Opioids Complete Opiate Withdrawal: How Long?

[Bob Sacamano]

Some guy's been using opiates on and off for about 5 years; everything from codeine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, and poppy pod tea.
When speaking about withdrawal, most discussions do not delve further than the 72 hour, or 1 week mark. Some guy definitely does not feel magically better after 168 hours, rather he feels like still at 70%. I don't mean to sound like a puss, but I am interested in the complete duration of convalescence. I believe relapse occurs because one thinks he or she is finished WD-ing, and this is what normal feels like, and it ain't any good. But really, more time is required.

How long does it take for one to completely recover from opiate abuse? How long to 100%?

 

[CaPoNe.]

To get your motivation back and your mood back to normal can take months but just stick in there and it will be over before you know it.

 

[BrokedownPalace]

Once the physical withdrawals are over with, you still have the PAWS ( Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) to deal with. This is the mental part of the w/d. The anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. The number 1 symptom of PAWS is the CRAVINGS you are going to have to deal with. You will need to effectively find a way to get rid of the anxiety and whatnot, along with find a way to beat your cravings. Obviously using a method other than taking opiates, lol. Many have great success with NA. I recommend at the least making sure you eat healthy, exercise, work, spend time with friends/family, whatever. get a good, time consuming hobby.

it's a tough road man; The physical withdrawals are the easy part to get over in my experience. To answer your question, getting over the PAWS aspect of w/d can take anywhere from a month or two, to years, and some may never recover. It all depends on your motivation, and actions taken to overcome said difficulties

Good luck !

 

[dayday]

I did a suboxone wein in rehab that started with taking 4mg every 4 hrs (way too much, i know. I actually only took about 1/4 of what they gave me), but the wein lasted a week. After that week, I did not sleep a full night's sleep for 28 days. It was absolute hell! But I personally think that the suboxone made it so I was sicker longer than had I just quit dope without it.

 

[DangerChamber]

Time, I think varies between individuals and even within that individual. For me the post acute phase is greatly reduced if I'm active.

 

[phr]

Once the physical withdrawals are over with, you still have the PAWS ( Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) to deal with. This is the mental part of the w/d. The anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. The number 1 symptom of PAWS is the CRAVINGS you are going to have to deal with. You will need to effectively find a way to get rid of the anxiety and whatnot, along with find a way to beat your cravings. Obviously using a method other than taking opiates, lol. Many have great success with NA. I recommend at the least making sure you eat healthy, exercise, work, spend time with friends/family, whatever. get a good, time consuming hobby.

it's a tough road man; The physical withdrawals are the easy part to get over in my experience. To answer your question, getting over the PAWS aspect of w/d can take anywhere from a month or two, to years, and some may never recover. It all depends on your motivation, and actions taken to overcome said difficulties

Good luck !

Yeah. Also, besides PAWS, you have to deal with trying to break the user/addict lifestyle and getting rid of what attracts you to that.

 

[swiEric]

yeah whenever I try to quit or take an extended break, the physical symptoms are pretty easy to deal with, excluding the restlessness at night. but I find some benedryl or some clonidine I have in my medicine cabinet does wonders. the hard part is the constant cravings and the depression, the agitation and all of that. and its the longest lasting.

sober life just seems so 2 dimensional to me. so boring. I don't get how anyone does it, but then again thats just because I am used to this lifestyle.

 

[sk8terboi1000]

I have been on tramadol for 6 years and in that itme i got off it once completely. it was over this june i went thru all the withdrawals and it took me about 5 or 6 days to get back. and a little more for the mental cravings. so about a 8 days it took me ot get my life back. sadly im back on tramadol again and will have to go thru it again.

 

[John_Burrows]

If I were to quit, I'd miss the ritual more than anything.

See, when I IV my dilaudid, I don't just bang it in one shot and get on with life, I make a moment out of each "session." I fill the spoon with enough water for 4 or 5 shots and space out my 16mg.

Before I start, I put on some chill music, light candles, and totally get in my "time for the plesure of my drugs" mindset. After each shot, I'll spend a little time with my iPad, playing around on Bluelight or elsewhere. I usually give it 15 mins or so between shots, and each one gives me a little rush (and believe or not, doing all 16mg at once does NOT give me 4 times the rush).

All in all, each "session" can last anywhere from an hour to even two, and I do this 2 or 3 times a day. Its almost like a hobby and certainly a lot of my time at home is spent in "the zone."

