Vicodin 10 - Me 0 -- time to try Suboxone/Buprenorphine??

[Whenwillitend]

Well, here I am again - day 1. My WD symptoms thus far are not too bad. A bit stuffy, medicore cramps (diahrea soon), completely no motivation and a tad bit of anxiety. I have Percs available - but last time I tried them while having WD's, they didn't seem to help much. Some of the symptoms went away, but not enough to feel it was worth trading one for another.

Anyway, this is my 10th (give or take) time going through WD's in the past year. You'd think I would have learned by now. I do have pain - as a matter of fact, I can hardly hold my head up straight right now - but it isn't a constant pain. Basically, I do the WD's - and either pain or cravings draw me back in at the 2 week mark. I'm willing to live with my pain for a short period of time, if it means I can ever use pain meds responsibly (I had done it for 3 years - just this last 1 became an issue).

Does Sub/Bup help reduce cravings? And how bad are WD's for them? Also, does Sub help with depression during the real WD's? That's the hardest part for me. I hate being dysphoric. I have this week off for vacation - I know I'll be much better for when I return to work (day 8), but the cravings will start then, and I'll have 120 Vics available on day 8 - and another 100 on the 15th. I want to stay away long enough to break the chain, and I'm willing to try about anything - well, minus Methadone - read too many horror stories about that (granted it's like 1/3 the cost of Bup therapy).

Thanks in advance for any info!

[beachtowel]

You owe it to your self to try!
I don't care if you have failed 1000 times.
If you can think of it like getting vics.
You would walk through a building and smash Godzilla and king kong to get your pills, you must attack recovery the same way.
Yes Subutox or Suboxone will help temendously.
They are meant to ween you off W/D's .
They won't stop cravings sorry but you will have those for many years to come.
You have eight days thats enough time.
Start now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember ween off not switch addictions
Every two hours he first day double up if you have to.
Second double your time and try not to double up.
third day double it again do not double up.
fourth day double again.
day five one in the morning ...........

[Whenwillitend]

Unfortunately weening has not worked for me. I have tried it multiple times. So far, I either cheat (it's too easy to get pain meds) - or I feel like I prolong WD's. Granted, they are not hardcore like CT - but instead of feeling like **** for 4-5 days, I feel like sub-**** for a couple weeks. lol

I'm glad you mentioned that Sub will not kill the cravings. It's almost $1,000 for 1 month therapy of Sub. If I spent that and ended up back on pills - I think I'd kick my own @ss.

I guess it's back to eating the WD's. I'm not afraid of WD'ing actually - I'm just afraid of returning to the addiction. I feel if I can last a month off Vics - then when I do need them, I can safely take them for a day or two for pain. Right now - I'll go 2 weeks, and pain or cravings get me to take a few - then I start feeling like I'm having WD's 6 hours after my last dose. Then I go into taper mode (I'll quickly reduce my intake to trick my body), then that turns into taking more - which turns into taking 300+ / month and running out, putting me back here. heh - I'm surprisingly lighthearted at the moment. Saddly, my trick of Adderall for WD's doesn't seem to be helping much... though maybe they're helping keep the depression back? Hmm...

Thanks for the info - it appears you may have saved me some $$$. :)

[beachtowel]

Sorry for this bad news but a few days ago here in Michigan about 20 miles north of Detroit we had a snow storm. We got 8 inches with 2 foot snow drifts. I got dressed, fired up the snow blower and went to work.
I have some older neighbors so I did theres too. When I came in I hit the showers and then a common went to my computer.
Then a m monster craving came on an old habit if you will.
In my addiction days after a snow storm you could go to the ER and act out terrible back pain from allegidly shoveling snow.
It never failed, I always got my percs.
Instead I came on this site. Don't know if you know this or not but if you can fight a craving for (seven) minutes you beat the craving.
I have been sober over a year and still had that serious craving. the only difference now is there few and far between so it makes it easier to deal with.
Hang in there and before you know it you could celebrate a one year aniversity date like I did recently.

good luck

[addictedtoloratab]

OMG thanks for the info on the cost of suboxone I was ready to try that.  There is just no way I could afford that.  Is that with insurance??  Does insurance cover it??  That is outrageous.

