Opioids How bad is opiate withdrawal ?

[alejustale]

Hi there, not sure if this is the right thread to write on.. however I had my last shot 24hr ago and soon as i opened my eyes( at that point it was probably 12-15 hr after) i started vomiting bile.. I've a quite high tolerance on opioids as I've experienced withdrawal symptoms before and went through cold turkey enough times.. but never experienced that.. now I am stable.. chills and sweaty feelings, very low and twitching a lot..
Was that related with it?

Thank you

 

[tinydreamerxo]

I can't believe how stupid someone could be to say it's a "minor discomfort". The first time I ever went through a proper withdrawl, I was coming off between 4-8 £10 bags a day every day for 2 years, and it was the most soul-destroying experience I have ever went through, all I wanted to do was kill myself. In 2 weeks I had 20mins sleep, constantly sweating uncontrollably, runny nose, eyes tearing, can't sit still, can't walk about, can't move properly, the shitting & spewing.

However, that said, I'm currently into day 4 of a withdrawl after a 6 month period of addiction, only had 30ml methadone & some weed, and I'm actually shocked at how easy it is on me this time round. I can honestly say I really haven't felt much, night 1 I couldn't sleep, next day had stomach pains, but after that it's really like a walk in the park. I don't understand how because I had a bad habit, I just think I'm in the right frame of mind right now! A lot of it is in the mind, but the physical withdrawls can be a fucking back-breaker.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Swimmingdancer I can not send private messages yet.

Since I am a moderator I think it should work. I got a PM from you but it was just a quote of the one I sent you. I replied. Did you try to send me something back and have it not work?

Sorry I didn't answer all your questions. But yeah, the things I've tryed are valerian, whey protein shakes, b-complex vitamins, regular multivitamin, more seafood in my diet, apple cider vinegar capsules, melatonin, phenibut and kratom.
The kratom worked the best but I don't want to chance having to withdrawal from something else.
The melatonin actually made my mood worse after several days.
The whey protein helped some with energy but not that much with mood, although a little.
Oh, and L-Theanine supplements, which were a little better than valerian, which valerian didn't do much.

I meant answer them in the PM . Posting here is defeating the point of trying not to derail the thread . I could start a new thread on this topic if you and methadont want me to? EDIT: Maybe I will just do that. I've had a lot of questions about this topic. I'll let you guys now when I've posted the thread.

EDIT 2: Here you go: Swimmingdancer's suggestions for opioid (esp methadone) withdrawal (as requested)

 

[Deathly]

I have gone through it several times cold turkey, two of those from monster habits(1200mg oxy daily or about 1.5 Gs of very pure afghan) and once with a Rapid Detox. For me, the physical symptoms sucked, but I have been through worse. I find the mental symptoms along with the RLS and insomnia the worst.

What makes it so difficult is that unlike any other severe illness, everyone going through WDs knows that by simply taking their DOC you will go from feeling awful to amazing almost instantaneously. Knowing that the pain can be stopped so easily makes many people cave in.

 

[down508]

this Dr. should take a suboxone on a monday, then a naltrexone 25 mg pill on tuesday. he seems like the hands on type, he can experience what he's been studying without actually getting addicted to opiates. then we can find out if doc is a boy or a man... lol.


but seriously, if anyone has experienced this type of precipitated withdrawl you know exactly what I'm talking about. 20 hours going toe to toe with the most excruciatingly painful withdrawal beast you will ever have the ill fortune of meeting. everything bad about regular opiate withdrawal but with the dial turned up to 11 and the symptoms being exaggerated to an almost comical level. seriously it makes oxycodone withdrawl seem like the first time you got high on opiates in comparison.

 

[ou81too4me]

I saw a couple people in this thread asking if it ever gets better. Yes! You have to keep that in mind no matter what. Like I posted earlier, I was a very heavy heroin user and at the end of ten years of daily use I was on 145Mg of methadone for a few years. I kicked cold turkey. Believe me, this was out of my control. After about four months I hit a point that I knew I was going to feel better. After about six months I felt great. I felt like everything was new and wonderful. After using and trying to kick opiates for a decade I did not think these feelings would ever be possible again and especially that I'd ever see the day that I was able to quit. Anyone trying to kick opiates, just hang in there. It may seem like it will never get better but it does. I'd be willing to bet for anyone.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

I saw a couple people in this thread asking if it ever gets better. Yes! You have to keep that in mind no matter what. Like I posted earlier, I was a very heavy heroin user and at the end of ten years of daily use I was on 145Mg of methadone for a few years. I kicked cold turkey. Believe me, this was out of my control. After about four months I hit a point that I knew I was going to feel better. After about six months I felt great. I felt like everything was new and wonderful. After using and trying to kick opiates for a decade I did not think these feelings would ever be possible again and especially that I'd ever see the day that I was able to quit. Anyone trying to kick opiates, just hang in there. It may seem like it will never get better but it does. I'd be willing to bet for anyone.

