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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Subutex & Pain Meds Post Surgery First Post Ever

Strongcook

Greenlighter
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
9
Okay- I originally posted this in healthy living and meant it to be short and sweet... I also thought from reading old posts you had to write from a different POV but at least I didn't go with "my Mom's Iguana"- if you don't want to read all of this toward the bottom, the first bullet really summarizes why I posted- I think I just got vey excited to find possibly find some like minded individuals and possibly some insight....be gentle
Hi- there is so much I want to pour out. I want to give my whole story and find some friends who can relate but I'll stick with the problem at hand so I get the best answer possible. I think this is supposed to be in third person so let's talk about my friend who is a 32 yr old female with chronic migraines, who only started opiates from Drs- never bought or sold, injected, snorted- but had a problem. Has a husband who is very understanding but for the life of him could not put himself in her shoes. She gave up a career after finishing her Masters to raise their two children only to also get this debilitating disease. She is thankful for her children bc some days there is no way she could get out of bed and yes she's tried it all.
She started having Acute stomach pains a month ago but noted it with her first pregnancy so, going on five years. She sees a pyschiatrist and a neuro pain doc who work in unison to treat her. Prior she had a fear of Drs and being looked at as an addict due to some bad encounters. Both her present Drs think she's doing terrific and think they don't need to see her as much (good timing bc ger copay skyrocketed)... And see her as a success... Someone whose pain was not being treated properly along with insecurities, past family trauma... That now she can talk her way through without tears and voice her opinion. She also is not seeking medication and actually often forgets to take it. (This doesn't mean she isn't in pain, she just knows how to handle it before it peaks). Sooooooo, this Acute pain turned out to be a surgical need- she thought she had a month to wean but next thing she knew she had 7 days before her gallbladder was coming out. She had been on 12 mg of subutex on and off for 3 years (between pregnancies). The neuro pain dr didn't wean her, just put her on 1 hydro every 6 hours. By the day of surgery she was in full withdrawal (neuro pain dr allowing for an extra pill at night). Post opt she left with 30 5-325 hydro and spoke with the nurse on Friday who said to take to 2 every 4 hours. Today she was down to her last two and could feel the mental effects and restless legs. For her, no matter how much pain she's in she can kick off all the covers and pillows (hubby won't even sleep in same room). She called the surgeon who for some reason didn't know how to call in a short supply and told her to call her pcp or pain doc or go to urgent care but he'd call in a script first thing in the am. Her pcp wasn't there and his replacement didn't want to prescribe narcs, she understood. She called her pain dr (who claims he has 900 patients and never answers emergency calls)- he never called back. Three docs, no help. So she asked her hubby who knows as much as he can and they agreed, her surgical pain was more important and not to crack this late in the game. She took a benzo, Advil, loperamide, haldol (dug it out from years ago), and tried to lay down. After two hours she cracked and took about 2.5 mg of subutex (she hasn't had any in 10 days). How long until she an resume her pain script? She is guessing from the time she took it till the time she gets it at least 12 hours will have passed and if the pharmacy gives her any issue perhaps more. She knows if she were taking it daily it would be 24-36 hours but in this solo case? She still has jitters but feels 50 % better. Also, is it normal for her to still have withdrawal this late in game, 10 days? She wants to try a life without subs bc she feels like she's been treading water for years- everyone loves and supports her so she's been on crutches and subutex is one of them. She is lucky for the support but she feels as if people have been to easy on her and this surgery was natures way of saying "time to clean out your system"! If she needs to go back to subs she will but she feels like this is a fight for her soul (sorry to be dramatic).
-So sorry, I said I'd keep it simple so I'd get a simple response but I'll take any so to summarize- 32yr old female on 12 mg of subs for 12 mos came off with no wean for surgery and has been on opioids for the past ten days and feeling moderate to bad withdrawal- broke down and took 2.5 mg of sub, (at approx 11:15 pm) when can she resume pain meds to help with post operative surgery pain? The research between subutex and suboxone is so confusing, I do think I understand it but I do get there are so many variables at play and it is different if you took it many days in a row versus just once. My doc just shrugs and says no, go ahead and take your pain pill- or wait 24 hours at least....contradictory.
-I've read posts over and over again on here but never joined or commented. I have a lot I could add for those who have pain or addiction issues and pregnancy.
-I am also hurting bc my first bf from 7th grade and one of my closest friends fell off the earth in 2011. I figured my marriage and pregnancy had kept him away but when I was hospitalized for a week for my migraines and he never called I knew something was wrong. This person I knew so well had been struggling with heroine and no one knows where he is- I left messages everywhere I could. I spoke with his mom, best friend- he's vanished and I'm scared the next thing I hear will be bad. Maybe he's on here and will recognize the name, like a beacon, and know he has support. Although, everyone I've contacted said he's beyond help- so do you just let your friend die??? It's been five years! (He did do the fancy rehab once and half way house so I'm shocked that after this relapse it feels like everyone is saying game over. I just want one conversation with him, even though I know it would probably do nothing.... I guess that's a post for another day.
 
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