sublocade

[euphoricc]

is any one else on sublocade if so let`s have a talk~! .....i have for 2 year`s now any-1-else.>?

 

[euphoricc]

GUESS NOT~! WEIRD----------pm me if you scared have any ?`s if u in my area i can get you a dr to help~! north/east

 

[Buzzkill101]

Did u ever tamper with your sublocade to make it work faster or to absorb into your body quicker????

 

[steveharris1]

I was taking Sublocade for a period of time and found the experience to be truly miraculous!!! Do not get me wrong - the induction onto the shot was an absolute horror show for me (more on that in a bit!), but if there are people out there truly looking to kick opiates (and know in their hearts that they can't really be trusted to take a daily suboxone as it will likely lead to them messing around with dosage - selling pills - buying dope - etc.), the Sublocade shot may well be that "miracle drug" that gets you out of this mess once and for all!!!



A quickie "agonist vs. antagonist vs. partial agonist" lesson, for those who don't fully understand the chemistry of all of this stuff (I only recently learned it myself and will use the same visualizations that were explained to me, enabling me to finally wrap my head around it all - but if you already know all this stuff, feel free to skip ahead!!):
- opioids in general are like "keys" - and the opioid receptors in your head are like "locks"
- opioid agonists (oxycodone, heroin, fentanyl, etc.) are keys that seek out the locks, open them up, and allow the "joy joy" feelings to come flooding out!
- opioid antagonists (vivitrol, narcan, etc.) are keys that seek out the locks but do NOT open them - they just plant themselves in the keyhole, so that other keys (aka heroin) can't get in and unlock.
- opioid partial-agonists (suboxone, sublocade, etc.) - these are the "hybrid" guys - these keys seek out the locks, but only partially open them - they allow some "joy joy" to get out, but not a lot (just enough to keep an addict from getting sick or have cravings)

Obviously, I'm not a chemist and I don't pretend to be one! But I did always wonder what those terms meant and how it all worked - and this is the explanation that helped me finally make sense of it all!


Anyway - on to the actual point of this post!!!!


Background:
- heavy oxycodone user for 5 or 6 years - was easily at 6-10, 30mg 'blues' a day at one point
- eventually discovered (like all opiate pill heads eventually do) that heroin is WAY cheaper ($300/day for pills vs. $150/day for a brick of heroin, it's not even close - especially when I'm having to carry my wife on this stuff, too!!!)
- spent the next 3 years after dumping the pills, working up to a brick-a-day habit (I do want to point out I have NEVER injected - only snort - was always WAY too afraid of needles, thank God - but I had always convinced myself that snorting was "safer" against developing a physical dependence - how dumb!!!)
- had an "overdose" event with my wife a couple of years ago (we're double-trouble - whatever one of us gets into, the other isn't far behind!!)) - not to the point that I was hit with Narcan, but obviously looped enough that we were both taken to the hospital anyway
- our kids were in the house at the time (kids were 11 and 18yrs old, so we're not talking infants and toddlers - but irresponsible regardless, and we fully own that!!), which lead to DYFS entering our life (NEVER PLEASANT!!!!!)
- wife and I both entered a Vivitrol study being done at Columbia University (rapid detox in a four day inpatient setting, followed by three monthly Vivitrol shots)
- as I knew would happen - as soon as DYFS closed their case, I let my Vivitrol lapse and slowly found myself right back on heroin (and of course, my wife was soon behind me)
- after the 2020 lockdown (where I found myself doing more heroin than ever, if for no other reason than out of BOREDOM!), I knew we had to get off this for good (and this time it was MY choice - not something forced on me, as was the case with DYFS)
- found out that Columbia University was doing a new study - this time, it was for Sublocade
- the one really good thing about how this study was handled was, because of all the COVID restrictions still going on, the number of required "in office" visits were kept to a minimum - the vast majority of follow-up during the course of the study was done remotely. After my first shot I was sent home with urine cups and a BP machine, and was able to continue through the study with two remote meetings per week - WAY easier than having to drive into NYC!
- First shot was given to me on February 24th, 2021 - and I have been CLEAN EVER SINCE!!!!

About the study:
- for those who don't know (especially those outside the tri-state area), Columbia University has a specialized research department for dealing with substance abuse. The STARS (Substance Treatment and Research Service) program is truly an amazing group of people. Beyond just their experience and knowledge, they are EXTREMELY supportive of those trying to rid themselves of drugs - as a bonus, they will even PAY YOU as they help you get clean!! Don't get me wrong, you're NOT going to get rich off something like this ($50 for initial visit, $10 for each subsequent visit) - but it's definitely a helpful perk if you need to fund tolls/parking or public transportation.
- the target patients for this particular study, were those found to be using HPSOs (Highly Potent Synthetic Opioids) such as fentanyl (which we ALL know makes up most of the "heroin" we buy!) - and, of course, my urine screen confirmed
- the goal of the study that STARS had enrolled me in, was to shorten the "induction period" for getting the Sublocade shot. Normally, in order to get a Sublocade injection, the current prescribing directions require the patient to be stabilized for at least 7 days on 10-20mg of Suboxone. The study was looking to shorten that induction period to 3 days and give the Sublocade shot on day #4. Most active users will have an incredibly hard time managing a 7+ day induction period - this is the biggest hurdle to people getting on to the shot, and so it's the main reason for this study.


If you managed to read all of that and got this far, you are either really interested and/or curious about Sublocade (or STARS) and are looking to decide whether it's right for you, or you're a masochist and you enjoy reading a novel about another heroin users (painful) experience with kicking this junk!!!!



So now, the interesting part - how did this all go down, did it work, how am I today, and what's my outlook for the future! And for me, I'm looking to other Sublocade users out there (especially those that stopped injections) to hear about their experience and perhaps answer some of my own questions about "life after Sublocade"...


** Prerequisite for beginning the trial - you MUST be in full withdrawal (and because of the involvement of HPSOs, the onset can be significantly delayed, as it was for me. This was VERY likely the cause of my upcoming nightmare!!). **

February 23rd (Day 0) - I went to the office to begin the trial - it had been approximate 12hrs since I last used, so I scored incredibly low on the COWS and was immediately sent home - nothing I could do, I just had to use up all of my stuff the night before because I couldn't bear the thought off any of it to be flushed - what an idiot!!!

