Harm Reduction Progress Mega Thread

[Cane2theLeft]

Recently its become apparent that the more mechanically-natured OD forum and support-focused TDS forum leave a gap that many are trying to fill in areas such as the Suboxone/Buprenorphine Mega Thread. A great community has developed in the OD forum in areas such as these but unfortunately, steering threads away from their original purpose makes locating the vital information on these subjects more difficult for people unfamiliar with the forum.

In an effort to address this from multiple angles and serve as many people as possible, we've decided to try to create a new home for this discussion where some of the important regular members of OD can offer their insight and support, share their stories and we can all come together as a community.

The success of this project relies on all of you to make this an important part of OD's progression into the future. A key aspect of harm reduction is meeting people where they are at and while TDS is a truly wonderful forum, people can not always be entirely open there due to the risk of triggering others as well as being exposed to people with very set views on recovery and addiction. Previously OD did not have a location for this type of discussion so it has sprung up in the suboxone thread as well as numerous journal-style threads where people chronicle their attempts at tapering/quitting and other problems.

This thread is to allow us all who feel at home in OD to be able to have our own place to connect with each other and progress into the future.

We'd like to create a singular place where people struggling with drug use and addiction can come together and be understood without judgment and without derailing other necessary initiatives in the OD forum.

*Progress Thread Guidelines*

1. All aspects of the OD guidelines and BLUA apply
2. Abuse and disrespect will not be tolerated
3. Please report any problems to OD staff that you come across using the '
   
   ' button in the bottom left corner of posts.
4. Posts should be related to your progress, problems, and related issues and this thread is not intended to act as a general social thread - please direct discussion other than the above to the appropriate area.

 

[Jabberwocky]

bumping up to top of forum as this was moderated and unallowed.

 

[Been&Done]

Thank you all for the effort and a big congrats for the thoughtful idea, i think we needed a place like this.
Can i even post now? or is it still just mods? Goodnight for now, dzzz...

 

[catcalls]

Well, I'm not rattling from Subutex anymore in the mornings with the help of Kratom Tea. Sometimes, during the evenings, I get a slight discomfort so I take a lil' extra Kratom tea to help with the Subutex withdrawals.

Some days are harder than others with coming off the heroin. I mean, it's been 4 years and it's still hard not to think about scoring some nights of the week. The longest I've gone without a bag is 8 months during there past 4 years. I feel if I make it through one year clean ~ then I've broken the 6-8 month habit I've gotten.

Is this the sort of post for this thread? Or should I stick to the Subutex Megathread?

 

[Jabberwocky]

You mean unapproved?

don't sass me, boy!

Thank you all for the effort and a big congrats for the thoughtful idea, i think we needed a place like this.
Can i even post now? or is it still just mods? Goodnight for now, dzzz...

whoa, hang on, who let these noobs in?

the thread is open to for everyone now.

Well, I'm not rattling from Subutex anymore in the mornings with the help of Kratom Tea. Sometimes, during the evenings, I get a slight discomfort so I take a lil' extra Kratom tea to help with the Subutex withdrawals.

Some days are harder than others with coming off the heroin. I mean, it's been 4 years and it's still hard not to think about scoring some nights of the week. The longest I've gone without a bag is 8 months during there past 4 years. I feel if I make it through one year clean ~ then I've broken the 6-8 month habit I've gotten.

Is this the sort of post for this thread? Or should I stick to the Subutex Megathread?

yep, this is the right thread! we don't want the bupe thread and other threads littered with these types of thread hence the creation and trial of this thread.

4 years and you still have strong cravings? damn. how long were you using before that and at what level?

i'm coming to a halt from opiates and will be the first time i've been (almost completely) cut off for longer than a month in the last 6 years. the last 3 years in particular have had heavy(ier) use on and off at periods with benzo addictions thrown in. i've also ceased benzo use.

naturally i'm scared but i've come to face with it all. if things do get out of hand trying to manage my chronic pain i do have places to turn if i'm in dire suffering.

it's giving me the opportunity to reassess my pain again, sober! i'm doing daily cardio work as well as weights 3-4 times a week. i've a lumbar-spinal condition and need to concentrate more on my core area, buttocks and thighs. cycling is helping somewhat.

i was just a little apprehensive about the idea of this thread initially but i'm more than interested in seeing it's development

 

[catcalls]

removed.

