• H&R Moderators: streaM Freak

I'm here because I made the worst mistake of my life: fentanyl

limegreen_421

Greenlighter
Joined
Nov 16, 2016
Messages
24
Howdy Fellow Bluelighters,

I have used this forum as a non-member for many years to obtain helpful info. Primarily consulted about plant problems and such. Unfortunately in June of 2016 I made a decision that has completely altered my life and has left me desperate to get out of this cycle. I have zero judgement towards junkies/opiate users. I completely understand the desire to escape in such a euphoric manner. However, I do not want to live my life like that. Honestly, H has always been my end-of-life plan and I NEVER had the urge to try anything stronger until I was faced with a complicated situation. I have sustained three traumatic brain injuries in my life time; one occipital, one frontal, and one basically on the lambdoidal suture. The frontal and occipital were sustained in childhood with no lasting health effects, though the frontal injury did cause me to lose proper math and directional skills. The best description of this condition is dyscalculia caused by brain trauma. The TBI on the lambdoidal suture occurred December of 2014. Since that time I have been prescribed 5-7.5/325 hydrocodone since I get bad migraines and am unable to tolerate most preventative or other meds for migraines due to the stimulant effect most of them have...or at least my brain reacts that way. Initially I took the medicine as prescribed, mostly. Some days I did indulge a bit. Fast forward about a year and I am physically and emotionally dependent on the hydrocodone. Had I just decided to quit there it would have been easy peasy. But I had a fairly hardcore cosmetic surgery in June and fearing that the pain meds i would be prescribed would run out too quickly due to my tolerance...I was also extremely worried about issues with my mother during my recovery as she insisted on coming for three weeks (one week before, two weeks after my surgery), so I wanted a way to just be able to knock myself out. i originally considered 30mg oxys, but they are pricey on the DW and I don't know anyone I could cop from locally. I also considered dillys, which were slightly cheaper than the oxys. I found someone with pressed fent pills for cheap and since they were apparently dosed to be similiar to oxys, I figured I would give it a try. My plan was to make a nasal spray by crushing up some pills and filtering them like I guess I would do to prep a shot and then diluted as needed with a saline solution. I decided to go this route for easy administration, good bioavailability, and quick onset. I was able to do this with the pills, but for awhile I was too scared to use it having heard all the fent od horror stories. Basically everything went to hell with my mom (as expected, but she too it to a whole new psychologically damaging level this time). Basically i had to kick her out of my house two days after major surgery and was still unable to care for myself properly. I wanted to just be numb physically and emotionally because I was in so much pain of both types. This would have been okay if I had just gone through the first batch and was done. I totally could have, but I didn't. I kept buying and kept spraying. I would guess that I am administering approx. 30mcg per four sprays. And of course four sprays used to be just fine, but it has gradually morphed into more and more to where my supply is barely lasting a week and my DW supplier only ships one day a week. I am absolutely physically addicted to this substance and have been since mid-July. Some days I am able to moderate my use, some days I am not. My digestive system is really screwed up and I've been having to take OTC stool softeners for at least two months. My digestive system was already pretty messed up due to a 14 year battle with bulimia, so I'm really worried about the constant daily use of stool softeners but I can't stop taking them because I need to poop.

