Drug Methadone

Question by PandaBear22904: “Recovering” from vicodin but really have a legit back problem..?
I guess I should give a back story first..
I was on pain meds (roboxin, darvocet then vicodin) on and off for about 10 years (im 23) for an injury I got from some bullies in 7th grade.. My mother passed away in 2007 and my psychical pain was increased by emotional pain and suddenly I was taking up to 16 vicodin a day. To be honest I wasn’t taking it for the feeling. The pain was so intense that I kept taking more and more.. I come from a family of addicts so as soon as I started to feel it was a problem, I sought help. Last year (10/17/08) I started on Suboxone, had a bad reaction then a month later got on Subutex, 8mg a day. Its a year later and im still on this medication but down to 4mg a day.

Lately the pain in my back has been so severe that I can barley function. The subtex barley helps and its EXTREMELY expensive to take it JUST for pain. My doctor is convinced that this pain is all in my head and I should just continue on my subutex program since it helps my pain. Its $ 60 every two weeks and $ 9.00 per pill. I get 8 pills every 2 weeks.. That’s $ 1440 for visits and $ 1800 for pills a YEAR! I have insurance but in the beginning I was instructed not to use it so they wouldn’t find out i was “abusing the medication I had a prescription for” It slipped once and the pharmacist ran my insurance about 10 months ago..

So here are my questions:

1: Is there a way that I could get off this stuff and be put on a drug considered addictive if I use it properly and am monitored? The only reason I started this program to begin with was not because I was an addict. I was dependent on something and feel Ive learned my lesson.

2. Am I screwed if I do get back on something like vicodine since they did run my insurance awhile ago?

After reading other posts im starting to think that ive been given the run around and being taken for my money. For the medication I was taking and the amount I was taking, there is NO way I should be on this, this long.

As much as I wanted to be “clean and normal”, this pain is too much to handle. Im convinced that I can do this. Taking the amount subscribed to take the edge off is all I want now.. I just don’t know how to go about doing that.. Or maybe this is a horrible idea? I don’t know.. I need help…

Best answer:

Answer by Rachel
I don’t think your doctor should have ever prescribed you suboxone or subtex, I realize you were taking 16 vicodins a day, but suboxone is generally used for bad bad opiate addictions, like to heroin users or people who are shooting oxycontin.
I’m surprised that you doctor did that and put you on such an expensive medication when it probably wasn’t necessary. I’d suggest telling your doctor you want to stop the subtex. (I think they need to kind of ween you off of it, not totally sure though.) And I’d suggest trying a few other approaches to help with your back pain before getting back on any other pain killers.
Are you overweight? That could be putting extra strain on your back if you are. I’d also suggest trying massages and maybe accupuncture or even a chiropracter (I’m not big on any of these but because you previously had an addiction problem with the vicodin I don’t think it’s the best idea to jump back in with it) and take ibuprofen everyday.
Good luck, perhaps see another doctor and get someone elses point of view.

Answer by LoneRanger
ah, I agree with Rachel, but here lies the real problem. Suboxone has increased your dependence. Even at 4 mg’s a day, that is equal to 200 mg’s of morphine, which is equal to your greatest hydrocodone use, and that is assuming you were taking the 10 mg hydro’s.
anyways, yes, the sub was a really bad idea and it is not intended for pain, although it works good for pain in dogs, lol.

To further complicate things, an opiate addict always has increased sensitivity to pain. I was on suboxone myself, i have a bad back, and a host of other painful problems including needing a hip replacement, and my pain was unbearable on low doses of sub and even worse when i went off sub…but 17 months later the pain is not bad. The point is, you won’t know what your real pain level is until you have been off of suboxone for a year or two, and you really are too young to go through a life of addiction.

The other wonderful piece of news i have for you is this…all opiates can cause PAWS, but suboxone and methadone almost always do cause long term PAWS )post acute withdrawal syndrome) which is a fancy way of saying you will feel like crap for a looong time most likely, although your youth does help.

You have some heavy decisions to make…but yes, you should be able to get regular pain meds prescribed again. You may need to go to a pain management clinic to get what you need though.

i urge you to research sub and what i mentioned here, about needing some time off opiates to determine your real pain levels. don;t throw your life away…even a life with some pain is better than a life lived revolving around pills and doctors and withdrawals and health complications from opiates.

Good luck.

www.subsux.com

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