Going without/Confusion

[chairmanma084]

Hello

I was released from my detox facility a week ago tomorrow. I had been using at least 40mg of Oxycontin/Hydrocodone for over a year on a daily basis. That amount was not a regular thing, just a minimum to get me through. On average I'd say it was closer to something around 60-80mg, it's all pretty blurry really now.

Anyway, I went through a day of WD before being admitted (insurance issues) including steady hot/cold flashes, sweating, insomnia, etc. After being admitted, they tested us on a CAL or COW Scale that was set up to find when a person had reached a level of withdrawal where suboxone would be appropriate to begin administering.

I never tested high enough to be put on the stuff. In fact after day two, I felt remarkably better. I still couldn't go #2 for a few days. In fact, because I never really WD'ed badly, they bounced me 3 days early with no medication protocol or follow up really at all besides a referral to a local psychiatric facility.

I'm 24, 5'10", always take care of my body besides drugs. Am I right in assuming that my abuse was not that serious other than the financial and family/friend ramifications that it caused?

Does metabolism and overall health/resiliency have a lot to do with it?

[kj3880]

Well I certainly wouldn't call any problem with opiate addiction non-serious. Just be glad you caught it at the point you didn't get really sick from WDs. If you didn't have trouble with loose bowels during your detox, then you may not have had much physical dependence at the time you were admitted. However, don't let this fact help you to minimize the fact that you have the disease of addiction. This disease, untreated, is a killer. We end up either in recovery or jail, institution, or dead. So get into your recovery like your life depends on it. Because it does!

Love,
KJ

[minute]

Today is my first day on any chat site but wanted to tell you that I loved your advise. People (support and advise) like you are what I am praying for from this site.
Love,
Living minute by minute and making it.

[christin1225]

Originally Posted by chairmanma084

I never tested high enough to be put on the stuff. In fact after day two, I felt remarkably better. I still couldn't go #2 for a few days. In fact, because I never really WD'ed badly, they bounced me 3 days early with no medication protocol or follow up really at all besides a referral to a local psychiatric facility.

You have reason to be very grateful, chairmanma! I suggest that you take the referral seriously because, as JK so correctly indicated, all opiate addiction should be considered "serious." Addiction (period) should be considered serious. Because addiction is serious, please consider NA (or another twelve-step program).

Just so that you don't feel like you got short-changed: Suboxone doesn't really get or keep you clean. It's merely an aid (albeit a good one); it really doesn't address most of the aspects of addiction. Fortunately, because you weren't started on Suboxone, you won't need to face the need to either taper off the stuff (Sub makes you physically dependent, just like the OC and hydros did) or possibly decide that you just want off and, therefore, decide to jump off it, at which time you, might possibly, have gotten to experience some of the withdrawal symptoms which you seem to have been spared during your first detox.

Congrats on getting clean! and to SR.

Please keep posting. Hopefully, your recovery has just begun.