State of Addiction: Drug treatment relieves symptoms of withdrawal from opioids

WEBVTT THERE ARE EFFECTIVE MEDICATIONS TO HELP. THE LAWN MOWER. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SOUND, TO JOHN LAWSON. HIS OWN YARD. >> I'VE HAD OVER 35 OPERATIONS. REPORTER: IN 1981, HE WAS WORKING ON SCAFFOLDING TWO STORIES UP. IT COLLAPSED. >> THE ONLY WAY TO GO WAS DOWN. REPORTER: WHAT FOLLOWED? YEARS OF SITTING IN HIS CHAIR, HIS PAIN MEDS CLOSE BY. >>BECOMES LOCKED IN THIS YOUR LIFE HOUSE. REPORTER: SIX MONTHS AGO HE MADE A DECISION TO STOP THE ISOLATION CAUSED BY PAIN AND THE NARCOTICS HE WAS TAKING. HE WAS UP TO 30 OR 40 PILLS A DAY. >> IT WASN'T REALLY FOR THE PAIN AT THE TIME. IT WAS MAINTAINING THE SICKNESS THAT MY BODY WOULD GO THROUGH FROM WITHDRAWL. REPORTER: JOHN TRIED TO GET OFF OPIOIDS, BUT BECAME DEATHLY ILL. >> MULTIPLE THAT BY 20, 25, IT'S THE WORST THING YOU COULD EVER GO THROUGH. REPORTER: SPECIALISTS SAY, 90% OF THOSE ADDICTED, FAIL TRYING TO GET OFF OPIOIDS ON THEIR OWN. JOHN FOUND THE PAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT NEBRASKA MEDICINE. >> MANY PATIENTS START THE MEDICATION BECAUSE IT'S EFFECTIVE, BUT THEM THEY CAN'T QUIT THE MEDICATION BECAUSE THEY FEEL SO HORRIBLE WHEN THEY TRY. REPORTER: DR KIM HAYNES HENSON IS NOW JOHN'S PAIN SPECIALIST AT NEBRASKA MEDICINE. SHE TRAINED AND BECAME LICENSED TO OFFER THIS, IT'S A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STEP DOWN DRUG TO HELP TAPER OFF OPIOIDS WITHOUT HARSH SIDE EFFECTS. >> IT CAN BE USED AS A TAPER OR IT CAN BE USED AS A REPLACEMENT. IT'S CALLED BUPRENORPHEN. >> IT IS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY. WHEN I WALKED IN HERE I WALKED IN WITH A CANE. >> HE'S DONE PHOENOMENALLY WELL. HE FEELS HIS PAIN LEVELS HAVE DROPPED. HE FEELS MENTALLY ALERT AND HE FEELS HE HAS A WHOLE NEW LEASE ON LIFE. IT'S BEEN VERY EXCITING TO SEE. REPORTER: THESE DAYS, THE CANE IS PARKED FOR GOOD. AND JOHN'S DOG, WINNIE TAKES HIS PLACE IN THE CHAIR. ON HIS NEW MED BUPRENORPHINE. JOHN ATTENDED THE ONE MONTH OUTPATIENT PAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT NEBRASKA MEDICINE. >> I WAS NOT SICK AT ALL, NO SICKNESS AT ALL. REPORTER: HE LEARNED SELF CARE, NATURAL PAIN RELIEF. AND HOW TO FIND BALANCE. >> IT JUST MADE HIM HAPPIER EVERY DAY. >> MY DAUGHTER WAS GETTING MARRIED IN FEBRUARY AND I KNEW I WANTED TO WALK HER DOWN THE AND ON NARCOTICS, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD HAPPEN. REPORTER: HE WAS THERE, AND PRESENT. AND HIS JOHN'S WIFE OF 40 YEARS, SAYS LIFE IS GOOD. >> IF YOU HAVE HOPE AND YOU HAVE THAT DRIVE, IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN DO. REPORTER: AND JOHN'S LAWN? IT'S THE BEST LOOKING YARD ON THE BLOC