Last Updated on November 25, 2020 by
I did a full Suboxone taper and it made it easier by more than half. It was so much easier than cold turkey.
I started using about 3½ years ago, just before my son was born.
I got into a dirt bike accident and as soon as I tried Percocet I loved them! Then I built up a tolerance to them and went on to Oxycontin, built up tolerance to that, and then started using heroin. Because I did it gradually my wife and kids didn’t notice. If I hadn’t done that they would have noticed and it wouldn’t have stretched out to three years. Basically a year and a half ago, I wasn’t getting high anymore by snorting or smoking. Then someone showed me how to inject it. Basically I couldn’t do anything without it. I had to tape rigs to my legs and make sure I had stuff ready because if I didn’t shoot up every 6 hours I was going into withdrawal.
At my worst, I was shooting 6 half-gram shots a day. That was the last six months. I tried quitting numerous times before.
Once in San Francisco, once I went to another country, and then once cold turkey with no success. Basically after I left San Francisco, my wife pretty much gave up hope. She didn’t think there was anything that was going to make me quit. I had heard about the sauna program. I read the success stories on the internet and had heard about it when I was San Francisco. But 11 days is not enough time to kick heroin. I basically relapsed right away when I left San Francisco.
It took me about 7 months to get back into treatment after the relapse. I was spending about $1,400.00 a week on heroin. I couldn’t take it any more.
I committed myself to doing the sauna program. I was here for 4½ weeks doing the sauna program.
I was out of my physical pain in about 2 weeks and feeling almost 100% after 3 weeks. The sauna really helped with the joint pains. And I think it helps with all of it. I feel about 95% better. I feel great! The staff was great. The food was great, the surroundings are surreal. I recommend this program to people who are addicted to opiates. I want to give a special thanks to Cassie. She really helped me drive through the sauna when it was tough, with her kind words and support.
~ Richard K.