February 24th (Day 1) - Went back to the office (36hrs since last use), but still scored extremely low on the COWS (think I was still only a 2 or 3). This was the fork in the road for me - I think the doctor was concerned that I was never going to come back a third time to the office (he was probably right!), and so he made the decision to go ahead with the induction anyway!! But something changed - the study I had been discussing with these people from the very beginning was the "3 day induction", followed by the shot on Day 4. Instead, they decided to induct me and give me the shot THAT SAME DAY!!!!!! So, let me warn any and all of you out there - I absolutely do NOT recommend this!!!!!! I don't care what the doctor has convinced you of or how desperate you are to get off this crap - DO NOT DO THIS!!! You will be miserable and you will absolutely regret it, and there is a really good chance your induction will fail altogether!! I was naive, I figured with my incredibly high tolerance (as though that was "helpful" somehow) that it wouldn't be a problem, and I was so wrong I'm still amazed I got through it all!!! This is how it all went down:
- Arrived at 1pm (late for my 10am appointment, as usual!) and they explained the "same day" process we were going to employ - I agreed and we started with a 2mg suboxone, no problem
- 2pm - I was given 6mg suboxone - still not so bad, feeling a bit anxious, is it the drugs or do I just need a cigarette? I dunno - but this is boring!!!
- 3pm - 8mg suboxone - ok, 10 minutes later the wheels start to come off - the Pink Floyd "my hands felt just like two balloons" line is running through my head - suddenly, I can barely walk!! During treatment, you are always free to come and go (to go outside and smoke or whatever) - and as badly as I needed a cigarette in that moment, I was 100% positive there was no way I could navigate the elevator, make it outside, and find my way back in!!! And I want to be very clear - this was NOT a "pleasant" high!!!!! It had an "out of body" feel to it, my anxiety was in overdrive, and it took every ounce of strength to not go running mad through the office and out into the street!!
- 4pm - the doctor comes in with my next (and final) 8mg suboxone - I am scared to death at this point of taking this!!! I am literally begging her to allow my wife to come in (patients in the clinic only - thank you again, f*cking COVID!!) and I'm deer in headlights, just looking for an opening so I can bolt!! But the nurse is patient (yet persistent) and she convinces me that the reason I'm feeling this way is because the suboxone is having to forcefully kick the fentanyl off my receptors and that once I take this last dose (which will put me at a total of 24mg suboxone over the course of 4hrs), I will start to feel better. I succumb and take the last 8mg... ...and I did NOT feel any better - I felt WORSE, if that was possible!!!! I finally had to resort to lying on this filthy carpet and simply try to visualize my breathing - it was the only way to keep a mental hold on myself. I honestly thought I was going to lose my mind any moment, so just listening to myself breath was all I could do to keep myself calm. I tried calling my wife a couple of time because I was ready to have her force her way into the clinic and drag me out of she had to - but in the back of my mind (even while going through this hell) I knew if I left I would never come back, and that the very next day I would be back in the slums looking to score another fix. So I just kept my head down, kept listening to my breathing, and tried to "ride" the anxiety out.
- 5pm - time has to have stopped - it's only been an hour?!?!?!? The doctor is back and she tells me they're ready to give me the shot - I don't know how to react. I'm totally unsteady on my feet, my head is swimming and I feel like I'm looking down on myself from about 10ft above, and I'm insanely anxious - and now they want to shoot even MORE of this sh*t into me????? Again - she sees the panic in my eyes and assures me (again) that if I get the shot, I will definitely start to feel better. And like a desperate moron, once again I believe her - I relent and allow them to walk me to the table so I can lie down and get the shot... ...first thing I want to point out about this shot (for those who don't know) - this f*cker hurts!!!! By itself, this shot absolutely hurts by any definition (it takes about 10 seconds to fully administer the dose, but it feels like an eternity - and it's not the needle that hurts, it's the wave of a hundred bees stinging you over and over again in the same exact spot, that hurts! Thankfully, it does subside in about 5 minutes or so - but that initial pain will definitely take your breath away!) - but because every nerve in my body is now acutely aware of every single molecule in the air, this shot was torture of the highest order!!!!! The first two monthly shots you'll normally receive are 300mg, with monthly maintenance doses of 100mg - and there is definitely a difference in pain between those two doses (the 100mg still hurts, but only for a few seconds and certainly nothing even close to the 300mg dose).
- 6pm - after monitoring me for an hour, they're ready to let me leave. At this point, I don't feel any worse - but I also don't feel any better, and I have no idea whether I'm going to be able to make it outside where my wife is waiting to take me home! I still don't know the reason for changing the induction the way they did and perhaps if I had gone another day or two without using and been in "full" withdrawal, it wouldn't have been like this but there is no way I can recommend this process to anyone - until they find a more "gentle" way to rapidly induct people, stick with the 3-7 day induction!! I still wonder what would have happened if I had decided to drive myself in that day or took the transit in because when I left that office there was NO WAY I could have driven a car, and I'm pretty positive I would have spent at least the night wandering around the Port Authority, lost and trying to figure out which bus to take home!

February 25th (Day 2) - From the moment I got home after getting the shot, I began to feel as though I was in the worst withdrawal I have ever experienced. Imagine having every typical withdrawal symptom (goose flesh, hot flashes, restlessness, etc.) - all registering a 10, all at the same time!!! All I could do was lie in bed, while my wife continued to pump me full of Xanax. I stayed in bed the entire day (and night) - couldn't get warm (but was sweating like crazy), couldn't lay down (but couldn't stand up) - utterly miserable... ...but then, just as suddenly as the misery had come on - it lifted!!! 48hrs after having received the shot, I started feeling much better! And by the end of that weekend (about 4 days after) - I was free! No withdrawal, no suboxone effects, and most importantly, no desire or craving for opiates - like a switch being turned off, I was suddenly released from opiate hell!!!




That is my Sublocade induction story - the TLDR; version is: I had a serious, long-term opiate addiction - I wanted to get off, so I decided to try Sublocade. Getting myself onto the drug was an awful experience, but the results speak for themselves as I'm still free from opiates with a positive view of the future!!!



Which brings me to why I decided to finally register here (after lurking for so many years), and that is my concern for the "What happens next?" question! The STARS study is (as their name implies), just a "study". And while they will do everything in their power to hook you up with post-study practitioners or therapists or whatever else you might need - their work is officially done after Week #12 and you're on your own. I had shot #3 (the 100mg shot) on April 20th, and since my last call with them about a month ago I've been coasting. They gave me 30 suboxone pills (they tell you that if you don't plan to continue receiving the shot, you should start taking the pills about 28 days after shot #3 and make sure to find a practitioner who can give you a formal script to continue with the pills), but I haven't taken a single one - and frankly, I just want to be done with ALL of it!!! I don't want to trade heroin for another drug, I just want to get it all out of my system - period. Of course, I'm in uncharted water here as I have no idea whether the Sublocade is still coursing through my system and that's why I'm still fine? Or, because of the super-extended release, there is a natural slow taper so withdrawal is barely even noticeable? I do know I've completely cut ties with my dealer - he had reached out to me a few times back in March and I didn't even respond to his texts. I also believe that by simply having broken the cycle of having every simple withdrawal symptom triggering the immediate response of jumping in my car, hitting the ATM, and scoring my next fix - just having the 4-5 months of not going through that repetitive cycle, has hopefully gotten me to a "safer" place... ...but I do still worry, I won't lie!!! We all know that voice in our head - that one that constantly manages to convince us to do things we KNOW will lead to problems!! And that voice is still muted at the moment - no "curiosity" or "experimenting" to "see how it feels now" - none of that... ...yet. But what if?!?!?!?


