SRD11 Hitting bottom

Everybody is familiar with the concept of "hitting bottom". I feel compelled to acknowledge my "bottom" was roughly the depth of a kiddie wading pool.

Wendy, my drug dependence counselor, buzzed the CDRP doctor to ask for help figuring out what to do with me; the problem client who wasn't messed-up enough for the clinic. When the doctor joined us in Wendy's office I recognized her immediately as a fellow family camper. We'd been in a play together.

It was surprisingly not awkward to encounter someone I knew in a completely different context while being counseled for drug dependence. In fact, it was kind of great.

The doctor confirmed what Wendy had already said and then proceeded to tell me what I needed to do to get off Percoset. In about 5 minutes, I learned enough to leave the CDRP confident I could detox safely on my own. It's not rocket science, it's actually quite straight-forward, but I didn't know several things that made a big difference. For example; I had been trying to wean myself by increasing the amount if time between pills. The doctor said they recommend reducing the dose but keeping the time interval constant. I also learned that narcotic withdrawal is not life-threatening. Unlike kicking Valium or alcohol--which can cause serous problems like seizures--people withdrawing from narcotics may feel like dying, but it won't kill them. Good to know.

After fleshing out my self-guided detox program, the doctor wished me the best of luck and departed--no doubt to help someone who was in vastly worse shape than I. As soon as the door closed Wendy took me into her confidence.

"I didn't want to say anything while the doctor was here," she said. "But I don't think the doctor has actually experienced narcotics withdrawal, and I have."

With that, Wendy pulled a sheet of paper out of a file folder and laid it on my lap. "That's my back," she said.

It was an x-ray showing two rods and four bolts installed in the lumbar region of Wendy's spine. "That's how I got hooked on narcotics," she said. "I was never addicted either. But I can tell you from personal experience that it's going to take more than a week to wean yourself."

Wendy proceeded to amend the time-table I had discussed with the doctor. Rather than 3 days, she suggested I spend 5 to 7 days at each dose level, moving on only when I felt ready. If the symptoms get too intense, she explained, I could always go back to the previous dose. But the whole process would be much easier if I take it very slow.

Here's the plan:

Take one-half of a pill every 4 hours.
Drink detox tea (chamomile, mint, licorice, skullcap, and hops) all day long.
Get daily acupuncture treatments for free at a local public clinic.
Reduce the dose to one-quarter of a pill after 5 - 7 days.
Repeat.

Coming up: the acupuncture clinic