Need some help with an issue

[desurion]

Hi,

I am currently in a suboxone program, after being an oxy/heroin addict for over 7 years.

I have other posts about this if you want more history about me, but I am switching from suboxone to methadone (not looking for advice on this or people telling me not to do it, its my only other option)

The problem I am having is that unless I can provide proof that I've been an addict for over a year, their going to put me in a 90 day detox program. The first 30 days they get you on a stable dose, the other 60 they taper you off.

I KNOW this isnt going to work for me. By the time I'm halfway thru the taper ill be out using... I know me, I know my body, I'm NOT ready to come off maitenance within 90 days. My ex had the same problem... went to rehab last year for heroin, got into the detox program because she had no proof of addiction over 1 year, and it was horrific. She was in serious w/ds as soon as they started tapering her, and they do it 5mg at a time, for everybody according to their set schedule, no leeway based on your condition or how youre responding. She was using herion by the time she got down to 20mg, and her w/ds arent even as bad as mine and she is stronger with this mentally than I am.

I know this is going to be a problem. If you read my other posts, suboxone isnt working for me anymore. Its never been THAT great for me compared to other people, I was always always sick within 8-12 hours when everybody else is fine for 24+. Now its at the point where an hour after I dose, im sick. My doctor finally realizes how bad it is and is coordinating me thru the transfer. There are no other methadone clinics within driving distance that are by a different company, their all the same dispensary with the same policy. The only other one allows you to be in with a letter from a family member or somebody close to you notorized explaining that youve been an addict. Here it has to be a doctor or lawyer, neither of which there is any documentation of for me, but the issue is that they cant take me because of where Im located because there are other clinics closer to me and Im not in their "range", so I'm forced to go to this one... They also told me that a transfer to another once im in there may not be possible...

What do I do here? I cant be in a 90 day methadone detox, I know for a fact it wont work and itll be terrible for me. I cant stay on suboxone because its not working, and my doctor agrees so its not even a possibility. There are no other clinics around, their all owned by the same people except that one and they cant take me... How to I come up with some kind of doctors documentation saying that Ive been an addict for over a year?? Ive only been in treatment on suboxone for 4 months. My doctor knows that I have been a long term addict. You dont have somebody whos been an addict for less than a year come in for suboxone induction and feed them 6 2mg strips without them having any sort of high or personality change. If I was a short term user I'd have been high as a kite from that. Im on 16mg a day and its not even touching me... Its obvious that I was a long term user just by my symptoms, my w/ds, and my body handles these medications.

Is there anything at all that I can do??? I am completely out of options and this is going to wind up killing me, literally, if I use again... which will happen with a 90 day detox or no treatment at all. Please if anybody has any advice its very much appreciated. Im not sure if this is in the correct spot so im also posting it in OD, if I'm incorrect mods please delete whichever is in the wrong spot (sorry)

 

[Phil.McKeer]

No offense OP, and i know this isnt the answer you're looking for, but I'm reading a lot of self-limiting beliefs in what you have written.

I have no doubt that buprenorphine is not having the desired effect and that a 90 day methadone detox/taper will be less than ideal, but it just seems like you make it out to be more impossible than either really is, inserting artificial mental limitations in your mind where they will create a self-fulfilling prophecy of defeat.

I didn't see if you mentioned how much you were using and what your ROA was (x amount per day, IV/snort/smoke etc). Can you share that info with us so we can help you better?

My experience has been that buprenorphine is a miracle molecule and small amounts are highly active and powerful. It is different for everyone nevertheless, and methadone may prove to be better for you, who knows.

All I can say for sure is that if I go into something with the belief that I'll fail, it will increase my chances of failure to almost certain levels. On the flip side, if I go into the same task with confidence, it will likely result in a completely different outcome.

IV users of 10+ years have kicked cold turkey. Its been done.

 

[herbavore]

How do they expect people to "prove" that they have been addicted for more than 1 year? Is this a common practice? What is the intent?

If your doctor knows, can he/she not write something for you?