If you've been on Sublocade and managed to get off of it or if you're still on it today, I'd love to hear from you! Was my induction abnormal? Did you go through something similar? If/when you stopped, did you go into withdrawal and how long did it last? And critically important - are you still clean????

 

[Xorkoth]

Thanks for sharing your story. You actually DID experience the worst withdrawal ever, because suboxone kicks all other opioids out of the receptors and doesn't substitute for a full agonist, so you entered precipitated withdrawal. Which is horrific from what I understand. Very glad you're free now though.

 

[steveharris1]

Thanks for sharing your story. You actually DID experience the worst withdrawal ever, because suboxone kicks all other opioids out of the receptors and doesn't substitute for a full agonist, so you entered precipitated withdrawal. Which is horrific from what I understand. Very glad you're free now though.

You know, I've always heard about precipitated withdrawal, but I never knew how bad it could be - it's friggin BRUTAL!!! And like I said, the fentanyl surely kicked it up to another level... ...ugh - so glad I made it through.

I will say - if I can take anything positive from it (I always try to find SOMETHING positive about all of this stuff!!!), it's that the memory of those few hours/days acts like a deterrent to even thinking about going back!!! Just the thought of potentially going through that again, keeps me straight!!

 

[Luthien2]

I can’t even begin to express how sad I feel for your terrible induction phase. Precipitated withdrawals are horrific. (Experienced it once years ago). BUT thank goodness you haven’t had a decades long battle with Suboxone like I have. Started on it the year it came out and have unsuccessfully tried to come off of it many times. Until now. I go back for my third sublocade injection next month. Don’t really think I even need it but will go regardless. I know people who got ONE injection and were DONE. NO - absolutely NO - withdrawals or cravings. The release is soo gradual they were still testing positive a year after their injection but literally felt nothing. One good thing about sublocade is there’s no naloxone. Man that crap is what makes you feel like dog crap the entire time you’re on subs. It’s almost impossible to get subutex around here because all drs think it’ll be easier to abuse. Like you, I never injected- never even considered it. I was given OxyContin for a car wreck. Serious injuries but they kept feeding me pain killers long afterwards. Thought I’d be fine to stop one day. Pfft…. . I was soo young and naïve. But this injection is a godsend. Not for those taking more than a strip a day though imo. If you are serious about kicking the sub hell then push through the agonizing pain of the injection. I’m very small (128lbs) so the first injection was unreal - almost passed out. If you’re bigger I hear it’s easier but still pretty bad. My doc is working on getting a numbing medication for the area so more will stay on/try it. Heck, a little lidocaine would do the trick I’m sure. I have felt no withdrawals, no urges, no restlessness, energy is BACK. (Trust me- after almost 20 years of taking subs it has the OPPOSITE effect. Makes you deathly tired). I’ll try to keep posting each month to update my experience with the shot. Tiny unwarranted advice: don’t ever get on subs. Months of withdrawals trying to kick that habit and years of mental fubar are not even remotely worth it. Wish they’d outlaw that crap….

 

[OpiateKiller]

If I ever get back on subs I would do the shot for sure. My friend was eating 6 8 mg strips a day (yes I know how pointless that is and tried to explain to him the ceiling effect) and he’s managing perfect now on the 100 mg shot.

I can only imagine PWD from an injection. I took a 8 mg suboxone 12 hours after some of
The strongest fentanyl / heroin mix id ever had and had to be wheelchair escorted from the Animal Kingdom in Disney. I was essentially dying for 24 hours straight no Valium or booze helped the situation whatsoever

 

[steveharris1]

If I ever get back on subs I would do the shot for sure. My friend was eating 6 8 mg strips a day (yes I know how pointless that is and tried to explain to him the ceiling effect) and he’s managing perfect now on the 100 mg shot.

I can only imagine PWD from an injection. I took a 8 mg suboxone 12 hours after some of
The strongest fentanyl / heroin mix id ever had and had to be wheelchair escorted from the Animal Kingdom in Disney. I was essentially dying for 24 hours straight no Valium or booze helped the situation whatsoever

I do believe the 100mg shot is ideal - during those first two months with the initial 300mg shots, there were many times during the day I would start feeling the "opiate nods". I would be watching something on my laptop, and suddenly feel myself zonking off (almost uncontrollably) for no reason. It wasn't unmanageable (I wasn't narcoleptic and totally passing out, nor was I in a prolonged heroin nod that require me to lie down), but I was absolutely conscious of it when it would happen - "I'm not using, so why the f*ck am I nodding off??? Oh yeah, 'PARTIAL' agonist!!!"

About a week or two after that 100mg shot, I started to feel much better. So yeah, if there is one side effect to the sublocade (other than "opiate constipation", which unfortunately is still a thing while on this) - it was those random nods. They felt all too familiar, but they absolutely go away once you step down to the maintenance level... ...and that 100mg shot hurts WAY WAY WAY less, too which is great!! LOL!!!!'

 

[steveharris1]

I can’t even begin to express how sad I feel for your terrible induction phase. Precipitated withdrawals are horrific. (Experienced it once years ago). BUT thank goodness you haven’t had a decades long battle with Suboxone like I have. Started on it the year it came out and have unsuccessfully tried to come off of it many times. Until now. I go back for my third sublocade injection next month. Don’t really think I even need it but will go regardless. I know people who got ONE injection and were DONE. NO - absolutely NO - withdrawals or cravings. The release is soo gradual they were still testing positive a year after their injection but literally felt nothing. One good thing about sublocade is there’s no naloxone. Man that crap is what makes you feel like dog crap the entire time you’re on subs. It’s almost impossible to get subutex around here because all drs think it’ll be easier to abuse. Like you, I never injected- never even considered it. I was given OxyContin for a car wreck. Serious injuries but they kept feeding me pain killers long afterwards. Thought I’d be fine to stop one day. Pfft…. . I was soo young and naïve. But this injection is a godsend. Not for those taking more than a strip a day though imo. If you are serious about kicking the sub hell then push through the agonizing pain of the injection. I’m very small (128lbs) so the first injection was unreal - almost passed out. If you’re bigger I hear it’s easier but still pretty bad. My doc is working on getting a numbing medication for the area so more will stay on/try it. Heck, a little lidocaine would do the trick I’m sure. I have felt no withdrawals, no urges, no restlessness, energy is BACK. (Trust me- after almost 20 years of taking subs it has the OPPOSITE effect. Makes you deathly tired). I’ll try to keep posting each month to update my experience with the shot. Tiny unwarranted advice: don’t ever get on subs. Months of withdrawals trying to kick that habit and years of mental fubar are not even remotely worth it. Wish they’d outlaw that crap….

