Codeine Withdrawal and Loperamide

[Sidban]

Did you hear about using NMDA antagonists/dissociatives against opioid withdrawal? These drugs modulate opioid receptors directly to reduce tolerance, you get less dependence without going through withdrawal. Memantine saved my ass when I was dependent on morphine (600mg/d, guess this is more than you'll ever get out codeine). Or DXM if you can't get memantine because it is prescription only in most countries and off-label.

Where can these be acquired? I'm in the UK?

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

Where can these be acquired? I'm in the UK?

DXM is Dextromethorphan, commonly found in robtiussin & cough medicines.
You would need to make sure you get something that only has DXM as an active ingredient or it could kill you.
I'd also recommend doing research on DXM & it's various effects, which come in "plateaus" at different doses.
Usually the higher doses cause intense trips, which can be pretty terrifying & chaotic for some one who's had no experience with it.
I use to go on DXM trips when I'd run out of pain pills & heroin & even if the trip was bad, I normally came out of it feeling really refreshed.

The real problem though is the post-acute withdrawal syndrome that you are going to get when done with opiates. Meaning even after withdrawals were long over, I'd still have random withdrawal effects & never really felt like I went back to "normal" no matter how long I stayed clean. Most people think they can just withdrawal off an opiate & alll of their issues with it will go away. This might be true for some people, but the complete opposite for others. So I would definitely recommend having a long term strategy. Although I'd say if you're just using codiene, your prognosis is probably better than somebody who's been doing heroin for years. Wish you the best of luck!

 

[Sidban]

DXM is Dextromethorphan, commonly found in robtiussin & cough medicines.
You would need to make sure you get something that only has DXM as an active ingredient or it could kill you.
I'd also recommend doing research on DXM & it's various effects, which come in "plateaus" at different doses.
Usually the higher doses cause intense trips, which can be pretty terrifying & chaotic for some one who's had no experience with it.
I use to go on DXM trips when I'd run out of pain pills & heroin & even if the trip was bad, I normally came out of it feeling really refreshed.

The real problem though is the post-acute withdrawal syndrome that you are going to get when done with opiates. Meaning even after withdrawals were long over, I'd still have random withdrawal effects & never really felt like I went back to "normal" no matter how long I stayed clean. Most people think they can just withdrawal off an opiate & alll of their issues with it will go away. This might be true for some people, but the complete opposite for others. So I would definitely recommend having a long term strategy. Although I'd say if you're just using codiene, your prognosis is probably better than somebody who's been doing heroin for years. Wish you the best of luck!

I think it's in sominex, a sleeping pill in UK. But it's got other stuff in it. Would that help?

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

I think it's in sominex, a sleeping pill in UK. But it's got other stuff in it. Would that help?

I'm in the US, but I looked up sominex & it appears to be diphenhydramine. So no, it would not help. In fact, taking too much diphenhydramine can cause delerium, rapid heart beat & all kinds of scary effects.
I don't see any Sominex on google that has any DXM in it, but I'm also not a local to the Uk, so I can't say for sure they don't have a product.
I'd keep looking tho for anything with only one active ingredient & that being Dextromethorphan Hbr

 

[Sidban]

Where can these be acquired? I'm in the UK?

Defo not D

I'm in the US, but I looked up sominex & it appears to be diphenhydramine. So no, it would not help. In fact, taking too much diphenhydramine can cause delerium, rapid heart beat & all kinds of scary effects.
I don't see any Sominex on google that has any DXM in it, but I'm also not a local to the Uk, so I can't say for sure they don't have a product.
I'd keep looking tho for anything with only one active ingredient & that being Dextromethorphan Hb

 

[Sidban]

Thanks for looking. What about Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride?

It's just to help with sleep. Recommended doses.

I also took to many once and it was fucking horrible.

 

[Sidban]

Defo not D

Benylin dry cough syrup

Order Benylin dry cough syrup from LloydsPharmacy with free delivery or Click & Collect, safe and conveniently online.

lloydspharmacy.com

There's also this

 

[Sidban]

Defo not D

Or phenylephrine hydrochloride?

 

[DeathIndustrial88]

Diphenydramine is alright for sleep in normal doses yeah.

 

[plumbus-nine]

I think it's in sominex, a sleeping pill in UK. But it's got other stuff in it. Would that help?