Okay, that's the backstory. Here's what's happening now...I have to have another surgery on December 16th. I feel as though I can't quit before surgery due to the amt. of pain I'll be in and I don't think its a good idea to quit now and have the enormous chance of relapse due to the pain I will be in. This surgery is not going to be as extensive, so my recovery should not be nearly as lengthy as my original surgery. My mother will have no involvement in this surgery, as I feel I need to protect my mental health at this time. I ran out late yesterday but was so low on supplies i had to significantly reduce my dosage yesterday, so I was in WD all night and will be today and tomorrow morning until my supply arrives. I will be off work for 4-6 weeks during this recovery, so I see it as the perfect time to do this detox without revealing my secret addiction to co-workers, friends, family, etc. I worry that I will have to increase my dosage immediately after surgery, though I am going to do my best to start tapering when my supply comes tomorrow. If I can get down to a reasonable amount I feel like my WD symptoms might not be as bad. I currently reside in the deep south where the medical system is a joke. In recent years doctors have become too scared to write prescriptions for certain drugs, even here. I suppose i could try to find a shady pay-over-the-phone clinic, but I have no interest in continuing this addiction to opiates after I give this up. from what I have read od Suboxone, I don't want anything to do with it. Not to mention I don't want to admit this issue to any doctor and then find it difficult to get my anxiety meds (clonazepam and xanax). I do not and have never abused anti-anxiety drugs. I have a multitude of anxiety disorders and would literally not be able to function outside of an institution without them. A part of me thinks detoxing in a hospital sounds more comfortable...the other part of me thinks I would panic being locked up, be resentful that I couldn't smoke weed, have doctors trying to give me anti-depressants (I have SEVERE reactions to all classes of anti-depressants...serotonin reactions/comas. Because this is a very rare reaction, doctors don't always take me seriously and I'm not going to risk being force-fed drugs that will harm me. So, I've gotta do this myself. i have a whole lot of willpower and many, many reasons to do this successfully. I do see a counselor for my anxiety and general life issues, but have not disclosed this problem to her for fear that my anxiety medicines would be taken. There are no methadone clinics or even needle exchange programs within the state I currently live in. Not that I believe I need methadone nor do i need needles, but it paints a picture of a state that does not value harm reduction in any way.

Sorry for the rambling post. I just needed to talk. If anyone can direct me to the proper forum for this type of thing I'd be greatly appreciative. I've read through a lot of the fent threads, but can't seem to find a newer one to post on. Should I start a new thread?

Thanks for Reading :-)
 
Hi limegreen_421 welcome to Bluelight.

Talk about going through the wars my friend - I'd make a start in the 'Recovery Support' forums here >>> http://www.bluelight.org/vb/forums/268-Recovery-Support and 'The Dark Side' http://www.bluelight.org/vb/forums/47-The-Dark-Side seems like your best bet to begin with.

By all means - start a new thread - you have a complex set of issues here but rather than repost the above, maybe you could start by giving an overview and then provide a link to this? In the meantime - get in touch with one of the moderators from here (New Member Introductions) or 'The Dark Side' - they are all fantastic and I'm sure that they will move this for you into the most appropriate place.

I hope that we can be of some assistance at the very least. All the best!
 
Hey mate,

Im pretty sure there are people who can help you here if you do what stee suggests.

Or if you would prefer help from a mod pm the staff of NMI who can redirect your intro here to other forums.
 
Welcome to the site, so sorry to read the problems you are going through.

I have moved your introduction over to our Recovery and support section where I feel it may be more suited.

Good luck
 
Hi limegreen. I am an opiate addict currently on subutex, but also struggling to get off. You are in a complex situation bc ur afraid that the docs will discontinue your benzos and other repercussions. How badly do you feel sick when you run out of meds? You've only been using 6 months or so? You may be able to come off during your time off work, but having surgery is likely going to complicate that. Is there a person you can trust who will hold your meds after surgery and give them to you at scheduled intervals? In my experience, especially when I was early in my addiction, I thought of all these ways that I was going to come off opiates or control it and it never worked. Bottom line, once those things were in my possession there was no controlling it. So, if your plan to come off then during your time off doesn't work, then you may well have to try suboxone or just go to a detox for 7 days. The docs don't have to know you went to detox. Just call your insurance directly and arrange it.
 
Thank you all so much for your support and helpful info! I'm off to find where this has been reposted and continue there.
 
