I'm sorry that you are going through such a rough time. I commend you for wanting to get informed about your husband's disease. It will help both of you get through this. Unfortunately addiction is a disease that never goes away...you will both be dealing with this forever but it can get better and stay better from here on out with hard work!
First, many facilities still use methadone for detox. Heroin, oxycontin, vicodin, percocet etc. etc. are ALL opiates. They are all essentially the same "drug" but in varying forms and with slightly varying effects. Really, the only difference between heroin and percocet is that it still sounds "bad" in society to be a heroin addict, but somehow percocet is more acceptable! it's all the same....
Detox from methadone can be very bad, but that is when someone has been on methadone for a longer period of time as in maintanence treatment. If your husband is in a detox facility, they will know how to dose and monitor him so that he does not become physically addicted to the methadone while they get his body off of the other pills. But he will still have some symptoms such as restlessness, stomach problems, insomnia, anxiety, irritability...these can last a while.
As far as how long he should stay in the detox, he should stay however long they tell him too! Definitely defer to the doctor's on that one.
The hardest part of detox is that even once your body is "free" of the drugs, you are by no means all better. In my opinion, that's when the real work has to begin. Almost all of us have made the mistake of thinking that once we can get off of the drugs, we'll be fine and will never use again. Then, we get "clean" for a week or so and are sidelined by the emotional pain, and our lack of ability to deal with the real world now that our buffers are gone. The depression can be unreal. I HIGHLY recommend that your husband go to some type of inpatient rehab, for at least 28 days. This will give him at least a little time to get the tools for how to live clean and sober. Again, 28 days will by no means be a cure, but it's much better than just a week or so in a detox. He needs to learn about how to get support, about the 12-step programs, about the relapse process and how to spot it...well, as anyone on this board who has been to rehab can tell you, there is ALOT to learn about how to even begin to live a sober life. Plus, the support he'll get from other addicts there is invaluable. It's indescribable.
Furthermore, you need some time to get help for yourself. You have been thrown into a spin cycle of emotions here I'm sure. There are plenty of people to support you, such as Al-Anon groups or family counseling through the rehab centers. It is VERY important that you get support and education for yourself, not only so you can be there for your husband, but also so you don't lose yourself in this process.
About suboxone, it does exist and for many has been a miracle medication. It can be used solely for detox, or for maintanence. It is similiar in theory to methadone, in that it is a replacement that fills similiar receptor sites in the brain, but is longer acting and not as addictive as the other opiates. it also does not provide anything like the euphoria the other pills provide. I used to call it the warm-centered-narcotic-calm! But since the suboxone does hit the same receptor sites, it can do wonders for staving off cravings, helping with depression and anxiety and basically everything. If you do an internet search on Suboxone you'll find a wealth of info. And the detox facility your husband is in will know about it even if they are not using it yet.
I hope that i haven't flooded you with too much info. I just really want to impress on you how important it is have continued support for understanding that this is a life-long, chronic and potentially fatal disease. But it can be kept successfully in remission with the proper attention and care. PLEASE look into a longer term rehab for your husband. I'm sure other people on this board will back me up that no matter what the excuse is for NOT doing it, the bottom line is that it is absolutely necessary. I don't think anyone goes happily skipping off to rehab, but almost everyone I know who went found it a wonderful experience.
Please keep us posted and ask whatever questions you have!
First, many facilities still use methadone for detox. Heroin, oxycontin, vicodin, percocet etc. etc. are ALL opiates. They are all essentially the same "drug" but in varying forms and with slightly varying effects. Really, the only difference between heroin and percocet is that it still sounds "bad" in society to be a heroin addict, but somehow percocet is more acceptable! it's all the same....
Detox from methadone can be very bad, but that is when someone has been on methadone for a longer period of time as in maintanence treatment. If your husband is in a detox facility, they will know how to dose and monitor him so that he does not become physically addicted to the methadone while they get his body off of the other pills. But he will still have some symptoms such as restlessness, stomach problems, insomnia, anxiety, irritability...these can last a while.
As far as how long he should stay in the detox, he should stay however long they tell him too! Definitely defer to the doctor's on that one.
The hardest part of detox is that even once your body is "free" of the drugs, you are by no means all better. In my opinion, that's when the real work has to begin. Almost all of us have made the mistake of thinking that once we can get off of the drugs, we'll be fine and will never use again. Then, we get "clean" for a week or so and are sidelined by the emotional pain, and our lack of ability to deal with the real world now that our buffers are gone. The depression can be unreal. I HIGHLY recommend that your husband go to some type of inpatient rehab, for at least 28 days. This will give him at least a little time to get the tools for how to live clean and sober. Again, 28 days will by no means be a cure, but it's much better than just a week or so in a detox. He needs to learn about how to get support, about the 12-step programs, about the relapse process and how to spot it...well, as anyone on this board who has been to rehab can tell you, there is ALOT to learn about how to even begin to live a sober life. Plus, the support he'll get from other addicts there is invaluable. It's indescribable.
Furthermore, you need some time to get help for yourself. You have been thrown into a spin cycle of emotions here I'm sure. There are plenty of people to support you, such as Al-Anon groups or family counseling through the rehab centers. It is VERY important that you get support and education for yourself, not only so you can be there for your husband, but also so you don't lose yourself in this process.
About suboxone, it does exist and for many has been a miracle medication. It can be used solely for detox, or for maintanence. It is similiar in theory to methadone, in that it is a replacement that fills similiar receptor sites in the brain, but is longer acting and not as addictive as the other opiates. it also does not provide anything like the euphoria the other pills provide. I used to call it the warm-centered-narcotic-calm! But since the suboxone does hit the same receptor sites, it can do wonders for staving off cravings, helping with depression and anxiety and basically everything. If you do an internet search on Suboxone you'll find a wealth of info. And the detox facility your husband is in will know about it even if they are not using it yet.
I hope that i haven't flooded you with too much info. I just really want to impress on you how important it is have continued support for understanding that this is a life-long, chronic and potentially fatal disease. But it can be kept successfully in remission with the proper attention and care. PLEASE look into a longer term rehab for your husband. I'm sure other people on this board will back me up that no matter what the excuse is for NOT doing it, the bottom line is that it is absolutely necessary. I don't think anyone goes happily skipping off to rehab, but almost everyone I know who went found it a wonderful experience.
Please keep us posted and ask whatever questions you have!
