Positive Help and advice: getting off Heroin in the UK

[Wilson Wilson]

Just bear in mind that the first rattle is the easiest. Don't be tempted to go back on it because each subsequent rattle gets exponentially harder...

Can't emphasise this enough. First rattle is pretty easy and lures you into a false sense of security. Once you've done it a few times it gets much worse.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Can't emphasise this enough. First rattle is pretty easy and lures you into a false sense of security. Once you've done it a few times it gets much worse.

Absolutely! I did my very first rattle from a baby habit and made the mistake of assuming that having done it once, it would get easier.

It doesn't...

 

[skorrie]

Yeah a rattle is shit no matter how low you get. It really gets down to % you come down, The first time is bad but I personally think people never take in consideration that you just can't get any sleep for days. I wish them all the best.

 

[skyHiGuy]

Don't be tempted to go back on it because each subsequent rattle gets exponentially harder

Good advice (and the Codeine suggestion)

I feel quite resolute about not going back. So many good reasons not to. Will be so relieved to be rid of this dependence and so amazed at the kindness of stranger on this forum.

It's good to have a clear date to end this (18th December) and the space to do so. I wish to belive that by xmas I'll be almost normal again.

Also any further advice appreciated in sure others in a similar situation can learn from the collective wisdom here
Much love

 

[skorrie]

Just remember it gets better each and every day.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

You can ease the ride with codeine, but substituting with other opiates is simply prolonging the agony and risking swapping one addiction for another. At your stage, you would be well advised to just tough it out. The first rattle I had which I mentioned above was from 0.1g/day for about a year - so not that dissimilar to your habit. It was still fuckin horrible, but I managed to carry on going to work every day. The worst bit was not sleeping and the dreaded night sweats and RLS.

 

[skyHiGuy]

Here's an update on how the taper is going.

I've reduced the number of lines I snort from mostly 4, sometimes 5 lines a day to 3, four days now on 3. So my time table has gone from (around).
1030, 1400, 1700, 2000
to 1330, 1730, 2000
Same line size, so basically cut out the morning line. Meaning around 17 hours from the last night dose to the first dose the next day.

I notice slight muscle ache and sweats and cravings from around 1130 and manage to tolerate this. Pretty mild really. I plan to keep to this programme for a few more days then consider what the next step is, probable aim to last longer before my first dose of the day and eventually go to 2 lines a day and hold at that for a bit.

So the final 2g I started a week ago should be eeked out, if possible, to 18th December when I drop off completely. The theory I'm working to is that if I reduce the daily dose then withdrawal will be lessened somewhat.

Still been good to post here and will keep on updating and welcome any more advice.

(y)

 

[Jabberwocky]

If you can actually stick to at taper I'm really impressed. Well done. I could never ever control my use.

It's worth checking out the local drugs services or support meetings.

 

[skyHiGuy]

Seems to make ending my use manageable.
I'm trying to avoid the NHS services if I can stop without. Apparently my dose is pretty low, and someone upthread suggested that H in the UK is #3 which means not much gets absorbed nasally, so WD shouldn't be that bad. We'll see in a couple of weeks

 

[Jabberwocky]

Yes your habit isn't very big, I was injecting a gram a dsy at my worst, and I don't really consider my own a big habit (well now its zero cos I'm clean). That doesn't stop me being amazed that you can control your use.

Support groups aren't connected to the nhs, so you can access their help without it going on your medical record. There's a reason you ended up with a smack habit, and trying to work that out and get some help with it will give you a better chance of sustaining long term rexovery.

 

[skyHiGuy]

well now its zero cos I'm clean

That's great to hear. (y)
I'm sure you did need some strong will to get clean, (and stay clean).

 

[Wilson Wilson]

You can ease the ride with codeine, but substituting with other opiates is simply prolonging the agony and risking swapping one addiction for another. At your stage, you would be well advised to just tough it out. The first rattle I had which I mentioned above was from 0.1g/day for about a year - so not that dissimilar to your habit. It was still fuckin horrible, but I managed to carry on going to work every day. The worst bit was not sleeping and the dreaded night sweats and RLS.

I disagree personally. After coming off oxy - and this was for the fifth or so time with a tolerance so high that ~300mg did fuck all, so you can imagine this was no baby rattle - a bottle of codeine linctus helped me big time to ease myself off after jumping from my oxy taper. It is weak enough that it won't become a habit in itself if you have oxy/smack tolerance because you won't get high off it, but it has enough of an effect that it is good at taking the edge off the withdrawals.

This of course is assuming you use the codeine to taper, so you gotta actually reduce your dose daily, not just start doing codeine instead. But this is easy to do when your tolerance precludes you from getting high on codeine in the first place.

Once the codeine runs out, you should be fine with only very mild symptoms especially on the first rattle. If insomnia, RLS, sweats, anxiety, depression etc become an issue, lope helps the physical symptoms while pregabalin or benzos help the insomnia and mental stuff, but I will say there is a true risk of replacing one habit with another if you use benzos and pregabs so they should be a last resort.

