Opiate Addiction Relapse
Sections:
* Opiate addiction withdrawal symptoms
* Opiate withdrawal medication
* Managing pain without opiates
* Avoiding addiction relapse from opiates
I have already written about opiate addiction before but I wanted to talk a bit more about relapse and opiate addiction. If you have never really been serious about quitting opiates and living a clean life then here are some things you might want to consider.
Opiate addiction withdrawal symptoms
Most opiate addicts have been through withdrawal to at least some extent before. Generally you will have flu like symptoms and generally feel pretty miserable when you are withdrawing from opiates of any kind. Of course, the severity of your withdrawal will depend on how much opiates you were using, how long you were using them for, and how powerful those opiates were.
Some opiate drugs are stronger than others. This is measured by how strongly the opiate molecules will occupy the opiate receptor sites in the brain. For example, Fentanyl that has been turned into heroin is a much stronger opiate than, say, Hydrocodone. The actual molecules are stickier and more powerful when reacting in the body. So this can change the nature of withdrawal.
Also realize that there will be some delay in some cases based on the strength of the opiates being used. For example, with regular heroin, the detox process happens fairly quickly and there is not much delay. But if someone is using, say, Methadone, then they might go for a full day or two without feeling any withdrawal symptoms until the start to detox. This is because the methadone is “stickier” and stays in the body longer than other opiates. Because of this, methadone can be a particularly challenging detox for an opiate addict.
Opiate withdrawal medication
If you go to rehab, they might give you medication to help you to detox from opiates. There are basically two things they can give you: one is medications to try and treat the symptoms, such as using Tylenol to treat body aches, or a stomach medication to treat stomach cramping. The other route they might take is to give you Suboxone or Subutex, which is a partial synthetic opiate that can help relieve the withdrawal symptoms. When they do this, they do it under the care of a doctor who orders the medication.
Some people will choose to use Suboxone long term in order to help avoid opiate addiction relapse. Although it is expensive, some people take it twice a day in order to stay off of other opiates.
Managing pain without opiates
If you have chronic pain issues then the whole idea of opiate addiction becomes complicated. You need a way to manage your pain in the long run without resorting back to heavy opiate use.
One solution for this is to use Suboxone to treat your pain. This is actually an off label use of the drug but some people have success with it in treating their chronic pain. It is expensive though, and not every doctor will be comfortable in prescribing the medication off-label like this.
You could also attend a pain clinic and tell them that you are an addict and can not use opiates at all. They will work to come up with alternative solutions to treat your pain.
At the very least you could alternate Ibuprofen and Tylenol throughout the day (as directed by your doctor) and also use some holistic techniques such as massage, relaxation techniques, acupressure, and so on.
Avoiding addiction relapse from opiates
In the end, if you are intent on getting clean from opiates, then you will need to take real action in order to prevent relapse. If you are truly addicted to the drugs then this will be no easy task. In fact it will probably be one of the hardest things you have ever done.
There are programs that can help you to stay clean, such as 12 step programs like Narcotics Anonymous. This is a good idea for most people who are just getting clean because there is a lot of support to be had in the meetings and within the fellowship. There is recovery beyond a 12 step program and you can explore this as you remain clean over time, but starting out in the 12 step group makes a lot of sense.
Some people use medications in order to stay off of opiates, but most people do not need to. In early recovery, you are going to have to take massive action in order to change your life and stay clean and sober. This means going all-out and fully embracing a recovery solution for yourself.
In long term recovery, you will need to form healthy habits and push yourself to keep growing as a person.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a husband living with a great woman that has an opiate addiction. She was in active addiction for six years. She under went seven days in a hospital to medically detox. Since then she has been in a 12 step group with Narcotics Annonymous. She had been clean almost seventy days and had a slight relapse. I have a back problem from an old rodeo injury which I recently had to be prescribed opiate medication for. I hid the bottle from her but she still found it and took several pills. I have since gotten scheduled for surgery but, am having to use the medication for temporary relief. I worry that she will relapse again if I keep any of the pills near the house. She has expressed to me that she has dreams about using, and still mentally wants the drug. I am so upset that my medical problem is feeding her urge to use and am angry with her and myself for even bring this demon that has haunted our lives for so long back into my household.
