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Avatar universal

My plan for success and questions about Suboxone.

I am new to the group, but I am absolutely amazed at how much support there is in this forum!  I felt so alone and then stumbled upon this when I was trying to search for the symptoms of w/d from Hydrocodone.  I keep getting so excited b/c I will read a post and think "OMG, this person is IDENTICAL to me!!", and then it will just happen again and again!  I am so not used to that!  I don't know anyone with my problem.  It's sucks pretty bad because I don't even know anyone who used to have this problem.  I have support from my husband and a few family members, so that is good, but they just don't understand the scope of my huge problem.  I keep feeling inside that my husband doesn't think that quitting is going to be as hard for me as I say it is.  Last night, he compared it to smoking and I just totally exploded on him and started crying.  He wasn't even trying to be rude, but it was just such a stupid and insensitive comment to make when I am getting ready to go through what may be the hardest thing I've ever attempted in my life.  

Right now I am on 10 lortab 7.5s a day.  I hate it and I want to QUIT!  So my husband and I made up a plan to go on a little getaway together so I could quit cold turkey and go through the w/ds in a relaxing atmosphere without my 3 kids around.  I planned to leave next Thursday.  My doctor called in Librium and Clonodine for me to take along with me.  Anyway, I researched Suboxone back in January and was going to do it, but decided with my doc to try to tapering method.  That didn't work of course!  I have now been thinking about the Suboxone again and talking to Wait2Long about it.  She is very knowledgeable about it and helped a lot with answering my questions.  I am going in for my first appointment in about an hour from now.  I'm very excited!  I still plan on going on my getaway and having Thursday be my first day off pills, but now I will be able to start the Suboxone after the first day and not have to suffer as much!

So there is a little bit of my history, and also my plan for attacking this beast.  What I want to know is what people's opinions are on my plan?  Is there anything I should do differently?  Any tips?  Can anyone tell me what it's like to go through the whole transition between taking the pills, stopping them, going into with drawls, and then getting on Suboxone?  Has anyone had their insurance pay for the whole thing?  I really can't seem to get an answer on whether I am going to end up paying for this or not.  The stupid guy I talked to with my insurance says he doesn't know anything about whether they cover the "treatment" but says that they do cover the prescription.  The lady at the dr. office with billing says that they do take my insurance, but that I should make sure that my plan will pay for it.  Ughh!  I'm so confused with that whole part!  I just don't even want to think about it though right now because I am completely and entirely focused on quitting my addiction, and getting my life back!  That is all that matters to me right now and I won't let anything get in my way.  If I have to pay, I will find some sort of way.  Hopefully I won't though!  That will just add to my anxiety!  

One more thing I want to add and I am a little worried about is that I have Fibromialgia and that is how this whole thing started in the first place 2 years ago.  Luckily, I just started Lyrica about a month ago, so that should be helpful, but what the heck am I going to do when I get horrible flare ups and I'm in a lot of pain and I have nothing?  I am worried about that, but all in all, even that pain is much more tolerable than the pain of knowing that you are completely and utterly hooked on something and you can't function without it!!

Sorry for rambling.  I just wanted to share a little bit since I'm new and so everyone might be able to get to know me a little better. : )

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!!  ; )
14 Responses
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Avatar universal
Hi. I was just wondering how long you have been of Sub and what your timeframe is to get off and how? I am on it as well and trying to decide how and when I want to get off. I have a feeling that my doctor may string me along...........my 10 minute appointment with him once a month is $100.00. Thanks.
Helpful - 0
397118 tn?1219762250
I'm so glad everything is going well and yes I do recommend suboxone as well and I hope that short time works well for you but just remember that sometimes cravings are worse than WD plus the mental but you probably know that by your doctor anyways somethimes we need to take the sub to get us thru those WD you know.
I'm so very happy that you are doing great and that you are happy.
keep up the good work YEAHHHHHHH
GS
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
So happy things are going well for you! I don't know anything about suboxone but do have a question. If you weren't suffering any withdrawals from the lortab, why even take the sub? Or is it the sub keeping you from having the withdrawals? This is just a question and not trying to say you don't need it. I'm just kind of curious. Is it more for the cravings? I have read that the sub can be difficult to get off of so just looking out for you.
I'm so happy your plan on getting clean is going so well! Best of luck and please continue to let us know your progress! Each day will get better and better! If you need anything, please let me know!
Brian
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

Okay, so it has now been 53 hours since my last dose of Lortabs.  YEA!!!!!!!!  I don't know why, but I had absolutely NO with drawls!  Weird huh?  I think the headache was just a coincidence, because I do suffer from headaches often.  Anyway, I had been taking between 8 and 12 Lortab 7.5s per day and the day before I quit, I took about 20!  I was just trying to get rid of them.  I have been on them for 3 years.  Why didn't I have with drawls??  I do crave them occasionally, but I don't even want them, so when it pops into my head it's really not hard for me to ignore them.  I really think it was because I was so ready to stop.  Every part of my mind and body wanted to be done with it.  I was determined to quit and never go back.  So far I have quit, I sure hope I never go back!  

