Opiates: How often is too often?

[Jimboo]

Hello all! This is my first post on bluelight so I apologize if it is in the wrong section or is a bit disorganized. Also I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this forum as it has greatly helped me with safe drug use and helpful information.

Now, I have been using opiates for about 3 years now. Rewind 3 years back and the first time a tried was when a friend offered me an oxy he had received from a surgery. I enjoyed it but wasn't too impressed. I tried maybe 2 more times that year.

Last year, I was prescribed codiene multiple times but never got any real effect from it, so never bothered taking it for recreational purposes. Now, about 3 months ago I was prescribed Tussionex. This was the first time I was prescribed a "stronger" opiate. I was using as needed when I had bronchitis.

When that passed I still had a half bottle left so I decided to take it over to my friends house on the weekends. That started to turn into a regular schedule and for about the past month and a half I have been using every Friday and Saturday with an extra week break periodically. The Friday I ran out I was craving some more so I found a bit of oxy. Due to joint pain and anxiety I was also just prescribed hydrocodone and xanax. Now I'm debating on if this is a safe schedule or not. Is using this often still at risk for physical dependency? Would it be safer to use one weekend every two weeks? Or even one weekend every month? I tend to save up all my stress from the work/school week and take it all out on the weekends with friends. Would it be safer to alternate with a different substance such as a benzo? I understand that playing with these pharmaceuticals is very dangerous I would just like some fellow opinions on what you think of this schedule.

Sorry if this was long and unorganized, I appreciate all inputs and help. Hope you have a wonderful day.

 

[Jabberwocky]

they will grip you and it will take you through hell to stop taking them. You can't casually do opiates and benzos that often and not become an addict . You do not want the past 9 days I've had. Please stop why you can. It will take you away from you and you will hate yourself and physically suffer. I now have to live with chronic pain and after this past week I'm terrified of opiates . Awesome eh?
I can't tell you what to do. You'll do what you want anyways. But you need to know what your in for.
Eventually casual use a few days a week will no doubt lead to addiction. Be safe

 

[Felonious Monk]

If you can actually keep opiates to one (1) day a week you should be ok. I'd say in terms of brain chemistry, etc that's safer than benzos, though others might disagree.

The danger, even at 1/week, is psychological addiction. The "habit" is sometimes just as much an actual habit of using something to dull feelings and take away worries as it is physical dependency.

 

[Erikmen]

I find it quite hard to keep it once a week. You may succeed for a while and then you'll not live without it.
The thing with opiates is that it makes you have an illusion of happiness that it does not exist and when you eventually have to quit it, you'll suffer.
Nothing will satisfy, nothing will be like the same. You'll feed depressed, sad and physically fell like real bad.

Becareful. This is a very dark place you are nearly going to.
Trust me I was like that too.

 

[Jimboo]

Thanks for the input guys. I've been hearing some pretty similar stories about people starting with weekend use and getting pulled in. I think for now I'll take a few weeks off and stick with cannabis on weekends.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Be extremely careful with opiates.

You did post how you're craving them, and that's not a good sign.

Also, be careful with mixing opiates and benzos as people have died this way, and don't mix opiates or benzos with alcohol.

I was like you with opiates. I would take them once or twice a month in low doses using either oxy, hydrocodone, or codeine. Eventually when I found myself taking them more frequently I stopped/slowed down, but would still use them either alone or while smoking herb. But then eventually I quit taking them, and I'm damn lucky I never became addicted to them.

Stay safe. Maybe quit now while you are ahead?

 

[I cup]

Oh to be in your shoes asking that ...... 10 yrs ago ........ Please steer far far away and thank yourself

 

[Speed King]

Your question seems to have been answered.

 

[scars-cars-and-Rs]

You see, the thing about opiates is, you don't realize you've gone too far until it has already consumed you.

You're playing with fire, kid.

I wish someone would have warned me 8 years ago that at some point (and it doesnt take very long most of the time) it stops being a fun hobby, just a weekend enhancer. it can become a full blown addiction, and by the sounds of it, it's already starting to sink it's teeth into you. if you are having cravings, you may want to take a step back and reanalyze your situation.

If you are anything like me, or hell, most of us addicts, you probably think "I'm in control, im not going to let this happen to me." Unfortunately, most of us said a variation of that in the beginning. In no way am I telling you to stop what you are doing, that's not my place nor anyone else's but your own. Just throwing you a fair warning. Then again, there's always the sliver of a chance that you can keep it under control, and you won't end up like the rest of us. But that's entirely up to you, man.

Have fun but be safe. Drugs, opiates in particular, are a very slippery slope.

oh and be careful with benzos, too. not only are they also highly addictive, they can be very dangerous when mixed with other drugs. especially alcohol and/or opiates.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

You see, the thing about opiates is, you don't realize you've gone too far until it has already consumed you.

You're playing with fire, kid.

I wish someone would have warned me 8 years ago that at some point (and it doesnt take very long most of the time) it stops being a fun hobby, just a weekend enhancer. it can become a full blown addiction, and by the sounds of it, it's already starting to sink it's teeth into you. if you are having cravings, you may want to take a step back and reanalyze your situation.

If you are anything like me, or hell, most of us addicts, you probably think "I'm in control, im not going to let this happen to me." Unfortunately, most of us said a variation of that in the beginning. In no way am I telling you to stop what you are doing, that's not my place nor anyone else's but your own. Just throwing you a fair warning. Then again, there's always the sliver of a chance that you can keep it under control, and you won't end up like the rest of us. But that's entirely up to you, man.

