March staying clean thread

[Space Firebird]

Still going, woohoo!

Could use some more sleep, but being on day 12 some of the worst shit has faded a bit.

(Quit 2/28/13).

 

[ad lib]

Awesome, space firebird!

I'm doing so much better today. This is the best decision I've ever made for myself.

 

[Sepher]

Lots of positivity in this thread. T'is good!

Space Firebird, massive congrats on twelve days. That's an achievement to be proud of, it takes real strength of will to do it. Pleased for you. Feel you on the lack of sleep thing, it can be torturous at times so hope that settles into a pattern soon enough. You too RX, you seem to have got some quick turnaround on this as hoped and sound more positive by the day. Best of luck going forward from here guys.

I'm still doing good, still sober, still counting the days off. No cravings or desire for a drink at all, I'm taking my meds religiously again ( I'd got lax with them, testing myself. Not a good idea. ), it's all good.

 

[neversickanymore]

Another day in paradise for NS...

Still going, woohoo!

Could use some more sleep, but being on day 12 some of the worst shit has faded a bit.

(Quit 2/28/13).

Hang in there SPACE!!!

This is the best decision I've ever made for myself.

NICE WORK RX!!!

I'm still doing good, still sober

Yep.. staying off booze is really tuff for me sometimes.. way to go Sepher


EDIT: ha feeling a little funky tonight, blue and down.. it will get better tomorrow im sure of it.

 

[Space Firebird]

I'm still doing good, still sober, still counting the days off. No cravings or desire for a drink at all, I'm taking my meds religiously again ( I'd got lax with them, testing myself. Not a good idea. ), it's all good.

Thanks. How long for you?
I've got to pay attention to meds too, I've got gout in my right knee and foot and now that the junk is wearing off, I'm feeling it daily...
I take allopurinol for it, and am finding that Tylenol is still my friend.

 

[ad lib]

I had some pretty bad insomnia and RLS this morning. I woke up around 230am, unable to fall asleep again until 610am! Only to have my alarm go off for work at 645am... Yuck. I had trouble falling back asleep because my RLS is still pretty bad. How long does this typically last? Do you think it's permanent?

 

[Space Firebird]

I had some pretty bad insomnia and RLS this morning. I woke up around 230am, unable to fall asleep again until 610am! Only to have my alarm go off for work at 645am... Yuck. I had trouble falling back asleep because my RLS is still pretty bad. How long does this typically last? Do you think it's permanent?

Hi rx,
They are not permanent, they are more your body's way of revolting against your deciding to change your chemistry.
Once your body settles into its new "set point," they wil cease.
I don't know if you have access to a doctor, but Ambien (zolpidem) sleeping med has helped get me me through the past two weeks.
It has low tolerance build up and low addictive qualities without insomnia rebound when you stop taking it.
It really is, IMO, a miracle drug for insomniacs.
Do not use OTC sleep aids like diphenhydramine (benadryl, unisom, nytol), they make the RLS worse!
Also, smaller meals at night have helped me to contribute less food energy to the condition.

Hang in there!

 

[Sepher]

Thanks. How long for you?
I've got to pay attention to meds too, I've got gout in my right knee and foot and now that the junk is wearing off, I'm feeling it daily...
I take allopurinol for it, and am finding that Tylenol is still my friend.

Day 12 for me today Firebird, last drink I had was on the 28th last month. Bit annoying cos I'd got to over six months off the booze before the crash but no matter, picked myself up and setting out again. At least I know I can do it. I'm prescribed Antabuse as a preventative measure to stop me drinking but I can't be on it forever, I need to be able to stay sober without artificial aids so I'd been taking it only when I felt weak and in danger of drinking. Left the door open for when things got really difficult, too easy to fall off the wagon then with all the consequences that ensued. Stupid, too soon to be testing myself like that so back to being religious with them, and puttings things back to rights where needed, it's OK.

