Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Addiction: Substance Abuse Community
This community is a place to share information and support with others who are trying to stop using drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco or other addictive substances. Discuss with others, the symptoms of addiction, addiction recovery, ways to quit like tapering and cold turkey, and withdrawal symptoms. If you are interested in general "chat", please visit our Addiction Social Community.
My experience with buprenorphine
by Bodymechanic, Dec 11, 2002 12:00AM
I am posting this for anyone who might benefit from my experience. If you have been around here any length of time you know my story. Here it is anyway. Fourty eight year old chiropractor with chronic pain in shoulders, wrists, hands, neck and back from 15 years of practice (being a chiropractor beats the hell out of your body). Long history of drug abuse, depression, sleeplessness and burned out on anti-inflamatories and cortisone.
It has been over 10 days including the "detox" that I have been on buprenorphine. So far it has been a god send for me. There are a few reasons why; 1) It completely took away all of my withdrawal symptoms from both ulram and oxycontin 2) I have very little physical pain, anziety or depression 3) I tried to take an ultram while on the buprenorphine and I felt real shitty for about 5 hours(great news for me, I won't try that again) 4) I tried to double the dose from 2mg to 4mg and I felt really shitty for about 7 hours (even better news for me, I won't try that again either).
My experience so far is that it works and there is no point in my abusing it. It only makes me feel worse. Still, I know how I am and I have it under lock and key with my wife giving it to me in the morning. So if you havent found something that works for you yet, keep trying. There is something out there for you if you just keep looking. Like they say in AA, don't give up before the miracle.
Peace
It has been over 10 days including the "detox" that I have been on buprenorphine. So far it has been a god send for me. There are a few reasons why; 1) It completely took away all of my withdrawal symptoms from both ulram and oxycontin 2) I have very little physical pain, anziety or depression 3) I tried to take an ultram while on the buprenorphine and I felt real shitty for about 5 hours(great news for me, I won't try that again) 4) I tried to double the dose from 2mg to 4mg and I felt really shitty for about 7 hours (even better news for me, I won't try that again either).
My experience so far is that it works and there is no point in my abusing it. It only makes me feel worse. Still, I know how I am and I have it under lock and key with my wife giving it to me in the morning. So if you havent found something that works for you yet, keep trying. There is something out there for you if you just keep looking. Like they say in AA, don't give up before the miracle.
Peace
Just keep it under lock and key, and you'll be safe. I'm glad it is working for you. I just don't want people to think it is a miracle for everyone...it is dangerous to think that way sometimes.
You made it through another night. I know it is real shitty now but you need to realize that you are half way through the worst of it. Treat it like you have the flu. In just a couple of days you'll start to feel better. Part of the difficulty is the anxiety and depression that accompanies detox. I remember feeling frantic about the pain I was feeling. Much more frantic than I would have normally been. It is your brain telling you it needs more of the drug. Detox is a battle with yourself. You are winning the battle right now because you haven't used in two days. As your brain starts producing its own endorphines things will settle down. It will get better soon. Don't give up.
You mentioned that you are going to the doctor. Tell her/him the absolute truth. My doctor was very supportive and gave me encouragement. Be warned, however, that this is not the experience of all the people here. Where you are trying yourself to get clean. I would think (hope) that your doctor would be supportive. There are many things that can help ease the pain of detox. You may discuss a clonidine patch or pills. This is a drug that is actually used to decrease blood pressure but has been found to be effective in treating opiate withdrawal. It makes you feel very lethargic. It helped me a ton when I detoxed. Also, you may ask for a muscle relaxer like soma. Somas are addictive so be careful. Finally, you might ask about some valium or such to help with the anxiety and to help you sleep. I am no expert but these items were all that I received when I detoxed and helped me out a ton. I am sure there are many here that can give you better advice. It is a concern for some to treat an addiction (to oxys) with potentially addictive substances (like soma and valium). Just keep on your toes.
I know you are young. You have the world in front of you. Think about what you could lose if you don't stop now. It will only get worse. Many people that get into an oxy habit when they have no prescription end up running out of money and turning to heroin. I have personally seen this happen to 5 of my friends--people that would have never dreamed of using heroin before starting on oxy. Even with a prescription the addiction can become very expensive.
Something you'll read often on this board is that pills addiction eventually steals your soul. This is very true. Stop now G. Come back here often and post how you are feeling in detail. You can do this. We are here for you.
