Opioids The Opioid Withdrawal Megathread and FAQ

[Jc1022]

I'm new here. Kicking my 4 year (prescribed turned into addiction) habit of 120mgs vicodin/oxy a day. Going cold turkey. I have all necessary meds to help ie, klonopin, clonadine, gabapentin, pot, vitamins, Gatorade, ect. I also have 2 8mg suboxone strips. Can't decide which road to take. Any advice?

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^^

It depends on what kind of detox you want.. going cold turkey will result in a shorter kick but the symptoms will be more severe (however the meds you have will help a lot). Doing a taper on suboxone will make your withdrawals very minor, but they will be drawn out and take much longer. That is the trade off with using something like suboxone or methadone to detox.

 

[Jc1022]

^^^^^
Thanks for your reply. It's going to be a rough road regardless. I'd rather do the subs to help with the acute phase and make the w/d's a bit less harsh. Do u think once the 3 day sub detox is complete I should start up the rest of the meds?

 

[SC_NowLiving]

Mr.S has said it perfect, it depends on your choice. Keep in mind tho subs temporary substute thru WDs, long use durantion might result in bigger and worst WDs. Never attempted WDs with the subs myself but I did use while I couldn't find anything at the point and what I know about them while researching, I would cut the strips into 4 peaces and take them as needed.<-just my thought. Day 3 might not even need any because the life expandancy is pretty high. 8mg strips were planty for me at 3x30mg roxi a day habit. I always look at it like this "you can always add more IF NECCEARY,but it's though to take it out".

I went thru this about 4 months ago and with help of commen sense,BL Fourms and family I was able to overcome it. Support from family or close ones thru this process is important, sometimes that's not an option that's why BL helped me.
Best of luck to you

 

[Jc1022]

So I took my last opiate at 6 pm last night and took 1/3 of 8mg sub this morning at 9 am. Woke up feeling shitty and restless, figured it was time to take the sub. 1/2 hr later I felt ok. Not great, but much better than if I hadn't taken it. We'll see how the day goes. I have to work at 6pm until 1am. This outta be interesting. Wish me luck. Mind over matter....

 

[Numb19]

If one were to fully detox from Oxycodone and then started taking Nucynta (much weaker) or Tramadol occasionaly when needed for pain, would this keep opiate tolerance levels high, or more appropriately, would this fail to bring Oxycodone tolerance down? I'm trying to reduce my tolerance to the Oxy and wondered about replacing it with Nucynta for a while when I have pain, but I really need to bring my Oxy tolerance down. I'm pretty sure they work on the same receptors but Nucynta is also SNRI so just not sure if this works or how it works.

The only problem with Nucynta is that I have to go to like 4 different pharmacies to find it =/

 

[trapp_king]

Hi bluelighters,

I have a quick question to ask all of you very knowledgeable people.

I have been taking about 2mg daily suboxone (bupe/nalox) by means of injection. 1mg in the morn and 1 mg at night. I dont get high from it. i started using to beat a very minor opiate addiction that only lasted about a few weeks of 30mg oxycodone daily. now im hooked on subs and i get very very weak and sore and sick after the first 24 hours with no subs. So im thinking about going out to buy a bunch of oxy's and using about 15-20 mg daily just to curb w/d NOT TO GET HIGH. im planning on doing this for about a 2 weeks then slowy taper down to nothing over the next two weeks. i think its a good idea because the sub w/d seems to be much worse and longer than the oxy w/d. i have to go to work moving furniture and i go to college full-time and i have bills to pay and a newborn at home so i really really cant afford to take more than 2 sick days. idc if they are worse for those two days as long as its over asap. Do you guys think this would be a good idea? please dont say no because i will get addicted to perks again because i won't. im done with this shit i want my freedom back. i wasnt addicted to them very long to begin with so i honestly dont see myself going back to them. especially after this journey. if ive gone 22 years without them im sure i can go without them again. i just want to know if anybody here has tried it before and if anybody has ever been succesfull with their attempt

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^^

You will be much better off just tapering on the suboxone. First of all, stop IV'ing and switch to sublingual. Then start weening down from there and hop off the subs at around .25-.5mg's. If you do that the withdrawals will not be that bad.

Trying to use something like oxy to detox from suboxone just sounds like a recipe for disaster. It would be very easy for you to end up skyrocketing your tolerance and end up in worse shape then on the suboxone.

 

[The Dope Man]

im having a VERY hard time starting suboxone. ive ben using anywhere from 2-10 bags of fire ecp daily for the past 3 months. i get to 12 hours and start hurting and the anxiety and stomach problems are so bad i just give in and dose. the longest ive ever made it is 16 hours. any advice on makin it the full 24 so i can start these subs ?

im planin on weenin down and only doin a half bag in the morning and half bag at night. would this help ?

and for my last dose before subs do i want it to be a fat 5 bag shot or a little half bag shot ? which would make it easier ?

