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Surgical pain and making a huge mistake. Please help 😕

FMLTryingToGetRight

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Jan 28, 2025
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Ok, so I've searched and searched, and still get a dozen different answers, but wanted to post my own to see if I could get a better feel. I apologize for the novel, but I need to be detailed about my situation, and want to say thank you in advance for any help/suggestions that may be given.

A week ago, I had a hemicolectomy (removed part of my colon and my appendix). Doctor gave me 5mg Percs, but it didn't even touch the pain. Being the not so bright recovering addict that I am (2.5 yrs sober but on MAT program/1mg Suboxone per day), I used an old contact to procure some Fentanyl caps. I have been doing maybe a pin head's worth IV every 4-8 hours depending on pain for 4 days now, but have to transition back to Suboxone in a day or two.

Because I didn't think withdrawals would be bad, I waited about 12 hours, but things started to get real bad, and began doing the fentanyl again. In order to transition back to Suboxone more easily, I procured some 8mg Subutex (obviously this is sans Naloxone) thinking it would make things easier.

My question being, how long do I have to wait to after taking a dose of the Fentanyl to take the Subutex? I know the longer you wait, the better obviously in order not to go into precipitated withdrawals. In the past, I've taken Subutex in as little as 6 hours after a 30mg Oxy and had no issues. But Fentanyl is whole other beast. Id greatly appreciate any help, suggestions, weigh ins, etc 🙏🏼 Thank you! Still trying to keep going in the right direction sobriety-wise, but this surgery fxcked me all up.
 
There's no cut and dry answer really. Precipitated withdrawal can be really shitty when it strikes. I would definitely err on the side of caution, and take as much time as you can
Yes, I've been through it more than once, and it's beyond horrible. I always take a tiny sliver, wait, see how I feel, and continue. But, that's always with Suboxone and being in a controlled setting. And Subutex after Oxy was a piece of cake, Ive just never done this with the monster known as Fent.
 
As mentioned the key is just to start small. For example in 0.25mg bupe increments.

That way IF precip withdrawal occurs, you can know by experiencing only a minute amount of it. If taking a little bupe makes you feel iffy, that's PW. If it just takes your intox away and makes it you feel more sober, that's ideal.

Whichever the case, small increments allow for easy abort or to tolerate gradual discomfort.
 
DO NOT GO TO BUPE FOR WITHDRAWEL, EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How many warnings need to be said? How many people need to say "you MIGHT" be OK after 72 hours? Either take the bupe for the percip aspect and getting it in your system, having your drug of choice right there to take AFTER the full effects of precip subside (a few hours) to do, so that you CAN take a sub the next day, a small one and start to feel normal again or do not take them at all. You mine as well go through pure cold turkey withdrawel for however many days 3 - 5 anyways because unless your intention is to withdrawel extremely fast and in the most unpleasent way possible, you are going to be done the withdrawel before the bupe can actually work correctly without sending you into precip.

Little dated thread but what I am saying is true and how many thousands of posts have been made about this?
 
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