Yeah - that induction was BRUTAL!!! But, I try to use it as positive (negative?) re-enforcement now - I definitely do not want to EVER go through that again, so keep your nose clean (literally!) and you'll be alright!!!

...and yeah, that shot REALLY hurts!! I'm the opposite of you - plenty over-weight, so there was ample room for needle/depot, but it doesn't matter. Again, it's not the needle, it's the medicine itself that burns as though satan himself was sticking you with a hot poker!!! I don't see any lidocain or anything in our known universe, masking that pain - thankfully, it does go away completely within 5 minutes or so (less than a minute with the 100mg shot), but in the moment it is enough to make a grown man cry out!



Is your plan to get the one 100mg shot and then ride it out for good from there? That's been my plan and it's the reason I decided to start posting here in the first place - looking for experiences and/or encouragement!! As I mentioned, I had my 100mg back in April and am just about at the two month mark since that shot - so far, so good... ...but I can't help being anxious with the "what if" questions! Not so much "what if I use" because I'm still feeling rather confident in that area (thank God!!) - but "what if withdrawal suddenly comes on and it's even WORSE than heroin?????". I think that's what scares me the most.

 

[Luthien2]

Yeah - that induction was BRUTAL!!! But, I try to use it as positive (negative?) re-enforcement now - I definitely do not want to EVER go through that again, so keep your nose clean (literally!) and you'll be alright!!!

...and yeah, that shot REALLY hurts!! I'm the opposite of you - plenty over-weight, so there was ample room for needle/depot, but it doesn't matter. Again, it's not the needle, it's the medicine itself that burns as though satan himself was sticking you with a hot poker!!! I don't see any lidocain or anything in our known universe, masking that pain - thankfully, it does go away completely within 5 minutes or so (less than a minute with the 100mg shot), but in the moment it is enough to make a grown man cry out!



Is your plan to get the one 100mg shot and then ride it out for good from there? That's been my plan and it's the reason I decided to start posting here in the first place - looking for experiences and/or encouragement!! As I mentioned, I had my 100mg back in April and am just about at the two month mark since that shot - so far, so good... ...but I can't help being anxious with the "what if" questions! Not so much "what if I use" because I'm still feeling rather confident in that area (thank God!!) - but "what if withdrawal suddenly comes on and it's even WORSE than heroin?????". I think that's what scares me the most.

I’m soo looking forward to the 100mg injection. (less pain!) But seriously, yes that is my plan- to get one more shot and then be done. I still have two massive balls from the first two injections. (I find it odd that the size hasn’t decreased at all) So I’m assuming there’s still plenty of medication still slowly being leached out into my system. Every once in a while I get a case of the ‘what-ifs’ too- having an anxiety disorder definitely does NOT help that - but I reign my runaway thoughts back in and assess myself -Physically and mentally- and realize it’s all gonna be just fine lol. I have yet to know anyone that has had ‘withdrawal to come on suddenly’ while on the shot. (That’s still clean and not trying to do other things as well if you catch my drift) I have a friend who keeps waiting for RLS or the watery eyes/nose/yawning crap to start but it never has. She’s a year from a single 100mg injection and still testing positive for bupe. For me- I’m upping my exercise game. I’ve got to get endorphins kicking in naturally as the shot slowly weans my body off 20 years of bupe. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy! Keeping my mind occupied will probably be the most challenging thing in the months to come. I really don’t think you’ll have much - if any withdrawal symptoms. I’ve read a few threads that said after a while (months) they had a day or so of dripping orifices but they recognized it as an afterthought and not as an actual withdrawal they felt bad from. BUT - I, myself, can’t give an honest personal experience just yet since I haven’t walked that path. But I will. I will keep coming here and posting my experiences with the sublocade. If you get too worked up/worried you do the same. Breaking the habit of placing something under my tongue a couple times a day has been the biggest hurdle for me so far! I keep thinking I NEED it but I don’t. I’ve taken to eating candy but I really really don’t want to make that a habit either. I’ve got backup strips - just in case - but I had to move them somewhere they are NOT easily accessible. I am tempted to just flush them all buuut given how expensive they are I just can’t do it. Yet. I think I’ll freeze them into a block of ice and shove down to the bottom of my deep freezer next time I try to automatically go digging for one. Ugh. The mind is a powerful thing…..
I may just flush them after a couple months on 100mg. We’ll see. Definitely try to move as much as possible. Exercise really makes it easier. And just want to give you a shout-out: You are going strong and feeling good on that shot since April - congrats hun!!! Even if it gets to where you can’t physically FEEL it - it’s still depositing medicine into your body - and will continue to do so for a looong long time. I’m glad we are doing this - we as in me, you and everyone on the sublocade shot - since it seems to be a godsend/answered prayers/whatever you want to call it - before the government figures it out and tries to screw it up somehow by changing it. Keep us all posted on how things go. Drop a line if you need encouraging. You got this! You said it yourself “so far so good”! You CAN do it - you ARE. Keep on keepin on!

 

[steveharris1]

I still have two massive balls from the first two injections. (I find it odd that the size hasn’t decreased at all)

I can still feel a small "pebble" from where I got my very first shot, back in February!!! So, get used to being aware of those depots for awhile - they're definitely a lot smaller (can't feel the one from the 100mg shot at all), but they're still noticeable and I'm beginning to wonder if they will ever go away! LOL!!!


I want to believe that "common sense" says, because the nature of this treatment is extended release, it should obviously leave your system rather slowly thereby providing a natural taper. The only concern I continue to have, is that each time I had mentioned that potential "theory", the doctor would shoot me down by convincing me that there will, in fact, definitely be withdrawal from sublocade. I'm hoping that was just her way of trying to shake my confidence a bit and get me commit to staying on the shot longer (they really want you on for a minimum of 6 months - ideally, a full year).

