Signing up for treatment

[DicedPineapples]

Hello
Just wanted to get a little support.
I've been addicted to opiates for 9 years, a good solid 7 years out of those 9 I've been using. Started medically necessary & quickly turned into this.. My husband started when he met me & here we are 7 years later, both needing help. Did tapers, cold turkey & no luck. We both have busy lives so we avoided getting treatment. Called around today & we are both getting into an outpatient suboxone treatment program. Group sessions 3 days a week & individual counseling once a week. I'm nervous but excited. I feel little to no energy now & a Slave to these stupid things.
What can we expect?
Has anyone here succeeded?!
Im tired of spending every extra dime & being in debt for this crap.
Please give me advice, tell me what to expect.
Will we have energy on subs? Less? More?
I can't wait to leave this all behind.
Thanks! ?

 

[neversickanymore]

Hey DicedPineapples and welcome to BL.. Congratulations on making the descion to fix the situation. Opiate dependency ends up being such a curse. A good friend of mine used to look over at me when we were both fully hooked and smile and shake his head.. "worst thing in the world, worst thing in the world"

You may experience some negative symptoms associated with the switch over. But you will certainly experience some very positive ones. Subutex has a very long half life so you can stabalize and no longer be facing up to and experiencing the rollercoaster of full opiate agonists with short half lives. The difference in your life is bound to be amazing. You can also do many things to address any negative side effects, though negative side effects with subs are usually minimal and of very short duration.

As far as what to expect with the out patient treatment, you will likely find yourself meeting allot of good people from different walks of life that are trying to beat the same thing you are. Us addicts are a strange bread thats for sure, but generally pretty big hearted people. argumentative, opinionated, emotional good hearted people. Is it a twelve step based program?

If you want to share what an average dose ond of what looks like over the course of your guys day people may be able to better predict how your transition will go.

I made it out of the tunnel after very heavy use for a very long time.. I feal great and no longer really even struggle.. so if I can do this shit so can you!!!

 

[herbavore]

It is great that you and your husband are going into this together--would have been a whole different ballgame had one of you elected to make the jump without the other.

To get the most out of the program, whether it is 12-step based or not, try to overlook minor things that may not sit well with you at first. Any program develops dogma and where there is dogma there are going to be fanatics but throwing the baby out with the bathwater is never useful. Try to reach deep into what you are hearing and make meaningful changes inside using whatever tools feel best to you. You and your husband may connect or not to very different aspects of the program and it will be important to give each other the space to explore and grow in your unique ways.

Good luck and keep us posted if you can.

 

[DicedPineapples]

Thank you so much for the replies brings tears to my eyes to hear positive that came out of such a horrible thing such as opiate addiction. We are both taking around 70 mags a day each, sometimes more & at times when things are low, less. I know it doesn't sound like much but without we just don't feel normal & experience some pretty miserable symptoms. Our lives must go on though & it's getting harder & harder. Hubby works 14+ hour days doing hard labor & I'm a homemaker so we have no room for down time. You wouldn't think so but it gives me butterflies just thinking of group meetings & a start to a new life. We support each other fully & know this is the only thing we haven't tried so we want to give it our all & turn this ship around. Again thanks so much for the replies. I'll be sure to update! We both are going in for our evaluation & be put on the wait list which is max 2 months. 2 months will fly right by & I just can't wait!

 

[Jabberwocky]

amazing congratulations, oxycontin nearly destroyed my life @ 2 grams a day usage, went to rehab have been clean for almost 2-3 months now, was the wisest decision I've ever made and it sounds like it will be yours too. really well done. proud.

 

[DicedPineapples]

amazing congratulations, oxycontin nearly destroyed my life @ 2 grams a day usage, went to rehab have been clean for almost 2-3 months now, was the wisest decision I've ever made and it sounds like it will be yours too. really well done. proud.

Thank you! I've never wanted help as bad as I do now. Like my husband said, "we can lean on each other & life will be so much better!" I can honestly say, opiates are the main source of problems. Money, worrying if we will have them.. It will be nice to not worry where the next dose will come from or if it comes through!
Will my energy levels decline like they do during & post withdrawal? Will I feel those awful symptoms like anxiety after taking my dose? What is group therapy like? Soooo many questions lol I just can't wait until that day.