Journal

Just an update for my millions of loyal readers...I had to go into a long-term outpatient Suboxone treatment program because the length of time I've had to wait to get into the various non-drug therapies I've been looking at has just been too long. Still waiting, in fact.  My back was so bad for awhile that I couldn't move hardly any muscle anywhere on my body without getting unbelievably intense stabbing pains that made me cry out involuntarily.  My legs weren't working right either, due to neuropathy, and I had the pleasure of falling down a time or two.  That was NO fun, believe me.  After a couple weeks of that I went to the Suboxone program.  Suboxone isn't as effective on pain as some of the other meds I've been on, but it doesn't have as many side effects either.  I've only been in the program a few weeks and we're still trying to find the right dosage and get me stabilized.  The doc who runs the program says I will need Suboxone maintenance for probably 3-4 months, then we'll decide what to do from there.  I know Suboxone is addictive, just like the other opiates, but it is supposedly not as addictive and easier to titrate off. We'll see what happens...

Write a journal...Well, I have chronic, severe back and neck pain due to multiple problems with my spine and discs and the docs say the problems are inoperable. I've had every nonnarcotic/nondrug intervention I or the docs can think of and none of them were more than slightly effective.  After over 6 years on opiates I just couldn't stand being dependent on them and went to an outpatient suboxone detox clinic.  I was expecting to actually be detoxed, and maintained for awhile on the suboxone for pain management until I could try some of the various alternative therapies again, and maybe find a more effective combination than I have in the past.  Well, a 1 week suboxone detox wasn't long enough for me and I'm still having withdrawal symptoms a week after completing detox, my doc informed me he isn't certified to prescribe suboxone when I followed up with him, and he wished me luck. The detox doesn't do more than 1 week so going back to them is a waste of time.  My back is hurting like all Hell and I can't find a doctor around who will give me the time of day other than to take my money and show me the door.  I have looked at multiple suboxone websites that say I should have been detoxed for a month and maintained for at least a short time on suboxone while I was seeking nonnarcotic treatments. What a deal!  I don't mean to sound angry but this shouldn't have happened.  I'll be lucky if I can get into the various therapies I want to try within the next 2 months and I'm scared to death about having to deal with the pain on my own all that time.