Stimulants Anyone use adderall for Opioid Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome?

[tarman]

Hello,

If this needs to be moved into the megathread, I do apologize.

My attempts at googling this resulted in adderall PAWS, not adderall FOR opiate PAWS.

Backstory (feel free to skip):
In any case, I'm 98 hours clean, coming off heroin/fentanyl. Looking back, fentanyl being in my dope was probably a blessing, as I see that the shorter the half-life, the shorter the withdrawal. By the end, I'm pretty damn sure I was getting nothing but Research Chems and fent. Who knows though. As a little more background, never shot, only snorted. Last few weeks, I tried to get down to 0.1 g a day, but of course caved almost each and every day and so was probably doing .2 g a day. I even portioned out my stuff in little baggies, using a thousandths scale. Anyway, at the very end, I got some really good stuff, so I was able to actually only do a tenth or less the last 3 days before I jumped. I jumped Monday, last dose was at 7am and by noon I was freaking out. Yeah, definitely do your last dose at night so you can get a nice bit of sleep. I had stayed up all night. I've barely slept since then. I'm using Kratom and I acknowledge that it can be a demon as well. I'm currently down to 1 gram every 2 hours, down from 2 grams every 2 hours for about 2 days starting very early Tuesday morning. I find this to be much better than doing like 4 or 5 or 6 grams every four hours. The goal is to not get high off the kratom. That's the mistake that everyone makes. Sure, you toss n wash 4 or 5 grams, you'll be doing great. But I always found it wore off quick. So I figured this would be better- do a smaller dose more frequently. I will say this- it's still a challenge. Last time I tried to quit and used kratom, I was doing the 5 grams every 4 or 5 hours. Eventually I got down to 2 grams three or four times a day, and then after 7 days stopped. It honestly wasn't that bad, but it still sucked. And of course I relapsed. Anyway, back on track here.

I'm 98 hours clean, and although I'm a little emotional (crying at the littlest shit, and it's super intense), today I feel like i'm alright. I'm happy with myself for doing the 1 gram of Kratom every 2 hours. It's only been 24 hours since I lowered to that, but I've done it- and it brought back the withdrawal back into focus a little bit. And I will say, it's been a challenge. The little voice in my head wanted to take more. The little voice in my head knows that taking more means lessening of withdrawal symptoms. Because, I sure am feeling withdrawal symptoms still. Haven't really slept since Monday. But the Kratom takes the edge off. However, I know I need to stop soon. I've got some gabapentin, so tomorrow and Sunday and Monday, I'm going to use that to take edge off. I tried mixing it with the kratom and for me, I didn't quite care for it. I'm so paranoid of overdosing I'm perhaps a little too careful. Because I tell ya what, the thought of taking some sort of sleeping aid to just knock myself out... that appeals more than dope.

SKIP TO HERE FOR MY QUESTION:
So, anyway, now that I'm a good way through the acute withdrawal phase, I know what's coming. The Post Acute Withdrawal phase. When I quit like a year and a half ago, I just remember being reeeeeally tired at the end of the day, and able to put in some major sleep time. To be honest, at this point, I look forward to that a little bit. This insomnia shit is the worst. In any case, once PAWS kicks in, has anyone used adderall to counteract it a little bit? Y'know, get the dopamine and energy levels flowing. Hey I know, bad idea, right? But I used to do adderall regularly (like 10 years ago), and when I ran out, it really wasn't bad at all. It was more annoying than anything else. I don't even have that much, maybe a couple weeks worth, if I do 5 or 10mg a day.

Have any of you used addys to help with PAWS? What was your experience? Thanks for reading if you did. My brain is in almost-virgin territory with stims- I haven't really touched them for years as I've been doing opioids off and on during that time (along with pot n beer in fair moderation)

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

Adderall is a double edge sword during opie withdrawal. The up helps you feel normal and stops you from noticing that you're kicking but my god the depression and paranoia aspect during the crash is kind of unbearable ime. If you are good at withstanding crashing and anxiety then yes, it'll be great. But because you're already experience a lack of appetite from kicking you'll have to worry about weight loss happening fast. I find that if I'm eating alot during withdrawal it actually helps my body recover quickly. It's been a while since I've kicked though, but I found the crash to be unbearable during those time periods.

 

[Turquoiseblue]

I used adderall for PAWS 3 months after quitting methadone cold turkey. I had started college only to find that I was still exhausted, still unable to focus. Adderral honestly didn't help except for small blips of euphoria & programming my mind to go on autopilot. The crash makes it not worth it. I was glad I let my receptors rest for 3 months before trying it.

