I just registered with these boards as I am trying to get off of Subutex (UK issue Buprenorphine) but am having some health problems which are worrying me. I stopped using all street gear around two years ago after 25 years of abuse. It's been proper hard work but these days, and I surprise myself saying this, I don't even think about scoring. My life got pretty horrendous because of my habits (usual suspects=white, brown, benzos, and booze) and I was homeless when I decided to call it a day this time. I have tried a few times since my son was born back in 2000, including doing 2 rehabs, but the bottom line was I wasn't ready to stop. I didn't want to quit, so it was never gonna happen. Things had to get pretty grim for my eyes to open. It ain't gone bad so far, there is hope, I'm proof, and I am confident that I can get off the Bup this time if I take it slow. I managed to get housed (7 year wait) and am now down to 4mg of Sub a day-I was on 12mg when I switched from the Methadone. It was all looking good yeah!
However; a few months back I started getting really nauseas and was having trouble holding my food down. All of the weight I had regained started dropping off me. Nightmare. I was proud of how healthy I had become. This is still going on. I only discovered last week that my cups of tea (I love the stuff) were causing these symptoms. I have been to my doctors and had treatment for IBS, which didn't work, constipation, I wasn't/am not, acid-reflux, don't get it... but my doctors are right suspect that I am after benzos (I don't blame them as I have had them under siege in the past), and my CDAT who prescribe the Subs don't liase with them (my GPs surgery), so my clean swabs mean nothing and the GPs just want me out of the door! So, stopping drinking cups of tea or coffee seems to be working. The nausea and vomitting have ceased. It's good but I am gutted. I can't have a cup of tea! I am thinking that I have developed Lactose Intolerance, which is common amongst men my age (39) apparently?
It's driving me mad. I can't have a cup of tea or coffee! If I am lactose intolerant, could this be down to all of the years on Buprenorphine? I know that the substance acts as an appetizing depressant in some people because it did mine when I was on higher doses and not living so healthily. After I dropped to 6mg my appetite reached levels previously unknown to me and I was starting to feel like a normal bloke, until all of this guts ache business struck! If anyone can advise me on Lactose Intolerance and/or a good, cheap, healthy diet for addicts in my boat, trying to get clean, I will be really really thankful. I know for sure that I will have a much easier rattle if I am eating well, etc etc, when I do the final reduce. I may be nearly 40 but have no idea about healthy eating, for obvious reasons. Eating used to be a chore to me but those months before the bad guts struck got me well into looking after myself like that. I feel like I will be good if I stay off the cups of tea and coffee but am worried about what I can or can't eat?
Please accept my apologies for writing such a big post. I will keep them short in future. If you have read all this way down, thanks a lot for doing so yeah. If anyone can help, it will be a good bonus and I will always try to help out back if I can!
29-10-2008, 17:20
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