Ever since I decided to register here and spill my guts, I've been looking to record any potential withdrawal effects on my calendar (so far, just a couple of minor hot flashes - nothing crazy, but definitely notable for anyone that's ever experienced opiate withdrawal). I don't want to OBSESS over this stuff, as that alone will likely trigger some bad mojo and send me to a place I don't want to go. But I do want to be conscious of it - both for my benefit (so hopefully I can look back one day, and remind myself of the sh*t I had to go through so I don't do it again!!!), but also for the benefit of anyone here that might be either considering sublocade or for someone (like you) who is likely to come off of it and might want to know what to expect. I'll continue tracking my "important" dates, and update them when appropriate at the bottom of this and future posts:

Shot #1 (300mg) - 2/24
Shot #2 (300mg) - 3/24
Shot #3 (100mg) - 4/20

WD (minor hot flash) - 6/17
WD (minor hot flash) - 6/25

Most important: Still clean and still no cravings!!!!

 

[Luthien2]

I can still feel a small "pebble" from where I got my very first shot, back in February!!! So, get used to being aware of those depots for awhile - they're definitely a lot smaller (can't feel the one from the 100mg shot at all), but they're still noticeable and I'm beginning to wonder if they will ever go away! LOL!!!


I want to believe that "common sense" says, because the nature of this treatment is extended release, it should obviously leave your system rather slowly thereby providing a natural taper. The only concern I continue to have, is that each time I had mentioned that potential "theory", the doctor would shoot me down by convincing me that there will, in fact, definitely be withdrawal from sublocade. I'm hoping that was just her way of trying to shake my confidence a bit and get me commit to staying on the shot longer (they really want you on for a minimum of 6 months - ideally, a full year).

Ever since I decided to register here and spill my guts, I've been looking to record any potential withdrawal effects on my calendar (so far, just a couple of minor hot flashes - nothing crazy, but definitely notable for anyone that's ever experienced opiate withdrawal). I don't want to OBSESS over this stuff, as that alone will likely trigger some bad mojo and send me to a place I don't want to go. But I do want to be conscious of it - both for my benefit (so hopefully I can look back one day, and remind myself of the sh*t I had to go through so I don't do it again!!!), but also for the benefit of anyone here that might be either considering sublocade or for someone (like you) who is likely to come off of it and might want to know what to expect. I'll continue tracking my "important" dates, and update them when appropriate at the bottom of this and future posts:

Shot #1 (300mg) - 2/24
Shot #2 (300mg) - 3/24
Shot #3 (100mg) - 4/20

WD (minor hot flash) - 6/17
WD (minor hot flash) - 6/25

Most important: Still clean and still no cravings!!!!

Woooooah! Still a pebble from February… that’s crazy. BUT, at the same time, awesome since we know it’s very slowly still releasing medicine into your system. It’s a small price to pay- IMO- for a {possible} clean life from/without subs! I do find it interesting that your doctor shoots down the theory of no/minimal withdrawals from sublocade- mine said the opposite. Although, many(If not most) drs view patients such as us as ‘paychecks’ even lifelong paychecks. Maybe his opinion is due to the shot is still being rather new and the number of patients fully participating in their programs that report back and keep returning for counseling/etc. is low?
Idk…
I do know that this month I’m having a more difficult time with the ‘hand to mouth’ addiction part. I don’t physically NEED the strip under my tongue - no withdrawals- but 20 years of doing it is haaaaaard to break. (Those big ol tablets from years ago were a nasty hassle though lol) I’ve come to love that nasty strip taste unfortunately and it’s totally screwing with my head. Twice I’ve moved my ‘emergency’ strips to an area with less accessibility. It passes after a bit but you know how the mind works…
And like you said - obsessing over these things WILL make it more difficult! I’m soo sick of taking subs y’all just don’t even know. I was sooooo down thinking about NEVER being able to jump completely off them. Now I have hope.
I sometimes worry that my brain is forever altered and will never function without meds but I try to push it out of my mind and remember how far I’ve come.
YOU have come even farther and I’m glad you’ve taken the time to post these milestones. Because that’s what they are and they should be commended.
Congratulations!!!

 

[Lobita]

I was taking Sublocade for a period of time and found the experience to be truly miraculous!!! Do not get me wrong - the induction onto the shot was an absolute horror show for me (more on that in a bit!), but if there are people out there truly looking to kick opiates (and know in their hearts that they can't really be trusted to take a daily suboxone as it will likely lead to them messing around with dosage - selling pills - buying dope - etc.), the Sublocade shot may well be that "miracle drug" that gets you out of this mess once and for all!!!



A quickie "agonist vs. antagonist vs. partial agonist" lesson, for those who don't fully understand the chemistry of all of this stuff (I only recently learned it myself and will use the same visualizations that were explained to me, enabling me to finally wrap my head around it all - but if you already know all this stuff, feel free to skip ahead!!):
- opioids in general are like "keys" - and the opioid receptors in your head are like "locks"
- opioid agonists (oxycodone, heroin, fentanyl, etc.) are keys that seek out the locks, open them up, and allow the "joy joy" feelings to come flooding out!
- opioid antagonists (vivitrol, narcan, etc.) are keys that seek out the locks but do NOT open them - they just plant themselves in the keyhole, so that other keys (aka heroin) can't get in and unlock.
- opioid partial-agonists (suboxone, sublocade, etc.) - these are the "hybrid" guys - these keys seek out the locks, but only partially open them - they allow some "joy joy" to get out, but not a lot (just enough to keep an addict from getting sick or have cravings)

Obviously, I'm not a chemist and I don't pretend to be one! But I did always wonder what those terms meant and how it all worked - and this is the explanation that helped me finally make sense of it all!


Anyway - on to the actual point of this post!!!!


