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1723029 tn?1312373581

IV drug user recovering with suboxone

My name is Danielle and I'm almost 17. I'm a recovering IV drug user (roxicodone "blues"). This stuff is pretty bad where I live. My best friend is on it too. I've been using for about a year and a half but switched from snorting to shooting about 4-5 mo ago. I realized how bad I was getting when I lost my job, got kicked out of cosmo school, was forced to sell my horse, and was stealing to get high. I came to my parents and told them I wanted help. At first they thought I was joking I guess. I mean why would I joke about something like this !? I went on with no help, so I kept on using. I developed a infection on my arm from my IV drug use. I went to my doctor to have him look at it. What I was doing was quite obv when he seen my arms so I began to tell him about what I was doing. He immediately had me blood tested for hep, HIV, that sort of thing... And talked to me about getting help. I had him call my mom to tell her the seriousness of the situation.

Finally, I was admitted to Manatee Glens Hospital for addiction and mental health. While I was in the hospital my blood test results came back, I had contracted hep c. There I detoxed for 3 days and was relased to out-patient care. As soon as I got out I began using again. At first just every once and awhile but soon enough I was just as bad as before. In out-patient care I was to see my counselar once a week, be drug tested once a week and attend group once a week. As I was in this program, I really felt the urge to quit. But I just couldnt. I would wake up in the morning and tell myself I wasnt going to use today. But before the end of the day, the addiction was talking. "Just one more time... I'll never quit anyway...".

I had heard about suboxone and friends of mine had told me its the only thing that worked. But I also knew that it was not FDA approved for minors. I talked to my doctor about suboxone and he really recomended it. However, he had a hard time finding a doctor to take me. After about a month, he found a doctor that would take minors. I was estatic. I have now been on suboxone for about 2 weeks and have been clean ever since. It's amazing. No withdrawals and it even keeps the addiction from talking.

The only problem is its bad on my liver. As I mentioned before, I had contracted hep c (most likely from my IV drug use). My doctor says that even though its bad on the liver, its not as bad as using. I am genotype 1A (the hardest type to cure) and am scheduled for a biopsy and will start treatment soon after. I'm scared if I stop taking suboxone I will begin using again. Should I take the chance to give my liver a break, or no ? Whats your opinion ? HELP
6 Responses
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1723029 tn?1312373581
You said HCV therapy isnt fun.. How sick will I get ? What kind of symptoms did you have ?
Helpful - 0
1723029 tn?1312373581
Im actually seeing a gastroenterologist at a childrens hospital. The problem with finding another doctor is that Im under age and most doctors only see adults. But I will ask him if hes heard of these new drugs. Thanks for the advice
Helpful - 0
1472850 tn?1290125172
Back on the Air.  The new drugs for HepC treatment are Incivek and Victrelis.  If you can, find a Hepatologist that is familiar with this stuff to do your treatment as opposed to your family Dr.

As far as your Suboxone use, it's great for short term detox, preferably <21 days.  If you continue using it over a long period of time as I did, it is worse to kick than anything that I have previously kicked (Heroin, Methadone and other opiates).

Have a look at some kind of aftercare/support group to help keep you from using and get off the Sub soon.

Best,

WM
Helpful - 0
1472850 tn?1290125172
There is a new drug that has just been approved for use for HepC.  It increases the cure rate and shortens treatment time.  I need to look up and will post back later as well as comment on Sub........

I'm glad you have taken the right step.  I'm an old addict like gnarly and have thrown away a lot of my life as well as had several years of it taken from me.  Yours is still there for the making and taking.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was in the clinical trial that established interferon / ribavarin therapy for HCV out of the Mayo clinic - - they have just recently introduced a combo therapy utilizing protease inhibitors in addition to the interferon and ribavarin - - I also have the 1A genotype.......its been 15 years since treatment and I am still currently less than detectable through PCR testing.............the newer therapy approaches 80 some percent effectivenss........Knock off the needles and stop the roxy's......then take the HCV therapy.....its for sure no fun but it is absolutely necessary
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Avatar universal
HI Danielle welcome to the forum I seen you just signed up today where glad you found us
my heart always gose out to the young girls my daughter Sara was an addict at 13 she also has hep c from iv use im an old hippie that got messed up for 16 1/2yrs with opiates the last 6 1/2 yrs on methadone the drug from he11 ....its great to see your off the roxy I always hate to see people go to methadone or sub but if your slamming a needle in your arm you made the right choice,.....I really think its cool that your getting clean so young I wasted a lifetime on this crap and nothing can bring back those lost years I just wanted to tell you work the whole program with sub dont just trade drugs go to consling start going to N/A meetings ...if you look around you will find one where there is young people google rehab meeting in your area and work it and work it hard recovery takes work if you choose to opt out your going to wind up right back on the pills aftercare is the key to being able to get off the sub some day and stand on your own 2 feet it is critical to recovery as for the hep c they will probably give you interferon it usually dose the trick
stick with us here read the post learn all you can about sub if you go to the top of this page there is a search box put subs in there and you will find everything in our archives about it word it a few different ways to get the most out of the search and again welcome to our community if you have any questions direct them to me or DomonoSara were the community leaders but we have a very helpful staff of regulars also theirs a lot of knowledge here tap it....good luck and God bless.......Gnarly    
Helpful - 0
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