 

[desurion]

its rediculous... they think hey if theres no evidence of it over a year, then you need a detox program because they assume you havent been an addict that long... its stupid... my doc cant because while he believes me and because of his experience he knows im not lying and that I am a long term addict, theres no physical evidence of it... ive been an addict for 7+ years and the only reason there isnt anything on paper before this april is because I never tried to get clean... I dont know how they expect people to get better if they arent willing to help them. Im at a dead end here. On monday I'm calling the clinic that said I'm out of their service area for because they are the only other clinic that isnt owned by the same people, and all they need for a maitenance program instead of a detox is a family member or close friends letter saying how long ive been addicted for and how they know me (which is all any of them should need... if my mother or sister writes a letter saying how theyve watched me nearly die and destroy my body over the last 7 years that should be enough)... but theyre denying me because im outside of their "area" when im around 15-20 minutes away, and im paying cash, and they have plenty of room... should be enough for them... then I asked the one that wants to give me the detox program if I just decide to join theirs and transfer to another before the 90 days is up, they said its unlikely that I can transfer because it "looks" like I'm just trying to "clinic jump" when Im just trying to be on maintenance... idk ive never seen anything like this. Im going to have to try to look at some outside my area but driving an hour a day there and an hour back is so stupid when I have one 5 minutes down the road, one 15, and one 20 minutes away... ill have to go to the hour a way one until I get 3 months of clean urine which isnt a problem considering ive been clean for 6 months.. but that 2 hour drive every day is going to get annoying and expensive in the meantime. Still probably cheaper than the $50 in copays for the office and $100 for the suboxone script + $50 in gas to drive 45 minutes there twice a week for suboxone, which is what im doing now. Ugh this is such a pain in the ass...

 

[Matheus]

Hi,

I am currently in a suboxone program, after being an oxy/heroin addict for over 7 years.

I have other posts about this if you want more history about me, but I am switching from suboxone to methadone (not looking for advice on this or people telling me not to do it, its my only other option)

The problem I am having is that unless I can provide proof that I've been an addict for over a year, their going to put me in a 90 day detox program. The first 30 days they get you on a stable dose, the other 60 they taper you off.

I KNOW this isnt going to work for me. By the time I'm halfway thru the taper ill be out using... I know me, I know my body, I'm NOT ready to come off maitenance within 90 days. My ex had the same problem... went to rehab last year for heroin, got into the detox program because she had no proof of addiction over 1 year, and it was horrific. She was in serious w/ds as soon as they started tapering her, and they do it 5mg at a time, for everybody according to their set schedule, no leeway based on your condition or how youre responding. She was using herion by the time she got down to 20mg, and her w/ds arent even as bad as mine and she is stronger with this mentally than I am.

I know this is going to be a problem. If you read my other posts, suboxone isnt working for me anymore. Its never been THAT great for me compared to other people, I was always always sick within 8-12 hours when everybody else is fine for 24+. Now its at the point where an hour after I dose, im sick. My doctor finally realizes how bad it is and is coordinating me thru the transfer. There are no other methadone clinics within driving distance that are by a different company, their all the same dispensary with the same policy. The only other one allows you to be in with a letter from a family member or somebody close to you notorized explaining that youve been an addict. Here it has to be a doctor or lawyer, neither of which there is any documentation of for me, but the issue is that they cant take me because of where Im located because there are other clinics closer to me and Im not in their "range", so I'm forced to go to this one... They also told me that a transfer to another once im in there may not be possible...

What do I do here? I cant be in a 90 day methadone detox, I know for a fact it wont work and itll be terrible for me. I cant stay on suboxone because its not working, and my doctor agrees so its not even a possibility. There are no other clinics around, their all owned by the same people except that one and they cant take me... How to I come up with some kind of doctors documentation saying that Ive been an addict for over a year?? Ive only been in treatment on suboxone for 4 months. My doctor knows that I have been a long term addict. You dont have somebody whos been an addict for less than a year come in for suboxone induction and feed them 6 2mg strips without them having any sort of high or personality change. If I was a short term user I'd have been high as a kite from that. Im on 16mg a day and its not even touching me... Its obvious that I was a long term user just by my symptoms, my w/ds, and my body handles these medications.

Is there anything at all that I can do??? I am completely out of options and this is going to wind up killing me, literally, if I use again... which will happen with a 90 day detox or no treatment at all. Please if anybody has any advice its very much appreciated. Im not sure if this is in the correct spot so im also posting it in OD, if I'm incorrect mods please delete whichever is in the wrong spot (sorry)

You should be able to have your current suboxone doctor confirm that you've been in treatment. This may require you to consent to you doctor forwarding all of your patient history to whatever doctor you'll be transferring to. That's really the only way to prove that you've been in treatment. Just know that without your consent, your doctor cannot share you medical history with anyone. So be sure to let him know that you're ok with your records being transferred.
Good luck, I've been on buprenorphine for over three years now and it's been tough at times, but mostly it's kept me from buying pills off the street. It can be a miracle drug for addicts if used right, but obviously it make not work for everyone. Good for you for trying to find an alternative.