Background:
- heavy oxycodone user for 5 or 6 years - was easily at 6-10, 30mg 'blues' a day at one point
- eventually discovered (like all opiate pill heads eventually do) that heroin is WAY cheaper ($300/day for pills vs. $150/day for a brick of heroin, it's not even close - especially when I'm having to carry my wife on this stuff, too!!!)
- spent the next 3 years after dumping the pills, working up to a brick-a-day habit (I do want to point out I have NEVER injected - only snort - was always WAY too afraid of needles, thank God - but I had always convinced myself that snorting was "safer" against developing a physical dependence - how dumb!!!)
- had an "overdose" event with my wife a couple of years ago (we're double-trouble - whatever one of us gets into, the other isn't far behind!!)) - not to the point that I was hit with Narcan, but obviously looped enough that we were both taken to the hospital anyway
- our kids were in the house at the time (kids were 11 and 18yrs old, so we're not talking infants and toddlers - but irresponsible regardless, and we fully own that!!), which lead to DYFS entering our life (NEVER PLEASANT!!!!!)
- wife and I both entered a Vivitrol study being done at Columbia University (rapid detox in a four day inpatient setting, followed by three monthly Vivitrol shots)
- as I knew would happen - as soon as DYFS closed their case, I let my Vivitrol lapse and slowly found myself right back on heroin (and of course, my wife was soon behind me)
- after the 2020 lockdown (where I found myself doing more heroin than ever, if for no other reason than out of BOREDOM!), I knew we had to get off this for good (and this time it was MY choice - not something forced on me, as was the case with DYFS)
- found out that Columbia University was doing a new study - this time, it was for Sublocade
- the one really good thing about how this study was handled was, because of all the COVID restrictions still going on, the number of required "in office" visits were kept to a minimum - the vast majority of follow-up during the course of the study was done remotely. After my first shot I was sent home with urine cups and a BP machine, and was able to continue through the study with two remote meetings per week - WAY easier than having to drive into NYC!
- First shot was given to me on February 24th, 2021 - and I have been CLEAN EVER SINCE!!!!

About the study:
- for those who don't know (especially those outside the tri-state area), Columbia University has a specialized research department for dealing with substance abuse. The STARS (Substance Treatment and Research Service) program is truly an amazing group of people. Beyond just their experience and knowledge, they are EXTREMELY supportive of those trying to rid themselves of drugs - as a bonus, they will even PAY YOU as they help you get clean!! Don't get me wrong, you're NOT going to get rich off something like this ($50 for initial visit, $10 for each subsequent visit) - but it's definitely a helpful perk if you need to fund tolls/parking or public transportation.
- the target patients for this particular study, were those found to be using HPSOs (Highly Potent Synthetic Opioids) such as fentanyl (which we ALL know makes up most of the "heroin" we buy!) - and, of course, my urine screen confirmed
- the goal of the study that STARS had enrolled me in, was to shorten the "induction period" for getting the Sublocade shot. Normally, in order to get a Sublocade injection, the current prescribing directions require the patient to be stabilized for at least 7 days on 10-20mg of Suboxone. The study was looking to shorten that induction period to 3 days and give the Sublocade shot on day #4. Most active users will have an incredibly hard time managing a 7+ day induction period - this is the biggest hurdle to people getting on to the shot, and so it's the main reason for this study.


If you managed to read all of that and got this far, you are either really interested and/or curious about Sublocade (or STARS) and are looking to decide whether it's right for you, or you're a masochist and you enjoy reading a novel about another heroin users (painful) experience with kicking this junk!!!!



So now, the interesting part - how did this all go down, did it work, how am I today, and what's my outlook for the future! And for me, I'm looking to other Sublocade users out there (especially those that stopped injections) to hear about their experience and perhaps answer some of my own questions about "life after Sublocade"...


** Prerequisite for beginning the trial - you MUST be in full withdrawal (and because of the involvement of HPSOs, the onset can be significantly delayed, as it was for me. This was VERY likely the cause of my upcoming nightmare!!). **

February 23rd (Day 0) - I went to the office to begin the trial - it had been approximate 12hrs since I last used, so I scored incredibly low on the COWS and was immediately sent home - nothing I could do, I just had to use up all of my stuff the night before because I couldn't bear the thought off any of it to be flushed - what an idiot!!!

February 24th (Day 1) - Went back to the office (36hrs since last use), but still scored extremely low on the COWS (think I was still only a 2 or 3). This was the fork in the road for me - I think the doctor was concerned that I was never going to come back a third time to the office (he was probably right!), and so he made the decision to go ahead with the induction anyway!! But something changed - the study I had been discussing with these people from the very beginning was the "3 day induction", followed by the shot on Day 4. Instead, they decided to induct me and give me the shot THAT SAME DAY!!!!!! So, let me warn any and all of you out there - I absolutely do NOT recommend this!!!!!! I don't care what the doctor has convinced you of or how desperate you are to get off this crap - DO NOT DO THIS!!! You will be miserable and you will absolutely regret it, and there is a really good chance your induction will fail altogether!! I was naive, I figured with my incredibly high tolerance (as though that was "helpful" somehow) that it wouldn't be a problem, and I was so wrong I'm still amazed I got through it all!!! This is how it all went down:
- Arrived at 1pm (late for my 10am appointment, as usual!) and they explained the "same day" process we were going to employ - I agreed and we started with a 2mg suboxone, no problem
- 2pm - I was given 6mg suboxone - still not so bad, feeling a bit anxious, is it the drugs or do I just need a cigarette? I dunno - but this is boring!!!
- 3pm - 8mg suboxone - ok, 10 minutes later the wheels start to come off - the Pink Floyd "my hands felt just like two balloons" line is running through my head - suddenly, I can barely walk!! During treatment, you are always free to come and go (to go outside and smoke or whatever) - and as badly as I needed a cigarette in that moment, I was 100% positive there was no way I could navigate the elevator, make it outside, and find my way back in!!! And I want to be very clear - this was NOT a "pleasant" high!!!!! It had an "out of body" feel to it, my anxiety was in overdrive, and it took every ounce of strength to not go running mad through the office and out into the street!!
- 4pm - the doctor comes in with my next (and final) 8mg suboxone - I am scared to death at this point of taking this!!! I am literally begging her to allow my wife to come in (patients in the clinic only - thank you again, f*cking COVID!!) and I'm deer in headlights, just looking for an opening so I can bolt!! But the nurse is patient (yet persistent) and she convinces me that the reason I'm feeling this way is because the suboxone is having to forcefully kick the fentanyl off my receptors and that once I take this last dose (which will put me at a total of 24mg suboxone over the course of 4hrs), I will start to feel better. I succumb and take the last 8mg... ...and I did NOT feel any better - I felt WORSE, if that was possible!!!! I finally had to resort to lying on this filthy carpet and simply try to visualize my breathing - it was the only way to keep a mental hold on myself. I honestly thought I was going to lose my mind any moment, so just listening to myself breath was all I could do to keep myself calm. I tried calling my wife a couple of time because I was ready to have her force her way into the clinic and drag me out of she had to - but in the back of my mind (even while going through this hell) I knew if I left I would never come back, and that the very next day I would be back in the slums looking to score another fix. So I just kept my head down, kept listening to my breathing, and tried to "ride" the anxiety out.
- 5pm - time has to have stopped - it's only been an hour?!?!?!? The doctor is back and she tells me they're ready to give me the shot - I don't know how to react. I'm totally unsteady on my feet, my head is swimming and I feel like I'm looking down on myself from about 10ft above, and I'm insanely anxious - and now they want to shoot even MORE of this sh*t into me????? Again - she sees the panic in my eyes and assures me (again) that if I get the shot, I will definitely start to feel better. And like a desperate moron, once again I believe her - I relent and allow them to walk me to the table so I can lie down and get the shot... ...first thing I want to point out about this shot (for those who don't know) - this f*cker hurts!!!! By itself, this shot absolutely hurts by any definition (it takes about 10 seconds to fully administer the dose, but it feels like an eternity - and it's not the needle that hurts, it's the wave of a hundred bees stinging you over and over again in the same exact spot, that hurts! Thankfully, it does subside in about 5 minutes or so - but that initial pain will definitely take your breath away!) - but because every nerve in my body is now acutely aware of every single molecule in the air, this shot was torture of the highest order!!!!! The first two monthly shots you'll normally receive are 300mg, with monthly maintenance doses of 100mg - and there is definitely a difference in pain between those two doses (the 100mg still hurts, but only for a few seconds and certainly nothing even close to the 300mg dose).
- 6pm - after monitoring me for an hour, they're ready to let me leave. At this point, I don't feel any worse - but I also don't feel any better, and I have no idea whether I'm going to be able to make it outside where my wife is waiting to take me home! I still don't know the reason for changing the induction the way they did and perhaps if I had gone another day or two without using and been in "full" withdrawal, it wouldn't have been like this but there is no way I can recommend this process to anyone - until they find a more "gentle" way to rapidly induct people, stick with the 3-7 day induction!! I still wonder what would have happened if I had decided to drive myself in that day or took the transit in because when I left that office there was NO WAY I could have driven a car, and I'm pretty positive I would have spent at least the night wandering around the Port Authority, lost and trying to figure out which bus to take home!

