Recovery Getting Off Of Dilaudid

[VioletVenum]

So I am getting off of Dilaudid at last. Since 2008 on and off I have been on some sort of pain meds or another or benzod. There were a couple of years in there were I wasn't on anything but, mostly, on something. I have a chronic illness and I usually get a surgery a year.
I'm a thirty-four year old female and I am tired of how I get treated by doctors and medical staffing regarding legitimate pain and medications. I am so exhausted of it all! I hate this stuff and it's ruining everything!
I tapered from 64 mg. a day. It took about a year. I am currently on 2-4 mg. a day but I started insulfating soooooooo, there's that. Won't that make my withdrawal that much worse?
Today was my first day with NO Dilaudid. I came to Bluelight back in 2012 to learn how to make Dilaudid more effective but I came back a year ago to get the tools to get off! So, I'm using Neurontin and Immodium. I have Tylenol with codeine and I have been using some of that too because I do not have the luxury of resting at all. I still have to function and work. I also have a limited supply of Lunesta.
Any other suggestions? Anything I should know about what I'm using? I can't sleep. I've got the shakes. But I'm pushing through. I could use some help during this.
I'm trying to get my doctor to prescribe Lyrica. Good idea?
First day without Dilaudid. I know I have a long haul ahead of me
I'm a Bluelight posting newby.

 

[ThisAddiction]

Well I myself have been using opiates and opioids off and on for 15 years. I've gone through withdrawal more times than I can count and it has never got any easier. I have gone cold turkey and just endured, I've gone through inpatient medical detox with suboxone, I've done outpatient detox with a subutex prescription. Currently I am on Methadone treatment (thanks to the Affordable Care Act it is covered by my insurance) which requires that I have weekly counseling sessions. I will say that with each attempt to cease my use of any drug I have had to replace it with something else. Drugs don't necessarily have to be replaced with drugs. My most successful attempt at abstinence from all drugs was done with support groups and surrounding myself with other like minded people who shared the same goal of abstaining from using all mind altering substances. My experience has been that the physical dependence is only part of the problem, the second issue is the mental dependence. Throughout my time using drugs I've realized that a good portion of my withdrawal symptoms are manifestations of my mind. I can make myself "dopesick" by convincing myself that I am sick even though I have opiates in my system. Methadone is a long acting opioid that metabolizes much, much slower than other opioids or opiates, therefore it keeps my body from going into withdrawal for up to 48 hours. Yet there will be days when I will be fine until it crosses my mind that I haven't dosed and then I immediately go into withdrawal. Its not that I am physically withdrawing, its all in my head. So what I have found to be the best most effective means of sustaining abstinence is to keep my mind busy by being active. The worst thing to do, yet the first thing I want to do is isolate. When I don't feel good I generally don't want to be around people, but in this case it helps to keep me from acting on my thoughts of using to end the restlessness, the aches, and the depression. I know lyrica is used for people who suffer from nerve pain and its also used to treat depression. I myself have never used it or known anyone who has used it to help with opiate withdrawal. I do know some people who take it for nerve pain such as my dad, and my wife's friend takes it for fibromyalgia instead of taking opiate painkillers which don't really do a damn thing for nerve pain. What has helped me tremendously has been Klonopin, Xanax, Valium, or Ativan. I was taken to the Emergency Room by a friend once when I was going through withdrawal and I was shaking and my blood pressure was through the roof at 201/103. I remember the nurse saying I was going to stroke out and they immediately gave me Ativan. My blood pressure came down to a safe number and my shakes went away. The Neurontin/Gabapentin should help If I'm not mistaken that should also help keep you from having seizures which can be another side effect from opiate withdrawal. Physical activity such as going for walks helps, yet its the last thing someone who is kicking wants to do is move. For me the anxiety/restlessness can become overwhelming and getting up and going for walks helps get rid of that energy. I try to get up and move as much as possible and for as long as possible. That's where having some moral support can be a make or break moment. I found through support groups you'll find people who will literally come and babysit you and make sure you are alright, people who have gone through the same thing and understand and want to help. Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous are two places that you'll find people who will go to great lengths to help someone who is willing and wanting to quit using. I don't know if anything I've said will help. I wish I had all the answers and a magic wand to make the pain go away because I know how hard it is. Be strong and you can do it.

