Okay everyone, listen up...I read many threads about the withdrawals and let me explain everything you'll go through.
I done every type of pain pill, suboxone, the patches even was hooked on xanax, for years, I dont see much about long term usage effects, very different from someone using for 6mths-year, withdrawling for their first time, long term users can experience longer withdrawls and repeated symptoms. If you are planning to stop cold turkey, listen up, see a doctor first and explain and don't leave without xanax, any benzo's, you'll need them and get everything ready, you won't have the energy later.
First most important, any opiates your taking you need to bring it down to a level to able to withstand the withdrawals, anyone taking high doses shouldn't even be reading this, your still abusing. My wife was on fentynal patches, 100mgs, that's a lot and in two maths got her down to oxy 20mg, the final script we decided to take 10mg for a few days then a qtr pill, 5mg for a few days then it begins.
First you'll sleep a day, maybe even two but on the 3rd day withdrawals really begin due to any opiates still in your system, once out then be ready, just remember that it will end, in time.
You'll get brain flashes, nerve ending tweaking in your face, on your lips, hot flashes, hot flashes last a few days to a week, usually, for my wife and me. The the uncomfortable feeling something eating away at you inside, sick to your stomach. Then the mental game, RLS, insomnia.
Let's start with a plan and let me explain that a lot of drugs are being mentioned on here to cope but in the end it can just prolong your withdrawals and some meds can make things worse, like RLS, I tried baclphon muscle relaxer, made my RLS worse and also, benadryol for sleep didn't work and made my RLS 10x worse.
Plan that worked for me;
Started taking vitamins, right before stopping would be best, a multi V, vitamin B complex, vitamin B12 (vitamin B for energy, nerves) and potassium for nerves also, L-tyrosine for energy.
First started taking 2 multi vitamins daily, with Vitamins B,s and potassium. You'll need your vitamins so your body heals, it helps but don't think you'll feel any different, will help some with energy lvl's and the fact you can't eat.
You can try L-tyrosine later as you feel better, atleast a week before you'll be able to get around.
Take xanax for sleep, try not to take it durning the day the first week, withdrawal, get it out of you first because insomnia will kick in on day 4 and you WILL not be able to sleep...no matter what. I had done this without any xanax and was up for 8 straight days without no sleep until I finally fell asleep for a half hour, a day later got an hour sleep and more sleep as days went on. Your brain has to reprogram your natural sleep pattern, you been going to bed drowsy everyday so its something you'll have to deal with, even taking xanax will still prevent your natural sleeping pattern from coming back so do not take xanax daily for a long period of time, then you'll have to withdrawal from that and to me it was worse than opiates, lucky for me i got off benzos a year before all this.
See Thomas recipe for vitamins, minerals you'll need.
The first week is hard, take xanax as needed for sleep and will help with nerves and RLS, there are meds for RLS which can be fine if only using for a week, any meds will just prolong withdrawals so get it over with. Take hot showers, if you get sleep, stay up all day and keep your mind active, try eating soup, banana's, anything easy to get down, a little at a time. I believe my first week wasn't so bad, the hot flashes, sneezing (will go on for a month due to your nose being so dry) as fluid starts coming back to your nose it will eventually stop. The eerie feeling of wanting to rip off my skin, no energy..etc. As for me, week two was worse, the mental game begins, very restless, I drank sometimes and got shit faced to kill the pain, my wife swears weed helped her a lot, made things worse for me, I did try Lyrica and seemed to help but only took for a few days then my brain was tweaking again.
It always seemed any meds that did help gave some relief but prolonged withdrawals, just because I'm not sick as a dog doesn't mean I'm not withdrawaling, withdrawals can last a month even two months with repeated symptoms which may not last long but can come back, this is why I state, spread out them xanax, you'll need them.
Week one had maybe 1-2mg xanax, week two 1mg a day, week 3 half mg a day. I did save a few on the side for down the road, I'm on week 6 and still feel some restless, low energy but I get better each.
Now with no xanax, I'll have a few beers, rum and coke for the mental part, I'm now thinking much clearer, more active everyday, keeping busy, now eating better, no more vitamins, I'm finding food now comforts me as i now get bored quite easily.
I do not find myself wanting any oxy's, maybe a xanax here and there but I know I need to heal, your body needs to be COMPLETELY off everything, drug free for you to heal.
Do not take suboxone unless its only for a week to bring your self down, suboxone withdrawals are very bad, I know! Most meds listed on blue light for relief may, may not help but just remember, long term abusers (years) will will prolong symptoms.
People mention having sex helps, it does and will help you sleep better.
After 6 weeks, my head still rings some, some low energy, now having coffee in the morning helps, it took a month for my natural sleeping pattern to come back, now getting 6-8 hrs sleep everyday.
I now don't care to get high but only to get healthy, you can get permanent nerve damage from long term usage, your nerves will soon return to normal but may take a month.
Finally done and never have to worry about running out of pills or worrying about getting sick again. Many will agree, many won't but from experience I know what worked for me and know any meds won't make things better, only use for short time relief and get on with getting better, trust me, it will all be worth it.
Good luck everyone and stay clean.
Sometimes learning to take life in those small focused increments is a beneficial lesson for much more than addiction--it's also great for anxiety and over-thinking and lots of other things that hold addiction in place. You can do it! stay strong.