Introducing myself

[Dillycat]

Hi Everyone!

I'm new. I've had quite a time figuring out how to introduce myself, and I have a feeling that selecting "Post New Thread" is not how to do it. Please correct me. I didn't see an icon or anyplace to click on the "Say Hello" page.

I am really wanting to wean off Dilaudid IV and start Suboxone correctly. I have a few questions. I have searched and found a lot of great information, but nothing that answers my specific issues. I'm scared.

If someone answers this or puts it in the right place, I'm not even sure I'll see it unless a moderator or someone sends me an email within this site.

Thank you for any help.

Dillycat

 

[Captain.Heroin]

welcome! best of luck with suboxone! I finally got off it a few years ago.

 

[FLA]

Welcome. You're in the right place. Don't know what your specific questions are but if it has to do with how long to wait after stopping the Dilaudid and starting the buprenorphine, search here on BL for the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS). Try not to do what I did once and subjectively judge withdrawal symptoms as severe when they were in reality still mild. By starting the buprenorphine too soon I put myself into precipitated withdrawals.

Also try not to get fooled into thinking that just because buprenorphine doesn't have much recreational value that it's a breeze to get off of. A lot of how bad the bupe withdrawals are are dependent on how long you stay on it and the dosage.

https://www.naabt.org/documents/COWS_induction_flow_sheet.pdf

 

[Dillycat]

Hi Captain Heroin:

Thank you for your response. I just read an article from a university website. It scared the shit out of me. I have been abusing Dilaudid IV for about 1-1/2 years, about 10 8mg pills a day.
I have Suboxone 8mg sublingual films from my psychiatrist. I am terrified of starting them. I started once before about 1 year and a couple mos ago and abusing a lot less. I relapsed due to severe carpal tunnel surgery. I tried the Subs a 2nd time, relapsed for no good reason.

What I just read on this univ site describes the W/D's as nothing short of horrific anxiety, physical pain in all joints, nerve cells feeling like they're on fire....and more by at least 5 posters. Now I am afraid if the Subs don't work, I'll be stuck with it in my system for 3 days. Ok, I know I'm sounding like a huge wimp.

If I honestly use COWS to assess my w/d's, do I still have to wait 24 hours minimum to avoid precipitated w/d's?

I've suffered clinical depression and anxiety my whole life. I tried weaning off my Klonopin (never abused--taken as prescribed--1mg a day), and even after a month, I felt jittery, which
was totally do-able, but this opiate w/d sounds like serious torture.

Advice?

 

[Dillycat]

Hi FLA:

Thank you for your response. You hit the nail on the head. I am scared of precipitated w/d's. I'm thinking after 1-1/2 years of 10 IC Dilaudids a day, I am going to have to wait a minimum of 24 hours.

Advice?