If I were to quit, there would be one hell of a hole to fill in my life.

But, for better or worse, for the foreseeable future I don't have to quit. I get my prescription every month for back pain (which I really don't need the drugs for, but I'm not going to pull the plug on a good thing!) and I seem to be handling my habbit just fine.

The drugs don't interfere with work and obviously I'm not blowing all my cash on drugs. The only negative effect is I don't mind spending time at home alone since I got into this, so I don't work as hard on my social life as I used to... But I still hang out with my friends about once a week, talk to friends and family on the phone regularly, etc, so I haven't really become a recluse.

Honestly, I don't see a compelling reason that I SHOULD quit.

But if I had to, it sure would take some adjustment!

 

[BlueLightBeam]

I was clean for 29 days off the clinic, cold turkey, and I still felt disgusting. I've heard people say it took 6 months to 1 year to feel normal after MMT.

 

[masspain]

Heroin - around 7 days
Methadone - seems like forever but at the very least a month

These are the times for all the worst sympotoms

 

[HdoubleODeezy]

Methadone - seems like forever but at the very least a month

These are the times for all the worst sympotoms

^ methadone w/d's are horrible(but it is great at what it is meant for, just coming off sucks)! i CT'd 120mg/day and have never been so dope sick in my LIFE.. stupid move on my part to leave the 'done clinic AMA and attempt to stay clean. Ended up on subs for 4 years and just recently quit.
Had a little slip up a few days ago, other than that bupe w/d's aren't too bad ESPECIALLY compared to methadones.


EDIT: to the OP- it depends on what opiate your taking, dose, length of use, your personality and your physical make up on how long any kind of w/d's will last. There is no time for any w/d written in stone.

 

[BrokedownPalace]

^That is my predicament.. I am just at the point where I am so sick of fucking methadone, and the clinic. My clinic is great, don't get me wrong, and the nurses are great as well. The counselors/doctor have been a huge help. it is just that the MEDICATION itself and being a slave to the clinic just sucks.. I only go twice a week, but I am just so depressed all the time. But it's like I am fucked either way... either stay for another 2 years and taper on their schedule, or say adios and c/t it and probably kill myself. I do have access to suboxone and valium and klonopin so part of me just wants to try to c/t it, but I don't know.

HooD how long did you go cold turkey before taking suboxone? Was the transition easy or what?

 

[HdoubleODeezy]

^That is my predicament.. I am just at the point where I am so sick of fucking methadone, and the clinic. My clinic is great, don't get me wrong, and the nurses are great as well. The counselors/doctor have been a huge help. it is just that the MEDICATION itself and being a slave to the clinic just sucks.. I only go twice a week, but I am just so depressed all the time. But it's like I am fucked either way... either stay for another 2 years and taper on their schedule, or say adios and c/t it and probably kill myself. I do have access to suboxone and valium and klonopin so part of me just wants to try to c/t it, but I don't know.

HooD how long did you go cold turkey before taking suboxone? Was the transition easy or what?

i only lasted 10 days off the methadone w/d until i called a sub dr and got an appt for the day after so 11 days but on the 11th i was given the suboxone and i got high like i did an oc 80 and went home with a full script all happy then after a couple days there was no high anymore i was at 16mg/day for 2 years and then tapered down to 1-2mg/day for the last 2 years on it.. the transition (if you wait until you feel like you're literally dying from 'done w/d's) will feel great when the sub kicks in.. but i wouldn't advise suffering 10 days like i did.

 

[BrokedownPalace]

Yeah, I am sure after eleven days taking that sub was like heaven. I am just wondering how long I need to wait so I don't throw myself into precipitated withdrawal. I take 75mg daily, and by 72 hours I am struggling. Is that long enough before I take some suboxone? Or would it be a better idea to substitute a different shorter acting opioid for a few days before switching to subs? i am just so done with methadone, man.. I am not expecting to just do this painlessly, but I feel like it is doable with the right meds at hand. I just beat cancer last year after intense chemotherapy, as well as a bone marrow transplant. so I feel like if I can get through that, I can make it though withdrawal.

I dunno, maybe it is just wishful thinking. But if I do it by the clinic's pace it will take 17 months to taper my dose down. I ideally want to be off it by the summer.. I am so sick of being chained to the clinic.

