Vicodin, Dramamine,

[concerneddaugherinlaw]

My mother in law was taking 2 vicodin es along with 4 dramamine every 4 hours all day long.  The doctor has now diagnosed her with "chronic pain" and is giving her pain patches.  Will she still withdraw from the vicodin if she quits taking it?

[CRUELLA]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to this form. I have been reading thru a few of these questions/answers and I wish I had known about this site/help years ago.

I am in recovery now, again, with the help of Subutex. I have been fighting my addict for 10 years. I did have a six year sober time, but I fell down again on September 11, 2001. I woke up from a surgery and found out the "State of Our Nation." Not only was this hard to comprehend, but my husband was also informed he had been re-actived into the Navy, he was leaving for War. My entire world just started spinning and my new friend Morphine was there to make everything all better. HA!!

Before I started taking Subutex for my addiction to Vicoden and Soma, I found myself in a lot of trouble. I had been arrested for the first time. I got caughty forging false prescriptions. I am 36 years old and have never been in trouble with the law. I now have charges in two states. I live on the border of Idaho and Washington. I am scared out of my mind. I have 2 little girls 5 and 3 years old. I do not want to have to leave them. Any advise?

I am in my third week of taking 24mg of Subutex. And I am doing pretty good. I think we finally found the right dose. I started out with 16mg and slowly moved up from there. I still do not have the energy I had when taking the Vicoden and Soma, but I do not have any cravings. I was taking up to 75 - 10/325 Norcos and 20 - 350mg Somas every day. And no one knew I was addicted again. Not even my husband. My Dr. and Counselor have been great. They have known me for 10 years and call me on my bullshit all the time. I've gone through 4 in-house treatment centers. The first three were for my husband, he wanted me to. The last time was for me. I was ready. I had to divorce my husband of 13 years if I wanted to LIVE and stay clean. He is a Doctor and loves to party, cheat and beat me.

I would like to thank everyone for your great insite and help you've given to others. Sometimes I feel like your taking to me.

Has anyone had a good report for taking Subutex?

Take Care and God Bless! Thank you all again!

Jacquie - Cruella is the name I've given my addict. I have 2 dalmations that have helped me thru this nightmare the first time and they still continue to help today.

[mrmichael67]

As was stated, she will not have withdrawal symptoms if she goes on the patch.  She can take other pills, but dosages may need to be adjusted as I do know valium and other cns depressants could have an additive effect.  If irritation develops, you could spray the area where the patch is going with Azmacort.  That has been used successfully in the past.

[CRUELLA]

I want to thank you Mystere for finding me at the bottom of the listing/threads. Giving me the information to go up to the top and post was very helpful. Thanks again! Hope all is well for you.

[dru123]

What is the best way to taper off Duragesic Patch. My doctor had me on 50 UG Hr. for 8 month's. I took it exactly like I was supposed to every 65-75 hrs. with no other medication, and I never abused it. This last visit, I decided to try and go down to 25 UG Hr., and that's what he prescribed against his advice. I felt a little off for the first couple of patch's, but now at the end of the month, I'm fine. The pain is a bit worse, however my "get up and go" is alot better. I have another appointment on Monday, and I would like to try and come off of the patch all together. Unfortuantely there is no lower patch than 25 UG Hr., and I'm uncertain how to taper lower. If I was to switch onto 20 or 40 mg's of Oxy, will I go through withdrawel? I was hoping to taper down the Oxy to 10mg, and than onto Hydro. as needed. Any advice??? It seems on this forumn "Duragesic" is the worst for withdrawel's. Thanks for any experience someone may offer.

[peaz]

Good Morning and thanks to Hippy, Steve,Chezz, Golden, Anne, Rodewc, Amber,and anyone else I forgot to mention---Things are a little less intense today (what a difference a day makes....LOL) and I thank you all for your insights.  Hippy, perhaps NA WOULD be better for me...but it is a new, very small group that is just getting off the ground, and I'm not sure how credible it is yet. Perhaps I could be a real asset there?  Maybe it's something to check out.  I'd have to see if their mtgs mesh w/ my wacky schedule.  Steve---DAMN, MAN!! Throw your cell phone AND your money away!!!  LOL I wish I would have seen your post last night, so I could have written you some little motivational ditty.......it's times like that  when you need the fellowship of this board the VERY MOST>>>>>I hope to God you renounced the narc sirens and  kept focused on your detox and recovery. WHATEVER you decided, please keep posting and don't give up!!Chezz--you did take a board hiatus and it sounds like you're doing some med evaluation, too, like so many other pain pts here.  Good luck-I still don't know how ANYONE w/ chronic pain can be responsible in their treatment, and I salute your integrity.  Golden, My sponsor seems to "talk the talk", but I know for a fact she doesn't have a large amt of sobriety amassed......I didn't want to bluntly ask her, (too intrusive?? I'm not sure why..)but it seems to me that she had 5-6 yrs or so and then relapsed, and has maybe 3 or so now.  WHATEVER--that isn't  as crucial as her and I being on the same wave-length, really.  While I don't think she is necessarily on shaky ground, I think her tunnel vision is the hazard that is impairing our bonding.  Anne, I think what you said touched on that idea:  Her inability to respect any other type of recovery is bound to get in the way, and would naturally make her leery......(that was a really good point!) But I don't think she has even ENTERTAINED the idea that I have a different approach--she just thinks I'm "floundering" because if I ain't fully in AA, then I am NOWHERE......See what I mean?  I still think I need to get another sponsor, and I'd love to get another home group so it isn't a big ol' awkward event everytime I go to a mtg., or else I'm unlikely to go w/ any regularity.  This group fits into my schedule so well, and is MUCH closer than any other will be...****, anyway.  By the way--I re-read my post from yesterday and the language was appalling.......I am sorry to all of you.  I can express my feelings w/ out sounding like a truck driver.(Which means no offense; I am a Teamster myself..!!!)  Anyway--I am bound to run into this along the way( to WHERE???LOL) countless times so I might as well get used to it. The fact that I feel strong in my recovery is ALL that matters----do you hear me?  ALL!!!!! LOL  So I am no worse off today than I was yesterday.  In fact, perhaps I'm even MORE determined.  So thanks for doing me the favor, *****!! OOPS---Nasty Lady-------Thanks again you guys. I love y'all......Peazy

[mystere]

I'm sorry about that experience with your sponsor--One of the good things that I did get out of AA was more tolerance and acceptance. (Although it didn't keep me clean & sober)  It did give me a sense of serenity knowing that I could not change other people--I could only change me and my reactions--I don't know your sponsor but maybe she's a little afraid of the responsibility of "signing your forms" which causes her anxiety when your not fully doing the 12 step march. For some reason some people in AA feel extremely threatened by the thought of any other type of recovery therapy! The sad part is that is exactly the type of experience that would give us addicts an excuse to go out and use. Maybe all she needs is a little reassurance--Show her this board--show her your posts to me--show her that by helping other people you are staying clean and sober-- And isn't that what AA is supposed to be about? It may very well convince her that your program is working just fine---(Thank you very much!) Take care Dear heart--you are in my thoughts and prayers--always--Mystere/AKA N.O. Lady

Anne