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Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

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How long should it take?

by 2ndtimearound, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
I am a newcomer so I would first like to say hello and it is a pleasure to be a part of this group.  This is the first online group I have been a part of. I began taking vicodin, oxycontin, percocet and morphine after returning home from Iraq in May 2003.  I was not taking them for pain.  I was taking them because they gave me a sense of well being, a great euphoric high, and they helped me forget.  I quickly graduated from swallowing oxycontin to chewing it, to snorting it, and finally to occasionally injecting heroin if I could get it.  This went on for about two years until I discovered the methadone clinic.  I started on 60 milligrams of methadone and it seemed like all the clinic wanted me to do was to go up on my dose.  I thought the idea was to taper off and eventually be drug free!  Anyway, I decided to taper off 2 mg a week until I reached 40 mg and then taper off 1 mg a week until I got off it.  This seemed to be working extremely well.  I was at the clinic for 14 months until eventually tapering down to 1 mg a day.  I felt relatively no withdrawal symptoms the whole time I had this tapering system in place.  I stayed on 1 mg a day for 14 days and then the day came for me to get my final dose.  I experienced minor withdrawal symptoms. I lasted 18 days clean and started using again and I am now back at the clinic on 80 mg a day. I would like to know if anyone has any insight on what I could possibly do differently this time around?  Maybe somebody out there with a similiar experience can offer me some advice.  I'm open to suggestions from any of you.
Member Comments (9)

by Christie04_returns, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
I've heard some posters here talk about their good results with Suboxone.

http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/subutex_suboxone/subutex-qa.htm



I wish you the best of luck.

by lefty32, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
I saw some people in the same situation as you (heavy methadone) that went off it and into the Suboxone program that are completely drug free now and they swear by it.  You might want to check it out.

by 2ndtimearound, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
Thank-you so much for the quick replies.  I have heard of subhoxone but have heard mixed opinions and that it is hard to find a doctor to prescribe it because there are so few licensed or something to that effect.  What is the best way to get into a subhoxone program?  Also, I heard that if your dose of methadone is over 30 mg a day the subhoxone is pretty much innefective.

by Yankeesin7, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
I pretty much had the same exact experiences of you.  I started off taking percocets and moved up the ladder until I was snorting 500-600 mg's of oxycontin a day for about 2 years.  I told my parents that I was having a problem with it and they sent me to a detox.  While I was at the detox the NA meetings came up to me and really helped me realize what I had to do to stop.  First of all you should either go to a detox or find a doctor around you that will prescibe you suboxone.  It really works well if taken properly.  I have my own prescription to suboxone because I had tried to quit several times before going into the detox.  A lot of doctors dont or cant prescibe suboxone properly.  If you can get your hands on them.  The proper way to take it is wait till you are feeling withdrawal the first day and take an 8mg sub.  Find multivitamins that will help you with detoxing you can find them at any vitamin store and take them through the process.  The second day take 4 mgs in the morning 2mgs in the afternoon and 2mgs at night.  The third day take 2mgs in the morning 2mgs in the afternoon and 2mgs in the evening.  The fourth day take 2mgs in the morning and 2mgs in the evening.  The fifth day take 1mg in the morning and 1mg in the evening.  On the sixth day take one mg at around 6pm.  After that the withdrawal should be gone but if not it will be very easy withdrawal to get through and tylenol will take care of the aches for the next couple days as needed.  During this period and after I really suggest that you go to NA meetings because they really help you get through the problems.  You can find local meetings online at www.nani.org   If you follow my suggestions you will get through your problem I promise.  If you need any more help write to me and I will let you know what to do.  I am really serious about my recovery and it helps me alot to help other people so I hope this helps.  Good Luck and speak to you later STAY STRONG

by Ms BW, Dec 21, 2006 12:00AM
Well, I guess I'd wonder why you relapsed if your withdraw symptoms were so minor, unless perhaps you didn't seek the addition of councelling or a 12-step program.  What ever the reason may be, it's difficult to stay clean once we get clean unless we incorporate some addional help.

by girlybuff, Dec 21, 2006 12:00AM
To: 2ndtimearound
You can go to turntohelp.com and type in your zip to get a list oflocal doctors who can prescribe suboxone. They can only have 30 patients at a time onit so call right away.

Good luck.

by matine, Dec 22, 2006 12:00AM
suboxone.

Hey Yankeessin: I liked you plan for Suboxone. I do have a question. When should you take the first pill, or better put how many hours from your last oxy.?

        Thanks.

by girlybuff, Dec 22, 2006 12:00AM
To: matine
Suboxone:



A doctor I spoke to told me 8 hours, however, I heard that in order for it to be most effective you need to take it while in total withdrawal in order for it to have the full effect. I would wait until I couldn't bear it no more.

Good luck.

by 2ndtimearound, Dec 22, 2006 12:00AM
To: Ms BW
I think you are right about a support system.  I had no after plan in effect when I got my last dose.  I kind of felt all alone and I think this time around I will seek a strong support network for when I get clean again.  Sometimes I feel like I will never be clean again.  This is the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with.  Thanks again for your advice.
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