Hello everyone. This is my first post on these forums but I have been reading them for several years.
Unfortunately, I've also been an opiate addict for several years. I'll save the long back-story about how I got started and instead just tell you the "flow chart" about the progression of my addiction:
Vicodin --> Oxycontin --> Suboxone --> Loperamide
I used the illegal opiates for about two years, then was prescribed Suboxone for about three years, then made the very foolish decision to stop going to my Suboxone doctor and try to go cold-turkey off of 4mg per day. I originally started at 16mg and gradually tapered down over that three year period with no problems. However, once the Suboxone withdrawal fully set in, I panicked and looked everywhere online in order to find something that might help...welp, it ended up being Loperamide. Long story short, I traded one addiction for another as many of us do. The good news is that my comfortable dosage of Loperamide wasn't all that high compared to most people whom I've read about while researching this topic. I usually took about 40mg per day (20 of the 2mg pills) and never once exceeded that amount over a six month period. Sometimes when I was running low, I could take as little as 25mg and still feel alright.
However, last Friday I decided that enough was enough and that I was committed to not taking any type of opioid medication whatsoever. The whole idea behind starting to take Loperamide was to get through Suboxone withdrawal, yet I quickly just found myself taking Loperamide everyday once I knew that it kept withdrawal symptoms away effectively and also made me feel "good". I took my last 40mg dose last Friday morning (six days ago) and then started yet another cold-turkey withdrawal from an opioid medication. I made it to Day 3 before the sweating, restless legs, insomnia, etc. became too much for me, so of course I cracked and bought a small package of Loperamide containing 12 of the 2mg pills. I take 6mg (or three pills) once per day whenever the symptoms peak and it does an alright job of making me feel a bit better for a few hours. However, I definitely still experience withdrawal symptoms around the clock even if I take them.
The point of this thread and back-story is to ask if I have erased any progress that I made over the first three days by taking very small amounts of the Loperamide while withdrawing from it over the last three days? Did taking any at all (even such a small quantity) set me back to square one? Am I just making this process longer? How long does Loperamide withdrawal actually last?
Please try to offer guidance without judgement. I didn't just go to the store one day and decide to get hooked on diarrhea meds, I've used strong opiates for years before this and I know what being a "true addict" is just in case anybody thinks that I'm a pansy. Loperamide addiction and withdrawal are VERY REAL and it feels very similar to withdrawing from "traditional" opiates. Thank you in advance for any help regarding this topic. I just want to be normal, healthy, clean, and ultimately get my life back.
Unfortunately, I've also been an opiate addict for several years. I'll save the long back-story about how I got started and instead just tell you the "flow chart" about the progression of my addiction:
Vicodin --> Oxycontin --> Suboxone --> Loperamide
I used the illegal opiates for about two years, then was prescribed Suboxone for about three years, then made the very foolish decision to stop going to my Suboxone doctor and try to go cold-turkey off of 4mg per day. I originally started at 16mg and gradually tapered down over that three year period with no problems. However, once the Suboxone withdrawal fully set in, I panicked and looked everywhere online in order to find something that might help...welp, it ended up being Loperamide. Long story short, I traded one addiction for another as many of us do. The good news is that my comfortable dosage of Loperamide wasn't all that high compared to most people whom I've read about while researching this topic. I usually took about 40mg per day (20 of the 2mg pills) and never once exceeded that amount over a six month period. Sometimes when I was running low, I could take as little as 25mg and still feel alright.
However, last Friday I decided that enough was enough and that I was committed to not taking any type of opioid medication whatsoever. The whole idea behind starting to take Loperamide was to get through Suboxone withdrawal, yet I quickly just found myself taking Loperamide everyday once I knew that it kept withdrawal symptoms away effectively and also made me feel "good". I took my last 40mg dose last Friday morning (six days ago) and then started yet another cold-turkey withdrawal from an opioid medication. I made it to Day 3 before the sweating, restless legs, insomnia, etc. became too much for me, so of course I cracked and bought a small package of Loperamide containing 12 of the 2mg pills. I take 6mg (or three pills) once per day whenever the symptoms peak and it does an alright job of making me feel a bit better for a few hours. However, I definitely still experience withdrawal symptoms around the clock even if I take them.
The point of this thread and back-story is to ask if I have erased any progress that I made over the first three days by taking very small amounts of the Loperamide while withdrawing from it over the last three days? Did taking any at all (even such a small quantity) set me back to square one? Am I just making this process longer? How long does Loperamide withdrawal actually last?
Please try to offer guidance without judgement. I didn't just go to the store one day and decide to get hooked on diarrhea meds, I've used strong opiates for years before this and I know what being a "true addict" is just in case anybody thinks that I'm a pansy. Loperamide addiction and withdrawal are VERY REAL and it feels very similar to withdrawing from "traditional" opiates. Thank you in advance for any help regarding this topic. I just want to be normal, healthy, clean, and ultimately get my life back.
