Addiction

[minime]

After about 2 years, I finally found an addictionologist in my area.  He is licensed to prescribe Subutex.  It is the "new" Buprenorphine only it comes in tablet form and is much stronger than the old version.  The only glitch is we cannot find any pharmacies that have it.  He could buy it directly from the manufacturer but it would cost him $700 - that is the smallest amount he can purchase at one time.  He won't do it.  He charges $175 per hour and I'm sure once the Subutex is available it will be expensive.  There are no breaks for addicts in this country.  I've waited a long time for this but now it seems like it will just be a big money thing like Methadone.  I'm really depressed now and I feel like there is not a lot of hope.  Is anyone else out there been trying to find this medication?

[FINISHED!!]

Rex,
  Much like God gave you your wife & kids to save you from you...He gave us YOU to save us from us. I thank God every night for SO many things & I'll tell you buddy...You're right up there near the top of that list. Keep up the GREAT work here. You are appreciated more than any keyboard could type.

FINISHED!!

[Rex1]

What a thoughtful story. Thanks for giving us all a glimpse into this tought ime in your life. I hope thaT YOU ARE ABLE to stay clean.

I am at 50 days today and although I still have up and down days, they are all so much better than when I was on the Norcos.

And the pain is really minimal. I think sometimes God gave me my kids and wife to save me from myself - without them, I would probably be in a gutter right now, or a cardboard box on the street!

Thanks again,

Rex

[LouAnn]

I know what you mean, doc shopping got to be too much of a hassle!  Since I had "tapped out" every DR and dentist within a 100 mile radius, I decided to phone in my own scripts.  I got away with it a few times before I was arrested.  Since this was my first offense, I was released on a personal recognizant bond.  This happened in Jan 02.  You'd think I would have learned my lesson.  The next day I started phoning in more scripts using a different doc.  Who knows how many times I did it.  This continued until I was arrested again in May 02.  (Sooner or later, you will get caught.)  This time I wasn't so lucky, I couldn't get a bond.  I wasn't able to make a phone call until 5 hours later.  No one had any idea where I was, my kids were left at daycare until my husband got a phone call.  You can imagine what it was like to call him from jail.  I can't imagine hell being any worse than withdrawals in jail!!  A week later my attorney arranged for a bond hearing and I was released on bond.  I thank God that my husband was supportive and stood by me.  "For better or worse, in sickness and in health", he said.  I went to court, plead guilty to 5 felony counts of prescription fraud and was given indefinte probabation and 10 years in jail.  The judge suspended all but 30 days.  This addiction has cost my family over $16,000 in legal fees and fines, not to mention the thousands spent on pills.  Being arrested and spending time in jail was a blessing.  It saved my life.  I went to an outpatient rehab program (for the 4th time) and I've been clean since May 22, 2002.  There are many times I'd love a few norco or vicoprofen, but I think about my arrests and that 10 year jail sentence hanging over me head.  My nine year old daughter likes to pick out dresses for me to wear on special occassions, I wouldn't want her to pick out a dress to bury me in!  Please take care of yourself.  My prayers are with you.

[LouAnn]

You are so right!  I'd take detox at home over detox in jail any day.  While I was there, I witnessed a 19 year old kick heroin.  It was awful, I felt so bad for her.  She laid in bed screaming with cramps for hours and the b**** nurse refused to call a doctor or do anything for her.  There was another woman who was on her way to state prison for 3 years for 61 counts of prescription fraud.  I was very lucky to have all but 30 days of my sentence suspended!

As far as DEA numbers - I once called a doctor's office pretending to be the pharmacy and asked for a DEA #.  They gave it to me, no questions asked!  The numbers are also printed on most prescription pads.  Hell, some pharmacies didn't even ask for it. I agree, some pharmacists don't care.

[Rex1]

I think you will be risking serious jail time.

If you are doing this, please consider stopping. What's worse than detox? Detox in jail. Or losing your job, your family...

Rex

[Erika_Ann]

Hello-
I feel for you. Ive been there ALOT. Just last week when I started my cold turkey detox I looked into my bottle of Anitriptaline(sp) its a anti-depressant I use for sleep and thought to myself to take 20 or so and just be over it. And something inside me realized that I knew I had to do something to make myself come back to the girl I used to know. It's hard to fathem a drug that can take away our worries, our aches, and pains and actually do so much damage to ourselves. You are worth every living minute of the day. It may not seem that way right now, but you ARE. If you ever need to talk Im here. Im thinking about you and hope your okay.
Erika