bender2,
Hey there - great job on your recovery! I am on day 22 recovering from opiate addiction.
I know that the WD's can be very uncomfortable. I am using Suboxone to help get me through the WD's... I believe the dr said I will be on them for a month. So far, I have been instructed to use 4 Suboxone per day. I think next week it will start to go down. Especially if I will only be on them for 1 month, so I would think he will start my taper soon.
I went through detox for 1 week, where I was started on the Suboxone (the week I was in there, I was also getting 4 Suboxone per day) & continue to get them since I am going through them for aftercare. My coucelor suggested I do 90 meetings in 90 days... so I have 3 meetings a week with my group through the facility a week (Mon, Wed & Thurs), then I can go to meetings outside the facility (NA or AA) the other 4 days a week. I have been considering trying a Sober House once I am done with my 90 days... but to get into a Sober House I will have to do 30 meetings in a 30 day period. Since I have missed a few this month... at least I know I will have my 3rd month to make sure I make all 30 meetings if I actually decide that is right for me - which I haven't decided yet. It's tough b/c I have a daughter who's almost 5... which is why I never decided that I
was going to do the Sober House or not & it's just been an idea I've been
considering. Plus, I will see how I feel at the end of the 3 months, weather I feel I really need it or not.
Anyway, I know there are dr's out there who can prescribe Suboxone if you want to look into that. Just be careful b/c I have heard that many of them are extremely expensive - something like $250 for the dr's visit, then $250 for the script for 2 weeks worth of Suboxone b/c it's not covered under insurance... which I am not sure why b/c mine is, but maybe it's b/c I went through the detox & am still in their program? Not sure... just as I said, be careful & be sure to do your research & find out as many questions as you can over the phone before booking an apt! The Suboxone deffinitely helps get you through the WD's, especially the restless leg, sweaty, irritable, sleepless, etc... part.
Something that I have learned through my group meetings at the facility is that it's harder for addicts recovering from opiate abuse to get back to regular sleeping habits b/c of what the stuff does to our body & mind. One thing that helps, that trust me I do know it's hard to get into, is exercize... especially if you can save the exercize for night time, then go to bed. It helps get our body & mind back into regular mode instead of having the opiates do the job for the body & mind. Our body & mind have to get used to not having the help there... & the part of our body & mind that helps us get to sleep has to come back out of hibernation & get used to working again. Exercize is the best way to do this... even if it's just taking a good long walk every night before you go to bed & working up slowly to an actual workout.
One thing to remember, that I find is very important to remember, is that it's recovery is easier in the beginning & it gets harder as time goes on b/c we can easily loose the motivation & drive to be clean/sober as time goes on! So, if you can get into a good, healthy routine that includes eating healthy & exercize now, it will be best & easier for you in the long run. I think it's so much easier to get these things started right away not only for that reason, but also for the fact that the beginning of recovery is when we start to follow a new lifestyle (one without drugs, most importantly)... so why not start by also changing those other bad habits in our life, such as starting to eat healthy & exercize?
Best of luck to you & please continue to keep us updated!
~DL
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