Cannabis is a great helper in withdrawal that doesn't carry the risk of landing you in another bad habit. I recommend that for sure. A sedating indica is great for sleep and anxiety.

Oh and most likely your sex drive will suddenly come back with a vengeance which also helps. Right after withdrawal you will probably not last very long though so I recommend just wanking when the mood takes you. The chemicals released in your brain relax you naturally and can help you sleep.

But honestly I suspect most of OP's issues will be psychological. I never got bad withdrawals even off oxy during my first rattle or two. It's only when getting on and off it became a pattern that I started to feel the consequences.

 

[skyHiGuy]

and most likely your sex drive will suddenly come back with a vengeance which also helps. Right after withdrawal you will probably not last very long though

Yes I even notice this after 15+ hours off on the taper.

Sex drive issue is a clear motivator to get off the stuff.

Having a good list of reasons to stop using really helps with the taper and I hope will carry me through the rattles (the language of this... Some education )

 

[skyHiGuy]

Update
I've been snorting 25mg 3 times daily for 9 days. So on 75mg down from 100mg a day.

Its time to see if I can reduce the dosage further. Not sure whether to continue 3x daily at a smaller dose or try to reduce intake to twice daily

Not been getting high anymore on this dose, just normalising. Tolerating v. Mild WD symptoms after around 15-17 hours between doses overnight.

17 days till drop off day. Would be good if I were able to get to 50mg daily ahead of that.

 

[skyHiGuy]

Update.
My last line was yesterday at 1730. Since then I washed the remaining 25mg H down the sink and deleted my dealers details on wikr. That's 25 hours without using for the first time in 8+ months. I've no choice now but to let my system react and accept non use. Looking forward to being free of this.

(no point in going into detail about the change in timings since my op)

Symptoms are mild at the momemt
Runny nose
Slight shivers
Achey bones
Hot cold flushes
Slight cravings
Nothing like WD is shown in popular media

However:
I know the Peak is around 72 hours so this is only the start.

Have some beer, ibuprophen, imodium, HTP and some benzos to sleep to use tonight and tomorrow night.

Will report later.

 

[Soso78]

Thought u would have been clean by now mate. lol

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Update.
My last line was yesterday at 1730. Since then I washed the remaining 25mg H down the sink and deleted my dealers details on wikr. That's 25 hours without using for the first time in 8+ months. I've no choice now but to let my system react and accept non use. Looking forward to being free of this.

(no point in going into detail about the change in timings since my op)

Symptoms are mild at the momemt
Runny nose
Slight shivers
Achey bones
Hot cold flushes
Slight cravings
Nothing like WD is shown in popular media

However:
I know the Peak is around 72 hours so this is only the start.

Have some beer, ibuprophen, imodium, HTP and some benzos to sleep to use tonight and tomorrow night.

Will report later.

Looking good mate! But I'd stay clear of alcohol if I were you - unless you're alcohol dependent that is. Booze can make you feel worse and crush your resolve. Just a word of warning though, dont think you're out of the woods yet. As you said yourself, it peaks at about the 3 day mark. Even a big girly poofter like myself could manage 24 hours, but getting to that 3 day mark was an impossibility for me after the first time. I'm not trying to scare you but you need to be prepared for it getting much worse.

All the best man!!!

 

[Aeon Psyche]

I need advice.
Started with Oxys then moved to Heroin. Using 3 to 4 lines sniffed daily which I figure is about 100mg a day.
I buy off an online vendor. Quality has been constant for 8 months I've been using.

I want to stop.
I am not in an environment where other use so no peer pressure

I've done some research and figure these are my options:
1. Let my GP know the problem and go into detox with the NHS. This transfers the addiction to Methadone. Which is tapered under supervision.
Pros:
I will need to only take one hit a day
I will function better
I am supervised officially (also a con)
Cons
Transferring one addiction to another
Need to go to the Chemist/GP daily?
On my record
Withdrawal from Methadone is worse than H

2. I taper off heroin myself with support from my GF/Use a timed lockbox to space out the hits
Pros
I tell my GF (also Con)
No official involvement
Reduced withdrawal symptoms as I wean off (Is this true?)
Cons
Need a lot of discipline
Long process (1 Month +)

3. Cold Turkey
Pros
Its Quick

Cons
It's hard (How bad will it be with this habit?)

Any advice really appreciated. Thank you!

Take a full box of loperamide and all your opiate sickness will be completely gone.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Take a full box of loperamide and all your opiate sickness will be completely gone.

Yes, until the loperamide wears off, then it starts again. Loperamide is not a cure, just a delay. There are better opioids if you need to go down the substitution route.

 

[Aeon Psyche]

No, I was completely sick after using 100 gr of heroin and someone told me to use loperamide, I was already sick for two weeks and I tried to kill myself, I'm forever thanfull for his help. I took about 10 loperamide pills and I was completely fine again. I hope you try it.