(KTLA) |
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- Hollywood A-listers like Robert Downey Jr., Nicole Ritchie and Drew Barrymore have turned their lives and careers around through Rehab. But the public rarely sees what goes on during the very private process of recovery.
We've been following Stella, a young mother addicted to Vicodin, and her journey to regain control of her life. We join Stella as she is undergoing a medical examination to make sure she is ready to start rehab.
"Stella Mays," a nurse asks, "do you think you may be pregnant?"
"I doubt it," she chuckles. "I don't think so."
The nurse takes Stella into a room, despite her insistence. "We're going to do a test to see if you're pregnant, just to make sure."
But the moment of truth unfolds. The nurse returns with the results. "Negative. No pregnancy today."
After a close call, it's time for Stella to begin the detox process. The first step, Tamy Scarcella says, is for Stella to fight pills, with pills.
Scarcella, who works with the rehab program A Better Tomorrow, prescribed Suboxin for Stella, who is in opiate withdrawal.
Suboxone is a synthetic drug prescribed to wean the body off of Vicodin so that an addict doesn't get violently ill during the rehabilitation process.
Soon, Stella will be able to live without the nausea, diarrhea, and shakes she's grown used to. "She's at a higher level of medication and each day its lowered a little at a time to help her get through the withdrawal symptoms," Scarcella said.
Now Stella must make a radical change: leave her life behind for a real chance at change.
All recovering addicts like Stella must complete detox before entering into a rehab program like the one offered at A Better Tomorrow. The reason? Until the physical addiction is treated, there is little chance they will be able to handle the mental and emotional rehab therapies.
"In Stella's case, she'll be here for anywhere from 7-10 days," Scarcella noted. "After 4 days she'll start to feel better from the medication."
Diane, one of Stella's new housemates, is going through her second round of rehab. Diane began her downward spiral on the same drugs that hooked Stella.
"I'm an opiate user too," Diane confessed. "I started off using V" - an acronym addicts use for Vicodin - "but then it wasn't enough. I got to whatever opiates I could get. It eventually got to heroin."
In too deep, Diane says she suffered 3rd degree burns on her hand during a desperate heroin binge.
"I just got out of the hospital, they brought me straight here." Diane shows off her scars, still healing. "That's what it does to you."
Diane knows what rock bottom feels like. And she knows she can be the friend Stella needs during her recovery.
"I look at you, you've got a chance - a good chance - of making it," she told Stella. "Just let this program work for you."
We've been following Stella, a young mother addicted to Vicodin, and her journey to regain control of her life. We join Stella as she is undergoing a medical examination to make sure she is ready to start rehab.
"Stella Mays," a nurse asks, "do you think you may be pregnant?"
"I doubt it," she chuckles. "I don't think so."
The nurse takes Stella into a room, despite her insistence. "We're going to do a test to see if you're pregnant, just to make sure."
But the moment of truth unfolds. The nurse returns with the results. "Negative. No pregnancy today."
After a close call, it's time for Stella to begin the detox process. The first step, Tamy Scarcella says, is for Stella to fight pills, with pills.
Scarcella, who works with the rehab program A Better Tomorrow, prescribed Suboxin for Stella, who is in opiate withdrawal.
Suboxone is a synthetic drug prescribed to wean the body off of Vicodin so that an addict doesn't get violently ill during the rehabilitation process.
Soon, Stella will be able to live without the nausea, diarrhea, and shakes she's grown used to. "She's at a higher level of medication and each day its lowered a little at a time to help her get through the withdrawal symptoms," Scarcella said.
Now Stella must make a radical change: leave her life behind for a real chance at change.
All recovering addicts like Stella must complete detox before entering into a rehab program like the one offered at A Better Tomorrow. The reason? Until the physical addiction is treated, there is little chance they will be able to handle the mental and emotional rehab therapies.
"In Stella's case, she'll be here for anywhere from 7-10 days," Scarcella noted. "After 4 days she'll start to feel better from the medication."
Diane, one of Stella's new housemates, is going through her second round of rehab. Diane began her downward spiral on the same drugs that hooked Stella.
"I'm an opiate user too," Diane confessed. "I started off using V" - an acronym addicts use for Vicodin - "but then it wasn't enough. I got to whatever opiates I could get. It eventually got to heroin."
In too deep, Diane says she suffered 3rd degree burns on her hand during a desperate heroin binge.
"I just got out of the hospital, they brought me straight here." Diane shows off her scars, still healing. "That's what it does to you."
Diane knows what rock bottom feels like. And she knows she can be the friend Stella needs during her recovery.
"I look at you, you've got a chance - a good chance - of making it," she told Stella. "Just let this program work for you."
