Aa
concerned for my husband
Hello,
I was hoping to maybe get some advice from one of the dr's. My husband is currently on 8 mg subutex 3 times a day, before he went to rehab he was abusing xanax, oxys and morphine. Now he is on the subs. He actually seemed like his old self for quit some time. He takes the subs, robaxin(muscle relaxer), xanax (10 mg 3 times a day), cymbalta (anti-depressant). He had 3 back surgeries. I know he is in pain, but I also know he still abuses the xanax. He runs out every month before he can refill his script.When he sleeps he jerks and shakes. He tries to convince me his dr. says its muscle spasms, but im scared its seizures. His breathing is crazy at night and he snores unbelievably bad. He wears oxygen at night but it still scares me. We have a special needs son and I work full time. This is driving me crazy. He never shows ANY emotion. He never gets sad, mad, angry or anything and he sleeps ALL THE TIME. I have never seen someone sleep so much. Literally he sleeps sometimes 8 pm to 11 am. Then I come home from work at 3:30 pm and he is already back in the bed sleeping. He will get up for a couple of hours and go back to bed. I recently found a statement on his credit card where he is acyually trying to buy pills off the internet. Im really pissed but hurt more than anything.Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Im scared and at my witts end. Is he in danger?
I was hoping to maybe get some advice from one of the dr's. My husband is currently on 8 mg subutex 3 times a day, before he went to rehab he was abusing xanax, oxys and morphine. Now he is on the subs. He actually seemed like his old self for quit some time. He takes the subs, robaxin(muscle relaxer), xanax (10 mg 3 times a day), cymbalta (anti-depressant). He had 3 back surgeries. I know he is in pain, but I also know he still abuses the xanax. He runs out every month before he can refill his script.When he sleeps he jerks and shakes. He tries to convince me his dr. says its muscle spasms, but im scared its seizures. His breathing is crazy at night and he snores unbelievably bad. He wears oxygen at night but it still scares me. We have a special needs son and I work full time. This is driving me crazy. He never shows ANY emotion. He never gets sad, mad, angry or anything and he sleeps ALL THE TIME. I have never seen someone sleep so much. Literally he sleeps sometimes 8 pm to 11 am. Then I come home from work at 3:30 pm and he is already back in the bed sleeping. He will get up for a couple of hours and go back to bed. I recently found a statement on his credit card where he is acyually trying to buy pills off the internet. Im really pissed but hurt more than anything.Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Im scared and at my witts end. Is he in danger?
It sounds like your husband is self medicating with the Xanax. Have you asked him to go into counseling so maybe he can understand what you are going through as well? Usually the person who is using can't see it from someone else's point of view. They feel like no one understands their pain and how could they if they have never been in chronic pain? I have heard so many times how cp pain has destroyed so many families. Especially when the one suffering is just tuning the world out and feels like they are all alone. Try to be empathetic so he can open up more with you and let him know he can trust you with whatever he tells you. Maybe he will tell you why he uses more than he is supposed to. He might be trying to sleep it all away. That is definitely not a way to live. Actually, it sounds like he is not living at all letting the world pass him by. I am so sorry this has happened to your family. I used to take antidepressants and I felt like I didn't care about anything. I hated not being happy or sad anymore. Antidepressants can be a useful tool, but it can also be something that has outlived it's usefelness. I told myself I would rather have some sad days so I could have the happy days also. I could not do that while on antidepressants. I have tried them all and they all made me feel like I could not feel any emotions anymore.
Your husband is in a dangerous cycle and needs to be "woken up", no pun intended. There are too many people out there with this story and it is sad to say that many times you can't help them until they are ready to get help. It never hurts to push them along. It might take an ultimatum from you.
Best of luck, Audrea
Your husband is in a dangerous cycle and needs to be "woken up", no pun intended. There are too many people out there with this story and it is sad to say that many times you can't help them until they are ready to get help. It never hurts to push them along. It might take an ultimatum from you.
Best of luck, Audrea
Hello,
Thank you so much for writing back. My husband is on 1 mg xanax 3 times a day not 10mg. I made a mistake. Sometimes its hard to keep up with what all he is on. He is not on suboxone, but he is on subutex. From myunderstanding they are similiar, but subutex does not have the naloxone in it like suboxone. He does take the subutex 8 mg 4 times a day for pain. suppose to take 1 mg xanax 3 times a day but takes it 4 times a day sometimes more. robaxin not sure mg,3 to 4 times a day. along with seroquel to sleep and cymbalta. I have talked with him about all this soo much. He doesnt see the problem. He says what am I suppose to do. Im in pain, but im scared he has damaged the natural opiods in his brain and he is just going to continue to get worse. I have left him several times over this, but I do love him. I feel so torn . But I am pretty exhausted as well. Well again thank you for writing back . I really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for writing back. My husband is on 1 mg xanax 3 times a day not 10mg. I made a mistake. Sometimes its hard to keep up with what all he is on. He is not on suboxone, but he is on subutex. From myunderstanding they are similiar, but subutex does not have the naloxone in it like suboxone. He does take the subutex 8 mg 4 times a day for pain. suppose to take 1 mg xanax 3 times a day but takes it 4 times a day sometimes more. robaxin not sure mg,3 to 4 times a day. along with seroquel to sleep and cymbalta. I have talked with him about all this soo much. He doesnt see the problem. He says what am I suppose to do. Im in pain, but im scared he has damaged the natural opiods in his brain and he is just going to continue to get worse. I have left him several times over this, but I do love him. I feel so torn . But I am pretty exhausted as well. Well again thank you for writing back . I really appreciate it.
