Does medical detox work?

[teebee1]

I have been taking up to 8 7.5 Lortabs almost everyday for about 10 years. I have had numerous broken bones and surgeries through out the years and have always had pain pill to get me through. I never got addicted to them, until my arm reconstructon surgeries. There were three alogether. After one would almost heal up, there would be another one. I figured it would be like before, I take the pain medicine until the pain was gone, then throw the rest out. Only this time the pain did not go away, only got worsse, because I use my arm a lot. I'm right handed and that's the arm that's messed up. My doc said I would probably have to take them the rest of mjy life.
Anyhow, I decided not long ago, I've had enough. I tried to taper, but wasn't too successful. So I decided to check into detox, which is where I am right now, since yesterday. So far, the only symptons I've had is some anxiety and naseau. I 'm kind of worried, though. Yesterday, they gave me 20 mgs. of methadone, and 20 again this morning. I told my doctor that I don't want anymore, as I;ve heard really bad things about it, so he put me on Librium instead.
Does anyone know if you can withdraw from just that much methadone? I go home in two days, and am worried that I'll go into withdraws all over again once I leave here. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[cleanmom]

Hi,

You absolutely can withdraw from 20 mgs of methadone if you are on it long enough.

I think it was smart of you to decide to stay away from it. The librium will help you to withdraw from the pain meds while you are in supervised detox as i am sure they will taper you off before you leave.

Most importantly, is to line up some outpatient recovery care for yourself for when you leave. At least some aa/na meetings. They are free. Anyone who needs aftercare can go. Even better if you can see an addiction counselor as well. These things are crucial to your long term sobriety. You can not do it alone in the long run. Realize that now so as to avoid multiple relapses.


Best of luck to you. We are here for you. Keep posting.........


Jacky

[teebee1]

Hi Cleanmom,

Thanks for your comment.

They will be setting me up with both group meetings and a counselor when I leave. I plan on being diligent in my after care. Do you have any idea how long it takes for the physical symptoms to go away. It's goin on day 3 for me and hasn't been bad so far. I'm just worried about leaving without anymore anti anxiety  and anti-naseu (did I spell that right)? which is in 2 days. I don't have to go back to work until next Tuesday, which is good.
The main thing that has me worried is the two doses of methadone they gave me. I'm so scared of going home and then all of a sudden I get more withdrawals.
Have you had any experience with this?

[avisg]

You are only taking the methadone for what 3or 4 days most likely you wont  wd from that but it does not take too long you want to get off it as quick as you can that would be like going form the frying pan to a BIG fire you dont want to do that .Be very careful if you have problem keep in close contact with your doctor .

[teebee1]

I only took it twice before I told the doctor I don't want it anymore. He took me off right away and put me on Librium instead, which he said he'll wean me off by the time I leave in 2 days.
I only had 20 mgs. last night and 20 this morning. But no more, ever!
Thanks for your response.

[avisg]

I think you are going to be fine .You will not have wd from two doses of methadone .Keep in touch let us know how you are feeling

[teebee1]

Thanks avisg,
That eases my mind a lot. I'm just so paranoid now about putting anything else that can be possibly addicting in my body, even if a doctor says it's okay. It was a doctor telling me it was okay that helped put me in the mess I'm in right now! Although it's not totally his fault. I know he was just trying to keep me comfortable enough to beable to the my job, which is very physically demanding. Actually, I'm kinda scared I'm not going to beable to do what I have to do, since I'll now have to deal with the pain. But I believe I'd rather deal with the pain than depend on the pain pill and their own kinda pain they cause, mentally.
I'll let you goes once I get out of here and back to work .
Thanks for your support. Really need it right now, as nobody in my family, nor my friends know anything about this. They all think I've taken a little trip out of town.

[hollydolly4485]

Suboxone is soooo much better than methadone. Suboxone blocks your opiate recepters and also most importantly completly stops withdrawls while you saftly detox. I was addicted to oxy's and percocet and went through de-tox and went to suboxone. Detox will work if you want it to. I know it's sooo scary but it'll be worth it once you're threre.

[teebee1]

Even Suboxine scares me. so far, detox has been really good for me. I just hope the withdrawals are almst over by the time I get out. I know 4 days is not long to be in detox, but I've had hardly any  signs of withdrawal since I've been in. I've felt pretty good actually. I just have the feeling the boom is going to be lowered on me the minute I walk out! Guess if that's the case, I'm just going to have to be strong and suck it up.
I'll let you know how it is once I get out.
thanks for you support. really need it right now.
Let me know if you ever need anything. I'll be here.

