My Recovery (A walk with Suboxone)

[HeavenBoundByBlood]

In short...I have been addicted to opiates for around 3 or 4 years. I was taking 20 norco's a a day (6500 mgs. of ibuprphen 200 mgs of Hydro daily). Some might say thats not that much for an addict, but I'm an addict non the less. I started using initially for a bad back, I'm 6'5 255 and do allot of manual labor at my job and it tends to lock up on me. Anyways, I also suffer from depression and have so for many years. It comes and goes and is triggered by stress. I realized that opiates helped with my depression, but after a while, they too stopped working. I got tired of ignoring Godand the constant obsessing that goes hand in hand with addiction.. I was at my wits end in trying to get off this poison.While praying ,searching the internet and educating myself on various treatment options. Rehab was not one of them. I will not be away from my beautiful wife and 3 wonderful kids.
After feeling self absorbed and wallowing in self pity was told of the medicine Suboxone. After hearing the testimonies on a Chat board I finally found some hope. So my quest for knowledge and a doctor began. I am currently 8 weeks into treatment and I am taking 2mgs of sub daily. I spent hours of research and prayer before my decision to start my treatment and it did stop my cravings and WD's. Before I started I brought my addiction to the attention of some Christian Brothers at work and ask for them to pray with me. My relationship with God has been restored and He is constantly before my eyes carrying me along in my quest for total abstinence from any drug. This medicine Suboxone should only be used as a LAST resort if you have tried all else and failed. It does work, bit you must be mindful as to not become addicted to this med! Less is more with this medicine and I feel many people take way to much. For my habit, even 2mgs. is almost to much and I am going to taper slowly. God gets all the glory for my recovery for He has changed my will.Please keep me in your prayers. If anyone has any questions regarding my recovery/progress I would be happy to answer.

Carried by nail-pierced Hands,
~Tommy

 

[AngelDove1]

Praying for ya....

 

[wmc1982]

May God be with you and for family in your continuous recovery. God has delivered you from this. You just have to keep your body from connecting back to the habit.

1 Corinthians 10:31

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

 

[Momtotwo]

Hello,

I saw your post and I felt I had to reply. I have been addicted to norco, about the same amount as you, for over five years (off and on). I also went the suboxone road at one point (last year) for about seven months, and now I am currently back on the norco.
I was kind of like you, finding no other way out of the cycle of opiates and when I first heard of suboxone I thought it was the best thing ever invented. After some research (I mainly read the sub cite and pamplets on the stuff) I decided to go for it. Of course it worked great, took away all the withdrawls and stopped my cravings and helped me sleep wonders.
So by about 6 months I felt I was ready to let it go. I started at 8mgs of it, went up to 16mgs, then got back down to 8mgs and began to wean from there. I got down to about 4mgs for about 2 weeks and then cut that in half. At 2mgs I felt the withdrawls. I was irritable, hard to sleep, and in constant withdrawl. I then cut down to 1mg for a while but the withdrawl state seemed to just be prolonged. I took my last dose on a monday at 1mg and by wednesday I can not even begin to tell you how insainly horrific it was. Now I have quit vicodin cold turkey, 8 or 9 a day that I had been on for a year or so and that was nothing compared to suboxone withdrawl. I am not trying to scare you, I just want people to know that suboxone has some HORRIBLE side effects.
I have never in my life felt so horrifically and deeply saddened, I have never been sucidal, but the sub withdrawl went on week after week. I could not sleep, the stomach problems were tremendous. At one point I went to my mothers, brought her my kids, and begged her that I wanted to die. I LOVE my kids second only to the Lord but the sub withdrawl litterly changes the person you are and the length of the withdrawl is incrediable. Sub is very sticky and can take many weeks to get out of your system.
I have never in my life felt such depression, sleeplessness (I can not even begin to tell you the many nights I stayed up with twictching legs, crying, and wishing to die). I have never been able to not care for my children, I have never felt so hopeless, so much physical and mental pain. I would hold my breath over and over...taking the next breath was just difficult to do.
I know this is probally scary, I just want to tell you this because when I got on sub, I was told getting off would be far more eaisier than getting of vicodin or anyother opiaite. However if you type the words "suboxone withdrawl" in a search engine you will read so many horror stories. Eventally I ended up getting back on the norco and now I am trying to wean off that with the help of the dear Lord Jesus, although I do know this addiction is wrong and there is no excuse to be on as many norcos as I am taking.
I am telling you this, because I wish I had know what I was in for. I know everyone is different and that the slower you get off the sub (I'm talking breaking one half of a 2mg tablet in to two or three pieces) the better. Sub is SO strong, so going slowly with tiny tiny pieces seems to be the best way to get off from what I have read.
I know what you have been through with norco addiction, and how great sub seems at first I just wanted you to be aware. I will pray for you and please pray for me. I hope you the very best, and everyone is different so of corse withdrawls will vary, but if you are prepared eithier way then that is best. I also have read of people who slowly get off the sub and they have continued in their subriety (sp?) and I hope that for you. Please just take it slow, keep praying, and you can do it!

God Bless you and Please email me if you ever want to talk!

 

[AG]

In short...I have been addicted to opiates for around 3 or 4 years. I was taking 20 norco's a a day (6500 mgs. of ibuprphen 200 mgs of Hydro daily). Some might say thats not that much for an addict, but I'm an addict non the less. I started using initially for a bad back, I'm 6'5 255 and do allot of manual labor at my job and it tends to lock up on me. Anyways, I also suffer from depression and have so for many years. It comes and goes and is triggered by stress. I realized that opiates helped with my depression, but after a while, they too stopped working. I got tired of ignoring Godand the constant obsessing that goes hand in hand with addiction.. I was at my wits end in trying to get off this poison.While praying ,searching the internet and educating myself on various treatment options. Rehab was not one of them. I will not be away from my beautiful wife and 3 wonderful kids.
After feeling self absorbed and wallowing in self pity was told of the medicine Suboxone. After hearing the testimonies on a Chat board I finally found some hope. So my quest for knowledge and a doctor began. I am currently 8 weeks into treatment and I am taking 2mgs of sub daily. I spent hours of research and prayer before my decision to start my treatment and it did stop my cravings and WD's. Before I started I brought my addiction to the attention of some Christian Brothers at work and ask for them to pray with me. My relationship with God has been restored and He is constantly before my eyes carrying me along in my quest for total abstinence from any drug. This medicine Suboxone should only be used as a LAST resort if you have tried all else and failed. It does work, bit you must be mindful as to not become addicted to this med! Less is more with this medicine and I feel many people take way to much. For my habit, even 2mgs. is almost to much and I am going to taper slowly. God gets all the glory for my recovery for He has changed my will.Please keep me in your prayers. If anyone has any questions regarding my recovery/progress I would be happy to answer.

Carried by nail-pierced Hands,
~Tommy

ooh... hard work whae you have kids and a whife to look after aswell as youself...
Will pray or you to have more patience in this situation...
God is working in tou my friend!
God bless!!