That is really encouraging! Thanks for posting that. I really have to believe that to keep up hope. I keep reading people's posts on here where they said they still felt PAWS after one or 2 years and just gave up and went back on methadone. It's been a couple months for me, and if I knew I would start feeling better in a couple months I think I could handle it, but if I knew I would feel this way for years longer I don't think I could live with that. Anything in particular you did that you think speeded your recovery?

 

[trip407]

I saw a couple people in this thread asking if it ever gets better. Yes! You have to keep that in mind no matter what. Like I posted earlier, I was a very heavy heroin user and at the end of ten years of daily use I was on 145Mg of methadone for a few years. I kicked cold turkey. Believe me, this was out of my control. After about four months I hit a point that I knew I was going to feel better. After about six months I felt great. I felt like everything was new and wonderful. After using and trying to kick opiates for a decade I did not think these feelings would ever be possible again and especially that I'd ever see the day that I was able to quit. Anyone trying to kick opiates, just hang in there. It may seem like it will never get better but it does. I'd be willing to bet for anyone.

This sound similar to my experience. I was on a minimum of 120mg methadone daily for 7 years and detoxed with a rapid taper (10 days) and without much medication except some lope and two 50mg doxepine. The strain on my allready weak body was hard i lost a lot of weight because i could not eat much at all, even my highly prefered meal i could not gulp down. Diarrhea , bone pain, restlessness, hot cold flushes, insomnia the usual symtoms of opiate withdrawl for weeks on end. It sucked, but after around 4 weeks, i was only left with lack of motivation, low self esteem, boredom, depression and isomnia. This lasted another 2-4 month depending on the symptoms. At least i could sleep a solid 6 hours now. What helped me was the fact i knew it would become better, i just needed training like in sports i told myself. I also did a lot of excercise and ate good food and after around 6 month i was damn proud of myself and extremly happy. But this lasted only another half year untill i relapsed. ;-) i am clean right now, but i chip from time to time. Well yea i am even happy with this, because i dont have a massive craving when not using. I have learned in my clean time that life is worth living for other things then just opiates. And i try not to center my whole live around a drug. I try to occupy my live with relationships (clean), hobbys and good meals.

 

[Sepher]

I saw a couple people in this thread asking if it ever gets better. Yes! You have to keep that in mind no matter what. Like I posted earlier, I was a very heavy heroin user and at the end of ten years of daily use I was on 145Mg of methadone for a few years. I kicked cold turkey. Believe me, this was out of my control. After about four months I hit a point that I knew I was going to feel better. After about six months I felt great. I felt like everything was new and wonderful. After using and trying to kick opiates for a decade I did not think these feelings would ever be possible again and especially that I'd ever see the day that I was able to quit. Anyone trying to kick opiates, just hang in there. It may seem like it will never get better but it does. I'd be willing to bet for anyone.

Yeah, big +1 to this here too. Seven year daily habit here, user for ten, clean now these last eleven years. When you come off heroin, whatever, typically you're in a bad place physically, emotionally, intellectually, materially speaking. It's no wonder most people's experience of the first few months having to deal with the real world and its demands, and real emotions again is entirely negative, and no wonder most go back to the comfort of their opiate of choice the first few times that they try to quit. It's fucking hard and opiates make everything so very simple: you're either high, or trying to get high, nothing else is important. All it takes though is time. Will take more time for some than for others but the mind and body are remarkably resilient and all the negative shit will pass. When you begin to experience real joy again in life at its full intensity once properly opiate free you realise just how fake opiate euphoria is. It's but a pale imitation of the real thing. Once I made the decision to quit for good I never looked back, opiates have nothing to offer and hold no attraction whatsoever for me now. It will get better if you let it.

 

[Pocos mom]

I don't totally agree. I'm sure junkies will got to extremes but withdrawal is something else.
I am a successful woman and I became addicted to pain medicines because of my back. I went to Pain Management specialist and he prescribed Vicodin then Percocet. After a while it seemed as if the drug stops working and you need more. So you end up abusing what you have. Then you realize that's not working so you fine stronger. I have had liquid morphine and 80mg oxycoton. I cut the oxy into quarters and take one a day. I have been taking some form of opiate for 2 years straight but an no longer afford it so I had to detox from it and the with drawls are awful. Even with the small amount I take the wd 's are horrible. You are sick, diarrhea. Chills, fever, night sweats, rls, can not sleep. It is the worst feeling in the world and all you can think is just one will take all this away. The symptoms last for a week and it is hard to function alt all. I luckily had lyrica and it stops the withdrawal symptoms but lyrica is addictive so you have to be carful and lower your dosage each day until you can get to 0. WD's are real and very very scary.

