Rapid Anestisia Assisted Opiate Detox

[Bob Churchill]

Hi,

Well, it was a month ago today that I was in L.A. under anestesia and detoxing from 6 months of 400 mg. per day of Oxycontin combined with 40 mg. per day of Valium for 6 months. No taper was offered....I did try Darvon and ended up in Benzodiazapine seizures that robbed me of my speach. I read an earlier post that said the fees were $4,500.00 per treatment. I'd love to know where that was...mine was $7,500.00 + air fair from Portland to L.A. But, it was a horrible experience. The hallucinations after treatment were really intense, but they only lasted about 12 hours. I slept from Thursday morning until late Saturday morning when I had to get up to catch a plane home.  Then I was still left on my own to withdraw from the Valium and then the Librium that they supplied. Now, I'm left with horrible back and leg pain from 8 back surgeries including 2 fusions. I know that meds aren't the answer, but 2 pain clinics haven't offered me any solutions at all. Very frustrating. Surgery #9 is right around the corner it will be fusion #3.

Sorry for rambling....here's my question....what is the addiction specialists feelings about addicts using hard to abuse meds like duragesic (fentnyl) for pain on a short term basis?

Thanks!

[bob]

Thank you for your quick response.

My reference to Duragesic being harder to abuse was a reference to it's method of induction rather than the type of drug being used. I'm of the opinion that being a patch it's easy for a doctor to arrange with the pharmacy to distruibute the patch one-at-a-time every three days in the 25mg. dosage.

Oral opiates for me are not an option. They are my drug of choice. I haven't used street drugs since 1988. It's the opiates that I can not control. I lose my ability to be honest with anyone and everyone including myself. That's when the abuse starts. I have been a member of NA for 2 yrs.  and had 20 mos. clean before I hurt my back this time. My primary care Dr. has addiction experience with a family member (so he says) but he makes a much better enabler than a Dr. for me. We have a new arrangement that I get NO controlled substance from him. I am really glad for that....but this pain is totally out of control and the standards like Neurontin & Gabitril (both anit-seizure meds) are not working. The 3200mg of Motrin are causing bleeding and the 4000mg of Tylenol are killing my liver (hep. C positive) so, my options for meds are really limited.

Thank you for letting me share.

Bob