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| | From:  Pattikat4 (Original Message) | Sent: 5/8/2007 1:46 AM |
Hi,
I've been very lucky as I've never had drug problems, but the woman that lives across from me has ask me to help her and I need some advice.
She's 55 and deals with chronic pain, has a pacemaker, all kinds of problems medically. We live in TN and 2 years ago they decided to cut 200,000 people from the 500,000 on the state medicaid prgm, called Tenncare. These where not well people, they where the ones costing the most and within 2 months 38 people we know of where dead. It's the cruelest thing I've ever seen. Anyway, she was one of them and lost her drs along with her meds, just no money.
She's had drug and alcohol problems in the past, but had been clean almost 5 years until the one dr she had left stopped treating her pain. The last two months have been horrible for her, she works as a home attendent for a woman with serious m.s. and has constant pain from what she has to do, she can't quit because she has no other income and no family to help. She started going back to her old "friend" for herion to deal with the pain and now is completely broke, trying to just keep up with not being sick so she can work and is in a loosing cycle.
She's been thru so much, illness, family all dead, no drs, no meds, just her and her cat, that's all she's had for a long time. She came to me a few days ago to ask me if I'd help her get clean, she's terrified of getting drug sick but knows it's got to happen, but I need to be able to give her some hope. I've learned from personal experience that hope is almost a tangible thing, without it getting out of bed in the morning seems impossible. She's now facing possible breast cancer, her car is shot and she's on heroin and can't any future at all.
Since she has no drs and can't afford to go to them, needs to kick the drugs she's turned to and still be able to work, I need some strong advice.
I know there's no list of things to do to withdraw, but I know there's a lot of experience out there. If we have to this cold turkey help me know how to help her,please? What can be bought over the counter to make this easier? What does she need from me? I think what I'm asking is how to make the physical part of this easier for her and the emotional part I'll figure out. Maybe? Maybe I'm not sure how much help I'm asking for, but just want to be a good friend, and not codependent. I'm willing and want to do this for her, but will not be part of the drugs seeking or whatever. She just needs to know she's not alone.
If this post sounds confusing, it is, sorry. If anyone has some ideas I'm really open to them. By the way, there is no methadone support in this state except Memphis and we have no way to get there. Shoot, couldn't afford the gas even if her care was working. lol
Thanks, Patti |
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| Patti-- I'm afaid I can't offer any words of advice but be patient. There should be some suggestions from others here who have had to struggle to find needed support in a system that seems to care more about giving taxpayers breaks than about taking care of people with real problems. |
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Hi Patti, Your in the hardest position of all.
To watch someone you care about struggle SO much. I was in your shoes. I lost my Oldest son to a Heroin overdose 41/2 yrs ago. Watching him slowly destroy himself was the hardest thing I ever had to do. It was almost harder then excepting the reality that he died. Has your friend ever considered Methadone?? Methadone is one of the BEST pain relievers there is. She can probally qualify for state aid to get her methadone at a reduced price. Alot of people think that Methdaone is trading one drug for another but in reality its not that way. Methadone helps a person move forward in there life. They dont have to spend there days scoring more drugs, and using to stay well. I heard about the castatrophy that happpened with the Tennesee health system and i know another women who lost her doctor and her pain meds because of it. She still suffers so badly, My heart breaks for her. I know alot about pain management as I have suffered with Severe chronic pain for 3+ years. I was on morphine for pain and My pain doctor encouraged me to take more and more. His theory was controll all the pain instead of making it managable. As i found out, The more I took the less it seemed to work. I have been on Suboxen for 8 wks now because I was tired of the doctor not helping me wean off my pain meds so that i could see where my pain issues lie and to see how much pain i had without the drugs. My new doctor explained to me that when a person is taking opiates for a long time the brain develops more and more receptors that have to be fed opiates, thats where the tolerance comes in. In my case My brain was so used to the opiates that the brain would trigger more and more pain when i would try to wean down. It takes a while for the brain to stop sending the pain signal. My pain is SO much better then it was 8 wks ago. I wish you luck in finding your friend help. Feel free to post as often as you need too to find answers. The people in this group will tell you honestly and truthfully the way it is. Love Karen/Loving Mom |
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Thanks for taking the time to answer, it was kind of you.
hugs, Patti |
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Hi Karen, my dear friend,
It's me, the one you know in Tn. I had a feeling I'd be seeing you here, you have a way of showing up at just the right time.
