Recently off Oxycontin

[Wilcox305]

I am 17 years old and I recently decided (with the help of my family) that I really needed to stop doing Oxycontin. I was doing 40-80mg's a day and upwards of 150mg's when I had the extra cash and would do anything possible to get my fix. I did my last pill the 19th of this month. I pawned my Xbox 360, my $500 subs, and my $1200 laptop to get a quick fix. I even had the money to get them out and I F****** spent the money on a couple 80's so i lost everything. I came forward to my parents and told them my problem and asked them for help. The only thing I asked was that I didn't want to be put into any inpatient program because I didn't want this disease to affect my life anymore than it already has. I am currently talking to a therapist and he is referring me to someone that can get me on suboxone to kill the cravings. I am gonna continue talking to the therapist and be on the medication. Hopefully I can get clean for good. What do you guys think about my plan on getting off of them. Please provide your suggestions.

[Sugah]

Before you make the decision regarding suboxone, perhaps you should read some of the threads that have discussed it here. You may be trading one monkey for another.

Have you considered NA? My final detox (and inpatient rehab) was primarily for oxycontin. I was (re)introduced to NA & AA while in treatment, and it's still what keeps me on the straight and narrow almost six years later. It's a good way of life.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[Lily]

Why are so against inpatient? I did it and it was actually kind of fun. I would also recommend NA. You can do this, do it NOW before you lose even more.

Welcome! Sheila

[hairgirl]

I have been in Suboxone therapy for a year.As suggested, get educated about it before you decide to go on it.Some people can stop taking opiates without it, but I had allot of trouble trying to quit on my own.Exhausting all other methods should come first.
I am sorry to tell you that not wanting inpatient because you "don't want this disease to affect your life anymore than it has", is not a valid reason.It will be with you for a long time and learning how to deal with all aspects of having this disease is the best thing you could do for yourself.

[Wilcox305]

Originally Posted by hairgirl

I am sorry to tell you that not wanting inpatient because you "don't want this disease to affect your life anymore than it has", is not a valid reason.

I am in high school and just because i used drugs doesn't mean I don't make good grades. I have made stright A's all my life and it affecting my education is out of the question because I am going to WVU and fulfilling my dreams... Let's GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!! I don't know why it's stuck in my head that I need subs to get off of it without inpatient other than my friends being on them and having success.. At first my mom was like I am not gonna let you trade one drug for another and after talking to a therapist about it he decided that was the best option (without going inpatient). He said suboxone was some kind of miracle drug. Truthfully I think its just the government trying to stick there greedy hands into the illegal drug world. Thats more like methadone, all that is, is legal heroin or a legal high unless you take it exactly how its prescribed but people can't because it's just as addicting as the original thing. Suboxone is totally different, it levels my head out and makes it clearer than it has been for a long time. I just don't think NA or anything like that would help me out very much because I don't see how it would have a high success rate. The success rate for suboxone is 80% after 6 months of taking it. I'm still and gonna try to go to NA meetings to see how they go for me because it never hurts to try something new. But thanks for you advice everyone.

[tommyk]

If you do every single thing you can possibly do to get clean (including in-patient), and try as hard as you can, putting 100% effort into it, you 'might' stay clean.

Just my opinion. Prioritize.

[ex D-Boy]

Originally Posted by Wilcox305

The success rate for suboxone is 80% after 6 months of taking it.

Where are you getting your stats from?? The success rate for people staying clean after 6 months on subs is A LOT less than 80%. Maybe I got it wrong and you were speaking about something else that subs hold 80% success rate for? You weren't very clear in your post.

As for not going to inpatient program because of your education...your still in Highschool man. Getting good grades isn't to hard in H.S and being that your going into a 4 year university where drugs will be readily accessible, at all times for you, wouldn't it be smarter to handle this problem now before you head into that situation with no supervision(not living at home anymore etc).

Just my thoughts(being a former oxy//heroin addict and only 23 years old at the moment now) Seeing that your addiction has already progressed to where you have pawned multiple items you have for a fix why not take a month off and get the tools needed to maintain sobriety and also give your mind//body a little vacation that inpatient rehab can provide?

I will give more indepth reasons as to why inpatient rehab will provide you with the BEST chance to get and maintain sobriety tomorrow, im very tired tonight and about to go to sleep. Stay safe man ~~

[kj3880]

I did fine on suboxone. I never abused it. I used it exactly as prescribed. I never cheated on it. I was ready to get off the oxys. Desperate. Willing to do whatever it took. I also made meetings, lots of meetings, got a sponsor, developed a network, broke up with my using b/f and friends. So suboxone is only a part of the answer for me. I had to make good choices too. It isn't for everyone. I tried other methods (cold-turkey, tapering) first, many, many times, and they didn't work for me. For me, suboxone was a miracle drug. I don't recommend it to anyone who isn't ready to discipline themselves to a regimen of appointments, taking it when and only when you are supposed to, in the correct dose, and leaving your using friends and lifestyle behind. If you aren't ready to take those steps, don't waste your money.
KJ

[freshstart]

Opiates where my drug of choice. Anywhere from Heroin, methadone, oxy, fentanyl, k4's and k8's all the way to simple vicodin. anything that would make me "not sick". I was on methadone mantainence in springfield missouri for 2 years. it worked for a while but then when all was said and done i was still imprisoned by addiction. for some people that's ok. for me it wasn't. maybe if you use it just to get clean and then try a program of abstinence? nobody here can tell you what is right for you. i truely hope you find the freedom of recovery. i really do. it's so possible and so worth it. good luck in whatever you decide. let us know. we will be here.