 

[ad lib]

Hi rx,
They are not permanent, they are more your body's way of revolting against your deciding to change your chemistry.
Once your body settles into its new "set point," they wil cease.
I don't know if you have access to a doctor, but Ambien (zolpidem) sleeping med has helped get me me through the past two weeks.
It has low tolerance build up and low addictive qualities without insomnia rebound when you stop taking it.
It really is, IMO, a miracle drug for insomniacs.
Do not use OTC sleep aids like diphenhydramine (benadryl, unisom, nytol), they make the RLS worse!
Also, smaller meals at night have helped me to contribute less food energy to the condition.

Hang in there!

Thanks Space FirebirdI'm going to have to see if I'm able to get that from my doctor.

Do you experience anxiety from this medication? Ever since I had a horrible cannabis experience which induced anxiety and paranoia I've been really cautious with substances. It was the worst anxiety attack of my life. I even had anxiety after consuming an allergy medicine
Im assuming it won't cause anxiety because its a sleep medicine, and I'm sure I'm just being ridiculous

 

[ad lib]

My doctor knows what I'm doing, and I called the office asking then to have her call me back.

Well some friggin girl I've NEVER had before called me and said shed call in lidocaine (wtf!!) patches & a muscle relaxer to my pharmacy. That was 2 hours ago. My legs feel SO terrible. I called the office back to ask why the hell no one called the pharmacy and they said they'll have her (doc I never see) call me back.

1) I want MY doctor who I've had for 3nyears & who knows me.
2) I'm just so frustrated and on the verge of tears right now.

 

[neversickanymore]

Hey RX, have you tried that clonidine??? you are probably just about done.. it get the worst right before its over.. those lidocaine patches may really help for the lower back and tailbone area or where ever.. cry if you want to you will be laughing later.. Hang in there.. All that bull shit goes away.. so close RX..


NS.. roling strong.. felling really good today.. blues are gone.. man we are all doing good its the 12th folks!!

 

[ad lib]

I tried to get it, but the doctor that they randomly passed my message on to treated me like I was trying to get narcotics- which I wasn't! I'm withdrawing from them 5mg flexeril won't help me...that's why I wanted my doctor because she knows me and how to help me.

I cried for a good hour- this is so frustrating. Giving in would be so easy but I've come too far. I just want to feel okay again. I can't take these ups and downs

 

[Sepher]

Yeah, you've come too far. Hold onto that thought RX and tough it out. You're so close, so nearly there. That you're up and down and a bit all over the place would tend to confirm that, your full emotional range is kicking back in. Be nice sometimes if the emotional thing could hold off for a week or two till we're a bit more settled but it does its own thing regardless.

You gonna be able to see your own doc tomorrow ( or today is it now? I dunno about time zones, things like that. )

 

[helium-4]

I'm 8 days clean after 2 years of consistent/daily opioid use. For the last year I've been on methadone, and for 6 months heroin a few times a week (up until 2 months ago). I started to taper off from the methadone/heroin using subs, and ran out 8 days ago at 2mg a day. I've been WDing for about 5 days now, and its not to bad, but still effecting my work. If I don't get the subs in the mail that I'm expecting soon, I'm going to just quit completely since I've gone so far with out any opioids. I took some loperamide today and it def helped me out during the WD. That and weed. Just wish I had some benzos or something else. Even codeine, kratom, or hydrocodone would be legit. Fuck any drug would be atm.

 

[neversickanymore]

I tried to get it, but the doctor that they randomly passed my message on to treated me like I was trying to get narcotics- which I wasn't! I'm withdrawing from them 5mg flexeril won't help me...that's why I wanted my doctor because she knows me and how to help me.