This woman is in horrible shape and it's breaking my heart. She lives right across from me, about 10 feet and I just came from there. She's had to stay home from work and is horribly sick already and it's only been about 18 hours and is suppose to get up and go to work tomorrow. I'm going to the store and try to get some over the counter stuff at the dollar tree. She wrote OR and they sent her something about Thompsons recipe? We can't afford some of the stuff but I have to do my best to help her.
The only methadone clinic here in Tn is in Memphis, way to far away and we have no way to get there. What makes this even worse is she's also going thru a serious breast cancer scare right now, she's had the mammagram but has to have a biopsy now and she's scared. I hate this state, it's the cruelest place I've ever seen and to know if she had money this wouldn't be happening as she'd be able to get real medical help.
Honey, thanks for the advice, it is the right stuff, just can't work here. Keep up the good work, you do it so well.
lots of love and hugs, Patti
PS, did you ever hear from long lost? |
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| | | From: Indigo | Sent: 5/8/2007 10:35 PM |
Heroin withdrawls should only last about 3 to 7 days as far as the worst of it---If you could get your hands on some valiums or some other tranquilizer that would help--Some sleep-aid would be good for a few days--But if you've got nothing then tell her to take lots of hot baths (with epsum salts preferably)--that helps relax the muscles (legs, shoulders etc)-- The good news is that no one has ever died from withdrawls--its only like a very bad flu & time will cure it all--Its so unfortunate that Tennesse & much of the USA is so useless in helping opiate addicts--Mosr enlightened countries like Switzerland, Holland, UK, Australia & Canada etc etc help addicts detox without having to suffer needlessly-- As a longterm solution you can start by getting rid of Pres. Bush & ALL Republicans!! Sorry for the editorial comments--Good Luck with your friend--Sorry I couldn't be of more help. PS--Get her to drink lots of cranberry Juice--It flushes the toxins out of your system much faster then other liquids. --------------------Indigo |
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((((((Patti)))), DUH, I should of recognized your screen name, lol.
I was referring to you when i posted about a women i knew from TN that had her pain doctor just cut her off... Im SOOO happy you joined the group and Your friend is SO lucky to have you and your support.. Shes is in a tough situation and I wish there was something i could do. What worries me is even after she goes Cold turkey her mental state is going to suffer. I think that causes more relapse then anything else. I went thru cold turkey for 48 hrs before I went on Suboxen and IT WAS HORRID.. I think i slept about 4 hrs in two days. I was so exhausted but when i would lay down my whole body would jump as soon as I would dose off. I cant imagine doing that for a week or two. I cant believe the closest methadone clinic is in Memphis, Thats ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS... What the hell do people DO???? I know for me I dont know if I would of been able to kick the morphine without the help of Suboxen. I went back and forth from weaning off the morphine to going back on and weaning off again. I think i made things worse by the way i was doing it. I see my suboxen doctor every 2 wks, Monday hes going to cut my dose and we are shooting for 90 days to wean off the suboxen. Im just hoping that Im not going to be an emotional mess when im finally off the suboxen. He claims its going to be such a slow wean it will be painless, we will see..... NO, I havent heard from our long lost friend, Have YOU??? I miss him SOOO MUCH. I hope hes doing well. Last time I chatted with him he was doing awesome. That was before he went to Dublin to put his Dad back in the hospital. He was so proud of the fact that he has been complelety drug free for months, Including pot. Love Karen |
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Hi Indigo,
Please, don't apologize for your comments about Bush and the rest, I can't stand the sight of him and that's the nicest thing I can say about him. His approval rates are down to 28% but he'll never know because he doesn't read. Oh Lord, I'd better not get started. lol
Thanks for the advice about the cranberry juice, I didn't even think of that but makes good sense. Wish she could get in the tub, darn, wish I could too, but in the complex where we live the tubs are built for about 9 year old's max.
You are right about this country being very backward, especially when it comes to drugs and anything related. It's like ' if you don't talk about it, it's not happening' and yet one form of drug abuse or another is everywhere. They just warned of another tonight called "Cheese". 19 kids have already dies from it in the Dallas, TX area, it's diphenhydramine (Bynadryl) and heroin crushed then snorted. My four kids are grown but there's two of them I still think might try it. Crystal meth is still the big thing around here, has been for about 8 years. What ever happen to just smoking a joint and getting the munchies for heaven sakes?
So, on that note I'm going to head to bed. Thanks for the advice, cranberry juice will be added to the list right now.