 

[Jabberwocky]

^that's the kind comment/s that won't be tolerated and will be removed. if it gets that bad from certain users then they will be dealt with using the disciplinary system.

this isn't a free for all social and single sentence input. it's a group discussion on our progress while on the path to recovery. outlining your plan would be a good start.

let's keep this an intelligible discussion, please.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I have been recently experiencing some of the worst pain I have ever been in. Besides for being under anesthesia, I haven't taken any full agonist opiates after the surgery despite how painful the metal plate + screws were at first after the nerve block wore off.

I have still been on buprenorphine for a while, no cravings. I had to raise my buprenorphine dose to 0.1 mg to be able to get more adequate pain relief (which still was only taking the edge off).

I am also still struggling to do some of the positions that my arm naturally would be in, but I am doing much better than I was at first.

I hope everyone is progressing well through 2011 thus far, because it has certainly been the most challenging part of my life to date.

 

[LivingOnValium]

I find it surprising how many threads are closed down or moved into other forums nowadays. And the situation has remained like that for a while now.

I dunno if moderation has got stricter than before or is it just the n00bs these days, lol!??

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

Possibly both, I know this is off-topic but CH, best of luck with your arm man, I know it hurts.

On topic, however, I feel like OD has gone a long way since I started actually posting on it, and its been a good thing. All the basic questions have been quickly moved to BDD and Cane actually reopens threads when people PM him

I'm proud to see OD where it is today. I know there will always been some crossover between Other Drugs, The Dark Side and Healthy Living...but you all are doing the best job anybody could.

 

[Been&Done]

I've been making good progress lowering my dose of buprenorphine. I've been IVing it to make it last longer (as everyone knows, shits expensive w/o insurance). Currently on 0.0666666mg a day, and gonna step down another decimal or two in about a week.

Yes, the shit is expensive but, it keeps getting cheaper. I got my Roxane ones from N.Y last May, for very expensive, then the Teva from Buffalo in Nov with 30 % off the Roxane ones, then a few days ago, got the Teva again for 40% off the Roxane. Between both times with Teva, as you might already know, i was forced by unfortunate events to change to yukky Suboxone which were a little more expensive than this last time. Someone on here, told me that the prices keep changing from month to month, and from pharma to pharma, and I think i believe that.
What's up with plugging Subs? Convinced myself that its o.k to put something up by behind and did it twice, but I was still with the orange fuckers, and mentally i wasn't accepting them with any ROA. I actually haven't felt good for that whole month on them, I had constant headaches, as i have reported many many times on here Maybe give it another shot up the peter with Subutex, like i heard a fellow BL'er say made me really smile.

JC, i just recently found out you that you were a mod on here a while back, read some of your old posts like i have been doing for educational purposes, its amazing how 90% of all questions or inquiries seem to be repeated throughout the years. You seem like a good person over all. Peace man

Once again, glad about this thread, let's keep it interesting and informing. Thanx again mods, good job.

Over and Out :D

Just realized how many smileys are on this post, but will leave them anyway, hoping that i'm not breaking any rules, haa

 

[Been&Done]

I have been recently experiencing some of the worst pain I have ever been in. Besides for being under anesthesia, I haven't taken any full agonist opiates after the surgery despite how painful the metal plate + screws were at first after the nerve block wore off.

I have still been on buprenorphine for a while, no cravings. I had to raise my buprenorphine dose to 0.1 mg to be able to get more adequate pain relief (which still was only taking the edge off).

I am also still struggling to do some of the positions that my arm naturally would be in, but I am doing much better than I was at first.

I hope everyone is progressing well through 2011 thus far, because it has certainly been the most challenging part of my life to date.