I cried for a good hour- this is so frustrating. Giving in would be so easy but I've come too far. I just want to feel okay again. I can't take these ups and downs

Really that's insane!!. I will call that DR up and get things DONE.. really, all they should need from you is a BP test.. if that.. Non Narcotic, non habit forming.. Just call them up and DEMAND IT!!!! You will most likely fell 100% better.. GD DRS.. Wow.. your doing great... I cried way more than once.. You have to be tuffer than me.. ha and I made it.. call them back or make an appointment for tomorrow tell them you NEED, want, demand, in other words I will be down to get the script directly.. ha SOMETHING.. WELL I WILL BE ON HERE FOR AN HOUR OR TWO.. ANY SUPPORT U NEED. u CAN CAN CAN.. DON"T FKN GIVE UP YOUR ALMOST THERE!!!! I can talk you through this.. PM.. SkYPE..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonidine

 

[neversickanymore]

I'm 8 days clean after 2 years of consistent/daily opioid use. For the last year I've been on methadone, and for 6 months heroin a few times a week (up until 2 months ago). I started to taper off from the methadone/heroin using subs, and ran out 8 days ago at 2mg a day. I've been WDing for about 5 days now, and its not to bad, but still effecting my work. If I don't get the subs in the mail that I'm expecting soon, I'm going to just quit completely since I've gone so far with out any opioids. I took some loperamide today and it def helped me out during the WD. That and weed. Just wish I had some benzos or something else. Even codeine, kratom, or hydrocodone would be legit. Fuck any drug would be atm.

Hey Cloudy.. Man you must be really close too.... man if you want to give the opiots or it all up don't take any of those... 2mg a day of subs.. half life of bupe is is mean 37 hour high 73 hours..

so 2-1 37
1-.5 74
.5-.25 111

+ MAYBE a day or two and acute withdraw is done.. you literally could be a nap away.. and you have worked the whole time.. really do you want to do this nonsense again or just be done.. month and a half from now all paws should be gone.. FREEDOM from that ??? Nice work buy the way, yeah.. cloudy went to work

 

[Space Firebird]

Thanks Space FirebirdI'm going to have to see if I'm able to get that from my doctor.

Do you experience anxiety from this medication?

No you just fall asleep, it doesn't even change the sleep stages.

At first when the W/D's were really bad, it would only buy me three precious hours.
Last night I slept seven hours - Heavenly.

Tell your doctor you have insomnia and can't sleep,
it is an easy prescription to get.

 

[Space Firebird]

Day 12 for me today Firebird, last drink I had was on the 28th last month. Bit annoying cos I'd got to over six months off the booze before the crash but no matter, picked myself up and setting out again. At least I know I can do it.

Wow!

Good to know I'm in good company.

 

[Space Firebird]

After some more thought,

I don't see why you can't stay on medication long term if it is helping you and has few side effects.
I take blood pressure med (so my valves don't wear out too fast), and cholesterol med (so I have less chance of heart attack or stroke), and though they both have some renal implications, and I could stop taking them now and not feel the difference, I keep them up because they are going to help me long term. I will probably be on them forever, or as long as I can afford them.

My gout pain, OTOH, is crazy. My right leg feels like it is on fire by the end of the day. I upped to some medication for acute attack yesterday and hopefully a percentage of this is just rebound pain. The opiates mask it perfectly. I am going to have to work out some strategies for pain management that don't involve drugs.

I had emergency surgery on a perforated ulcer several years ago and nearly died. I was popping IB like crazy for pain and drinking booze, taking pills, etc. I had already quit all the pills, but the IB gave me 4 ulcers and one perforated on a Friday afternoon. I tried taking maalox etc, but by the next AM we called 911, and they took me down, gave me an MRI, said there's air in your abdomen, we're operating now. I'll spare you the rest, but it caused a toxic reaction in my body that sent calcium pyrophosphate crystals down my right leg and that is the source of my gout.

Now I am deathly allergic to NSAIDS. Once I lose the ability to take Tylenol, it's all over.
I keep the dose down, so I can hopefully use it long term to help manage the pain.

What this thread needs is some music,
I think I'm through with Buzz.

 

[ad lib]

You're all so amazing with your support !

How is everyone doing today?

xx