Take care, Patti |
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Hi You,
I knew you'd get that reaction when you realized it was me and I got a laugh so it all worked out well. For me, anyway. lol
Hon, I had no idea you'd been going thru all of this, I'm so sorry to hear it. I remember you'd said you where on the morphine and where thinking of the sub, but didn't know the rest. I'm really glad to hear you've got a dr that cares enough to do the withdrawal the right way, it makes such a difference. I will never in my life time forget being jerked of the methadone and having to go thru the withdrawals, even if my dose was low it was the worse thing I've ever gone thru. It was a month before I even sort of started to feel like a human being again and longer than that before I could think straight again. Not that I ever could much, but still... lol
OK, so now I'm off to bed, my eyes are crossing. Oh, I did hear from Sean again, he was home last weekend and went out with a brother and got s...faced, we where suppose to talk the next day but there was silence so I knew he wasn't up to doing anything lol. Said they should be home this weekend if everything goes well. Darn I do miss him, it will be good to hear from him again and know he's safe, won't it?
love, Patti
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| | | From: Karen-_ | Sent: 5/9/2007 7:14 AM |
Hi Patti, My name is Karen...if the money is tight and she has to go cold turkey the baths like Indigo suggested. St. John's Wort for the emotional state and massage is very effective as well for the muscle spasms and cramps. Keep her hydrated with gatorade or the gatorade water they have out now or any of the smart waters...etc. if possible. Good Luck to You... Love and Joy Karen |
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Hi, Real hot baths or showers used to help me when I was in withdrawal. I love massages as much as anybody, BUT when I was in withdrawal from heroin (or methadone) I could not even stand anybody to touch my skin, let alone give me a massage. This country sucks when it comes to health issues. President Bush is too busy taking vacations to see anything all he cares about is the stupid war his daddy started. whatever. dont get me started either!! No wonder we need drugs. luv, sue |
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Hi Karen,
Thanks for the advice on the St. John's wart, I use to use it and had forgotten all about it. Sure wish they'd made the tubs bigger in the apts here, but it's showers for anyone over 80 lbs. She didn't make it yesterday, but I've gotten to the store to get lots of b vitamins, mulit's with minerals, gateraide powder you add to water, tylonal pm, aleve, popcycles, sweet stuff, broth, 7 up, pepto, thank God for the Dollar Tree! This is all I can afford, but we do have elavil, seriquil (sp?) and something else I can't think of right now. lol Hopefully this will be enough to get thru the withdrawals, and thanks for the post. hugs, Patti |
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HI Suzie,
Totally agree with everything you've said! How often will you hear that one? lol I was on methadone for pain control for almost one year, only 15 mgs a day and lidoderm patches, but for first time in years I could say I'd found a level of pain I could live and function with. I'd been really reluctant to go near it as I remembered it from a girl I'd lived near years ago and she was.. well she gave it a very bad name. The dr said just try it and I ended up becoming it's best advocate, then it all changed and I couldn't go to the clinic anymore, just cut out with others. I'll never forget the withdrawals, never, as long as I live. Someone told me it was a harder withdrawal than heroin, I don't know but I know I was not even a human being for the first month, I felt like an animal left alone to die. It's taken me 2 1/2 years to get where I could bring myself to go back to a pain clinic again, this is my second month there but I will never trust any place or dr again. I'm now on 3 ten mgs a day and even tho I'm still in considerable pain it does take the edge off and I pray I never get desperate enough again to ask for something else. That period is like a nightmare you can't get rid of and that's why I have to try and help this friend. She tries so hard to take care of herself, to keep working when it makes her hurt so much worse and she's all alone except for her cat. No one should go thru this alone and she won't if I can do anything about it. I won't be the one to keep her clean, that will be up to her, but I can help this time to get her there or atleast do my best.
Darn, I am going on and on! lol Enough of this, lol
Thanks for your post and take good care of yourself.
big hugs, Patti
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| Suzie, sure wish they had an edit button so I could graceful do this, but meant to say 3 ten mgs of lortabs a day. See, edit would have been so much more graceful? lol |
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| | | From: Karen-_ | Sent: 5/10/2007 5:41 AM |
Hi Patti, I wish you the best of luck with her. You mentioned you were on methadone for pain. What are you suffering from? If you don't mind answering...no pressure to answer. I actually work on people to reduce their pain in my massage practice with trigger point therapy and a few other things. As for Sue not liking to be touched that is understandable. Not all people like to be touched when withdrawling. A lot of people don't like to be touched even if they are straight. But I have worked (massage) on many addicts kicking and found it to be one of the things that helped them with the spasms and cramps as well as took the focus off from their pain and calmed their emotional state. So it might be worth a shot if she is willing. Good Luck Patti...I will send some good energy your way... Love and Joy Karen |
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