Self medicating Withdrawal and PAWS

[somnilicious]

Which drugs are appropriate? Which are more danger than they are worth? Specifically concerned because I have phenibut on the way. I am a heroin addict of 20yrs and I can get severally bad PAWS, weakness, tiredness, anxiety, extreme insomnia and lack of motivation in the weeks directly proceeding the acute phase. I will receive phenibut in 2 days. I have a lot of experience with phenibut and have used it on and off through other periods of "sobriety" without much ill effect other than some rebound(withdrawal) anxiety in the days following frequent use. Of course the fear would always be trading one addiction for an other. The problem is that I haven't really used it so shortly and after having withdrawn from another drug and my main fear is that it will further disrupt the repair of my dopaminergic system thus prompting me to take it more often to cover up further adverse symptoms it itself is creating and thus beginning the slippery slope. Any phenibut experiences for opiate withdrawal and PAWS are welcome. Please discuss and elaborate on the benefits and costs.

 

[Lucy20]

I feel your pain. Im not long off methadone and im getting crying bouts, bitchy, no sleep.
I've never heard of phenibut for it but I'll keep checking back
Congratulations on being clean and i hope you get relief soon

 

[somnilicious]

Yeah Methadone is a bitch. I came off methadone and benzos in 2015 after about a decade. I would never want to repeat the experience again. I didn't feel right for over a year and wound up relapsing on heroin for several months before getting another 9mths clean and then relapsing again for the last year and some odd months.

I received a text this morning telling me the phenibut had arrived at my local post office this morning at 730am. I'm waiting to see if it arrives with the post today. If it doesn't I will probably be picking it up at the office. I will update on the results and try to keep a log. The only problem is that even though I have a lot of experience with phenibut I have no idea as to how to dose it because unfortunately my experiences were all with a proprietary blend that was sold locally. My friend, who also used to take the same proprietary blend and has experience with pure tub dosing estimated that each pill contained approx. 250mg of pheni. Therefore I was probably dosing anywhere from a gram to 2.5grams usually in a staggered dose schedule over 4-8hr period.

 

[somnilicious]

I'm well aware of the precautions, especially for someone with a long addiction history of addiction(specifically benzos). I never really had a big problem with benzos, as the last years of my addiction I only took 1(1mg) dose of Xanax a day. Basically only therapeutic dosing. That being said, I was addicted. I have taken benzos recently... usually every couple of weeks at doses of 1-2mg of Xanax without any adverse effects. I'm actually not a big fan and don't find them very psychologically addictive even though I have anxiety. Probably because they exacerbate my depression and I don't look the extreme mental fog and incomplete memory recall.

 

[cj]

People do get addicted to phenibut. My advice is don take anything longer then absolutely necessary for withdrawal. Anything more then 2 weeks of daily dosing is bad news

 

[Lucy20]

I'm well aware of the precautions, especially for someone with a long addiction history of addiction(specifically benzos). I never really had a big problem with benzos, as the last years of my addiction I only took 1(1mg) dose of Xanax a day. Basically only therapeutic dosing. That being said, I was addicted. I have taken benzos recently... usually every couple of weeks at doses of 1-2mg of Xanax without any adverse effects. I'm actually not a big fan and don't find them very psychologically addictive even though I have anxiety. Probably because they exacerbate my depression and I don't look the extreme mental fog and incomplete memory recall.

Im the same with benzos, i only took them therapeutically but after a few years i had to be addicted. Coming off benzos were no big deal for me but i did a slow taper. I've never craved benzos like i did opiates

 

[somnilicious]

The Phenibut hasn't worked out so well. I have binged way to much. I only have something like 5 grams left and it is only the fourth day. I am just way to early in recovery to use a substance that provides such total relief from my symptoms. Unfortunately since my dopamine system is so compromised and my amygdala is still pumping out so much adrenaline it has taken much higher doses to achieve the desired effect and it has been wearing off in therapeutic effectiveness much sooner, prompting me to redose. I will have to use the rest to taper somewhat to avoid what I believe will be a harsh rebound coupled with my PAWS. Although it was quite effective for relief and insomnia the propensity to chase the relief and euphoria was to strong.

I was reading something Chinup said yesterday about ego fatigue and finite will power that was definitely true in this instance. I withheld for so long, sitting in the negative symptoms, enduring setbacks in delivery several times, leading to frustration and when the package arrived I was in such a state of anticipation that when I got that first taste of relief I chased it like there was no tomorrow. The same was true for heroin. When I had no problems copping, such as already having the money and having the dealer pick up right away and deliver, I would be able to better moderate my usage but when I had to jump through hoops to hustle the money and the dealer would either not pick up or take forever, I would be in such a frenzy that I would over indulge.

Phenibut might work better later on but right now I'm glad that I only have 30 grams. I will just have to let my brain heal naturally and face the negative symptoms head on by developing healthy coping skills. It's for the best anyways, as I would have had to inevitably have to face life bare boned and naked at some point.

 

[Lucy20]

The Phenibut hasn't worked out so well. I have binged way to much. I only have something like 5 grams left and it is only the fourth day. I am just way to early in recovery to use a substance that provides such total relief from my symptoms. Unfortunately since my dopamine system is so compromised and my amygdala is still pumping out so much adrenaline it has taken much higher doses to achieve the desired effect and it has been wearing off in therapeutic effectiveness much sooner, prompting me to redose. I will have to use the rest to taper somewhat to avoid what I believe will be a harsh rebound coupled with my PAWS. Although it was quite effective for relief and insomnia the propensity to chase the relief and euphoria was to strong.

I was reading something Chinup said yesterday about ego fatigue and finite will power that was definitely true in this instance. I withheld for so long, sitting in the negative symptoms, enduring setbacks in delivery several times, leading to frustration and when the package arrived I was in such a state of anticipation that when I got that first taste of relief I chased it like there was no tomorrow. The same was true for heroin. When I had no problems copping, such as already having the money and having the dealer pick up right away and deliver, I would be able to better moderate my usage but when I had to jump through hoops to hustle the money and the dealer would either not pick up or take forever, I would be in such a frenzy that I would over indulge.

Phenibut might work better later on but right now I'm glad that I only have 30 grams. I will just have to let my brain heal naturally and face the negative symptoms head on by developing healthy coping skills. It's for the best anyways, as I would have had to inevitably have to face life bare boned and naked at some point.

Sorry you didn't get relief, it do suck but will get better. Im a couple months off methadone and last night was the first night i slept for 8 hours. I feel fantastic today but i may be crying later today.
Paws is awful and not having something to feel better is bad but thats our addict brain used to meds for relief
Have you ask your doctor for trazodone or mirtazipine? Im on mirtazipine and it is helping with the depression but im going to cut that back because im so sick of pills.
I find exercise helps alot and sex. If your alone, its still a good stress reliever and gives you a breif window of happy
It will get bettet, were just paying the piper