You should be able to see a little light ahead of you this time tomorrow. You ARE going too feel pretty poopy but it should be a little less than today. Like it has been said before, it will get better. I've heard a lot about "BUP" but don't know a thing about it. Detoxing with other drugs, for me, would've been just as bad as detoxing with vicodin. I took no somas, ultram or valium & have full bottles of all in my cabinet to this day. This is a personal choice on my part. You said you have scholarship potential earlier. DO NOT ruin that for the little high you may feel you or the relief of withdrawl symptoms. You WILL get through but give it time.
you have know idea how much it helps to talk to others thank you. I don't know what to do about taking other pills becuase I think I might abuse them but If my parents keep them then it may really help. I need somthing, I don't know how evryone fells about this subject but here goes, I smoked alittle pot this morning and it made me fell alot better but I still think about the oxy and deffenietly feel the need. You might be against this so im sorry if I affend any of you im sorry. i am feeling really shitty and confused. Finished- one of my best friends is staring to ride profesionaly in motorcross, he to has a problem with oxy too.
You need to do what you need to do to get clean. If smoking a little weed here & there will keep you from snorting a pill... by all means hit it. Again, I myself did it with nothing to help with the symptoms so I know how you're feeling right now. Helplessness is a very common emotion while getting clean. Do not give in at this point though. If you take just one little oxy, you've just jumped right back where you were & eventually will have to start all over again. Do not ruin your future over this ****!!! You will lose everything you've worked so hard to get...meaning potential scholarships etc.
As far as your friend...I STRONGLY suggest you share my story with him. He will ruin his career & believe me...its NOT worth it!!!!
I will share the story with him if it 's all right.
Sounds like life stinks right now. This may be too late for your doctor appointment today, but considering your age and length of time on Oxys, without some help, you're going to get much worse before you get better. A supervised Buprenorphine detox would be just the ticket for you. Perhaps your doctor can bill it in such a way that detox doesn't show up in your medical records.
I have a method for self-detox from opiates. However, it still requires you to obtain one prescription drug. It's posted a lot on this forum but I will send it to you if you write to me at:
***@****
In the meantime, stop beating yourself up for becoming addicted to oxycodone. You are in very good company, believe me. You don't need to be looking to abuse or become addicted to drugs to get reeled in by Oxys. Oxycodone is so powerful, especially as delivered by OxyContin chewed, snorted or shot, that the drug does all the work. You need to know that being an addict in itself is not cause for shame. You've recognized your mistake and are now trying to do something about it. You've also confided in your father, which, assuming he's supportive, is even better. So, give yourself a break. You're doing what you need to do now. Sure, it would be nice if it just went away like a bad night of drinking, but you're coming off a year-long habit. It's going to take a lot of small steps toward your goal now. Believe it or not, you've already taken all the big ones!
As I said, a bup and clonidine detox would be very nice right now if you can get it. Use of Bup for detox is still new to this country, at least to the medical establishment. Let me know if you want the recipe. Even if you do a medically supervised detox, there are still measures in the recipe -- physical and nutritional -- that can help you recover your energy and morale after you've weathered the acute withdrawal phase. I'd repost it here, but people already have it coming out their ears at the forum. Good luck at the doc's.
Thomas
Just wanted to post to say I am on Day 3 and doing OK. I flushed all remaining opiates Monday and even if I wanted more I have no more to take.
G-Rhymes - Hang in there, it will slowly get better each day.
Rex1 - Thanks for your posts and words of encouragement, they really do help. Please let us know how your doing, your on day 16? now....
Methman - thanks for the post, the questions to asks yourself really helped me keep strong.
As far as Buprenorphine goes, I have used this in the past to detox off hydro and it is wonderful, no withdrawal symptoms. The trick I learned was to buy only 50 tabs at a time for each detox, this helped me keep it under control. The problem is , it is really difficult to find now, most sources I know of are dry.
Good luck to everyone in the forumn and I hope we are all still on track to a pill free 2003. I will be doing my best...
Take Care and God Bless.
Brian
Here's the plain, harsh & simple facts. Alot of people here will say things like you HAVE to taper before quitting. This is NOT true. Some people probably should taper because it will be easier to stick to the recovery. Withdrawls from opiates such as vicodin or oxy are no more physically dangerous than having a bad case of the flu. Mentally, any shock to your system can throw your emotions through a loop but you need to handle that area the best way you can. I stopped an abuse schedule of 20 to 30 vicodin