can manage the pain, and also make quiting a lot easier after years of dependency.

Junkie