I have tried many times to find a ala non group in my area for support for myself but, have had no luck. I am deeply concerned that if my lovely darling wife begins using she will either die or I will have to leave her to keep our children from being hurt by her using any longer. I am begging for help for my family and don’t know where to find it. If there is help for me please someone contact me via e mail. Thanks.
@ Zane – I would seek out an al-anon group online. Chat rooms and message boards. There are many out there, just use a search engine.
I would also urge her to get professional help in a rehab center.
Good luck to you.
I am going through a similar situation. I have been married to my wife for 25 years and my wife has been on opiates fir the last 4. I did finally get her to rehab for a 28 day program, but I just don’t know if she is going to make it. I believe she wants to, but she has put me through the ringer especially in the last year. I am confused and do know what
To do.
It is possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?If you choose to read my blog from the very beginning you will see that I HAVE DONE IT! Opiate withdrawl and recovery is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard…….BUT I can tell you………. If you can change the way you THINK, you can change the way you FEEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
acsipe@gmail.com
i am an opiate addict and have been for the better part of the last decade. 4 years ago i got myself into the methadone program and it saved me. i was the cleanest ive ever been the two years on the program, but then i lost my great job when the economy went bad, and i couldnt afford the clinic. i used alcohol to get off of methadone (which made it worse, but i had to). fter another year i had the alcohol under control, but i found myself using again…. even stealing xanax from my mom, which isnt me, but it has happened during two replapses. i live with her now because my father died last dec and she needs assistance. i dont think she sees addiction as a disease tho, so it has made what i have done even more difficult. i am trying to get health coverage so i can seek help… but i think i may need to be a lifer on methadone or sub….. my mom agues it with me but i am in my 30s i can make that choice without her. i am interested in other people who know what its like to comment…. life maintenance or eventual tapper down? i know me if i go off i repeat the cycle. i am lost in the opium boat with no sail or map…. as so many of us are
Bd,
I just happened to come across your post and I’m sure a lot has changed since August. More than likely you are still using or dependent on some drug. At the end of the day we all know, all being addicts, how to stop and what it really takes to stop. It’s hard to part with this drug because it’s always like the honeymoon period of a romantic relationship. It’s the one and only thing that can alter our judgement beyond any imaginable scenario were common sense would never let us make the choices we do in addiction. Of course all of these choices has resulted in traumatic losses and consequences that can never be erased. I won’t babble on about all of that, but going back to your story. I noticed you got off the methadone by drinking so that tells me two things; one, you had some thought that made you think you should not be on this drug for some reason. Only you know the answer to what that was. Two, you have cross addiction because you became reliant on the bottle. So your probably thinking no shit, but at the end of the day this complicates the outcome for you say to a addict who is just addicted to one thing. My recommendation to this, which won’t be cheap or can be half ass in any way, and you know what I mean, you need to find a CLINACAL psychologist with high qualifications in addiction. Not some wack job who you walk in there office and tell you your bipolar and put you on antidepressants and suboxone and send you on your way. You need a theral assessment of your issues, medical testing, and individual therapy to come out what will be best for based on what you honestly think you can do and the opinion of the doctor. Personally, not that I ever follow my advice, but personally I don’t feel we need to be on any of that shit to stay sober. Unless you have a severe mental disorder than yes it can be justified. People do get sober, people do get sober than relapse, people never get sober, most people die from this disease. It’s just the law of the balance system. It’s the facts, and as you know you can’t change the facts. This is not a tangible thing in which you really work a program that works for you, and I emphasis on that because that can be ANY program, not just a 12 step, any program and in time, just like the promises say, sometimes we see results quickly most of the times it slowlllyyyyy. Best of luck as I know what your dealing with. This black cloud follows me around like a shadow. Fight the good fight….
Jason