HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!!

[MED HELP INTERNATIONAL]

Within the next day or so, we will have a new addiction medicine specialist available to answer questions in this forum.  We know that you will appreciate his generosity, as he's volunteering his own time & expertise to help people in need.

Please help us by making sure that each new question is indeed a question and not just a "good morning" wish, or other such communication.  Because of funding & time limitations, the doctor will only be able to accept 2 new questions each day.

We'll give you more of the details as we get them....

Best wishes,
Cindy & Phil

Med Help International

[groovygirl]

I'd like to find out what's going on with Subutex - the new FDA approved Buprenorphine.  I have called several doctors in my area to find out if they know anything about it, and they don't.  Most of them have never even heard of it.  It's frustrating for someone like me who's waited over a year for this to happen.  Now that it has, I cannot find a doctor who's knowledgeable.

[Starraven]

Just going to throw in my two cents from my experience since finding the MEDHELP site.  When I was at my worst and didn't know where to turn I did a search on withdrawal and ended up here, but on the Question and Answers "ask a doctor" page.  I must have read a hundred posts from people asking about withdrawal.  The response from the doctor was always the same. "You will benefit by seeing an addiction doctor"  " I suggest you go see a doctor that specializes in addiction" ect ect.  Some of the people really took alot of time to explain their situation in a post only to have the doctor by pass all the questions and suggest an addiction doctor. (which is fine and good for some people, but at that point I was already on day ten, eleven ect)  THEN I found this forum.  Real people, real addiction, real stories.  Just reading all of your posts has helped me more than the Question and answers site ever could.  I know the doctor has to protect himself in offering advice, but I sure hope this forum doesn't turn into the same thing as the question and answers site. I'm only on day 22 because of this site where I can read about others in the same boat as me.
Hope I did not offend anyone with my two cents :)
Suze

[Bodymechanic]

I have to disagree with you on this one. General information may be given and questions answered without forming a doctor patient relationship.  We do it all the time here in our medical clinic.  If a doctor is really paranoid then the phrase..I am not recomending this but..can be used to make it crystal clear that there is not a doctor patient relationship.

Peace

[dru123]

I can't ever seem to post a "new" question, so I will write it here and see if anyone can help me. Here's the deal. I have several herniated cervical disc's which give me pain anywhere from 2-9 on a pain scale. My doctor originally put me on Vicodin ES7.5/750 1 x 4/6 hrs a day. After 2 month's on it he switched me to Oxycontin 20mg x 2 daily. I tried that for 3 weeks however I started needing more to control my pain, but in higher quantities 40-60mg x 2 daily it made me sick(Throwing up). My doc switched me to Duragesic Patch 50mcg x 72hrs. and occasionally 75mcg x 72 hrs for bad stretches(I've been using the patch for approx.7 weeks). I still use Vicodin ES for breakthrough on occasion(approx. 10-15 vikes a week).My wife and I would like to start having kids, however my drive is "nil", and my performance is pretty poor. I want to stop taking the patch as well as the Vike's. I don't have any mental addiction, and can't wait to get off this stuff. My doctor doesn't seem to know anything about tapering and withdrawel, and says "just stop taking the meds". I've tried a few times, and I start getting physically sick.  I've been on these meds since June 6, 2002(4.5 monthes)and I want to give Celebrex, or Viox a try. My doctor will prescribe just about anything I ask for as I have taken the meds exactly as I've been told, and never call him for early refill's or lost meds. In fact, I gave him back 50 Oxy's when they were making me sick and he wanted me to give the patch a try. What should I ask my doctor to prescribe to taper me down from this patch/vikes? I want children, and am willing to be in pain for a while if need be. I just don't want any type of withdrawel's. Please tell me what I should ask him for. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Thomas02]

I'd be willing to tell people to see their doctor for half the amount.

[mrmichael67]

Med Help does have a disclaimer that will effectively remove them from any liability.  Their doctor can offer more advice than was given in the past.