I didn't know about kratom back then but i dont think my stomach could've handled it. I wouldn't have mixed it with other things. Withdrawal is a vulnerable time, physically and mentally. I survived by getting lots of rest, warm baths, vitamins, walking outside, and going to the library when I could handle it.

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

Sounds ironic but the time I was able to get past the worst withdrawal of my life was when it was smack dab in the middle of so much crap I had to do so I had no time to focus on how miserable I was. My schedule was packed and I had no energy but my mind was occupied.

 

[Zonxx]

I'm 98 hours clean,

this is the first thing i read, i pray i can one day say the samething. so i applaud you but i will quote the first responder

Adderall is a double edge sword during opie withdrawal. The up helps you feel normal and stops you from noticing that you're kicking

If you are good at withstanding crashing and anxiety then yes

i will say its fine, but you might want to consider a gabapentinoid a lesser one perhaps, phenibut, takes awhile to work though. but works, i combine pregabalin heavily with adderall to try and get as far along the withdrawal line as i can tolerate before each dose since i'm cutting down right now, i beat my 14 hour barrier 2 weeks ago at 29 hours but........ i will say the anxiety will be severely worsened by the adderall if you're not able to handle it. without the pregabalin id probably tear my eyes out.

 

[Wilson Wilson]

Pregabalin is a good shout but mostly for the acute withdrawal in the first week or so. If you use it for PAWS you can easily fall into the old trap of swapping one habit for another as just one month of daily use can cause dependence with any gabapentinoid.

As for Adderall, I can tell you that a low therapeutic dose of dexamph helped me when I got off oxy. I wouldn't take high doses because as others have said you will suffer from the comedown. But stick to therapeutic dose ranges and it should be smoother.

The only downside I noticed is that if you have trouble sleeping already from PAWS, it will make that issue worse. Also night sweats, same deal. Basically common stim side effects can get intensified by opiate withdrawal. So I absolutely agree it's a double edged sword.

It's worth trying in regular therapeutic doses and seeing how your body and brain react though imo. But it's also worth having Ambien or something else for sleep. I've found zolpidem is by far the most effective sleeper for me personally and it doesn't cause rebound or withdrawals as benzos do as long as you don't use it every single night.

 

[Zonxx]

Pregabalin is a good shout but mostly for the acute withdrawal in the first week or so. If you use it for PAWS you can easily fall into the old trap of swapping one habit for another as just one month of daily use can cause dependence with any gabapentinoid.

Not to mention the tolerance from daily use, Gabapentinoids should really be limited to using them a set number of concecutive days because of how quickly tolerance can develop to attain the effects/results you achieved to begin with, but this is too true

That's particularly the reason i do consider the gabapentinoids to be up to par and in a close catagory to benzodiazepines, i do sometimes notice increased anxiety for 1-3 days when i use for even a week daily (albeit slightly stupid doses) BUT there's light at the end of this tunnel because tolerance rapidly diminishes with these substances, so depending on your endgame they can be used as an aid to get along easier but shouldn't be relied on as a new crutch just like wilson stated

 

[Wilson Wilson]

Not to mention the tolerance from daily use, Gabapentinoids should really be limited to using them a set number of concecutive days because of how quickly tolerance can develop to attain the effects/results you achieved to begin with, but this is too true

That's particularly the reason i do consider the gabapentinoids to be up to par and in a close catagory to benzodiazepines, i do sometimes notice increased anxiety for 1-3 days when i use for even a week daily (albeit slightly stupid doses) BUT there's light at the end of this tunnel because tolerance rapidly diminishes with these substances, so depending on your endgame they can be used as an aid to get along easier but shouldn't be relied on as a new crutch just like wilson stated

Couldn't agree more with this one. I personally found pregabalin to be worse in withdrawal than benzos. It's fine to use for a week or so, or for PRN use, but shouldn't be used long-term.

 

[Lucy20]

I foolishly tried adderall when out of methadone for a few days. I felt good for a tiny bit then would be hit hard with anxiety and withdrawals. Don't know what it would be like for paws though. But i was never a fan of stimulants

 

[Zonxx]

anxiety

this is the main symptom i experience, however since i'm cutting down i guess i don't get hit super hard w the wd, plus im pretty accustomed to the stims i take so it generally its mostly normal wd BUT right fucking now i don't know whats going on i think its because i've been going for somthing like 112-3 hours to 4 hours of sleep so i'm dying but i have shit to get done in ugh im so glad its in 2 hours, i'm hoping its quick so i can come back and have an epic crash