[J.ellen]

Hi,

I am writing because I myself just spent a couple of days in the local hospital's addiction recovery center, and was put on Suboxone for withdrawals and pain management. I am trying to stop a 5 year addiction to variuos pain meds, most recently Norco.  
  I am very happy with Suboxone. It stopped the withdrawal and for me has helped immensely with the craving. I know that technically I have traded one addiction for another, but I think it is a huge improvement over what I was doing before. I was in a terrible cycle of eating Norco like candy, taking 20 at a time twice a day for the week or so my script would last, then going a few days without anything until I could get a refill. Often I got pills from another source to get me through between refills, but this was either expensive or dishonest, as I had to order through the Internet or lie to the dentist or ER to score. I would try to ration the last 20 or so pills to get through however long I needed to go until I could refill my script, but I usually couldn't handle that. I wasn't strong enough.
The stress of running out of pills or worrying about running out of pills was killing me. Even though I had made it through to the fourth day cold turkey, I decided to try the Suboxone because I knew that if I wasn't taking anything at all I was very likely to talk myself into getting more pills from somewhere. If I had the slightest excuse such as a flare up of the chronic pain that started this whole thing, I would not be strong enough to abstain. For me knowing that I could not get pain pills from my doctor anymore was an emotional hit as bad as getting divorced. The Suboxone has completely eased my fear of having no meds at all, taking away all the stress I had in that regard. Since it has only been a few days, I do not know at this point if I will stay on Suboxone for the chronic pain, or just be on it for a couple of weeks to get past the emotional part of withdrawal.
I wish you well in your efforts to break your addiction.

[cleanagin]

I recently took my friend to get his suboxene script. He recieved 30 pills(2mg) for under 100 dollars. So if u r insured try it out if you think it will help...
Not sure for higher dosing though, best

[Dpilot]

I have no insurance and had to pay $120 for 12 Subutex 8mg to wean off all the hydros and percs I was on. after weaning down to 1 pill a day I went back to the doctor and got a script for 60 Subutex 8mg/2mg. This is to last me a month or two. It cost me $377 to fill it. I now have a total of $617 in fighting this addiction. Normally I would spend that much or more in 2 weeks or less on my pills from the dealer. I think it's a great investment. It kept me from having any W/D's except being a little tired. The 1 a day Subuxone insures that I can't take anything else in a week moment, and trust me I have them. When I wake up in the morning, the first thought is take some pain pills, I instead take the subuxone and know I am safe for the day.
Everyone is different so one thing doesn't work for everyone. Good Luck to all.

[Whenwillitend]

The actual price I was quoted was: $899 for 1 month Suboxone treatment. They would not give out RX - you have to go in daily for treatment - the only exception is for the weekends, you'd get a 2 day dose.

I never received answer from the clinic or my insurance, if it was in or out of network. If it was in network - I get something like 20 sessions a year @ $20 -- out of network was $500 deductable + 30% co-pay each visit. At the bare minimum, I was expecting $500.

I could possibly get from my Dr - but this would be the 2nd time I had to talk to him about having issues with my pills (the first time was kind of BS - I ran out, panic'd then told him - he put me on a taper plan). The biggest problem is the intermittent pain. I was successful in taking pills for 3 years -- I hope I can get that way again. When in pain, I can't even walk up straight. Sadly, I've yet to go more than 2 weeks without any narcotics in a year -- this is due to addiction. Yea, I have plenty of pain, to use pills at the very least, a few times a month, but it's not daily - and rarely lasts more then 4-5 days at a time.

I have a positive attitude, and being in this position before, I know what to expect. My 'cold' symptoms have gotten worse today, but should be gone by tomorrow. Tomorrow I will probably wake up ok - than get depressed and lose all energy. The day after, more of the same. Day 4, will probably wake up filled with self pity, and have spells where I feel I will cry. Hopefully by that evening, I will start feeling more 'alive'. Day 5 I'm hoping to be mentally better - but expect to have little to no energy/motivation. By day 7, I should feel 'relatively' normal. I will probably be in good spirits ~ day 10, and that's when the cravings will start. I will have a script ready on day 8 - my wife is well aware of this, and will be the one to pick it up (on her way to work). I've burned my other bridges, so hopefully it works this time.

Sorry for rambling. :)