Author: lifeislikewater

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:11 pm

Hello. I just registered so I suppose I’ll begin by introducing myself. My name is Mark. I’ve been on a suboxone maintenance program for about 6 months. I noticed that a lot of posters on here know what the date of their induction was. Alas, I couldn’t tell you. But I began going to a great clinic in late August of 2011.

My very first experience with opiates and pain medication was quite a few years ago when I was a freshman in college. At the time, opiates were not at all my drug of choice. I was an avid marijuana smoker. I would drink pretty often with friends, though never alone. And I was open to popping any sort of pill that I could come across. At that time, I was really into xanax and other benzodiazepines. I knew this older gentleman who was really messed up medically. He used to get tons of prescriptions from this doctor he knew. I would trade him marijuana for his 2mg xanax bars, but sometimes he wouldn’t have enough and he’d convince me to take some methadone off of him instead. All I really knew about methadone was that it was for junkies to get clean. I assumed that it wouldn’t be any fun to somebody just trying to get high like myself.

Well, I ended up overdosing one night on methadone, xanax, and alcohol. Technically, I had a stroke. I was 19 years old.

After that, my left leg was numb for a few months. I went into extensive physical therapy and remained sober throughout this period. Slowly, the feeling started to come back along with a painful case of neuropathy. My foot constantly had the sensation of pins and needles, similar to what one feels when a limb "falls asleep" and then wakes up, but many times worse. And the pain was constant. After trying several medications like neurontin and tramadol, my neurologist put me on hydrocodone.

(I know this is getting long so I’ll wrap it up.)

Cut to 5 years later and my foot is fine and completely normal, however I have a wicked addiction to pain pills. I found myself beginning to start snorting heroin. I can’t say I ever hit a rock bottom. I just became tired of the cycle of extreme highs and horrific, withdrawal-driven lows. Psychologically, I was becoming severely agoraphobic and anti-social.

Fast forward to now. I’ve been going to a fantastic clinic and have been on suboxone maintenance treatment. I’ve relapsed about 3 times. As of today, I’ve been off of heroin (and all other illicit narcotics) for 2 1/2 weeks. My therapists and I have been adjusting my dose lately and I think I’m at a comfortable place. I attended my first NA meeting last Saturday and plan on checking some other ones that my counselor suggested.

Anyway, I’m glad I found this forum. This seems like a positive place for someone in my position.

Thanks for reading.