 

[BlueLightBeam]

I tapered down to 20 mg a day at 5 mg a week taper. I left the clinic at 20 because the place was getting to me. My ego and will power carried me 29 days... but that was it. It just never got to the point where I felt ok. Good luck BP.

 

[lmc422]

I was on MMT for 3 1/2 years. It did its job but going there was just aweful. I was getting weekly take homes and went on vaca and lost a bottle. They took my bottles away! I was like seriously ive been here for 3 years and never had a dirty urine or lost a bottle and my punishment was having to go every day. I thought it was extream so I was just so fed up with the place that I made an appt with a sub doc and just stoped going the the clinic at 65mg. I waited 4 days and took an 8mg sub. I think I should have waited a day or 2 longer bc I think i went into the precitpitaed w/d's bc I felt like shit and all my joints hurt. But it was well worth the switch! I got a monthly script for the subs. It sure as hell beat going to that shit hole clinic!!! And I never realized how the methadone numbed my emotions. I was able to feel again. I felt like a real normal person again. Im not against methadone bc it saved my life but I wouldnt advise anyone to get on it. Thats just my experience. Always wait as long as possible to take the first dose of suboxone bc the methadone stays in ur system for a long time. and the sub docs advise u to be down to atleast 30mg before switching to advoid those precititated w/d's.
Good luck!

 

[Momak308]

I'm on day 17 of no opiates or stimulants and i am having the boredom problem. I never knew how much time I was spending "hussling" for pills. The past few days I've been walking a little and been trying to crochet or something to keep my mind occupied!!

 

[Zip_Line]

I'm four months clean off of suboxone after an eight year addiction. I'm still feeling agitated, yawn a lot, have intense anxiety and a general feeling of wanting to crawl out of my skin. It's hard for me to feel emotions and sometimes I have intense moments of wanting back on suboxone and general depression. However, not all is bad; I'm working out quite a lot at a gym I recently got a membership to, I got a new job and have generally been more active. I feel much better and I'm saying that there is a life after drug addiction, but it's incredibly stressful and hard going back to a place you left behind a long time ago. Thing is boss: opiate withdrawal lasts a long time. I don't see myself losing the anxiety and depression for another two to three months. Staying clean is also something I worry about. But if you can find a way to fill your time, not all is lost. Finishing up the answer, it really depends on your body and how long you've used to get back to 100%. I'm still at 75% and I'm four months clean. I can see myself at 81% in a month or two.

On detoxing, I'd say you're in for some intense symptoms for about two weeks. Then symptoms slowly begins to dissipate into a more protracted, stressed out state of mind which extends to your body. My advice: exercise, walk, get a job, go out, just anything to keep you distracted from your predicament. Try not to drink (if you don't have to, lol). If you need to, go to AA/NA meetings and vent there. It really all depends on whether or not you really want to stay off. Just my two cents.

 

[Treefa]

I usually make it thru the actual WD in a matter of days or less. That's the easy part IMHO.
Then after that, I start to run into various problems; alcohol abuse, stimulant abuse, chronic marijuana use..pain, lack of motivation, and eventually I could work myself into a very deep, dark hole. That's one of the many reasons I've decided to stay on opiates long-term.
So even when I run out, kick or whatever...there's always a light at the end of the tunnel, at the end of the month.

Hell, even if I did run out for good (God please don't let this ever happen, in the name of the father, son, holy ghost, amen), there's always alcohol, amphetamines...weed, and nicotine. Any dopamine I can forage!

Honestly, shit guys, if shit ever hits the fan and there's no more opiates, alcohol, stimulants, weed, or tobacco left in the world....well shit, let's just hope, and pray that never happens...not in my lifetime!

I see plenty of reasons why I should quit, sure....health, money, family..everything, really. I just don't see any reason why I should go on living when I feel like shit 24/7. Personally, I'm damned if I do, and Goddamned if I don't. I didn't ask to be born....but i did..i did get born, and now i'm alive. Great, only my body feels like a prison...with nerves.
I'm grateful, thankful, blessed. But none of it makes me feel any better.

Oh well, machines can't work without oil....some humans can't work without dope. Just the way it is, I suppose.

But good on you to everybody that's trying so hard to get off drugs and get you're shit together....an honorable undertaking.

It takes much more than courage......and yields much more than inspiration.
And makes me little more than humble.

God bless you folks..