jay, while you were able to do your DOC (which is pain pills i believe) and then later on that night take the subs and be fine it is different for heroin addicts like marvel. Heroin stays in the system much longer than opiods like oxycodone, hydrocodone etc.
First let me say im glad you finally started posting again marvel!! I was worried about ya. As for this whole COWS scale thing, my own opinon would be to throw it out. Reason being is that opiate withdrawal effects each individual differently and with different symptoms. My buddy used to get so ancy that he wouldnt be able to sit still longer than 30 seconds while I would be so out of energy I could barely walk up the stairs. I wouldnt be able to stop throwing up while his stomach was completely fine during w/d. He would get terrible pains in his back and legs while I had very little aches unless I was laying down trying to go to bed[you get the picture]. I also got the sneezes like you, 4 or 5 in succession every 40 minutes or so right? classic dope sneezes ;\
To answer your question, yes withdrawal will hit you faster and the dope wears off at a much faster rate if you are asleep. The reason I know this is because when I was actively using and did my last shot the night before if I slept like 12 -14 hours I would immediately wake up in bad withdrawals however if I only got 8 hours of sleep I would be fine and the sicknesss wouldnt hit until late that night (around the 20 hour mark)
So if you could make yourself sleep most of the day after using your last shot you wont have to wait as long. As for worrying about precipiated w/d....you would have been fine taking the subs after waiting 27 hours. Being that you are only doing 4-5 bags a day (i used to live in NYC also so I know what the bags are like) after about 22 hours you should be more than fine to take the suboxone.
My own measuring system that I used to know when I was in strong enough withdrawal to take subs was when the first episode of dry heaving / throwing up took place (when that strong metallic taste in the back of your throat gets to be unbearable, i know you know what taste im talking about)
Hope to hear back from you soon and good luck on getting sober marvel, I am rooting for you