Don't confuse DXM (dextromethorphan) with DPH (diphenhydramine, sominex etc)! The first is a dissociative/NMDA antagonist while the second, DPH, is a delirant - nothing you want to ingest, specially not while withdrawing. DPH can be a good sleep aid for those who respond to it but take just one, max two pills!

Where can these be acquired? I'm in the UK?

Memantine can be bought from Indian generics online pharmacies. Depends on your country if you're allowed to buy medicine from abroad, check the law first. DXM is over-the-counter in most countries including the UK. It's the ingredient in Wick Formula 55 and some Robitussin brands but if possible you want to get gelcaps/capsules not syrup to avoid nausea from downing large amounts of syrup.

Possibly you don't even need such big amounts, but probably at least 150-250mg. Some people react to less, for me threshold was with 75mg. This will induce a slight dissociative trip (read up in the DXM FAQ by W. White if you're interested) and hopefully reset part of your tolerance.

The real problem though is the post-acute withdrawal syndrome that you are going to get when done with opiates. Meaning even after withdrawals were long over, I'd still have random withdrawal effects & never really felt like I went back to "normal" no matter how long I stayed clean.

Yeah, PAWS is evil. But in my case I found memantine to aid with this as well. I think every dissociative should do because all of them are dopaminergic but memantine is additionally a direct dopamine D2 agonist (basically the inverse effect of antipsychotics which cause anhedonia, akathisia/restlessness etc) which might make it better in treating PAWS than other dissos. Also memantine is almost free of a trip.

 

[darvocet21]

I think it's in sominex, a sleeping pill in UK. But it's got other stuff in it. Would that help?

The antihistamine in orig Sominex is doxylamine succinate which is more potent on a per weight basis than diphenhydramine

 

[stardust10]

Did you hear about using NMDA antagonists/dissociatives against opioid withdrawal? These drugs modulate opioid receptors directly to reduce tolerance, you get less dependence without going through withdrawal. Memantine saved my ass when I was dependent on morphine (600mg/d, guess this is more than you'll ever get out codeine). Or DXM if you can't get memantine because it is prescription only in most countries and off-label.

Would ketamine work? If so how would you recommend taking it e.g. whilst still taking opiates or once I have stopped and will it ease withdrawals?

 

[Sidban]

I'm 91 hours clean. Ended up going cold turkey AGAIN. Lingering sniffling and chills, but FUCKING DID IT!!!!!!!!!! Now I wake up and want to get up. Still a long road ahead. I'll probably relapse in a month . Nah but seriously, it was rough. Gets harder every time. So I gotta remember how shit, destructive and how much it hurts the people who love me. GOOD LUCK TO ANYONE SUFFERING. YOU CAN DO IT. IF I DID IT, SO CAN YOU!!!!!!!!

 

[Sidban]

I can’t taper. I don’t have the willpower. If I have it, I’ll chase a high. It has to be cold turkey. I don’t drink alcohol either. I’m good with weed though haha. I tried using kratom for withdrawal last year. I used it for a week and the withdrawal I had after stopping kratom was worse than any codeine withdrawal I’ve had. It was like a tramadol withdrawal for me, all the physical opiate withdrawals stuff but with the psychological symptoms even worse. I ended up going strange back on the codeine.

I have some pregabalin and some zopiclone. I have concerns around using these. Firstly with the zops, I used them for two weeks straight at the beginning of this year. I had a very intense but short withdrawal after. 2 days of anxiety from hell. A month later I took one and again suffered a 2 day withdrawal after just that one tablet. So now I’m scared to take them again.
With the pregabalin, I’ve used it once every couple of weeks for a couple of months. So I’m worried that 4 or 5 days continuous use will lead to a withdrawal that makes codeine withdrawal seem like nothing. Pregabalin takes away 95% of withdrawal symptoms for me, but I’m super anxious about using it for a few days straight considering my sporadic use of it these last couple of months. I need off the codeine though, it’s effecting my health. I think the CWE solution is damaging my guts.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!! LIFE IS TOO SHORT

 

[Nurse Ratched]

I'm 91 hours clean. Ended up going cold turkey AGAIN. Lingering sniffling and chills, but FUCKING DID IT!!!!!!!!!! Now I wake up and want to get up. Still a long road ahead. I'll probably relapse in a month . Nah but seriously, it was rough. Gets harder every time. So I gotta remember how shit, destructive and how much it hurts the people who love me. GOOD LUCK TO ANYONE SUFFERING. YOU CAN DO IT. IF I DID IT, SO CAN YOU!!!!!!!!