[Jebs317]

Hi,
  My first detox was in a hospital.  I also didn't want to take sub or anything else that I could get addicted to.  They gave me catapres.............it helped a lot.  I think it is a blood pressure medicine?? not really sure, but I know it helped a lot.  I had a great experience while in detox and met some wonderful people.  It was the first time I realized that there were other people going through exactly what I was going through.  I learned a lot too.  They required us to go to 4 NA meetings a day.....some had speakers and others were group therapy experiences.  It helped a lot.
I relapsed after 30 days.......I only went to a few meetings when I was at home.
Now I have detoxed at home (18 days) and I think aftercare is what I am missing.  
Good luck to you..........I am glad you are there and getting help!
Kristen

[teebee1]

I was scared before I wnt to detos too, but it was the best decision for me. I'm glad I did. It has been relavtiveley painless. I haven't really met anybody here, as there doesn't seem to be many people here on this floor. I actually have a private room o\at the end of the floor, and as I walk around, I see that most rooms are empty. I'm in a little known detox that's in a private hospital. What scares me now is leaving. I don't know what knind of withdrawals I'm still going to suffer, and I have to deal with my family when I get home. I'm almost contemplating getting a hotel room for the next couple days just to see how I will be handling it. that will make a total of 6 days clean. any idea howl long the withdrawals will last. As of now I fell as if I'm not in withdrawals at all. but I know that will change after I'm off all the meds they've been giving me to curb them.
jow dod you feel when you got out?

[LeaAnn807]

I applaud you for going into detox!  That is great, and it's something that alot of people are unwilling or unable to do.

To ease your mind a little......When I did inpatient detox, the doc never let anyone leave until the WD symptoms had subsided.  They should keep you until your vitals are stable and until you are over the worst of the WD.  That said, the emotional stuff will still be there when you go home.  There's no way around that.  Going to meetings will help a lot.  Keeping in touch with your doctor will also help.

My point is that you should let your doc know if you aren't feeling well enough to go home when he gets ready to send you.  That could be a BIG mistake!  I also do not think that the 2 Methadone pills you were given will cause any WD for you.  You should be fine as far as that goes!  

Good luck to you!

TH

[Jebs317]

I can totally remember that feeling of fear when I left detox.  My experience was that the medicine they gave me in detox helped with the withdrawals so much....that when I got home, I felt worse than I did when I was in there.  I don't know why.....but I didn't want to take any scripts home with me......and they had offered them.  I just wanted to try it on my own.  Don't get me wrong.........it felt great to get home, but I just didn't have a lot of energy.  This time, detoxing at home, I suffered bad the first few days.........but now I feel great.  Still fighting the lack of energy, but that's pretty normal.
Find out if they are going to send you home with anything that will help with withdrawals.  They may have you come in each day to get enough for 24 hours??  I have heard of that too.
If your family isn't being supportive....that will make it hard.  I definitely like the idea of a hotel room...........a place to stay where you feel comfortable, but not all the way home yet.
Do you have one friend or family member that will stay with you and be suppportive?  That would be a huge help.  
My advice while you are there is to learn as much as you can.  Ask for recovery workbooks, information about addiction..........anything that you can read will help  you learn more and also keep busy.
One thing I found out is that the Addiction nurses and doctors that I met were awesome and incredibly willing to help!  Talk to them and/or counselors if they are available at the hospital.
Good luck and you are right where you should be!  I am proud of you!!!!
Kristen

[teebee1]

That's kinda of what I figured. That you would feel worse when you got home. If they do offer me any meds to take home, I will definitely take them. At leat for a very short period of time. They plan to hook me up with a pychiatrist and a counselor when I get out. because I have an anxiety disorder, which I have had all of my life. I quite taking my meds for that becuase the pain medicine seemed to do a better job at relieving anxiety as well as the pain. I was on xanax and paxil for 8 years and somehow I managed to quite both of those with minimal problems, which amazes me, as I know xanax is highly addicting. I just didn't take very much.
I just want ot feel normal again. I just hope I can keep it together until. I'm scared, because I have to go back to work Monday and hae to try to act normal while trying to do a very physically challeging job.

Thanks for your support

[teebee1]

p.s. Nobody knows about this, so I'll be on my own in the hotel roon. Hopefyllu I can find a drug cousenlor that I can talk to over the phone, initially, at least for the first day or two, until I can talk to someone person to person.
Hopefull, I can also use this forum for some support.

[teebee1]

I don't know if they'll let me stay after 4 days, shether the withdrawls are over or not. My insurance only pays for 4 days. They told me from the beginning that they do not send you home with any medicine. but may I can talk them into letting me come in every 24 hours, as you said. Worth a shot.
If not, I guess I'll go to my meetings and be a strong as I can. Maby after I see a pychiatrist and therpist, I can get headed in the right dircetion.

