Julie29

Hey Everyone,
Just an update from my appointment with the addictologist today. He was great..totally non judgemental and very helpful. we just talked for the most part and of course I burst into tears..I am not a crier but It was just such a relif to talk to someone in person about it all. He said I had come a long way on my taper already and to keep a journal of exact times and dates and amounts and that he felt I was doing pretty well there. I used alot of what Phil and Spark told me and he thought it was good advice.

He gave me a couple of perscriptions one I have head about here the clonidine and another neurological drug (non-narcotic) that was used in a study of addicts..alcholics and opiate users which seemed to someone greatly reduce the cravings and help the WD's as well . I will post the name of it tomorrow when I get it filled (I can't read his handwriting on the RX).

He is a former addict himself and has been treating addicts for approx 50 years. He's going to retire soon so he really didn't want to take anymore patients on...I got lucky that for some reason he returned my call and decided to treat me.

He also VERY STRONGLY advised me to go to AA/NA...I was like "no..no..I'm scared, what if someone see's me and I don't know..I feel so vulnerable already...I don't know if I am ready to go "out" with this. So he said alot about it (he attend's meetings) and told me he would go with me if I wanted.

He also gave me a book to read. I have to see him once a week and talk to him every day or every other day. He also told me about Methadone..he used to run a methadone clinic. We also talked about suboxone and that's still an option. He really thinks I can do this with the medications and therapy and willpower. He has more faith in me than me right now. I exhausted from spilling my guts...but I do feel even more inspired and resolved. I will post more tomorrow about that other medication for the craving's...he said something about it "fooling" your opiate receptors..yet it is not an opiate. Hope you are all well and have a good night! Julie