My guide to opiate withdrawal
After a long, high dose habit I had for a few months,I realized the only way to quit was to go cold turkey, after trying to taper a few times but couldn't control myself. It just makes the pain longer IMO, but if you are on a crazy dose, it may be best to taper down some.
Heres what I did, and recommend for withdrawal from opiates:
Gather:
Immodium AD
Clonidine
A benzodiazepine, like xanax (optional)
Gatorade
I bought immodium AD (take 4mg 3x a day) because withdrawal causes diareaa bad.
Get some clonidine prescribed. It is an alpha-andrenic agonist, prescribed to lower blood pressure. This will ease some of the withdrawal. Don't expect it to be a miracle cure, but it does work. Some people say it takes away most physical withdrawal, and for me, just some. It slows down the part of the brain that speeds up during withdrawal. It will help you with sleep too, but be careful, it can be oversedating at some doses, and lower blood pressure to dangerous extents, so check your blood pressure. Basically, I recommend taking 0.1-0.3mg 4x a day at first. Then start taking half that during the day, and leave the night dose the same. 0.2mg helps me sleep for 2 hours(a lot for me during wd), but may be too much/little for you. Doctors don't mind prescribing this stuff at all. Tell them its for sleep if you want, they might not know how to prescribe it for withdrawal(wd). It has a short half-life, which is why frequent dose is required.
As for the benzo(xanax,halcion,valium,clonopin,etc).. it will reduce anxiety and discomfort, and may help sleep. But this stuff can make me depressed sometimes.
You will feel like shit, and on day 3 of quitting a short acting opiate, it will be the worst, but the clonidine will help, and the immodium will help keep some fluids in to prevent dehydration (which produces more discomfort). Yea, wd will make you piss more, so stay hydrated.
Just think of withdrawal as a prison sentence. Say you have the flu (it does feel like one) and rest. It will start getting better after day 4. It is worth it because:
*It lowers tolerance
*It lets your neurons start producing endorphins again
*It rids your body of a most likely negative physical dependency
Stay warm. Wd is cold. Hot showers/baths are great, and are the only partial escape from the shittiness besides sleep or more opiates for me.
You will feel weak, but working out by running or lifting some weights will be worth it. make it as painful as possible and you will be rewarded with some natural endorphins to ease your pain.
I don't recommend having any orgasms, but thats just me. They will be temporary escapes, but I feel lousier after doing it, for many hours. Unless you are ready to burst, because withdrawal can make some people hornier, I recommend not doing it. But looking at a porno mag, without doing anything might be nice.
You may become hungrier as your withdrawal becomes less intense. Eat up to help the stress on your body. If not, force yourself some food. Take some vitamins.
If you are having bad cravings, remember that an opiate, although temporary easing the sickness, will put you right back where you started, making that suffering for nothing.
Some people recommend supplements like L-tyrosine, but I think this made me more twitchy and edgy, but less depressed. Some recommend DL-phenylalanine. I have taken it with no effect noticed. It supposedly helps build endorphins up and also produces tyrosine (which turns into dopamine, but dopamine can cause norepinephrine to be released, which you DON't want when withdrawaling.) I didn't notice any effect at all with that stuff, but studies have shown significant painkilling and antidepressing properties.
Stay away from caffeine, or any stimulant too. I'd stay away from pot but some say it helps. I find it makes it worse, especially the anxiety and twitching aspect, but pot can do that to me when i'm not withdrawaling.
During withdrawal it seems to me that I will feel this way forever. Realize it will get better.
After a long, high dose habit I had for a few months,I realized the only way to quit was to go cold turkey, after trying to taper a few times but couldn't control myself. It just makes the pain longer IMO, but if you are on a crazy dose, it may be best to taper down some.
Heres what I did, and recommend for withdrawal from opiates:
Gather:
Immodium AD
Clonidine
A benzodiazepine, like xanax (optional)
Gatorade
I bought immodium AD (take 4mg 3x a day) because withdrawal causes diareaa bad.
Get some clonidine prescribed. It is an alpha-andrenic agonist, prescribed to lower blood pressure. This will ease some of the withdrawal. Don't expect it to be a miracle cure, but it does work. Some people say it takes away most physical withdrawal, and for me, just some. It slows down the part of the brain that speeds up during withdrawal. It will help you with sleep too, but be careful, it can be oversedating at some doses, and lower blood pressure to dangerous extents, so check your blood pressure. Basically, I recommend taking 0.1-0.3mg 4x a day at first. Then start taking half that during the day, and leave the night dose the same. 0.2mg helps me sleep for 2 hours(a lot for me during wd), but may be too much/little for you. Doctors don't mind prescribing this stuff at all. Tell them its for sleep if you want, they might not know how to prescribe it for withdrawal(wd). It has a short half-life, which is why frequent dose is required.
As for the benzo(xanax,halcion,valium,clonopin,etc).. it will reduce anxiety and discomfort, and may help sleep. But this stuff can make me depressed sometimes.
You will feel like shit, and on day 3 of quitting a short acting opiate, it will be the worst, but the clonidine will help, and the immodium will help keep some fluids in to prevent dehydration (which produces more discomfort). Yea, wd will make you piss more, so stay hydrated.
Just think of withdrawal as a prison sentence. Say you have the flu (it does feel like one) and rest. It will start getting better after day 4. It is worth it because:
*It lowers tolerance
*It lets your neurons start producing endorphins again
*It rids your body of a most likely negative physical dependency
Stay warm. Wd is cold. Hot showers/baths are great, and are the only partial escape from the shittiness besides sleep or more opiates for me.
You will feel weak, but working out by running or lifting some weights will be worth it. make it as painful as possible and you will be rewarded with some natural endorphins to ease your pain.
I don't recommend having any orgasms, but thats just me. They will be temporary escapes, but I feel lousier after doing it, for many hours. Unless you are ready to burst, because withdrawal can make some people hornier, I recommend not doing it. But looking at a porno mag, without doing anything might be nice.
You may become hungrier as your withdrawal becomes less intense. Eat up to help the stress on your body. If not, force yourself some food. Take some vitamins.
If you are having bad cravings, remember that an opiate, although temporary easing the sickness, will put you right back where you started, making that suffering for nothing.
Some people recommend supplements like L-tyrosine, but I think this made me more twitchy and edgy, but less depressed. Some recommend DL-phenylalanine. I have taken it with no effect noticed. It supposedly helps build endorphins up and also produces tyrosine (which turns into dopamine, but dopamine can cause norepinephrine to be released, which you DON't want when withdrawaling.) I didn't notice any effect at all with that stuff, but studies have shown significant painkilling and antidepressing properties.
Stay away from caffeine, or any stimulant too. I'd stay away from pot but some say it helps. I find it makes it worse, especially the anxiety and twitching aspect, but pot can do that to me when i'm not withdrawaling.
During withdrawal it seems to me that I will feel this way forever. Realize it will get better.
