Here's my story. Sorry it's my first post and there's a lot of jargon in it, but I figured this would help people out in determining the affect of opiates, specifically heroin, on the flu and flu-like symptions (not withdrawals or "dope sickness")
I used to be addicted to heroin. For the last 2 and a half years, I've been "clean" on suboxone from my Dr. I have relapsed a few times in the first year or so on Subs, but have been absolutely heroin/opiate free for last 2.5 years out of the or so years that I've been on Subs. I started off at 12mg a day and have managed to taper down to 1mg a day- 0.5 mg in the morning and 0.5mg before bedtime). The reason I say "clean" is that I haven't taken and heroin or other opiates, but I'm still completely dependent on Subs to get me through the day. I experience serious withdrawals if I forget to take my subs before I go to work or go out of the house for the day. Useful tip for those on Subs- try to always keep a few backup pills in your car, wallet, etc for emergencies only.
Anyway, one time when I relapsed about 4 years ago, I came down with flu like symptoms in the morning. I waited a day without any opiates and wanted to see if I was feeling any better in the morning. It got considerably worse in the morning, and at this point, I knew I was coming down with a bad flu, since many of my co-workers were out sick and the flu was traveling around my group of friends pretty quickly. My sister even came down with it, who lived with me, and didn't use any serious drugs besides marijuana. So anyway, I knew it wasn't withdrawals or dope sickness, since this was only a minor relapse with heroin being taken in small amounts-about 1 or 2 small dime bags a day but about once or twice a week for only 2-3 weeks. I used to have a bundle/day habit for a few years. Anyway, my point is I was positive I was coming down with a legit flu, and wasn't dope sick.
Since I felt like ass the next day, and needed to work, I picked up a few cheap dime bags from dude in Brick City, NJ. Immediately after sniffing a few bags, I felt like I normally do after doing a bag of heroin, fucking amazing. None of these flu-like symptoms were bothering me at all, they went away almost instantly. The next day, without taking any dope, I felt 100%. Another point to make that assures it was the flu and not withdrawals was the fact that I didn't use heroin for 3 months after that day, and never felt an ounce of withdrawls or these flu-like symptoms for even one hour after the bags I did.
Anyway, since this is my first post, I just wanted to say that I know what everybody is going through when they speak of heroin and and the good and bad things heroin brings. Even being clean from dope for a few years, I still think about that incredible high and feeling I got from those drugs. I never thought I would make it 2.5 years clean, but I credit that mostly due to Suboxone (which is by no means a "miracle drug" as some users call it, but it definitely saved my life that was going downhill fast.)
Sorry for the babble, hope I didn't bore you all on my first post
