Successful Withdrawal

[redrodeo]

Up until about 8 1/2 months ago I had been clean and sober in AAfor 12 1/2years.  But I started doing tx for Hep C which made me very sick and very painful. So I needed to take pain pills I was taking OPANA oxymorphone 10mg about 10-15/day. Clearly after 8 1/2months I was addicted and scared to death. But last friday I gave the remainder of pills to my sponsor and went thru withdrawal. By Saturday evening I was pretty sick so I started Subutex and that at first made me sicker. But after about 4 days I came out of it. Plus I was going to 2 meetings per day. I think the subutex helped a little. But I am just so grateful not to be worried about how many pain pills I have.
     Yeah God
      Red

[wannabefree330]

my last time i started taking for legit reasons.  when the behaviors returned (taking more than prescribed, hiding pills, keeping secrets, counting pills, enjoying the euphoria) I had to consider it a relapse.  Everyone is different, and whatever you decide is between you and your sponsor....and your maker.  Relapse or not, you've made a change and thats the only thing that matters.  Get well soon, and keep sharing.

[redrodeo]

Hey MJ,
      You think it was a relapse?  I don't even care I just wanted off of it. I took for side effects of treatment for hepatitis C. That interferon and ribavarin really made me ill. My sponsor says its not. But I was curious about what youthought.
Red

[marcatj]

good luck Red!!!  and welcome to the forum....

:-)
mj

ps - good for you and your 12+ years, and for tackling this beast again.  the narcotics are awful... they shouldn't even be prescribed.  statistically, my doc told me 90% of people WILL get addicted if taken for over a month.  so for some of us with chronic pain... that's a real tough one.  i guess my point is, i hope you don't get down on yourself for the relapse, if you even call it that.  i don't know how one couldn't...  ok - that's a long "ps."  be well... :)

[gizzy32]

great job on getting rid of remainder of pills. you sound like your doing good and WOW, 2 meetings a day, that is dedication:). congrats on being clean in AA for 12 1/2 years and being clean from the pills now too. good luck.

[britney1663]

Good for you! You did the right thing...giving the pills to your sponsor. If I had done that I would not be in the mess Im in now. I thought I could handle it on my own...yeah right! Now Im totally out of control...going on Suboxone next Wednesday...hope it helps. Hope you are feeling better!