 

[MrRoot]

Withdrawals aren't that bad as they last for some period of time and usually aren't lifethreatening or even debitilating. I have had severe and minorbwithdrawals but the key is what happens before them. This is the most hardest stuff I have been through PAWS is a bitch.

I am currently on opioid replacement therapy and it helps me to arrange my life to a point in which I can finally say goodbye to the Suboxone.

Life without drugs seem bland and unbearable for most of the addicts in my opinion and there should be counceling how to alter lifestyle to much healthful one and how to deal until you start to get real joy after your brain starts to adjust being more normal instead of the drug induced thought patterns.

I am an advocate for hobbies no matter what they are as well as getting a good supportative group around you made of friends and family.

 

[Sixxam]

Worse! Good job on the taper hon. The hard part is over.... Jumping off at 2-4 mg will be quite easy. You will still have rls for a few days, and some minor anxiety and discomfort. But with that hard long taper you'll be feeling great with in a month.

If you had have jumped at 64mg..... Whole other story!! A whole world of hurt. I jumped at 90-120 mg less then the months ago and I still hurt. Yours will be most mental.... Which is the hard part IMO.

In 30 days you will feel brilliant?

 

[simco]

Welcome, Violet!

I've been catching up on new threads today, and I'm super impressed with how well folks are doing. As others have posted, by tapering down on the dillies, you've done so much of the hard work. You've put yourself in a really solid position, recovery-wise.

I'll let others comment on your question regarding Lyrica b/c it's not something I've used. As to your question about whether snorting your drugs (vs swallowing the pills) will increase the discomfort of WDs, I would answer with a qualified 'yes'. Yes because in general this is the case. But in *your* case, I'd focus on the big qualification that at this point (after a successful taper and now jumping off a small dose), your past ROA is kinda beside the point in terms of symptom severity.

The really tough part now is going to be staying away from the drugs. Do you have anything planned for how you'll move forward after you're done with the actual quit?

 

[VioletVenum]

Hey thanks everyone!
Last night I got some restless sleep with terrible RLS. But, I slept and that's the point, right?
Simco: Yes! I have lots of plans. I'm suppose to be traveling and I didn't want to constantly be worried about getting my Dilaudid before travel and paranoid during travel that I won't have it. I want off the ball and chain! I also recently lost thirty pounds and I am planning to getting back to my once cherished sport of Cross Country running. Yesterday, I ran a mile even though I felt terrible and I just wanted to sit.
Today is day two without any Dilaudid and already I feel a creeping thought coming in. "You can have just a little Dilaudid to help you feel better." I have reserved seven Dilaudid pills which is actually about a week's worth for me.
I am praying for some Lyrica right about now. I feel achy and flu-like.
I'm afraid that day two is going to be worse than day one.
Thanks everyone! It helps!

 

[P0kemama]

Violet: Congrats on Day 2 and on starting your own thread! I would like you to think about maybe flushing away those 7 pills you are holding onto. What purpose will they serve? If not flushed, could someone you trust hold them for you? You have this made by doing such a fine job tapering! As for Lyrica, I do not like the way it makes me feel... a bit like I am drunk and what a call a dirty high, not a clean one. But, some of my friend's on here have used Lyrica throughout their withdrawal and into recovery and love it. One thing they tell me is that tolerance builds quickly. The have to take off every third or 4 day so that the tolerance decreases a bit. There is a megathread on it under Other Drugs if you need more info. Take care and keep up the great work!!

 

[VioletVenum]

Today sucked! Day 2 off the Dilaudid and I go to the doctor and I found out that I have Hepatitus B from a blood transfusion back in January. *sigh* Just really, really bummed. Huge blow. I was really sick and it was a big mystery as to why. Now we know.

The neurontin helped today a lot. But boy oh boy I'm shocked as to how much music helps W/D.

I'll go check out the Lyrica megathread. Thank you.

 

[Sixxam]

Yikes! Sorry to hear about the hep B..

Music is amazing while going through detox and early into recovery. You're no longer being numbed out to everything, so you can actually feel music again.

Cool right?

Hope today's a better day for you.

 

[P0kemama]

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Please take good care of yourself, and don't let it derail the fine progress you are making getting off the drug.