Have fun but be safe. Drugs, opiates in particular, are a very slippery slope.

oh and be careful with benzos, too. not only are they also highly addictive, they can be very dangerous when mixed with other drugs. especially alcohol and/or opiates.

Well said!

It's been over a decade since I got high on any opiates but I do sometimes crave them randomly as oddly as it sounds. But I don't give into them or use them even though in various places I have lived it was extremely easy to get dope/H, or any type of opiate you wanted, and opiates were easier to find than certain psychedelic drugs.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thanks for the input guys. I've been hearing some pretty similar stories about people starting with weekend use and getting pulled in. I think for now I'll take a few weeks off and stick with cannabis on weekends.

That's awesome man

 

[Jimboo]

It's a bit hard too completely stay away as I'm prescribed them for legitimate medical reasons. Although most of the time I can manage my pain via cannabis/Tylenol/ibuprofen. Also can usually manage anxiety with meditation and venting to friends or family. I usually just prefer to stock pile up then have some fun with friends. Like I said I'm very aware of the dangers and after reading hundreds of horror stories decided I'll be taking a month or two or off so I can reflect on my actions and see where I'm headed. My tolerance is still fairly low and I only dose once a night Friday and Saturday. Usually either 10mg oxy or 20mg xr hydro. I usually use 50/50. Half for medicinal and half for recreational. Although none of this justifies and makes it okay for me to take opiates. Thank you for your replys. Much love.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not trying to sound like an ass but that's how 95% of us started. I didn't seek to become an addict. I was injured badly and took them from a doc for pain. One day I just noticed I was getting sick from not taking them and mentally I was in a bad place so I said f it and did them then graduated to heroin, mdma, dillys, smoked a few fet patches with instructions from Google(it's amazing I'm still alive)
I can only warn you and wish you the best. But like I said that's how most start. It pulls you in so fast you don't realize it. Be safe

 

[adder]

For me opioids like morphine or heroin (so basically all those semi-synthetics like hydromorphone and oxycodone are included in this group) can be likened to a very strong love feeling until you become addicted, they give you peace, they take away all the pain, they fix you up real good, nothing can take you down apart from opioids themselves, what an irony. I didn't mean to be become an addict either of course, I fell in love when I was a kid and was rejected, I shortly found peace and relief in codeine, then morphine, then heroin, then any synthetic I could get my hands on... Then I got involved in methadone for over 2 years, when I decided I had enough of that, I thought I'd quit for good, but no, months passed and I was completely nonfunctional. My doctor offered me Suboxone and left this decision to me, I didn't want to start it all over again, but I was taking 400mg of prescribed tramadol a day and it didn't do shit, so I decided to start buprenorphine maintenance hoping I will finally start living a normal life. I kind of did, I started studying again, I have a job that I like, but no matter how hard I try to rationalize everything I do, I can't, studying and working 18 hours a day only to get up exhausted in the next morning and relive the previous day makes no sense at all. I guess I escaped into excessive working to keep myself occupied which eventually ruined me too, and so it goes. One decision when I was very young basically overshadowed everything else, and the pain that was there before I got into opioids is here with me now even though I barely remember the girl I fell for and I certainly have no idea what was so great about her, obviously there were many more girls, each one just a little less painful than the previous one.

I suppose I could have made a ton of better decisions back then.

 

[A6uh]

Once a week shouldn't developed a physical dependance, BUT it can easily developed a psychological one. If you already have cravings, you're in the beginning. My 4 year addiction started with a bottle of Tussionex. I would use every 2 weeks or so until I rationalized that I could use once a week and within 3 months it became a daily 80mg per day Oxycodone habit. I didn't realize I was addicted until I ran out of my life savings and couldn't pay rent. Please be exceptionally careful with these substances. It may seem harmless now but it's a demon just waiting to get ahold of your life.

 

[Dop3l3ssHopefiend]

And once the demon takes possession... it will take a herculean effort to drive it out. I am quitting a heavy fentanyl habit right now and I was barely able to hang on thru the first 3 days.. usually had plenty willpower to put it down n take a break, but completely lost it with fentanyl. Nasty shit

 

[CfZrx]

Is fent a great buzz?

 

[burn out]

once a week is fine in theory but what happens is that after using once a week for a period of time (could be months, sometimes even years) you will eventually decide to use twice a week. maybe you will have a really rough day at work, or go through a break up, get injured, or just get frustrated with life. knowing you can relieve those feelings so easily and thinking youre in control (since youve successfully used once a week for so long) you will rationalize that extra use and so on and so forth until you have a habit.

 

[CfZrx]

Jimboo, you are headed for dark days brother. What do you want, pills, a SCORPIONS poster and living with mom? Or yoga, massage partners and ladies in bikinis?? Stick 2 weed.

 

[Chriscom]

Hey Jimboo. Please be careful. I've been on and off opiates for 20 years. In that time i think i've known 2 people who have dabbled at the weekends and such and managed to walk away. The people who started with me are either dead, in jail or have lost limbs. I managed to jump off and was 6 years clean until i got prescribed pain pills last year and they enslaved me again. No one sets out thinking they will get a habit. If we thought that we wouldnt do it. It's impossible at the start to imagine not being able to control it. Then one day you realise it has you. I'm on day 4 of cold turkey from the meds and feeling like jumping out the window. Find other drugs to use recreationally. Opiates are not to be fucked around with. Good luck in whatever direction you go.