Help with post detox withdrawl - what OTC meds??

[LotusExige]

All,

I need some help/advice - my story is this. 3 weeks ago I did an in patient detox to get me off a 60+ mg daily Dilaudid habit (perscribed by my pain specialist but I was ready to stop). Detox was hard but went well - the issue is my pain came back so my doc gave me a script for 15 (I used to get 240 a month). Well my pain came back so I used some of the meds, 1 every 4 hours for about 30 hours straight. My pain subsided so I quit using but now I'm clearly feeling withdrawl symptoms (restless, cold sweats, hot, etc). No RLS though.

I'm currently visiting family and buying a car to drive home from LA to Denver. While I have some meds at home I hope to not take them as I don't want to prolong this - but as I have an 18 hour drive ahead of me I need anything that would help. Currently I'm planning to stop at a drug store and get a bottle of Immodium (loperamide) but what else would you guys suggest?

I'm rather pissed at myself that I'm going through this again but don't know what to do regarding my pain. Ugh, pain or withdrawl, which is worse I suppose...

 

[Allein]

Hi LotusExige (hope you actually have one of these )

I don't have a great deal of experience in these matters although I'm in a similar salutation with morphine having bee managing pain related to a motorcycle accident for well over 2 years but hoping a recent operation will enable me to get off these drugs.

In the past I've CTd off modest daily use of Codeine with little problem but I'm nervous of what I'm going to face getting off the morphine.

I had a look at info on Dilaudid here, I don't think it get's prescribed much (if at all) in the UK, but it seems 72hrs would see you through the worst of things, I'm not sure how far you are into that time frame ? I'm sure other people here will have first hand experience with this specifically.

My words of advice are really around taking risks with driving a car if you really arent up to it, an idiot car driver and a minor error of judgement has led to 3 operations and me fighting to walk again more than 2 years later. If your really feeling unwell I would avoid driving, however vital it may seem.

I hope you pull through the other side of the WD, let me know how you get on and my very best wishes

 

[LotusExige]

Thanks Allein, I appreciate the input. I'm going to try calling a few local head shops to see if I can find some Kratom as that's helped in a lot in the past. I'm about 20 hours into this so I have quite a bit to go if its full blown withdrawl. As I only used a little I'm hoping it's not that long.

And yes, I do own one of those cars - and while I wish I didn't have to drive so far in the next two days I'll be safe doing so or I will pull over. My main issue right now is just that I'm tired as I slept like crap last night (and surely will tonight). I just hope I feel better when I get home Sunday because if I don't I know I'll take some when I get home and I don't want to...

 

[ATLL765]

Man, I'd love a Lotus. That would be what I'd use to get through WD and cravings. Wanna use? Rip around the b roads for a bit instead.

I don't wanna say you're lucky, but at least with Hydromorphone, it's a quick acting opiate and withdrawal should be quick, though certainly not painless. Likely by day 3 you'll be feeling much better. Also, forget sleeping, not happening. At least that was always the case for me until it got the 40-50 hour mark and I would finally get a few hours sleep. Benzos help A LOT with this if you can get your hands on some.

 

[LotusExige]

While she is a blast to drive mine isn't really streetable any longer as she's really a full-on racecar. No heat/AC/stereo, single piece carbon fiber seats, etc. She also has so much power that you have to drive it very carefully and slowly so she's really only fun on the track. I am lucky enough to get quite a lot of track time so I can't complain.

So far things haven't been too bad. I did buy some Kratom in LA yesterday (a ton) and tried taking that - didn't seem to really do anything but my WDs didn't get worse at least. The main issue as I said is my pain is back so I need/want my meds to control that. When I got home last night I took 4mg (1/2 one of my pills) and was able to get some sleep. So far this morning no WDs so I'm hoping that I can use what I have to slowly taper myself down until I can see my specialist. While I don't want to become dependent again I don't have many options until I figure out how to get my pain under control. I think I went about this the wrong way - I detoxed before making sure I didn't *need* the meds for the reason I have them in the first place. Going to spend the new few months figuring out what the hell is wrong with me, fix that then kick this crap for good.

As for benzos while I've taken them in the past (Lorazapam) honestly they scare the shit out of me. I have two friends that have been on them for years and from what I've read and my doc has said I really don't want to go down that path and I agree. Fortunately I did get some sleep last night, about 4 hours which is huge for me. If I can get a solid 6 tonight I'd be a new man tomorrow.