Clonodine for painkiller withdrawal

[kerri]

I recently discovered that my husband is addicted to prescription pain killers. I actually wrote in to this forum once before about the trust issue and how to cope with this major problem and Brian was kind enough to respond to me - thank you Brian, your comments were very helpful.  I have been reading this almost everyday and have found it so comforting to know that there are others out there going through the same thing.  I've also learned alot about the drug, addiction, and recovery.  However, I am still having a hard time dealing with it, especially trusting him again. He's lied to me since I've known him (3 years), and we only got married about 6 months ago.

Anyway, my question today has to do with clonodine. When I confronted him about his problem, he decided that he could quit on his own and weaned himself off. He was clean for about 7 weeks but had a relapse when he took 4 pills at a weak moment. Thankfully he was honest with me and told me that he did it. Of course I was furious, but got over it rather quickly when he finally realized that he needed professional help. So, he called counsellors and went to his family doctor who prescribed a clonodine patch. My questions are this:

1. I know that clonodine is used to ease the withdrawal symptoms, but by only taking four at one time, would he even go through withdrawal again?

2. What is clonodine and how does it help the symptoms? I read that it lowers blood pressure but he said that in the first few days it actually made him feel hyper. He's been on it a week and hasn't felt much different.

At this point, I think it is mostly mental for him now. I am very happy that he has sought professional help, because there is only so much I can do to support him... in between my occasional fits of anger, mistrust, suspicion, etc. I am trying to be as supportive as I can but I'm still having a hard time forgiving him for lying to me for so long.

So, if anyone knows anything about clonodine or has any insights into coping with a loved one who is addicted, please write back.

Thank you.

[Toni Lynn Sailors]

Well, I read your comments and I have been looking for an answer to help me through withdrawls.  I had been taking my best friends pills for about 5 months until I ripped my back muscles playing soccer, then I had injections and was administered 3 different types of painkillers, which I proceeded to snort rather than ingest.  Follwing it down with bottles of brandy and burbon-whiskey I was killing myself, and I thought of death every day.  I am currently going through withdrawls, and I will admit that I have lied on several occasions to my fiancee.  It got so bad that I was snorting asprin just so that I had something up my nose.  Nightmares and coke dreams are frequent and they immediately send me into fits of fright and anger.  I want to rip my fiancee's skin apart sometimes because when I am drug deprived I am so angry, and it hurts so bad.  He is so understanding, and loving - I find that during withdrawls a part of me is thanking him for helping me and another part of me hates him for helping me too.  I realize that this is a disease and that I can get through this with the Lord's grace and my fiancee's support, I am strong enough...it's just that sometimes it hurts so bad...
I totally understand what you are going through, just be there for each other, and your relationship will get stronger too.
Thank you for your time,
Toni Lynn Sailors

[Kerri to Shelly, Brian and Brighty]

Thank you for your responses, Shelly, Brian and Brighty. I will take your advise and not voice my suspicions. If he was using all that time, then he was. Nothing I can do about it now. The important thing is that he is getting help. He told his whole family about it (1 brother, 4 sisters, mom...), and that helps tremendously, both for him and me. He has alot of people supporting him (and me)and I think the thought of disappointing all of them is helping to keep him straight. And now I have some people to talk to to help me through it as well. I will just support him as much as I can. Reading this forum has really helped me understand this disease and deal with this the best way I can.

But like Brighty said, it's a rough ride in the sidecar...boy is that true! I admire your strength in dealing with your daughter's addiction and giving her the support she needs. I have to remember that strenghth when I start to get angry and suspicious.

Thank you again. Good luck to all of you.

[Brighty to Kerri]

I am dealing with my daughter's opiate addiction. I tend to think Brian is right about your husband possibly using during his so called clean time. The reason I agree is because I had on several occasions believed she was detoxed and she was getting cloindine from the doctor. She told me it helped keep her calm and assisted her in not relapsing... now I know for sure ( she has since admitted this) that she had been using and was using the clonidine for withdrawl. Don't accuse your husband though. No possible good can come out of it. I do want to warn about clonidine. It can lower the vital signs and kill a person if they use it in higher amounts than prescribed. My daughter accidentally overdosed on it.. not to get high, it wont't do that... but to get more relief from her withdrawl she took far too many and was at death's door in the ER. It's a poor idea for suffering people to hold their own medications in cases where they can become irrational. I did not know a patch was available till I read your post. This would have been the better choice. Thanks for mentioning it. Good luck... it's a rough ride in the sidecar !!

[Brian to Kerri]

Hi.  If your husband was truly clean for 7 weeks, taking 4 pills would not make him go through withdrawal again.  What it would do would be to reactivate the cravings and psychological addiction (things which clonidine has NO effect on).  Hence it makes no sense to me why he would need clonidine.  I hate to say this and I may be wrong BUT what the hell, I'll say it anyway...I think he wasn't clean for 7 weeks.  My guess is he was using and was afraid to tell you (look how you reacted to the 4 pills, not that I blame you but...).  Only someone who had been using for a while would need clonidine.  With respect to clonidine making someone hyper, everyone I know who has used it is zonked out from it.  You are right to be suspicious.  Most addicts relapse several times before they finally stop.  It's ok to be suspicious, just keep it to yourself as much as possible.  He needs to feel supported in order to really recover.  Although he needs to rebuild your trust, the more he feels you don't trust him the more he is likely to relapse.

[shelley]

I UNDERSTAND YOUR'E ANGER FOR HIM LYING BUT FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, FINALLY CONFIDING IN MY HUSBAND WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I'VE EVER DONE.WHY?  I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WOULD THINK OF ME-ADDICTION IS A DISEASE AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS ONE.  IT DOESN'T, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, MEAN THE ADDICTED PERSON IS "BAD"-TRUST ME THEY FEEL WORSE ABOUT IT THEN YOU DO!
I KEPT MY "SECRET" TO MYSELF FOR MANY YEARS AND IT IS HELL DEALING WITH IT ALONE! ONCE I TOLD MY HUSBAND, HE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND I FELT A HUGE WEIGHT LIFTED OFF MY SHOULDERS.(I HAVE CHRONIC PAIN AND WAS NOT TAKING PAIN PILLS JUST FOR A HIGH).  YOU HAVE TO TRY AND BE AS STRONG AS YOU CAN AND KEEP SUPPORTING HIM.  IT WILL NOT GO AWAY OVERNIGHT. REMEMBER-DON'T JUDGE ANYONE UNTIL YOU HAVE WALKED A MILE IN THEIR SHOES.