 

[Painful One]

I'm 91 hours clean. Ended up going cold turkey AGAIN. Lingering sniffling and chills, but FUCKING DID IT!!!!!!!!!! Now I wake up and want to get up. Still a long road ahead. I'll probably relapse in a month . Nah but seriously, it was rough. Gets harder every time. So I gotta remember how shit, destructive and how much it hurts the people who love me. GOOD LUCK TO ANYONE SUFFERING. YOU CAN DO IT. IF I DID IT, SO CAN YOU!!!!!!!!

Good job!
Excellent work!

Glad you just decided to go cold turkey (if you were unable to taper) for codeine.
If you have only been taking codeine for a year or maybe even up to 3 years, in my experience, it was 3 days of hell and then all good!

I am glad you were smart enough to CWE out all that acetaminophen.
That stuff is poison.
You will hurt your internal organs or die from too much acetaminophen.
Hear that everyone.

 

[Sidban]

Good job!
Excellent work!

Glad you just decided to go cold turkey (if you were unable to taper) for codeine.
If you have only been taking codeine for a year or maybe even up to 3 years, in my experience, it was 3 days of hell and then all good!

I am glad you were smart enough to CWE out all that acetaminophen.
That stuff is poison.
You will hurt your internal organs or die from too much acetaminophen.
Hear that everyone.

That's one week since my last dose. Feel good. Getting up early. Exercising and ready to return to work. I was lucky and took a week holiday. I've had cravings but it doesn't take me long to remind myself of how shitty I felt in the mornings when I was using.

Need to thank bluelight. Without this forum and support I may not have been able to do it. The NHS did nothing to help me.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

That's one week since my last dose. Feel good. Getting up early. Exercising and ready to return to work. I was lucky and took a week holiday. I've had cravings but it doesn't take me long to remind myself of how shitty I felt in the mornings when I was using.

Need to thank bluelight. Without this forum and support I may not have been able to do it. The NHS did nothing to help me.

 

[Phoenix_03]

Don't confuse DXM (dextromethorphan) with DPH (diphenhydramine, sominex etc)! The first is a dissociative/NMDA antagonist while the second, DPH, is a delirant - nothing you want to ingest, specially not while withdrawing. DPH can be a good sleep aid for those who respond to it but take just one, max two pills!


Memantine can be bought from Indian generics online pharmacies. Depends on your country if you're allowed to buy medicine from abroad, check the law first. DXM is over-the-counter in most countries including the UK. It's the ingredient in Wick Formula 55 and some Robitussin brands but if possible you want to get gelcaps/capsules not syrup to avoid nausea from downing large amounts of syrup.

Possibly you don't even need such big amounts, but probably at least 150-250mg. Some people react to less, for me threshold was with 75mg. This will induce a slight dissociative trip (read up in the DXM FAQ by W. White if you're interested) and hopefully reset part of your tolerance.


Yeah, PAWS is evil. But in my case I found memantine to aid with this as well. I think every dissociative should do because all of them are dopaminergic but memantine is additionally a direct dopamine D2 agonist (basically the inverse effect of antipsychotics which cause anhedonia, akathisia/restlessness etc) which might make it better in treating PAWS than other dissos. Also memantine is almost free of a trip.

Memantine is amazing for keeping opioid tolerance down. I order it regularly. Plus higher doses are super fun (if you have a 3 day weekend to waste since the come-up takes forever, duration is long and the come-down is also long.) It's like ketamine's cousin!

 

[Painful One]

That's one week since my last dose. Feel good. Getting up early. Exercising and ready to return to work. I was lucky and took a week holiday. I've had cravings but it doesn't take me long to remind myself of how shitty I felt in the mornings when I was using.

Need to thank bluelight. Without this forum and support I may not have been able to do it. The NHS did nothing to help me.

You are doing great.
KEEP reminding yourself of just how shitty that was and remember...it gets much, much worse.
You will feel better and better.

There is plenty of time for opiates in old age and- or if hurt (like me) .
I would much rather not have to take them.

Keep on going @Sidban
You got this!