Heroin addict and suboxone addiction

Treatment and medication
1

My boyfriend has been a heroin addict for over 10 years. He joined cdt (drug team)

2 years ago and got on a suboxone script,which was great as he cud function like

a real person now and go to work.

Within 6 months of treatment, they forced him to cut down even though he kept

Telling them he wasnt ready yet.

He is self employed so cant be off work long.

they told him withdrawls last 2 weeks.

I explained it is more like 4-5 weeks as ive been thru this myself

He reduced on suboxone and suffered with bad withdrawal symptoms especially in his back, but he works

as a joiner so he has alot of physical work to do.

After suffering 2 weeks of withdrawals, we rang the drug team for help with the pain and went to see his doctor

But no one would help him.

when coming off suboxone didnt work, cdt wouldnt take him back into treatment, said he wud have to apply

again as a new patient.

He didnt have time with work to go through weeks of meetings again before getting a script and he didnt want to start

Using heroin again after doin so well on suboxone, so he buys suboxone on the street and has been doing for a year now.

However this isnt ideal so he has tried to get into cdt again and OMG this is hard work

After going to 3 weeks of appointments and speaking to a case manager

They said the medical team wont prescribe him a script because he has to deal

With his back pain.

We tried to explain the back pain was as a result of withdrawals but the case manager

wont listen and thinks he started taking heroin and now suboxone for back pain.

Im scared if my boyfriend just stops the suboxone use himself and not in a controlled way then it will kill him. Also im scared

and so is he bout ending up a full blown heroin addict again.

Ive passed my concerns onto cdt but they dont care and just keep telling us to see his GP about managing his back pain.

How this is going to help him get off opiates i dont know

Can anyone please advise how my boyfriend can get help

Thank you

2

Hi Jazzy..  I am in the US and have been on suboxone for 4 years now.  The clinic I go to, does NOT push people out the door or make them cut down on their doses.  It is all up to me when  and if I want to lower my dose.  The only way they make you stop them, especially so fast, is if you keep getting a positive drug urine test for other drugs besides suboxone.  Is it normal there to stop people so suddenly, when following thier rules?  If so, that's terrible and can imagine your frustration.  If your boyfriend get get a script for Gabapentin from his doctor, I have heard it does wonders for withdrawl symptoms.  It's really an anti-siezure med, but is used off lable for pain, withdrawl, anxiety, depression.. ect.  It's an easy script to obtain because it's not a narcotic.  With his back pains, he should be able to get one.  Also.. if he needs treatment, do you have methadone clinics from where your from?  I was actaully on methadone first for 2 years, but switched to the suboxone because I didn't like the side effects of the methadone, like sweating and weight gain.   If there are no other drugs maintnaince programs anywhere in your area, then perhaps look up some natural treatments for withdrawl symptoms, as there are many that can help him get threw this.  Best wishes..

3

Jazzy, I am so sorry about what you and your boyfriend are going through. On the bright side, you cannot die from withdrawl from any opioid (including herion) — you just feel like you will ; )  

Is the back pain from the muscle spasms of withdrawl? The term 'kicking it' comes from the muscle spasms that result from opiod withdrawl; some people have them in the arms, others the legs, an maybe others the back! A muscle relaxant may assist. Also sugar (hard candies, chewy candies, whatever) for some reason helps with cravings (but you don't want a diabetic on your hands either). 

I don't know where you are located so I don't know what services may be avaiable to you. It seems that the "opioid crisis" hitting North America is making a lot more causualties than it is preventing. For instance, by not providing access to any opoid-based medication (including suboxone). So, people go to the streets, buy heroin (again, or even for the first time) to either cure their pain, or their withdrawl symptoms—any many end up with fentanyl instead and die of an overdose (it is a vicious circle that the system is perpetuating [not solving] and as a result are leaving productive hard-working people with no options and often a death sentance). It is a crazy and sad state of (policy) affairs. 

I take morphine for pain and have for years. I don't take it for 'fun' but have of course become physically dependant. When my doctor retired I had trouble finding a new one, and when I did—despite him saying he had 'no problem prescribing opioids' he reduced me by 25% on my first script. I too am self-employed and this quick/high reduction led to withdrawl and pain!!! I lost more work than when I was driving to a pain clinic 3 hours away every 2 weeks (something he promised I would no longer have to do). I am now down to about 50% of the dose that my previous doctor and I spent years getting right (a mix of short- and long-release). As a result, I can no longer work afternoons or evenings becauase I am out of medication by then (I used to work until midnight or later, but now stop at 4:00 pm). My doc wants to reduce me further to about 15% of what I was taking, but has no other options for me to deal with pain (and I have no other way to get my script). Everytime I see him my 'pain score' increases, but he says "oh only 1.7 points out of 10 overall isn't bad", but isn't the purpose of doctors to improve (not degrade) the quality of life of their patients? I thought so. 

This holds true for your boyfriend as well. Someone who was functioning and working should not be pushed to the street for drugs, or pushed to social assistance because they can't work anymore. 

If you let us know where you are located, there may be someone who can help you here. People on this site are very supportive and non-judgmental—you came to the right place and that is a step in the right direction. 

One thing that may be of interest, when my doc dropped me by 25% all at once he prescribed 'Clonidine' to help me with withdrawl (great thanks doc). However, it is primarily a blood pressure medication, and although clinicaly proven to help with the muscle spasms, tummy pains, sweats, chills, etc. I already have low pressure (usually around 85/60) and it made me almost faint all the time (so withdrawl, although not as bad as cold turkey, is what I had to deal with; oh and he was 'so proud of me' ; ) ). 

I wish you both the best, let us know where you are and maybe someone can help you find the servuces you need. No citizen of any country, state, province, should be left themselves, particularly someone that works, and wants to work for the good of themsleves and society. 

Keep the faith. Blessings to you both. 

4

Thank you for your response. We are in the uk and I think they are tryin to save money with nhs so make u jump thru hoops to get a script and dont want people on suboxone for years.

I think this is crazy and doesnt work. I was on heroin for 10 years, then suboxone for 4 years.

I detoxed off suboxone when I was ready 2 years ago and im still clean

I will speak to his doctor about gabapentin, as id never heard of this before.

Thank u so much for your advice.

You have definitely been more helpful than the so called "professionals" ive been talking to for weeks now.

5

Thank u Judi for your response. I agree no one shoild be left to deal with this themselves.

We live in the North West part of the UK.

I hope someone can help us.

Otherwise we are just goin to have to buy more street suboxone and i will have to help him detox myself

6

So sorry, I am not in the UK, but if I find some time today I will check out what may be available. I do have some relatives in the UK, more in the religious industry than in healthcare, but some of the religous organizations offer compassionate healthcare services to people like your boyfriend... 

In the meantime, try to get some soboxone on the street (just try to ensure it isn't cut, and is actually suboxone... almost impossible I know) and try to wean, gradually. I would suggest NO MORE than 10% a week (or even a month). That should keep him active, working, and able to manage/deal with the withdrawl symptoms. Cold turkey really sucks, but it won't kill him (however, I also understand how 2-3 weeks off work sweating, twitching and feeling like you will die can put one on the street—we all have bills to pay). 

Good luck. I hope to have some more info for you soon. You sound like a great partner and he is lucky to have you. Keep loving and caring, he WILL get through this with your support. 

7

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8

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