I LOVE this forum!!!  The people here are the kindest, most caring and supportive people in the world.  I don't know if I could have done it if I wouldn't have found this forum about a week before I quit.  It was nice to see that so many people were in the exact same place as me and they managed to get through it.  It gave me hope and strength.  It was also helpful for me to see all the awful things that can happen during detox.  It got me so scared of what was to come, that when I actually did it, I realized it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I realize that other people have a lot more pain and agony during detox than I did, and I consider myself very lucky that it went so well for me.  I started Suboxone yesterday, and so far I like it.  I took a 1/2 of an 8 mg. tablet yesterday morning, and it just took the edge off and I felt fantastic!  It was a gorgeous day and I went to the mall and shopped, then we had a picnic at the park.  I did have cravings, but I got through them without too much stress.  Today I took a whole 8 mg. pill like the doctor told me to, and it was WAY too much for me.  I got so tired, I fell asleep for a while!  I think the 1/2 tablet will work just fine for me.  I would like to wean off of the Suboxone as soon as I can, and I really think it's possible.  I feel like I am bragging, but I am just blown away at how well this has gone for me.  I expected it to be the most agonizing, horrible experience of my life, but it wasn't at all!  I am so incredibly lucky.  I really hope that anyone who is reading this that is considering quitting will get the strength to just do it!  It could be awful, but it could be easier than you think!

I highly recommend the Suboxone treatment program.  As long as you wean off quickly, like I plan to do, I think that it is the perfect stepping stone to complete sobriety!

Thank you everyone SOOOOO MUCH for all of your support!!  I know I still have work to do in front of me, much the major hurdle is done with, and I couldn't have done it without you all!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
YES!  i swear, i got lucky...the ONLY sub doctor in my area...no choices, and shes just awesome...cant say enough good about her...
as far as it being the 1950's...lol, sort of i guess...not ALWAYS a good thing though, except in this case.
Helpful - 0
306455 tn?1288862071
A Sub. doctor that makes house calls??   LOL I didn't think any doctors made house calls anymore.   Is it still the 1950's where you live? If so, I want to move there!
Helpful - 0
472139 tn?1211332563
Maybe the sub will cover your Fibro issues might be surpised hopefully, I hear alot of good things about sub and no side effects you lucky thing
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
my sub doctor makes house calls..lol! so i got to do the wd process and induction without ever having to leave my house...
Helpful - 0
397118 tn?1219762250
MY FIRST DOCTOR THAT GAVE ME SUB GAVE ME THE SCRIPT FOR 90 PILLS DID NOT GIVE ME ANY EXPLANATION ON HOW TO TAKE IT AND I WAS NOT IN WD OF COURSE I STILL WAITED 2 MORE WEEKS SO YEAH STRANGE THIS
Helpful - 0
306455 tn?1288862071
Iam curious to hear about your doctors visit.  I will be alittle surprized if they give you the Suboxone to start your first dose away from their office, But I've heard of stranger things (oh yeah, that was my 1st day on Sub).
I hope you come back and tell us how your Sub. doctor visit went and how the plan is proceeding. Sounds like a good plan.
I'm sure wait2long has gone over everything about Sub. with you. Please feel free to Pm me if you have any other questions.
Magi
Helpful - 0
463872 tn?1215653737
Lola,

Just by having your husbands support is great.  My wife has supported me 110%.  It will make the process a little easier for you.  I know how you feel.  There is no turning back now with your familys support.  They are going to watch you like a hawk.  It is also good to have a good docter who nows what he is talking about, sounds like you do.

Good Luck!

Army
Helpful - 0
397118 tn?1219762250
Our stories very very similar anyways about the insurance find your self a doctor that is certified on sub witch you did, the medication is cover or I have to say mine was caverd I only pay 15.00 copay for 90 or the 2mg or something like that and the doctors visit is your regular copay. As for WD well I also stopped taking lortabs 750 on a Thursday at 900 pm before I went to bed like always (normally I would wake up at 600 am and the first thing I would do is take my 6 pills but before taking then I didn't feel sick or anything) well not that Friday morning I woke up at 5 am and I felt like the work flu ever, now I was feeling seek on Thursday with a little flu like symptoms so I don't know if it was wd or the flu but nothing like the stories I read here it was just enough to just want to sleep the hole day and that is what I did on Friday @ 9pm it was 24 hours it was not so bad so I took 2 tylenols  and went to bed then on Saturday at 7am I woke up I was fine then I took my first 2mg suboxone after amort 36 hour of my first lortab and I took 10mg of suboxone for 3 days then dicrease I guess I took it for wd and to get my life together, tomorrow is my 6 weeks on suboxone I'm on 4mg a day and for the most part I feel great.
My advise is you just don't know how you are going to feel as far as wd they could be min. or mayor so my advise is get some sleeping pills to get you thru the first 24 hours before suboxone and try to sleep as much as you can don't overwhelm your self with the trip trying to have fun or just even been with your husband I really don't think that you are going to do anything but to try to sleep. Well that is MY opinion what I did everyone is diffrent hun.
I will be praying for you and if you need any help pm me of just post this ppl are very nice and very and they know how you are feeling and what you are going thru.
Good luck!!!!!!
GS
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Just wanted to welcome you to the forum! I myself know nothing about suboxone. I do however know all about lortabs. I was taking the 10-500. My use started from a back injury and continue to suffer from sciatica pain. I have scar tissue hitting my sciatic nerve due to surgery. I was also taking way more than prescribed. I finally went cold turkey well over a month ago.
Well, just wanted to welcome and best of luck! You sound like you have a great plan on getting your life back! If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask! This forum has so many wonderful people and has been the biggest asset for me during my recovery. I know I couldn't have done it without everyone here. You'll know exactly what I mean once you are here for a bit! Take care and good luck!
Brian
Helpful - 0
340590 tn?1290952141
hi and welcome to the forum.. sounds like you have a great plan.  i really dont know anything about the sub.  since i went c/t.  but if you have a plan and work it it will work for you.  take care of you and keep posting.
cathy
Helpful - 0
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