I hope your arm is doing well. As i read about your plate, i remembered that i broke my arm at the age of 8 and had a metal plate with 6 screws for a whole year. One of the docs told me that my broken arm will heal and become stronger than the other one, but i thought he's just saying to making me feel better. A few years after the removal, I had the plate in a pendant to show off at school, and i realized that i am using that "healed" hand more often in opening jars and stuff! Another doc told me that this was the case because i was at a young age when i broke it, and that the metal plate makes the young bones stronger. So Capt, are you 8 or 9 by any chance? Then maybe your broken arm will only heal to be perfectly normal again

Once again, may i ask why you didn't use full agonists to ease the pain or even benzos, if i remember correctly? After all, "raising" your dose to 0.1 mg is not that much, at all. Was that your tapering plan for Bupes and you don't want to mess it up?
Hoping you feel healthy and restored soon

Maybe, i'll try plugging Subutex soon, i heard that it's the closest to IV, i wouldn't know since i never IV'd in my life, and thank God for that. knowing myself very well, if i had liked it, which is very probable, there would have been no turning back. I'v been sniffing substances since the Opium Wars! Curious to know the long-term effects. (noticed that when i quit H, the hair in my nostril started to grow again)

Edit: After reading the whole post, i remembered that i asked you this question in PM, and you did answer me, but i will leave it anyway.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

I find it surprising how many threads are closed down or moved into other forums nowadays. And the situation has remained like that for a while now.

I dunno if moderation has got stricter than before or is it just the n00bs these days, lol!??

Its a combination of both... partly a natural response to the forum shifting to a more focused harm reduction perspective and partly due to an influx of lots of newer posters used to other drug forums out there.

This thread isn't about the progress of the OD forum though, but about the progress of our OD members.

So how's everyone out there doing?

 

[Sorce]

I am down to about .75 mgs per day and I have enough suboxone to last me for another 7 days or so. My goal is to get down to .1 mgs before jumping off, or even .1 every other day if i can make it last that long. I am struggling with cravings to use my DOC (heroin) but I try to keep myself from doing it....my biggest fear is when I jump off from the suboxone I will not be able to resist the urge to use my DOC and then I will be really fucked when I go into W/D from that!

edit: also I have been using my DOC once every 1-2 weeks and getting super high from it even when I take the suboxone 8 hours before...I swore to myself that the last time I did it (a week ago) would be my "last time" but we all know how that goes...

 

[Cane2theLeft]

In nearly anyone who has ever been addicted to a drug, a quick taper is insufficient to get rid of the addiction. Addiction affects so many aspects of your life that you have to treat it from many angles and it takes more than gradually reversing your tolerance and physical dependence to transcend this beast.

I'm not saying everyone should be going to AA or inpatient rehab, but you need to find some way to address what lead to your use and what resulted from it or those cravings will continue and you'll keep cycling through all of this.

You can't half-ass the process to sobriety, that's just ensuring that it won't last.

 

[Sorce]

i've been to an in patient rehab where I got on the suboxone...before that I was on X dollars or more a day of premium quality H, I almost died more times than I would like to admit. At least now I am on the suboxone, have a great girlfriend, a decent job, am in a good school, and only using once in a while....but it's time to stop this madness entirely. I should probably go to AA or NA but I never really liked those groups. It is hard for me to understand why I am sitting here now struggling with the urge to use my DOC when I know my girlfriend will be home from work in 2 hours and having sex with her will end up being much better than the drug induced impotence of H lol.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

That's the hold that opioids have on people. Its not rational and its not logical. That's why so many people call it a disease - you can't just will it away.

I can't stand AA and NA and when I'm an addictions counselor soon, my work will likely want me recommending it but there is SOME benefit. The reason I think 12 step programs have a place for so many people is that they provide accountability, support and keep you focused on recovery so that you can keep progressing forward. Otherwise, you'll just be sitting at your computer on BL thinking about H!

12 step programs aren't the only way to find support/accountability and keep your mind on topics other than drugs and there are alternatives to traditional 12 step programs (SMART, rational recovery, etc.)

The point is that you need to find something to replace the whole quitting drugs leaves.