 

[kusa666]

We'll see how the day goes. I have to work at 6pm until 1am. This outta be interesting.

In a similar light, I have a question pertaining to going through withdrawals while being forced to go to work.
First and foremost, keep in mind this is my first posting on these forums.
I currently have a job in the food service industry, which means I spend the majority of my time on my feet, rushing around and interacting face to face with customers and my managers. I have been using heroin (4-6 bags insufflated daily) for roughly six weeks, and have decided that enough is enough. I am planning on going cold turkey as soon as possible, but I am scared of what the outcome might be while I am at work. Does anyone have any experience with this? I can't find enough time to take off, and I only have access to OTC medications such as Imodium and Alleve... I know that most of my withdrawal symptoms are in my head, and I am trying to think of them just as a "bad cold" that will pass in several days.
Any tips or tools I can use to help ease my mind and my body? I feel incredibly lucky to still be employed, and I know that my life as well as my goals are too important to be squandered by drug abuse and fear of withdrawal. Will Imodium and OTC pain medications be enough? Tapering always seems to fail and I have reached my breaking point. I just want to get this over with and continue living my life.
Thanks
kusa

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

im having a VERY hard time starting suboxone. ive ben using anywhere from 2-10 bags of fire ecp daily for the past 3 months. i get to 12 hours and start hurting and the anxiety and stomach problems are so bad i just give in and dose. the longest ive ever made it is 16 hours. any advice on makin it the full 24 so i can start these subs ?

im planin on weenin down and only doin a half bag in the morning and half bag at night. would this help ?

and for my last dose before subs do i want it to be a fat 5 bag shot or a little half bag shot ? which would make it easier ?

The smaller your habit is and the less dope you do before getting on suboxone, the easier the transition will be.

 

[Eveleivibe]

Hiya, The Dope Man,

I agree with Mr,Scagnattie tapering to a smaller dose n then going to suboxone may be better.
With suboxone it's not necessarily having to wait 24 hours but being in moderate withdrawal. There's something called the COWS scale if you look that up it will explain it better.
If you go onto suboxone before moderate withdrawal, you will go into severe withdrawal as the bupe will knock the opiate off the mu receptors.
Can I ask if you are doing the suboxone with a doctor? If so, n don't take my word here as I am not from the US, but by what I've heard from others is that most doctors start inducting you onto suboxone gradually over a few hours n you stay with them so they can assure your safety n wellbeing.
I am from the UK myself so it, different as I took the first 8mg home n took it in 2mg doses throughout the dsy but was supervised at the pharmacy afterwards.

Hope this helps. We're here for you.

Evey.

In a similar light, I have a question pertaining to going through withdrawals while being forced to go to work.
First and foremost, keep in mind this is my first posting on these forums.
I currently have a job in the food service industry, which means I spend the majority of my time on my feet, rushing around and interacting face to face with customers and my managers. I have been using heroin (4-6 bags insufflated daily) for roughly six weeks, and have decided that enough is enough. I am planning on going cold turkey as soon as possible, but I am scared of what the outcome might be while I am at work. Does anyone have any experience with this? I can't find enough time to take off, and I only have access to OTC medications such as Imodium and Alleve... I know that most of my withdrawal symptoms are in my head, and I am trying to think of them just as a "bad cold" that will pass in several days.
Any tips or tools I can use to help ease my mind and my body? I feel incredibly lucky to still be employed, and I know that my life as well as my goals are too important to be squandered by drug abuse and fear of withdrawal. Will Imodium and OTC pain medications be enough? Tapering always seems to fail and I have reached my breaking point. I just want to get this over with and continue living my life.
Thanks
kusa

Hiya - just a thought but instead of going cold turkey, which, in my opinion, seems very extreme with the line of work you are doing. My addiction was codeine n I could not stand during withdrawals (however that is my experience, yours may be different), how about finding a weaker opiate and use that as a taper for a few weeks? - or maybe use suboxone on a short term basis. Some people have used suboxone for say, two to three weeks to get through the withdrawals n found that it may drag the H withdrawal out but its far less intense.
Another idea is you could look into some sort of hypnotherapy or maybe some meditation to relax you.
I do agree that a lot is mental n it sounds like you are smart in thinking that way. But can I ask is this going to be your first withdrawal? Have you withdrawn from any other opiate before? Reason I'm asking is this could help others to give you sufficient advice. Because if you've not been through it before you may be in for a shock.

Please take care n we're here if you need to chat.