Scratch that, Its just right here :-0 So, a bit of an add on/update to my original post...I made it through yesterday and last night without anything getting too bad. Had some of the normal feelings of wanting to jump out of my skin a bit, cravings, mild muscle cramps. Back to what I'm using now...the supplier with the pills wasn't reliable, so I found a supplier who makes a liquid fent solution similar to Lazanda (sp?) its a fairly new fent nasal spray prescribed solely to cancer patients. The way the internet makes it sound, you'd be hard pressed to get this at any local pharmacy without them having to order it and fill out a ton of paperwork. So I get 30 mL vials, I extract 10 mL and add approximately 15 mL of saline. This gets me three bottles of spray from one vial. My habit has become as such that I used to be able to make a supply like this last two weeks, now its less than 5-6 days. Obviously the fent escalates quickly. I'm so mad at myself. I knew how bad this shit was (or had an idea from what I had read), but I never meant for it to be five and a half months later and still be doing it. It was just supposed to keep me safe from my mom during recovery! She knew about my hydro dependence and would even help in sending extras my way. Honestly, my tolerance to hydro was low! And I was pretty much able to keep it stable for over a year at about 2.5-3.75mg 3x/day. Basically I'm not worried about the meds my surgeon is going to give me. Those will ALL (except for the antibiotics of course) be saved for the final w/d. I've been able to make it through easier than I might have over the last few days because I have hydro left over...problem is 15mg of hydro isn't really gonna touch what the fent was doing to my system. I definitely wasn't expecting to get high or anything, just trying to make myself more comfortable...I wish it had worked a little better. It looks like I will need to make sure my surgeon is going to give me at least 1 script for perc 10/325s (strongest he'll do) and one for cyclobenziprines (sp). If I'm lucky I'll be able to get the percs twice. I know I'll at least be getting another script from my regular doctor for the brain injuries and that is consistent. Unfortunately I don't have any friends that I would trust with my meds, nor any that can come see me on a daily basis since I live about 30 mins from them. I'm used to doing stuff alone. One of my diagnosis is agoraphobia, so I don't get out much. I know I need to make my ultimate w/d area comfy and stocked with supplies within reach. I've really learned alot in the past 48 hours about how I can expect my body to react, and I think that will be very very helpful when the time comes a week or two after surgery. Because I was so emotionally fucked after my first surgery I failed to take care of myself in terms of getting up and getting back to me life. This time I know how important that is. I may not be able to do much through the first couple of days, but I need to get moving as soon as possible. I was shocked that I slept nearly 8 hours last night without waking up really at all with a need to take meds or smoke pot. I did eat a pot lollipop, sipped a small amt. of diphenhydramine, took a cyclo, took an l-tyrosine tab, and a b vitamin. The night prior to that was pretty hellish. So much sweat. And you can't get warm or cold. Its insane. It reminds me of a self-induced xanax w/d I did 6 years back where I lost all ability to regulate my body temperature. I froze my ass off constantly and was in the fetal position for literally more than a month. I did that voluntarily because I wanted off xanax due to the blowback anxiety it causes, and I had been on it for at least 4 years by then. Early this year I began having very severe panic attacks again and needed to go back on xanax, but I take it so sparingly since I know what happens if the body gets hooked.

So, here are my questions for you guys right now (I'm sure I'll come up with many more):

Does anyone have experience with an eating disorder/prior laxative abuse and years later needing to take the max safe dose of OTC stool softeners/laxatives due to opiate addiction? How did your digestive system come out?

Can I get more info about setting up a detox through my insurance company only? Do you mean just going to my insurer's site and finding a facility while going around my regular doctors? Don't you get put on some sort of list at pharmacies and doctors offices as a drug seeker/addict once you admit this within the american healthcare system? I can be a little paranoid, but I know these lists exist since I know people who are on them due to drug seeking behavior. With the way the american system is set up to share info, I don't see how the detox wouldn't want the info for my primary doctor at the very least? Please someone give me more info about these electronic lists and how one ends up on one. This is a major concern and is a make-or-break in terms of even considering a detox facility or doing this in secret at home because my anxiety meds could potentially be taken.

Does anyone know how to blow up/deactivate an account on AB on the DW? I will be removing my banking info from the place I buy bitcoin, so it will take a few days for them to verify and reactive me there...hopefully that will be long enough to stop me if I get a bad craving. I have to keep my VPN for work reasons and you can get one of those set up in like 5 minutes anyway. I mainly just want to make it as time consuming and as difficult as possible for me to be able to get back online to order so that I can hopefully get a grip and get over the craving before I'm able to do something stupid. One of my friends will be taking my computer from me for at least a couple of weeks just as a precautionary measure.

I'm in the deep south, but it still gets cold here. Right now the night temps are in the 40s, soon to drop into the 30s. Does the outside weather make the physical pain of w/d worse? It seems to. I smoke cigs (outside) and have dogs that I need to let out a bunch of times a day. I'm considering buying a Coleman portable inflatable hot tub to use inside during the final w/d to make it easier to get relief from muscle pain and general aches. I'm only doing this because I'm afraid that I won't have the energy to go to the other end of the house and actually run a hot bath that will only stay hot for 30 mins max.