[bvaljalo]

If you did your last oxys on the 19th I highly recommend NOT going onto subs. They are for people who are in active opiate addiction who want to, but for one reason or another, cannot quit on their own at that particular point. If you've toughed out the days since then, you're already through the worst of it, and it makes NO SENSE to start taking opiates again just to help with 'cravings' for opiates. Subs may not be as horribly addictive as oxys, but, no BS, they are tough to get off of. What you need is to get clean, and stay clean, and that includes clean from subs, for a while. Your strong physical cravings will naturally subside over time as your brain functioning returns to normal, and your psychological cravings are best handled through working a program of recovery of some kind. Subs are just like 'out of the frying pan, into the fire' for someone who's already quit the dope, and toughed out the bad withdrawals. Don't do it, man.

[serenityqueen]

Hey Wilcox, welcome to SR!

I imagine you're not going to like what I have to say, but it's being said out of care and concern for another addict. I completely agree with Bvaljalo. Although I only know him from posting on here, him and I seem to be two of the lucky ones who, after many, many years of serious opiate addiction have not only survived, but are living a life happy, joyous and free from not only the drugs and alcohol, but all of the BS that goes along with it. And for a lack of better words, I know I've been around the block many times in the 32 years I used before I "finally got this thing called Recovery."

I can undertand you hearing about Sub and thinking that this is the miracle drug that has helped save many addicts lives. I am on Methadone, have been in a program for over 3 years and it has been only a part of my Recovery. Simply substituting one drug for another is NOT the answer.

I first put mysef into a 28 day treatment when I was 18. I tried to do this my way, and my way got me 25 more years of hell. . . my child not wanting to live with me, 2 divorces, 2 times in prison (a total of 18 months of my life) losing just about everything but the clothes on my back . . And that's not to mention the emotional, physical and spiritual hell that went along with it and was much worse than losing the material things.

There's a difference in being clean and being clean and sober. I see many people who are on Methdone or Sub who simply have stopped putting all other drugs in their bodies and aren't working a Program of Recovery and they are more miserable than when they were using. You have to get to the bottom of why you picked up in the first place, work on the issues that surround your addiction and this would include counseling, NA/AA Meetings, not going around any of the old people, places and things that you did when you were using. I don't know one single person who has a successful Recovery of any substantial amt. of time that is able to go around their using friends and places and not use. It's impossible. You may be able to not pick up for a short time, but I can guarantee you if you keep hanging with the friends you did when you used, you will eventually pick up again. I say this from experience.

I know you hate to hear people say, "Oh, your so young, it can't be that bad." I'm not saying it wasn't that bad, I'm sure you feel like you hit your bottom. If that's the case, you have to be willing to go to any length in order to get into Recovery now. That may or may not include inpatient, but stopping the Oxy's or any other opiates and getting on Sub is NOT THE ANSWER. I am not minimizing your addiction but like Bvaljalo said, if you haven't used since the 19th, you are over the worst. Sure, you're going to have to learn how to work through the cravings, but you can learn all of those tools in NA.

Like I said, I am in a Methadone Maintenance Program but this is only because I used for 32 years. My brain/body are basically rewired to function only with a chemical such as Methadone. In my opinion, you haven't been using long enough or heavy enough to need to be on Sub. I'm not minimizing your pain or saying that you aren't an addict, but we all look for the easier, softer way and in your case, going on Sub is simply trading one addiction for another.

You've gotten through the worst so please, put all of that our of your mind. I also don't know where you got your statistics, anyone can "create" statistics and repeat them and it seems many people come to believe that their is some validity to them.

I hope you do make it and go to college and be another one of "us" who can proudly say, "Hey, look at me world, addicts do recover and can live life without getting high or using to just not be sick and to feel normal. Please keep posting, I know I care and I'm sure everyone else who has replied to this post does to . . . or else they wouldn't have responded.

God Bless,
Judy

[HappyHippie]

Hello hello...I was once on suboxone, to help me with the cravings, and you know what? All i did was use that to try and get high. I think i was happy just eating a pill, trying to eat 4 or 5 of them, just to get that feeling. I think that if ur trying to get off of pills, you shouldnt take pills. BUT im not downing you for taking them, i just know what "I" did. One awesome thing about suboxone, is that when u stop taking them you have NO withdrawls! Its wonderful. I DO wish you all the luck in the world, even though recovery is not about luck...but i hope that u can make it. Life is hard when just getting off the dope....stay strong sweetie....

Peace,
Melissa

[bvaljalo]

Thanks for your input, Melissa. Good stuff ...

But ... I have to take issue with this statement of yours:

"One awesome thing about suboxone, is that when u stop taking them you have NO withdrawls"

Maybe you did not ... but that is absolutely NOT the case for, oh, I'd guess about ... 99% of the people who take it. Buprenorphine (aka subs) is a powerful opioid drug, whose withdrawals can be absolutely HORRIBLE if you do not wean down to a low enough dosage before quitting. How bad it is also depends very much on how bad/how long/what you were taking before you got onto the bupe.

I just had to point that out, both for the OP's benefit, and for anyone else who stumbles on this thread. Getting onto Subs does NOT in any way, shape, or form, assure you that you are going to avoid withdrawals altogether. Many people, particularly those who start out with huge habits, and then do not properly wean off of this drug before quitting, have terrible, long-lasting, and very depressing withdrawals.

Subs are a wonderful treatment option for people in certain situations, but the stuff is not to be taken lightly.