February 25th (Day 2) - From the moment I got home after getting the shot, I began to feel as though I was in the worst withdrawal I have ever experienced. Imagine having every typical withdrawal symptom (goose flesh, hot flashes, restlessness, etc.) - all registering a 10, all at the same time!!! All I could do was lie in bed, while my wife continued to pump me full of Xanax. I stayed in bed the entire day (and night) - couldn't get warm (but was sweating like crazy), couldn't lay down (but couldn't stand up) - utterly miserable... ...but then, just as suddenly as the misery had come on - it lifted!!! 48hrs after having received the shot, I started feeling much better! And by the end of that weekend (about 4 days after) - I was free! No withdrawal, no suboxone effects, and most importantly, no desire or craving for opiates - like a switch being turned off, I was suddenly released from opiate hell!!!




That is my Sublocade induction story - the TLDR; version is: I had a serious, long-term opiate addiction - I wanted to get off, so I decided to try Sublocade. Getting myself onto the drug was an awful experience, but the results speak for themselves as I'm still free from opiates with a positive view of the future!!!



Which brings me to why I decided to finally register here (after lurking for so many years), and that is my concern for the "What happens next?" question! The STARS study is (as their name implies), just a "study". And while they will do everything in their power to hook you up with post-study practitioners or therapists or whatever else you might need - their work is officially done after Week #12 and you're on your own. I had shot #3 (the 100mg shot) on April 20th, and since my last call with them about a month ago I've been coasting. They gave me 30 suboxone pills (they tell you that if you don't plan to continue receiving the shot, you should start taking the pills about 28 days after shot #3 and make sure to find a practitioner who can give you a formal script to continue with the pills), but I haven't taken a single one - and frankly, I just want to be done with ALL of it!!! I don't want to trade heroin for another drug, I just want to get it all out of my system - period. Of course, I'm in uncharted water here as I have no idea whether the Sublocade is still coursing through my system and that's why I'm still fine? Or, because of the super-extended release, there is a natural slow taper so withdrawal is barely even noticeable? I do know I've completely cut ties with my dealer - he had reached out to me a few times back in March and I didn't even respond to his texts. I also believe that by simply having broken the cycle of having every simple withdrawal symptom triggering the immediate response of jumping in my car, hitting the ATM, and scoring my next fix - just having the 4-5 months of not going through that repetitive cycle, has hopefully gotten me to a "safer" place... ...but I do still worry, I won't lie!!! We all know that voice in our head - that one that constantly manages to convince us to do things we KNOW will lead to problems!! And that voice is still muted at the moment - no "curiosity" or "experimenting" to "see how it feels now" - none of that... ...yet. But what if?!?!?!?


If you've been on Sublocade and managed to get off of it or if you're still on it today, I'd love to hear from you! Was my induction abnormal? Did you go through something similar? If/when you stopped, did you go into withdrawal and how long did it last? And critically important - are you still clean????

Are you in New Jersey? That’s where I am... I’d like more info on these studies. I went into precipitated withdrawals on Sunday and ended up in the hospital for 4 days. When I came out I felt like shit and did get a few bags to take the edge off, 5 bags yesterday and 3 today....but I also got 2 more 8mg suboxone. When do you think it will be safe to take it again? I’m terrified of going through it again....but I refuse to buy more dope and I don’t want what I went through to have been for nothing.

 

[steveharris1]

Woooooah! Still a pebble from February… that’s crazy. BUT, at the same time, awesome since we know it’s very slowly still releasing medicine into your system. It’s a small price to pay- IMO- for a {possible} clean life from/without subs! I do find it interesting that your doctor shoots down the theory of no/minimal withdrawals from sublocade- mine said the opposite. Although, many(If not most) drs view patients such as us as ‘paychecks’ even lifelong paychecks. Maybe his opinion is due to the shot is still being rather new and the number of patients fully participating in their programs that report back and keep returning for counseling/etc. is low?
Idk…
I do know that this month I’m having a more difficult time with the ‘hand to mouth’ addiction part. I don’t physically NEED the strip under my tongue - no withdrawals- but 20 years of doing it is haaaaaard to break. (Those big ol tablets from years ago were a nasty hassle though lol) I’ve come to love that nasty strip taste unfortunately and it’s totally screwing with my head. Twice I’ve moved my ‘emergency’ strips to an area with less accessibility. It passes after a bit but you know how the mind works…
And like you said - obsessing over these things WILL make it more difficult! I’m soo sick of taking subs y’all just don’t even know. I was sooooo down thinking about NEVER being able to jump completely off them. Now I have hope.
I sometimes worry that my brain is forever altered and will never function without meds but I try to push it out of my mind and remember how far I’ve come.
YOU have come even farther and I’m glad you’ve taken the time to post these milestones. Because that’s what they are and they should be commended.

I never took Suboxone, so my experience with it is limited to my induction - but as a smoker, I can certainly relate to that "repetition addiction" thing (opening a pack, lighting a cigarette, flicking ash, etc.). That repetition stuff is almost as hard as anything else, when it comes to addiction (cigarettes are next on my to-do list, once I've confidently gotten enough distance from these damn opiates)!!