 

[caseface99]

This thread isn't about the progress of the OD forum though, but about the progress of our OD members.

So how's everyone out there doing?

Pretty good, It's been a full week since i last took suboxone and I've felt better every morning for the last 2-3 days. Just gotta ride it out now. Still taking about 6-7 grams of kratom twice a day and .2-.4mgs of clonidine at night for sleep/skin crawling/slight restless limbs and it works pretty well. Taking advil or tylenol when i feel hot and it seems to help but haven't needed any the last couple days. I'm feeling a lot better about the jump off this time, maybe because i know i won't be back in new jersey for a long time and i only ever crave heroin and relapse when i am in Jersey. It's weird, I've been living at my girlfriends aunts house outside Chicago since September and been sober the whole time I've been here with no cravings what so ever. I got to Jersey for christmas and the second i get to my house i wanna take a ride down to the hood.. I don't know why. I even got offered coke when i was in Frisco looking for an apartment and it didn't phase me even though i used to be addicted to IV cocaine. Something about Jersey man.. I don't know.

Either way I'm doing great. Start the drive out to Frisco this friday, so excited. Still don't have much access to computers so it will probably be a couple weeks before I'm back to posting more than once or twice a day. Gonna get my laptop fixed asap after i move into my apartment.

Thanks for this thread by the way. In response to a comment leftwing made in the bupe thread responding to me, nobody EVER told me that my updates were against the rules of that thread. Not once, this is the first i am hearing it. Yes maybe my updates lead to off topic discussion, but my posts themselves were never singled out as being off topic. Either way thanks cane and everyone else who made this happen.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^Yeah, its not your or anyone else's fault for posting this type of stuff in other threads. It was never explicitly against the rules, just didn't exactly fit in those spots and make it more difficult for people to find basic information on suboxone and other topics so we had LOTS of basic threads being started rather than people finding what they needed elsewhere.

I think we've already gotten off to a good start here and I look forward to the progress of the progress thread.

Thanks to everyone who has jumped right in! I was nervous that this would just get ignored.

 

[muvolution]

i'm coming to a halt from opiates and will be the first time i've been (almost completely) cut off for longer than a month in the last 6 years. the last 3 years in particular have had heavy(ier) use on and off at periods with benzo addictions thrown in. i've also ceased benzo use.

naturally i'm scared but i've come to face with it all. if things do get out of hand trying to manage my chronic pain i do have places to turn if i'm in dire suffering.

it's giving me the opportunity to reassess my pain again, sober! i'm doing daily cardio work as well as weights 3-4 times a week. i've a lumbar-spinal condition and need to concentrate more on my core area, buttocks and thighs. cycling is helping somewhat.

i was just a little apprehensive about the idea of this thread initially but i'm more than interested in seeing it's development

cycling has been a godsend for me. Are you riding road or MTB? I find that road is smoother and better for physical rehab.
Whatcha ridin (brand wise)?
Another thing - I've been doin pain management for quite some time and just now got prescribed these Lidoderm patches for localized pain (I don't know why I couldn't have gotten them 6 months ago) and they are AWESOME! I would definitely try them if it feels like your pain is even remotely close to the surface. I'm pretty sure they are generic and fairly cheap also. Personally, I have the 5% one's but I think they go up to 20% lidocaine.

(funny story - I was visiting a jobsite for work the other day and needed to change the patch, so I did and one of the electricians (who looked a little sketchy) was like "what are those?" and I just said they were patches for some pain I have. So he's like Fentanyl? and I'm like, no man, just simple anesthetic. Later I saw him digging the patch out of the trash. I hope my foot sweat smells/ tastes good when he tries to get high off it, haha)

Anyways, thanks for this thread, there is definitely a place for this on the site, I'm really liking it.

In my news, I am fully off the subs and back onto my old PM meds, but this time I am being super responsible and they are working much better and more consistently.
Just hoping I can keep smokin the MMJ while I'm on PM. We'll see how that goes, and it is a weird gray area in the law, something I see people having problems with on here once in a while, and hopefully the government will clear it up one way or the other.