Hello, I thought I could share my friend's experience. At the end, the OP may find his success of interest perhaps. First, my friend last used oxy, 750 mg snorted due to dependence (25 of the 30mg Roxi) March 25th. He then made arrangements to kick a seven year habit, after fear that even 150 mg at once was no longer producing a desired effect. He was spending $400 a day on oxy, which was a fortune of course. Most importantly, that week his work approached him stating they were noticing something was wrong. In fact, he was drug tested, and was very fortunate that oxy is not detected by standard opioid assays in the urine (it is an add- on test at Quest). But he felt the heat and the threat to his career (he is a physician) and made arrangements to immediately stop oxy. He secured Kratom and 200 immodium 2 mg tablets. He used these with success on day 1, with hot showers, and baths. Unfortunately, day 2-3 of withdrawal came, and things become unmanageable despite these temporizing measures. Kratom's opioid activity and imodium's opioid activity in the gut helped for awhile; until my friend became toxic on the Kratom. My friend had vertigo, facial numbness, eye twitching, speech impairment (from Kratom/mirtagynine levels getting way too high from 30-50g of Bali in a day) AND still had the severe vomiting symptoms of a 750 mg oxy habit leaving his system. He had no choice but to do a short inpatient stay at a detox. He received about 8 doses of Klonopin over 3 days, and 3 clonidine. By day 5-6 "no oxy" he was discharged home, still feeling bad but desperate for the comfort of his bed. At this point, he was becoming very depressed with PAWS. And the anxiety was like holding live current in both hands, radiating through the chest and head. His mind was so clouded he felt as though his eyes were looking through a different head. He had trouble raising his fork to eat. Two weeks before, he was a high profile physician, and now he felt as though he must have had a stroke. He understood distinctly over the next 10 days why an addict relapses during PAWS. It's not to get high, it's to get better, faster, now. You want to think again, move again, play with your kids again, work again, and have emotional capacity and stress reserve again. But using wasn't an option for my friend. This is what he noticed, and he read everything he could get his hands on:
Every time he took something to feel better, it made him feel worse after a short time, and it would take him a day to recover from the new drug. This included: Benadryl (made RLS WORSE) Lunesta (made him severely depressed and sluggish for 24 hours) l-tyrosine (made him extremely jittery for 12 hours) red bull (anxious and current like tension). Every time he stuck to water , strenuous 20 minute exercise, and healthy food, he felt like he made progress. After 21 days, he still was tearful, no energy, a little cloudy headed, depressed, and feeling a lot of stress/anxiety- much worse in the morning and much better after sunset. Stimulation of any kind was still not bearable- he would retreat to bed or bath. At this point he made a decision which changed the course of his recovery, the course of his PAWS. He scheduled himself back to work, 7 straight days, 12 hour shifts. No days off. He was scared shitless that he wouldn't be able to function. However, the hardest part was getting him in the door. Day 1 was exhausting, a real uphill fight. But he slept well that night, much like an athletic tired. Day 2 was another exhausting day at work, preceded by tears. But he noted his mind was no longer cloudy while working. His appetite was better too, and he was even smiling and joking at times. By day 6 of work, he was FEELING GREAT. No more anxiety. Happiness was even possible at times. His mind was 100% back. Fatigue was really improved; now he was just appropriately tired. And he was working more efficiently without oxy than he did with, which really surprised him. He thought the oxy made him superman. He was wrong. The oxy had enslave him, stole 1/3 of his family's income, and threatened to destroy his life as he knew it. At day 27, he realized two things about acute withdrawal and about PAWS:
1. You must get out of the mentality that in order to feel better you must take something. Only thing you need is water and good food. Your body is trying to heal/ it does not need more than a regular diet and ample water to do this. Taking drugs of any type delayed my friends recovery. Note that he had no pain problems, and did not smoke or drink. But his oxy use was phenomenal- 750 mg insufflated a day. So we are talking a big insult to his mind. THROW AWAY ALL LIQUOR. TAKE EVERY MEDICINE TO YOUR IN- laws BUT MOTRIN. Take baths , exercise, and wait. Time is the only answer. And it is the hardest thing for an addict to accept. But YOU WILL GET BETTER IT IS GUARANTEED. When, is up to your body, age, use. But also up to your mindset, attitude, and willingness to:
2. GET BACK TO WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The emotional part of your brain is a mess during PAWS. The logical and intellectual part of your brain is OK PRETTY QUICK AFTER ACUTE WITHDRAWAL FROM OPIOIDS. So? Who do you love more? Co- workers, or wife and kids? Your house, or your job? I am not preaching avoidance here , but let's call a spade a spade . During PAWS your emotional brain and reward center is totally fucked up. It takes 3-6 months. BUT YOU CAN TRICK YOUR BRAIN TO GET BETTER FASTER. How? USE THE PART THATS WORKING. Logical and intelligent brain. You use that at work. Not at home, where you stare at loved ones and the ceiling and grow anxiety for not being able to love or interact with them up to yours or their expectations. This causes stress. Depression. You're spinning your wheels. GO TO WORK. Force it at first. Then about 3-4 days in, expect to feel significant improvements. If my physician friend can walk away from 90% of PAWS in this way, he believes many others can too.
Good luck to you. Never go back!!
What you have done already is really hard, amazing work, you should be damn proud of yourself!!!