My life plan involves a move to Australia within the next 18 months. I need to get this awful monkey off my back and move on with my life. I know I will struggle with cravings for awhile, or maybe even forever. I hope not, but I understand the consequences of my choices here.

May you all be safe and well :-)
 
Last edited:
One more question....

Since my math skills were literally knocked out of my head, can someone set up and solve the equation of my dosage currently? 10mL 100 mcg (supposedly per spray, but I don't think that's accurate) fent solution diluted with 15mL saline. When I receive the supply today I intend to go down to 7.5 mL 100 mcg fent solution diluted with 15mL saline. Even if i don't believe the 100 mcg per spray is accurate (I think its likely much weaker, but obviously can't say for sure). How much fent am I taking per spray?

Additional info that is probably needed to set up the equation: 30mL container, approx 114 sprays per 30mL.

ETA: Please let me know if I should post this elsewhere. I understand I am on the recovery thread and I do not want to trigger or upset anyone!
 
Last edited:
Thank you so much for the warm welcome and links. I suspect I will spend many hours sifting through "The Dark Side." I am so thankful that such a community exists :-)


ETA: was trying to reply directly to stee. Clearly I have some learning to do in terms of how to work this forum! please bear with me, guys, I promise I'll get better at this!
 
Fentanyl is deadly. I put on one of my dad's patches when he was a terminal cancer patient and back in the hospital and drank probably a pint of vodka. It was the only time in my career as a drug addict I thought I might die.
 
I think your handling this really well. Most people are not able to form rational plans and execute them while strung out to the extent you where
 
Fentanyl is deadly. I put on one of my dad's patches when he was a terminal cancer patient and back in the hospital and drank probably a pint of vodka. It was the only time in my career as a drug addict I thought I might die.

Isn't it terrible stuff? I can't believe this is prescribed to people who aren't terminal for the simple fact that the w/d is so bad. Having never been through it themselves most doctors just don't understand what w/d makes a person feel like. Part of me feels like it would be so much more humane if they knocked people out during detox, but I also understand that in most cases people have to go through that pain in order to understand the consequences of doing it again. Yet I completely understand relapsing simply to not feel so awful :-( As a previous poster stated, its a shitty predicament. Not just for me but for all opiate addicts.

I'm not much of a drinker, but I'd never consider drinking anything alcoholic while on this shit. I'm so glad you didn't die! That's a scary tale, my friend.
 
Hey Lime, I have more time to type now, but it was a really, really stupid experiment on my part. My dad was back in the hospital, so on my way to his house from the hospital, I stopped at the liquor store and nursed a pint of vodka. Even though I was getting my own opiates through legal (if ethically questionable - bogus pain clinic doctors were a dime a dozen in Florida) channels, I started rummaging around his stuff and found the fentanyl patch. I was so terrified I was going to die that I crawled to the shower and turned it on to keep from falling asleep. My mom came home and called 911. I was conscious when the paramedics arrived and they told me if I said no to the narcan I was going to have to talk to the cops. Narcan or possibly going to jail - talk about between a rock and a hard place.

I have heard of one person being detoxed off alcohol using phenobarbital, but I guess the risks outweigh the benefit.
 
When I first started with this addiction back in June/July, I almost OD'd too. It was my second order of pills and was extracting the fent from the pills into a liquid solution. I didn't wait long enough between sprays to see how strong it was. I thought I was totally fine for 15 mins and even did something around the house. Then I started feeling extremely warm and began vomiting. I prayed to a deity that I don't believe in to let me live and I remember the word "Narcan" repeatedly going through my head. I kept myself awake somehow (I think I knew I would die if I let myself nod/fall asleep). Since then I have been much more careful with allowing my doses to kick in before taking more. Its also become a top priority to have so narcan on hand, but as i said in a previous post, there is zero harm reduction in my area and would only be able to procure it on the DW, if its even on there.

I'm so glad your mom called 911 and you took the narcan! That's bullshit that the paramedics would involve cops if you refused narcan...unless it then becomes more of an attempted suicide from their way of looking at things. But still, cops would almost never make a situation like this better.
 
Top