[avisg]

With the amout of time they had you on the methadone it would have not mattered if you had taker sub or methadone so you are fine there do even worry about that .make sure you do get recoverycare as soon as you get out .I hope you will be ok keep in touch let us know how u are

[Jebs317]

The people on this forum are the one and only reason I have gotten to where I am today.  Yes, it took willpower, but they are so helpful and inspiring.  Just read some of the stories.....they will give you chills and tears!!
Now that I am feeling better physically, I find that it helps me mentally, to help other people who are just starting out.
In the first days of cold turkey and horrible withdrawals, it helped me to hear "I know what you are going through."  
I did the detox in the hospital back in August....long story!  Came out clean for 30 days, used again..........detoxed at home........used again.......and then detoxed at home this time and have been off for 18 days.
It's a work in progress, but am glad that I have done it this time again.  
You are right where you need to be....and as Tramahater said....tell your doctor at detox that you don't feel strong enough to leave.....
I remember when I was in detox......the insurance played a big role in who got to stay.  I have insurance and could only stay 4 nights.  I felt ready to leave, but some people weren't.  I can remember people asking (begging) to stay....and they were told "no."   Like I said earlier......I met some fantastic people in the hospital....we got to know each other's stories real fast.  I remember my roommate crying because she knew if they made her leave, she would be high by that night.  They did not make her leave.  To this day, she is sober.....we have kept in touch.

You can do this.........just keep posting.
By the way.....how did you manage to get a computer into detox??  They wouldn't even let us have a hair brush!!

Keep your head up!
K

[teebee1]

The hospital told me befor I even checked in to make sure I bring books & a laptop, if I had one. They said to bring anything that might make me cinfortable. So I did. May be that's why my stay hasn't been so bad. They also let me wander around and go outside for a soke if I need one. Eveyone is very friendly here, and the nurses and doctors anre very helpful and informative, i would reccommend this hospital to anyone. It's based in Las vegas. Not the best place to be if you trying to get off drugs or alcohol,since there's such an abudance here. Buy I live here and it's benn very good for me.

[Jebs317]

That's great that you can keep busy.  We were pretty much isolated for the 5 days, but it was still an incredible experience.  The people I met (some came and went) but there were about 12 of us that were there together.....they became my lifeline.  We laughed, cried, were scared etc......together.  I can remember when I left how scared I was to leave the comfort and security of that place.  I wanted to get home to my son more than anything......but it was still horrible to leave.
Doesn't your family know you are there?  If they don't, I completely understand that!  I have done this without my family knowing too.  Just couldn't take the disappointment they would have for me if they knew the truth.
Now that you have come to this forum........you will not be alone.  The people are incredible.....and I will fight this battle with you!  We can do it!
K

[teebee1]

Glad to know I'm not the only one doing this without including my family, I just hope they don't notice a big change in me when i get home. I'm mostly counting on the suopport I get from you guy to help pull me through this. I've been through worse with the only support I had was through professionals, although it it had nothing to do with hydo addicition.Ihave an anxiety disorder which I mamged to take care of on my own, with a proffessional help & medication.. My family never found out; I guess the lortabd evened out my anxirty, I guessI didn't feel I need thr medication anymore. STUPID! Guess I'll have to get back on them now,

[teebee1]

Sorry for my spelling throught these posts. I'm a lttle bit out of it right now. Last night I had ambrium and liobrium and a 5 a.m. today more librium and ativan. Little tired now. Goona getsome sleep. I;ll talk to ya ater.'Thanks to everybody!

[teebee1]

I'm awake again alreay. Even though I'm on these meds, I still have this underlying anxiety in me that won;t quite let me relax.Did you have any problems like that?

[Jebs317]

I absolutely had anxiety.  It hung on for a while........but became manageable.  Now that I'm not high from pills.......I have all these emotions again.  Good ones and bad ones.  You definitely see things clearly now.  
For me......that's when the guilt started.  I am still beating myself for all of the money that I spent and for the stupid things I did.  Things I would never dream of doing now....but when I was taking pills, I didn't think things through.......just did them!
My family knew when I went to detox.........but don't know that I started taking them again and don't know that I had to detox at home.  I went to Easter dinner at my sister's house on day 3 of detoxing myself.  OMG......that was the hardest day ever!!
I don't think I could handle their disappointment if they knew I went back on them.....so that motivates to stay off this time for good.
You can do this.............
Kristen

[teebee1]

That's the one thing I can't stand, is the paralizing anxiety. I hate when it turns into panick attacks and you have rambling thought and no concentration, I never spent any money on hydro's , as it was all prescription by one dr., so ther's no guilt there. I never went chasing them or anything. Just simply refilled my script and was good to go. I just hope I didn't get my doctor into trouble over this, because he had no idea I got addixcted to them. he thought he was helping me live the quality of life I wouldn't have had with the pain. That's about the only guilt I'm carrying right now.