u/777ZAC777

So finally after a minimally successful QuickMD appointment (subs only) and months of failed tapering, I finally have everything I would like to QUIT with Suboxone and helper meds.

--

Here's what I have medication-wise:

- One week supply of 8mg/2mg Buprenorphine/Naloxone films - 21 count (Suboxone)

- 300MG, 400MG, AND 30MG Gabapentin

- 120 count .1MG Clonidine tablets

--

Currently I'm trying to taper down my 7-oh use daily from 250mg per day down to hopefully around 140mg per day, or as low as possible.

My plan was to take my last dose of 7-oh at midnight, sleep for 12 hours, then wake up and stick it out as long as humanly possible without taking 7-oh. Hopefully make it 24 hours. At that point, see where I rank on the withdrawal scale, and take one film of 8mg Suboxone film and pray I don't experience hell on earth.

From what I've been told by doctors, I should take another 8mg film if the first one doesn't provide relief...

Could anyone share their experience and whether the above plan sounds correct?

When should I take Clonidine and Gabapentin?

I will be utilizing a blood pressure cuff to monitor some vitals during this process...

I reached out for medical advice from QuickMD and basically said take Suboxone whenever you get it, it doesn't matter when u last took 7-oh, and you don't need any other medications. THANK YOU INCREDIBLY MUCH IN ADVANCE.

I was finally able to admit that quitting 7-oh by tapering was too difficult for me and was yielding little if any results, and quitting without suboxone was not likely achievable by me.

After hearing about QuickMD on this site and being recommended by AI for telehealth companies that could help with opiod detox and support medications, I decided to book an appointment.

I was given a page of about 50 doctors to choose from. The only information was a small picture of the doctor, and their name. Each doctor had appointment times to choose from, some had many times available (40+) and some had 3-6. I noticed that doctors that had many times to choose from were only spaced about 12 minutes from eachother. IE 2:20 pm, 2:32 pm, 2:44 pm, etc...

I wrote down a list of about 5-7 questions I wanted to ask the doctor.

My appointment time was 2:20pm, and i got a call from the doctor around 2:16, 4-5 minutes early.

I noticed the doctor quickly got into the conversation about suboxone almost as if he knew what he was going to say regardless of what i was going to say.

After a few minutes I was able to get a word in, and asked if there should be a certain amount of time before I took my first dose. He told me not to worry about what state of withdrawal I would be in at the initial dose, and that those kind of precautions not to go into extreme precipitation were concerns that should be had with traditional opiates, and not 7-oh. To go into it further, I mentioned something called a COWS scale of withdrawal of something similar since i forgot the exact name and he said he vaguely remembered it and not to worry about it, that suboxone would work regardless of when the last dose was. That suboxone would be effective moreso if my last dose was longer ago but it doesnt matter that much.

About 13-15 minutes into the virtual appointment, the app shut down the appointment and logged me out a sent me to the login screen of the quickmd app. THIS SENT ME INTO TEARS since i finally was hoping to solve this terrible addiction that has bankrupted me and ruined most aspects of my life and was logged out and sent out of my appt without warning. At this point in the conversation I hadn't even told him where to send the Rx or asked about medications to help with the withdrawal symptoms.

So frantically i searched the app for a way to contact the doctor directly. There wasn't any. So i used the help function and requested to speak to a live representative. During this process, I received a call back from the doctor. This disconnect was IMO not random or due to technical issue. THIS IS WHY THEY HAVE APPT'S SPACED OUT BY 12-15 MINUTES. THEY DON'T TELL YOU THIS AHEAD OF TIME.

Once back on the call with the doctor, i frantically tried to get one or two of my questions in...First, I asked about medications like Clonidine or Gabapentin. Clonidine is especially known to be a god-send in helping with the mind-numbingly painful symptoms of 7-oh withdrawal. ON THE HOME-PAGE OF QUICKMD THE BUTTON YOU PRESS FOR "7-OH / KRATOM OPIOID TREATMENT" LITERALLY SHOWS A PICTURE OF TWO MEDICATIONS TOGETHER, SUBOXONE AND CLONIDINE!

He told me that he hears new patients mention Clonidine and comfort medications all the time and that when I go to bed I won't be having "nice dreams" but in time, months, that eventually I would be able to. He overall quickly dismissed any comfort medications, clonidine and gabapentin, and told me that suboxone will be the only medication needed to deal with my withdrawal symptoms.

I was able to tell him where to send the RX just before THE APPOINTMENT WAS ABRUPTLY ENDED AND I WAS LOGGED OUT AGAIN, 5 MINUTES AFTER THE CALL BEGAN. AGAIN, IMO not an accident or technical issue. He tried calling back again but I was on the phone with the pharmacy so I missed it. No other calls received after.

At the VERY LEAST, they should provide information on if the doctor you are booking with is experienced with MAT, and not just some Dr. that is going to give you a pre-determined consultation. THEY SHOULD ALSO tell you that you only get about 10 minutes to talk to a Dr., including tell them where to send the RX and voice any concerns or ask any questions.

For such a major issue in someone's life, 10 minutes to speak to a doctor who doesn't believe in medications that are on the button you clicked to get help, this is a bad joke and one that really hurt my confidence that I will be successful.

THE RLS and body/muscle aches are what caused me to FAIL quitting when I first realized I needed to LONG LONG ago. What a massive dissapointment. I would pay $299 If it meant speaking to a doctor for more than 10 minutes and one that understands that medications like clonidine and gabapentin have a proven positive place in 7-oh detox and withdrawal.