 

[Jc1022]

I'm in the industry as well. I bartend. I'm doing a 3-5 day sub detox. I'm 36 hrs on subs. Took 4mg yesterday morning and 2 mg at 5pm last night. Made it thru work last night ok, basically said I wasn't feeling well/coming down with something. I've gone cold turkey with out subs and it royally sucked, relapsed after 2 days. Subs make it tolerable. If you can get your hands on like 3-4 8mg strips, you can can can do it..... Best of luck. I'm still fighting, I'll never stop......

 

[kusa666]

Hiya - just a thought but instead of going cold turkey, which, in my opinion, seems very extreme with the line of work you are doing. My addiction was codeine n I could not stand during withdrawals (however that is my experience, yours may be different), how about finding a weaker opiate and use that as a taper for a few weeks? - or maybe use suboxone on a short term basis. Some people have used suboxone for say, two to three weeks to get through the withdrawals n found that it may drag the H withdrawal out but its far less intense.
Another idea is you could look into some sort of hypnotherapy or maybe some meditation to relax you.
I do agree that a lot is mental n it sounds like you are smart in thinking that way. But can I ask is this going to be your first withdrawal? Have you withdrawn from any other opiate before? Reason I'm asking is this could help others to give you sufficient advice. Because if you've not been through it before you may be in for a shock.

Please take care n we're here if you need to chat.

Hi,
Thank you for responding. It's been a really tough day today. I called out of work and really was in for a shock as you said.
I am postponing this for the week because I have school and work each and every day and I need to be more prepared. I had no idea what I was getting into today and I have to get myself in better shape to get over this. I know a way I can get suboxone next Sunday, so I will have to wai for that in order to make this something that will stick.

I hate having to use to feel okay. I wish I could just cut this out of my life. I feel like I'm cheating myself and everyone to stay on this because it "isn't the right time." When will it eer be the right time?
In short I'm asking how can I make the permanent jump? Do I wait for relief with suboxone and use that to get through the first week or so? Thank you for reachin out and helping me through this. I am 21 and in over my head, and I'm worried this is going to spin out of port portions and I'm gonna lose what I've got ..

 

[tricomb]

Will it ever be the right time? The right time, always is and always has been, right now. It is actually, the ONLY time. You should be worried, you have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

 

[Eveleivibe]

Hiya Kusa666,

I am sorry but there is never a right time n when you do quit your mind will trick you into thinking you had more using in you, that it was too soon etc.
do you have insurance/saving that you could start a quick tapering plan with sub? If not, stick with getting it how you can but if you are going to use suboxone check out the suboxone mega thread on other drugs (im sorry I don't know how to link - can someone else put the link up please?) there you will get advice on how to use it as a short / taper / maintenance etc.

An other option is could you not take time off work as a holiday or phone in sick with 'the flu?'
I am assuming that you are in the US? If so I'm not sure on their policies re being off sick but I know that in the UK a lot of people phone in sick n say they have had the flu.

You can do this. It's a case of planning n making sure you have a support network around you n aftercare.

Have you thought of what you may do to maintain sobriety like NA meetings or whatever?

Take care,

Evey

 

[Jc1022]

96 hrs later. 1 1/2 8mg sub later...no Vicodin/perks...nada..... I wake up feeling anxious but 1/2 klonopin does the trick. Yes, I have cravings but knowing that I have the subs in me, if I take a vike, nothing will happen. Kind of a safety net. Never thought I could do this. Minimal w/d's.... Easy peasy... Well, not easy, but easier than cold turkey. My question tho.... What's gonna happen when i stop taking the subs? Took 2mgs yesterday, nothing yet today. Going to try to go all day with out any and if I feel ok, I'm not going to take anymore.... Will I still get withdrawals? ????????

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^^

You can't avoid withdrawals entirely. When one stops suboxone, they will still get withdrawals, it's just a matter of how light they are. That's the point of suboxone. It lowers your tolerance from full opiates, but not leaving you sick in the process, then as you ween down on the subs, your eventual withdrawal becomes easier and easier.

 

[《Plasticity》]

Anybody use MXE to reduce tolerance or completely quit opiates? I've read posts about how people use MXE for a couple days and when they stop they are withdrawal free but when I search for threads regarding this everyone always says that it will only prevent tolerance from building and not really lower tolerance so in my head these two contradict each other. Anyone have success using MXE to kick or even lower tolerance.

 

[The Plague]

MXE would be great for opioid withdrawal. It modulates the tolerance pathway too so if you take opioids on it, they will be 1.5 - 2 times stronger. It's also a dopamine releasing agent or uptake inhibitor? So that will help with withdrawals

I'm on day 4 at the moment coming off 400-800mg codeine a day for 2 years, day 1 and 2 were actually the worst, I didn't have access to MXE so I used some DXM alone and to potentiate my benzos for the first couple of days and I'm feeling almost normal physically now. So even low amounts of NMDA antagonists can help during withdrawals