Nephew

Need some feedback fro thoes that know.

I have a nephew with a long history of opiate addiction. He has been to rehab several times, no employment for years, and is about to get abandoned by the family. Recently he had som sever health problems and working to step down again.  No medical coverage trying to get medicaid.  He currently is on 50mg methadone steping down 1 mg a day reavaluate at 40 and keep going down from there.  Some ware around 30-20 mg/day he is hoping to swith to buprenorphine. We got a doc lined up willing to help.  A big problem is money he has none, we cant aford more.

Is the methadone stepdown rate realistic?, need to go to 20
Will he need a in paitaint clnic/program to transition?
buprenorphine is expensive is there help?, covered by medicaid? Offered by clnics?
worth while for him to go out of town/state away from the "hood"?

Uncle

[slapperman]

I a very sorry that you nephew is suffering and in this predicament. This is something many here are battling as well. Some one will come along and be able to explain the methadone taper as well as the option to go to suboxone.

I wish to suggest NA/AA or another type of aftercare. Please follow up with attending NA meetings they will be able to suggest the best way to go about handling this situation. It comes down to one thing your nephews desire to get clean.

-avoid people places and things
-don't use and go to meetings
-come early stay late
-get and use a sponsor
-keep coming back, it works
-90 meetings in 90 days
-use the phone

http://portaltools.na.org/portaltools/MeetingLoc/

This has helped me and it can help your nephew

any questions IM me

Joe aka slapperman

God Bless and my prayers are with you

[ZJILLIAN]

Your nephew is lucky to have a caring uncle like you. I can hear how desperate you feel and it sounds like you believe if you find the absolutely right treatment at the appropriate dosage this will cure your nephew. Unfortunately I am afraid it doesn't work that way. Something inside of your nephew needs to "click". He needs to take responsibility for his addiction and understand where his addiction has brought him. I would be very cautious about spending more money even though you love him.

I think that NA is the best possible route to go. Get him to a meeting. Go with him. Ask people for advice and help. If money could "cure" addiction there would be no rich addicts and we all know that isn't true.

Good luck. Also direct him to this forum. He can just read the posts as a good place to start. Although we all want to rescue someone in danger, sometimes the best thing to do is just to watch someone hit bottom.