I'm 6 months free and now I find out my son is an addict. Help me please buddies

[[He...]]

Went to doc. He spoke to my son first then me. This is a doc who most often prescribes suboxone for heroin addicts but is leading in the field of addiction. Just want you to know that fact. Not a fan of the 10 day for benzodiazepines and has "heard" of the Ashton Manual. He definitely understands the very slow taper. Said he would do best in his opinion with slowly tapering off Xanax, staying on his current dose of Subutex. I think he would change him over to Suboxone. Says there are pros to changing him to a different benzo but is having us come back tomorrow because we were running 20 minutes into the next appointment. He is going to want my son to get into therapy too. I think we are going to do this. It will be a long haul but the reality of getting off both invidious drugs at the same time would be brutal. We all know how hard this one is. I am praying that because he is younger and it will be his 1st time coming off that he may not have as hard a time as we all have. That being said he is my blood. Once he gets off, or at a much lower dose we can tackle the subs, another real tough one to come off of because of its incredibly long half life. I have heard some of your comments on switching to another benzo. I'd love to hear more before we return for the 2nd appt at 2 pm est today (at this point of writing it's already 5:30 am next day).Should we be aware of anything regarding a crossover drug? I think slow cuts are the best. I hope we will be given the choice.

 

Hi Dee Jay, first I want to say I agree with what Brave Rabbit said overall.

 

This doc sounds pretty good. I was worried at first about that detox suggestion. I've heard horror stories about trying to get off Suboxone, and was going to tell you that the benzo should come first. My b-doc said that he is one of the first to ever Rx Suboxone and it really helps heroin addicts. When I asked him about getting off the Sub though, he said, "some things you just have to continue to stay well". Huh.

 

You have a wonderful window of opportunity to help your son and I am really happy for you. It sounds like he's "all in" for this and you are the best person to understand him and help him through. As for the switch to V, all I know is what I've read here and in Ashton. I've only used V myself and I must say it does cause a lot of fatigue and depression but I have no benzo comparison. If he can microtaper Xanax for now and it goes OK then I would stick to it. I also agree that Al-anon might be helpful for you. It's a group that encourages you to take care of yourself. Will be watching to see how this goes. Much love to you and good thoughts, Charlotte  :smitten:

[[be...]]

I think you have found the right doctor. No inpatient garbage, knows his benzos and therapy sounds perfect. Unless, for any other reason, I'd go with this doctor. It might be a slow journey but maybe not painful. Also, you may really enjoy having your boy home. Just remember though. You come first. If you can't help yourself you can't help him. Anyway this is good news. Keep us posted. B

[[Gr...]]

This does sound encouraging. Please do keep us posted.

[[De...]]

With all your help I can now sleep better knowing we have chosen a path for my son and from what I can see, a good path.  Left the second appointment with the doctor telling us he went home and read through the Ashton Manual and was quite impressed. We go back Monday to say how my son progressed over the weekend.  He changed my son to Klonopin, same dose 6mg (already a bit of a taper than when he was on his own street Xanax 6-8mg)) and keeping him on 8mg of Subutex. A strict schedule of taking medication. If weekend goes well we will begin the first tiny reduction,  Subutex will remain at 8 until he slowly tapers off Klonopin. He does not want my son associating sleep and benzo so he prescribed an old school anti-depressant that has the side effect of making you drowsy. Jury out on that.  My son will be seeing a addiction therapist and the family will be included at times.  I'm sure the therapist will say to join some kind of NA/ALNON for us all.  My son, husband and I know we are in for a long haul but ARE LUCKY to BE getting a do-over, so to speak.  If he didn't get the coping mechanisms as a kid, he will learn them now.  The doctor gave us a comprehensive list of skills my son will be learning.  Please God let my son do his part.  He seems so excited now, but extreme wd hasn't set in; and maybe he'll be lucky and if we taper slowly enough he won't ever get as bad as I did.  Remember, my 1st body shocking taper was by a whole mg.    I think we lucked out with this doctor.  He is renowned in this field apparently.  Being only 6 months out myself I am still dealing with wd.  It gets pretty intense with this situation, but when I'm in a good wave, I'm stronger and more optimistic now than I have been in a very long time.  I don't think I could have helped a year ago when I started my journey.  God works in mysterious ways for sure.  I always had a mother's intuition something was off, but never in a million years thought he had been on drugs all through college and after (a total of 5 years for the Subutex and 1 1/2 for the Xanax)...Much love and appreciation to you all and especially Choco, Barb, Brave Rabbit, Healing Me,Jade, Challis, Grandma and Offeverything.  If I missed anyone, for give a struggling mom. :smitten: :smitten:

[[Gr...]]

This all sounds so encouraging DeeJay, I am so happy for you. I will continue to pray for your son and your family. 

[[of...]]

A ten day detox is ridiculous. They think theyre doing him a favor taking him off 5mg of xanax in ten days haha. You cant trust anyone these days. Everyones out for money. This world is crazy

[[of...]]

Next thing theyll tell ya is suboxone has.no withdrawals and its safe.

 

Take it in your own hands. Do a slow taper. The health field is useless. Theyll probably make $10,000 in those ten days and theyll end up putting him on gabapentin

 

Take my advice, give up on the health field while your still breathing

[[De...]]

Hi offeverything.  Perhaps you missed my post before you wrote back.  The 10 day detox has been off the table almost since the beginning.  I finally found a doctor who has the same approach we all have here on BB.  The slow, dry cut taper.  He actually told us that the subutex will be very hard to get off too but we will do so very slowly, the same way we are doing the benzos.  This doctor is very cost conscious and I did not get the impression that he was out for money like the 10 day detoxes or even the the 30 rehab places.  He is all about learning new life coping skills along the way and suggested some therapists that won't charge an arm and a leg.  I know we here have all had bad experiences with doctors, me included, however, if I had found this guy when I was tapering I don't think I'd have nearly the bad PAWS I have now because I would have been taken down much slower than my PCP did it.  I firmly believe there is a direct correlation between speed of taper and long term PAWS.  This addiction doctor said the same thing.  So, to wrap it up, this doctor will prescribe so my son is no longer buying street drugs, the therapist will guide BUT the family, and my son will be in charge. I guess there are some good addiction docs out there but they are certainly few and far between.  I am hoping that since this has become such an worldwide epidemic as people become more well informed and less in the dark, perhaps things will change.  I hope so and my heart still goes out to all of us who are suffering whose doctors will not admit they could possibly be in withdrawal.

[[of...]]

O sorry 

 

That's great. Good to hear! Gl