 

[donkeylove]

Clean off Norco's for 3 yrs. People ask why I havent counted the days( i.e. "Been opiate free for 87 days, and 2 hrs") Because I dont give a fuck. I have no problem confidently saying that is behind me so I dont want to look back by counting the days.

Suboxone-- Horrible! Expensive and just as addictive.

Kratom--Awesome, Much Cheaper, Legal, easy to acquire, Wont get you high( Like the suboxone did. DUI? yep) Addictive? yes but a breeze to kick. 4-6 days of very very mild symptoms.

 

[FnX]

Clean off Norco's for 3 yrs. People ask why I havent counted the days( i.e. "Been opiate free for 87 days, and 2 hrs") Because I dont give a fuck. I have no problem confidently saying that is behind me so I dont want to look back by counting the days.

Suboxone-- Horrible! Expensive and just as addictive.

Kratom--Awesome, Much Cheaper, Legal, easy to acquire, Wont get you high( Like the suboxone did. DUI? yep) Addictive? yes but a breeze to kick. 4-6 days of very very mild symptoms.

Well lucky you then. Where I live, Kratom is both illegal and hard to acquire. Harder to acquire than bupe as a matter of fact, you have to order it abroad and the customs are so strict you'll probably end up throwing your money away for absolutely nothing. It's easier to try overcome your addiction with benzos and opies such as tramadol and codeine if you live in scandinavia because you can get it locally, even legally if you find a nice doctor who's willing to help with your addiction. Kratom is always illegal in my country, no doctor will ever prescribe it.

 

[majorigpa]

i kind of describe it as your mind and your body being at a complete 180. your body feels exhausted, yet you can't sleep. your legs feel restless yet your body aches like crazy. the anxiety can make you absolutely crazy. you go from freezing cold to burning up in a matter of moments. you throw up endlessly and shit yourself for days. your eyes water and your nose runs. and for me the worst part is the depression. i mean, i get damn near suicidal. my mind gors crazy places as i think about all of the great things i missed out on because of my addiction, all of the friendships i fucked off, all the money and time wasted. some of these thoughts are true, some are exaggerated or imagined. but one things for sure, its nothing to take lightly, and while there are substances available to lighten the load, absolutely nothing can alleviate the level of suck. fuck this doctor.\

and in regards to suboxone, when taken correctly, its a godsend. my first kick the doctor i went to knew fuckall about suboxone and had me on 8mgs twice a day. had me alllll fucked up. during my second kick, i did my own research and knew to dose up to ONLY what i needed to alleviate my withdrawal symptoms, and to not even start dosing up until i could barely stand it. after that i immediately started taking just a bit less and less everytime i dosed, and it had me feeling soooo much better it was unbelievable. i would recommend it way above methadone, and have found that light doses of ketamine (30-50 mgs insufflated) did wonders for my anxiety and depression, of sourse keeping in might its own addictive potential.

 

[livetheopiatedream]

Well put:
"you cannot exaggerate explosive diarrhea" lol

But yes, the good doctor is outta his mind. I go thru it all the time voluntarily.... And could easily but won't go score.... So that argument is shit cuz I still think its a living hell. Not suicide worth so long as u remember it will end, but sometimes that's hard to remember ...
From 3 yrs IV heroin habit. Personal experience
Tho if i had to guess I think benxos would be worse. Booze is shorter lived but probably just as hellish as benxos when ur in it. Anyway.
But opiate wd ain't mild. No walk in the park. It'll toughen anyone up. If venture to guess most would say they were right pussies before they got pro at dealing with it.

 

[phDMT]

How bad is opiate withdrawal? haha it sucks. I was able to go through the hell at home. It's not as bad as benzo withdrawl though. I spent 13 sleepless days & nights in rehab and another 3 months in hell at home.

 

[livetheopiatedream]

Oops

 

[ou81too4me]

Benzo withdrawal may be worse for you but is different for everyone. I kicked benzos (9 - 11Mgs Xanax a day) and felt uncomfortable and had some panic attacks and an upset stomach that lasted maybe for a month. Not even close to the all out hellish 4 - 5 months of coming off opiates. Everyone's different.

 

[ganeal]

This Dr. is just full of shit honestly...This brings back HORRID memories of my first time actually giving up and going to the ER to be admitted to a medical detox facility. I had been on Oxy's for 3 years...then decided to ween of that to Methadone but I got it off the streets for a year...I took about 60mg daily for a year and my dealer up and moved...In my town I could not find anymore methadone and the short actin opiates was not doing anything...so the young 20 something Dr aasked how long I had been without methadone and I said 2 weeks..and he looked shocked and said it's out of your system in 72 hours it's something else that you are going through not withdrawel(???)...he was not the only medical "professional" that has told me that...no detox would take because I had no insurance of course so I winded up the next day in a damn methadone clinic just to stop those effin withdrawels...Most Dr's at least in my expierence have told me "it won't kill you" and I feel like knocking them out when they say that...