...I worry about my brain being altered, too - I'm fairly sure it has! BUT, I just have a different level of confidence since being on sublocade than I did with vivitrol. Vivitrol never seemed to control that "voice" in my head - it kept NAGGING at me, screaming at me that by skipping my next shot I could probably get high! With sublocade, I haven't heard a single peep from that voice (thank GOD!!!) since February - and even now, working towards my 12th week since the last shot, I still don't have that "quiet curiosity" calling out to me, which is such a RELIEF!!!

Are you in New Jersey? That’s where I am... I’d like more info on these studies. I went into precipitated withdrawals on Sunday and ended up in the hospital for 4 days. When I came out I felt like shit and did get a few bags to take the edge off, 5 bags yesterday and 3 today....but I also got 2 more 8mg suboxone. When do you think it will be safe to take it again? I’m terrified of going through it again....but I refuse to buy more dope and I don’t want what I went through to have been for nothing.

I'm in Northern NJ - Bergen County.

Like I mentioned, I honestly don't have any experience with suboxone (outside my induction onto sublocade), so I can't give you any advice there. If you're interested in the study I participated in, these are the people:

Substance Treatment and Research Service (STARS)

STARS provides free and confidential treatment of substance abuse in the context of a research treatment clinical trial.

www.columbiapsychiatry.org

They are an AWESOME group and so long as you truly want to be free of the junk, they will ABSOLUTELY help get you there!!! Good luck and please let me know if you decide to reach out to them - I would love to hear how you make out...









Nothing new to report - status still unchanged (which is a good thing!!):

Shot #1 (300mg) - 2/24
Shot #2 (300mg) - 3/24
Shot #3 (100mg) - 4/20

WD (minor hot flash) - 6/17
WD (minor hot flash) - 6/25

Most important: Still clean and still no cravings!!!!

 

[Xorkoth]

That's awesome! Congrats!

 

[LivingOnValium]

I'm gonna go on buvidal (euro version of sublocade) and probably stay on the highest possible dose possibly for good.

 

[steveharris1]

I'm gonna go on buvidal (euro version of sublocade) and probably stay on the highest possible dose possibly for good.

I'm assuming they prescribe it the same way as sublocade - in which case, you'll certainly be on the highest dose (300mg) for your first two shots. After that, you can continue on with that level or you can step down to the maintenance dose (100mg) which, for me, was absolutely ideal. If I had decided to continue with it, I would have definitely stayed with the 100mg shot - it hurt WAY LESS than the 300mg one, but more importantly for me, by the middle of that second month is when I started to feel a bit "foggier" (started having periodic "nods" and whatnot). By the middle of the 3rd month (after stepping down to the 100mg shot), I began to come back and feel a lot more "normal".

Obviously, I don't know your history and your treatment plan is between you and your doctor (I only pretend to be one ) - I'm just offering up my personal experience to arm you with as much knowledge as possible! I will also say, if you do find the 100mg dose isn't cutting it and you're starting to have cravings again, there is absolutely nothing to prevent you from going back to the 300mg shot during your next treatment - it's flexible that way...

GOOD LUCK!!!! I hope it works as well for you, as it has for me...








Of course, the very day I state "nothing new to report", I get hit with another withdrawal that evening! GRRRRRR!!!!!

Shot #1 (300mg) - 2/24
Shot #2 (300mg) - 3/24
Shot #3 (100mg) - 4/20

WD (minor hot flash) - 6/17
WD (minor hot flash) - 6/25
WD (moderate hot flash - still very manageable) - 7/6

Most important: Still clean and still no cravings!!!!

 

[Lobita]

I never took Suboxone, so my experience with it is limited to my induction - but as a smoker, I can certainly relate to that "repetition addiction" thing (opening a pack, lighting a cigarette, flicking ash, etc.). That repetition stuff is almost as hard as anything else, when it comes to addiction (cigarettes are next on my to-do list, once I've confidently gotten enough distance from these damn opiates)!!

...I worry about my brain being altered, too - I'm fairly sure it has! BUT, I just have a different level of confidence since being on sublocade than I did with vivitrol. Vivitrol never seemed to control that "voice" in my head - it kept NAGGING at me, screaming at me that by skipping my next shot I could probably get high! With sublocade, I haven't heard a single peep from that voice (thank GOD!!!) since February - and even now, working towards my 12th week since the last shot, I still don't have that "quiet curiosity" calling out to me, which is such a RELIEF!!!



I'm in Northern NJ - Bergen County.

Like I mentioned, I honestly don't have any experience with suboxone (outside my induction onto sublocade), so I can't give you any advice there. If you're interested in the study I participated in, these are the people:

Substance Treatment and Research Service (STARS)

STARS provides free and confidential treatment of substance abuse in the context of a research treatment clinical trial.

www.columbiapsychiatry.org

They are an AWESOME group and so long as you truly want to be free of the junk, they will ABSOLUTELY help get you there!!! Good luck and please let me know if you decide to reach out to them - I would love to hear how you make out...









Nothing new to report - status still unchanged (which is a good thing!!):

Shot #1 (300mg) - 2/24
Shot #2 (300mg) - 3/24
Shot #3 (100mg) - 4/20

WD (minor hot flash) - 6/17
WD (minor hot flash) - 6/25

Most important: Still clean and still no cravings!!!!

Oh I’m in Passaic county. Im still okay too I used my sub 2 days ago without a disaster like last time and I’m still okay. I think I’ll be okay without having to get on something else But if I start having a hard time I’ll get in touch with them. I’m still fresh into it but I’m determined. I hope you stay clean and don’t have to go through any serious W/D!

 

[steveharris1]

...figured I'd add one more update to my ongoing "diary", so to speak. I decided to purchase a simple BUP screening kit from Amazon - just to satisfy my curiousity and see where I'm at. Seems I'm still positive at this point, but I'll continue checking once a week to see when (if ever!!!!) this stuff actually leaves my system.

(btw - I'm glad I didn't listen to the STARS people, and start taking those suboxones when they told me - it's obvious I didn't need them as I'm still putting out positive screenings nearly three months after receiving my last shot!!!!)


Shot #1 (300mg) - 2/24
Shot #2 (300mg) - 3/24
Shot #3 (100mg) - 4/20

WD (minor hot flash) - 6/17
WD (minor hot flash) - 6/25
WD (moderate hot flash - still very manageable) - 7/6

BUP Urine Screen (positive) - 7/8

Most important: Still clean and still no cravings!!!!