hello,
so sorry iwas way off on the dose of xanax. it is 1 mg. 3 times a day. subutex 8 mg 4 times a day and he also takes seroquel, robaxin and cymbalta.
so sorry iwas way off on the dose of xanax. it is 1 mg. 3 times a day. subutex 8 mg 4 times a day and he also takes seroquel, robaxin and cymbalta.
What is your husband's daily doseage of Xanax? Is that a total of 10mg a day of Xanax or 30mg. How long has he been taking the Xanax? Benzo's are a whole nother animal of addiction and not many know how to help you get off the proper way. Are you monitoring his blood pressure? I would like to help in any way. I've been/am there and had to do all the research myself. I've been written off by 3 neurologists. The damage from the benzo's are simply immeasurable.
abby
abby
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
He has simply changed from one 'drug of choice' (opiates) to another (benzodiazepines). Yes, he is in physical danger; Suboxone will not generally cause severe respiratory depression alone, but in combination with benzodiazepines like xanax, or with alcohol, there can be severe and potentially fatal respiratory depression-- particularly in a person with sleep apnea! He is on a dangerous combination, and engaging in dangerous behavior. He is also back in 'using' mode, which as you know too well destroys any chance for intimacy between the addict and other people.
I don't know why many docs who prescribe Suboxone prescribe it in the way that they do; the guidelines taught in order to get the DEA waiver clearly talk about dosing once per day, and having a max dose of 16 mg of Suboxone. In my opinion, dosing once per day, always in the morning, is critical to success. Yes, Suboxone alone will block most of the desire for opiates, but when used properly there is so much more that can be done; by dosing once per day we try to extinguish the using behavior. Most people starting Suboxone will ignore the initial recommendations and take it twice per day; I work very hard to get patients to take it ONCE, and to NEVER take it in response to feeling the 'need' for it. Instead, we want the person to take it each morning like a vitamin, without thought of withdrawal or using... and if there are cravings later in the day, deal with them by using distraction. If a person does this for a few days, the late day cravings will completely disappear.
When I read about Suboxone 'not working' and talk to the person about their experience, it usually is a case where there was no effort to enforce and educate about the proper use of the medication. Suboxone is a useful tool, but even a useful took like a hammer doesn't work if you grab the wrong end.
I should mention that I am assuming you are off in the dose of Xanax he is taking, and that he is taking one mg, and not ten mgs... ten mg three times per day would be a very high dose, and if that is the case he needs to get to detox asap. In any case, he is playing with fire. Make sure that his physician knows what is going on; hopefully his physician will do the right thing and get him cleaned up. Xanax is a questionable med in people with alcoholism or addiction, and it is clear that it is not the right medication for your husband.
I don't know why many docs who prescribe Suboxone prescribe it in the way that they do; the guidelines taught in order to get the DEA waiver clearly talk about dosing once per day, and having a max dose of 16 mg of Suboxone. In my opinion, dosing once per day, always in the morning, is critical to success. Yes, Suboxone alone will block most of the desire for opiates, but when used properly there is so much more that can be done; by dosing once per day we try to extinguish the using behavior. Most people starting Suboxone will ignore the initial recommendations and take it twice per day; I work very hard to get patients to take it ONCE, and to NEVER take it in response to feeling the 'need' for it. Instead, we want the person to take it each morning like a vitamin, without thought of withdrawal or using... and if there are cravings later in the day, deal with them by using distraction. If a person does this for a few days, the late day cravings will completely disappear.
When I read about Suboxone 'not working' and talk to the person about their experience, it usually is a case where there was no effort to enforce and educate about the proper use of the medication. Suboxone is a useful tool, but even a useful took like a hammer doesn't work if you grab the wrong end.
I should mention that I am assuming you are off in the dose of Xanax he is taking, and that he is taking one mg, and not ten mgs... ten mg three times per day would be a very high dose, and if that is the case he needs to get to detox asap. In any case, he is playing with fire. Make sure that his physician knows what is going on; hopefully his physician will do the right thing and get him cleaned up. Xanax is a questionable med in people with alcoholism or addiction, and it is clear that it is not the right medication for your husband.
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