Thanks for warm welcoming back.
Herbavore, will put after I finish some more
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Here is some notions from my inpatient opiate replacement therapy start.
I arrived the place few minutes before 12:00 and anxiously waited for them to ask me in.
Then I was taken breathalyzer test and it of course showed 0.00 as I hadn't drink last night and I don't have alcohol problems. I was then strip searched after taking my vitals and I changed into clothing they gave and all my clothes I have brought with me was checked and then put into a washing machine.
I met a Dr. then and discussed about my inpatient stay and what we were about to do. It seemed like there was a confusion on the papers sent by my primary Dr. as those were for evaluationg the need for opiate replacement therapy and I needed to call my nurse to correct it and then talk with the Dr. again.
We decided to wait until tomorrow with my normal oxycontin etc. drugs so they could get the paper work sorted out and wait until my pain management specialist appointment which was tomorrow too.
Nothing special for the first day as I just got known to other patients and there were total of eight of us. Had a good room mate who didn't even snore. Pretty colourful combination of patients. Some who were already on ORT and were adjusting their doses or detoxing from other drugs and people who were just detoxing. Age varied from 21 to 40 and there was one real hottie there
Got my clothes from the washing machine and used drying machine and changed into my normal clothing and felt much better than in hospital clothing. At the first day I couldn't participate into any programs as per rules so just smoking cigs and passing time and eating. And there was a lot of eating. 07:30 breakfast, 11:00 lunch, 14:00 coffee with something small like cupcakes, 16:00 dinner and 19:00 bedtime meal.
Next day I went to pain management specialist and we talked about the pain and other issues and she suggested physiotherapy and ORT along with Neurontin and naproxen in slow release form with added stomach safety drug (Vimovo). Decided to cut my benzo dose into half from 2mg Klonopin twice a day. ORT was about to be started next day so my last dose of oxycontin in the evening was given in instant release form.
Next morning after breakfast and community meeting I was inducted Suboxone 13 hours after my last oxycodone dose. 2mgs for starters and then after four hours I could ask for another 2mgs which I did.
There was a psysioacoustical chair which basically is a chair filled with small subwoofers and there were plenty of programs such as intensive back massage, activation or refreshing. I used a lot of that thing as it seemed to work as intended. Eased my back muscles and increased blood flow thus easing my back pain.
Next day my dose was 4mg at the morning and then another 2mg as needed which I took. Day after the dose was 6+2 and the following day 8mg in which I stayed for the rest of the time. My BP was monitored and they used COWS to assess withdrawals and I could have had beta blockers and similar if I would have had any but the transition to buprenorphine was very comfortable that way.
We had group meeting everyday and it could be just discussion or someone else from recovery support groups would come to discuss with us. Saturday we had bakery group and we did for example cheesecake with white chocolate. Each day we had time to discuss with our assigned nurse. Tuesdays and sundays we had sauna.
We also had access to gym and billiard hall and I learned to play billiard quite well. Also we had walks outside each day atleast twice a day.
I would recommend this type of ORT start for everyone.