Pods really are medicine for life, but at the same time they create a life that doesn't exactly fit the definition of living. Things are just different now and I honestly can't tell you if its good or bad, because when things were really "good" in the past, I myself was a mess. Life just seems to get delayed perpetously on pods, and thats why I have chose to get off them now. I'm not one to tell another person what they should do, but I figured I'd just share my views on the poppy world.
The thing with me is that I could function on pods, fairly well actually. but with the triple punch of tolerance, addiction and soaring prices, it just hasn't been sustainable. They were/are a medicine, but they're a poison too. Early in the thread some folks were saying I can't handle opiates. I can handle them quite well if the definition of handling is living on them and going to work, meeting my obligations etc. What I apparently can't handle is having that crutch, medicine whatever you want to call it, removed suddenly and unfortunately, when one turns to a controlled substance, even one that seemed at one time to be so accessible, that's part of the deal.
Yeah, prices have gotten pretty ridiculous since the "drought". I only buy about once every 4 months, while I used to buy about once a month. Not that that's a bad thing though.
I suggest making yourself go out and pick up some loperamide, and getting some ginger (nausea/pain), valerian root (anxiety/insomnia) and OTC painkillers while you're out. They won't stop symptoms completely, but can help get you through the acute phase. Treating individual symptoms is the best you can do unless you have more opiates.
Out of curiosity, how extensive was your habit before you quit?
Thanks LC. I have the loperamide and that with the little bit of tramadol I have seems to be working surprising well considering the size of my habit. I had a pretty big habit. It wasn't as long as some. I've known people on it for two, three even eight years. I started less than a year ago, but I got dependent amazingly quickly. By the end, it was every day, usually twice a day.
I probably should have quit when the "shortage" started and prices started going through the roof, but earlier this summer my father, who I mentioned before is my only remaining parent, was diagnosed with stage three melanoma. Maybe I should have pulled it together and gotten off, but when I wasnt on pods, all I would do was cry. I was devistated. I'd just had enough with pain and loss I just didn't want to deal with it, though deep down I knew I would have to one day. I just wanted to numb my feelings as long as I could and since I no longer had food as a comfort, and since I don't like any other form of drug, not even drinking, I stayed on the pods and kept ordering, somehow finding the money, and well here I am today.
Oh well, excuse me for trying to help.... And "FOS"? Hey, I'm not the one constipated from continual opiate use.
Just for your information, I never have done w/d from pods-but I did Heroin after a year's moderate to heavy use and although it wasn't pleasant, it certainly wasn't the living hell that certain self-interested,self-pitying sections of the Opiate community would have us believe.
JJ, I appreciated your advice just like I appreciated everyone else's. Everyone has really divergant opinions on this and I understand that.
For example, with the loperamide, some people were saying that it really helps with the WDs and others said it just helped with the stomach issues.
As far as Kratom, I could see where it might help somewhat, and like with loperamide, I've heard different things about it. Some say Kratom helps, some say it doesnt, and others say only if its a very high quality extract. Ive tried it in the past, not for WDs but just for effect and I found it OK. If I had some lying around, believe me, I would have tried it for the WDs, but I just didn't have time before my trip which is tommorow. Anyway, I do thank you for your imput.
As far as how I'm doing at the moment..surpringly well. Yesterday, I was so scared and in so much pain. Everything hurt. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. But by the end of the night, I was alot better. I even managed to get some sleep.
Don't know if it was the loperamide, the tramidol or the advice and support I got here, but I'd say my condition inproved about 80 percent. I'm actually shocked, because I know how intense my first experience with withdrawal was and that was early in my addiction, when I had a much smaller habit. I expected this to be much worse.
This morning, so far I'm not in any pain, I'm not short of breath. I still have that nervous, panicky feeling, but its somewhat less than before. The weird thing is, the one thing that should have stopped completely, the stomach issues, I still seem to be having. Not incredibly badly but, I took enough loperamide to stuff up and elephant!! Jeez, if I hadn't taken it, I'd probably be living in the bathroom today!
I know its not over yet and it might get worse again, but I'll finish my tramadol today, take some more loperamide and tommorow I can start taking the percocet. So that should get me through the trip.
Then when I get home, I'll consider the remaining options. Thanks everyone. The support I got here really, really helped with the mental aspects of my situation. I'll keep ya'll updated.
