need to help a friend off smack, subbies?

[gazzat123]

hope someone out there can help. I have recently fallen for a girl who I have found out has a serious heroin addiction. she predominantly smokes it but has occasionally injected. she really wants to get clean & I believe her as I can see the person behind the drug. she has a son who was taken away from her & needs to be clean to stand any chance of being involved in his life. this is her main motivation, another reason I know she means it.
She has asked if I can get her subbies to help her get off & I really want to help but need some advice.
should it be subutex or soboxone to start, will these actually help & how can I get them in the uk.
she doesn't want to go to the Dr's as this will admit to the authorities she is still using and put pay to any hope she has of seeing her son.
please help it's killing me seeing her hurting herself so bad every day & I know she is so much better than what she does.

thanks in advance

[Deb179]

lots of keys words there sweetie :)
Mentally...emotionally in a better spot.   Learned coping skills,  big one there !
Better chance at success :)
exactly what I saw with my son,  when he got serious.
subs are not for everyone,  many times replacing one drug for another absolutely, but if the commitment is there, lives ARE saved.
CONGRATS to you, you go momma....enjoy your precious child !!!!!

[mjean15]

Ive been on and off subs for a while and before i didnt use them correctly i hust had thek to tKe when i couldnt get high but this gonaround i ws prego so i got them from a dr took then as i was supposed to my baby didnt have any wds and for the last yr since then i have progressed better than ever! Right now my dr is tapering me off which is going fine...some ppl dont like the idea of maitenance drugs but for me they have helped so much. I totally get that eventually you have to come off and once in not taking any it may be a little hard but i am mentally and emotionally in a much better place to handle that now and thats what i like about them. It allows you to male the very mich needed changed in your life and obtain better coping skills so that when you do come off theres a better chance of success. Now this is hust my opinion based on my own life everyone has something that works foe then but for me the subs along with therepy and meetings and full effort on my oart have changed my whole life amd i  very greatful that i can now feel more at ease and enjoy my beautiful baby grow up! Good luck!

[Deb179]

Hey gaz
phet.. ( fentanyl ?)  
If that's the case...it's a bandaide.
I give you an A + for effort my friend,  go with your kids focus on them,  try to enjoy your time with them.
She will need treatment, counsel, therapy...suboxone / vivitrol can work with profession help, she needs to be fully committed.
when you return from your trip...if she is willing and all for it.  I still say she deserves that chance.  If your receiving excuses ( tomorrow...I'll try this first ,because it worked before )  put your guard up.  It may have temporarily worked before, but the fact is...she still struggles.
you've been given amazing advice above.
never say never, but take ALL the above words in.
My BEST to you ....to she,  try to enjoy your week ok
keep us updated, as you can see...your not alone in this :)

[Bryuu11]

Hi gazzat123,
I have seen many with heroin addiction and it's not that easy to get rid of it. The first thing is to get her accept that she can't manage her own life in this situation and should seek professional help. If she accepts it, just get her to the rehab. If you are from Canada then the Canada Rehab Reviews site ( http://www.canadarehabreviews.com/ ) reviews addiction treatment centres across the country. According to my opinion, without proper help it is less likely that she can get over heroin addiction.

[jifmoc]

What is phet?

Gazzat, I'm gonna be a broken record: you are going to spend a week w/ your kids. Your CHILDREN. They need you. They need you in body as well as in mind. They need your attention and focus. Not saying you will ignore them, but you are so distracted by this lady. I urge to let this woman have whatever experience she will have. You don't want to help an addict...to death. Which means, doing things, even what seem like small things, to "help" her, when in fact you are just enabling her. All of us who got clean had to hit a rock bottom. And I think most, if not of all of us would say it's the best thing that ever happened to us. When the people we love were tired of us, we started helping ourselves.

Also, if she has kicked H before, but went back on it, she missed the most important part of all: recovery. Any addict can stop doing drugs. It's STAYING off drugs that's the work. And we do that by getting our stubborn arses into aftercare (meetings etc.)

I know you said that you couldn't find a Nar-anon. Then find an alanon. It's all the same. You can learn to not feel dread regardless of what she or someone else is doing. I don't mean to be harsh w/ you. Just seen it so many times. And being the addict myself, I want to share w/ you what it's like.

[gazzat123]

thanks all for your support & the smile Deb.
worried how things are going to be next week as I am out of the country for a week with the kids. dreading what I may come back to!
she is talking of trying to kick it while I'm away using phet to get her through WD, which she has done before but I am not so sure about. anyone else tried this approach??
Gaz xx :)