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Opioids Planning my withdrawal and (hopefully) kicking the habit

thePodFreak

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
94
Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is where to post this, but mods if you could move it to where it should be if this is the wrong place, I would appreciate it!

Now, while I know some of what I will be asking has varied answers all over this board, they just haven't really answered my questions to my satisfaction. I would love if I can get some answers and support from the community! Anyway, first a quick backstory...

I have been purchasing and using poppy pods for a couple years. I think in total I have been using for 4 years, but only heavily the past say, 4-6 months. I wasn't a daily user until about 4 months ago, and now I realize, thanks to my thinning wallet, that it has gotten out of control. I am currently on just under a half cup of pod powder per day. I am in an interesting situation since my wife has no idea that I am addicted, and in fact no one in my life knows I even use. I have kept it a secret all this time, and I want to get off of them the same way...My hope is to have it all just be a part of my past that I'm not proud of, but that no one ever has to be aware of. My wife is about to be out of town for 4 days, and I will be completely alone with the exception of my dog. This has driven me to decide this is as good a time as ever to kick it.

So, as we all know opiates have a rather dreadful withdrawal, and as such would be pretty difficult if not impossible to hide. I have gone through mild withdrawals before, but nothing like the hell I am sure I am about to encounter. I'm hoping that, if I plan things correctly, I can get through the nightmare physical symptoms before she returns. I have a solid job and I work from home. I am a supervisor in some ways, so my team can pick up the slack while I'm hurting. I can take a couple days off as well, and this is a better time than ever for me to detox since my wife will be gone - I just wish the window of opportunity was a little larger.

Now, I know the physical withdrawals won't be completely gone in 4 days, but hopefully tolerable enough so that I can function. I have chosen to detox while still having an "emergency" dose or two in the home. I know many of you will say that's a bad idea. I want it here because I can easily order pods again, so I need to quit with it staring me in the face. If I do that, then I know I have beaten it. My goal is to keep that dose until January 1st, when I hope I get to dump the powder on the ground in a symbolic "fuck you" to the addiction.

Now that you know my backstory and goals, I have some questions. I know some of these have some answers elsewhere, but as I'm sure many of you can relate, I am very nervous going in to this, especially because the only support I will be able to get is (hopefully) from this forum, since no one in my life knows of my habit. So please, be gentle.

My questions are:
  • With that amount of powder per day (under 1/2 cup), and assuming I taper (rather quickly) from today until the 14th do you think a 4 day stint for withdrawals will be enough? At least enough where I can just have "the flu" when she returns?
  • I am already stocking up on vitamins, melatonin for sleep, DXM for what I have read about it helping with the withdrawals, Immodium, valerian, naproxen, and aspirin. I would like to get some Kratom as well but I haven't found any yet. My question is, are there any other over the counter remedies you would recommend to add to my arsenal?
  • Is there anything I can do to help move the debilitating physical symptoms along? If they last past the 4 days I'm worried I am going to relapse for fear of getting caught. I know that sounds stupid but I really would like to NOT end up in divorce and ruining my marriage. This is something I got myself in to, and I don't want to pull her in to this disaster with me.
  • Last but not least, I have thought about going to the doctor to potentially get something to help me with both the initial withdrawal and PAWS, without getting myself addicted to something new. Does anyone have any experience going to a doctor for this type of thing, or are they just going to shove me out the door thinking I'm trying to score some other drug? What might they give me to help out?
  • Does anyone recommend pot to help ease withdrawals? If so, what kind, a sativa or indica? Honestly I still plan on occasionally smoking pot as I do right now. And honestly, even if I started smoking daily I would MUCH rather be doing that then what Im doing right now!

I'm sure there are a million posts asking similar questions every day, but as I look around its been difficult to really get everything down that I need. I'm really hoping the great community I have seen being a lurker for so long here at bluelight will come through for me and help me through this difficult process. I am ready to quit and move on with my life - and save a fuckload of money, cause nowadays, pods ain't cheap!

....T-minus 8 days....I'm nervous, but I'm ready as ever to get over this stupid addiction.
 
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Planning is nothing close to 'doing'
The proof is in the pudding man. You just gotta bite the bullet and get on with it.
Best of luck. Keep your eye on the prize
 
Aint that the truth - dunno how many times I have thought I should quit, planned to do so, but never took it seriously. This time, I have quite a few motivating factors - not the least of which is that I'm running low on money. If I don't want to get caught, then I don't have a choice this time. I also could not be in a better situation to quit, I'm a fool if I pass it up.

Thanks for the good wishes..Fingers are crossed that I get to be a success story.
 
Do you have an approximate knowledge of the potency of your usual pod source? if so, that could help you determine your level of tolerance. Using that as a reference, you can put your quick taper into action and do it with minimal discomfort. I'm in a similar situation, opiates are a kind of a secret thing I've used for the past almost 3 years, and im currently tapering with suboxone. It sounds that w/ds for you might not be that harsh, as 4 months is not too terribly deep. I'd do it right now and finish it right now. You've got logic with your detox, just don't forget it and succumb. Best of luck!
 
I gotta say your plan doesn't look good. The problem is, that pod withdrawals take about 4-5 days to even peak, and you should be prepared up to 2 weeks (maybe not that long regarding your use) to be even physically good. This is CT. The pods along with methadone are the worst opioids to detox off according to many. I have only detoxed off pods, and my habit was lower than yours but I would never try to CT again, simply because it seems to take forever to get better.

If you can make it look like a flu to your wife just after 4 days, i'll send a congratulations letter. I could not do it, but everyone is different. You should either take longer time to taper with pods or you can try CT with loperamide and start tapering that instead. CT'ing without any opioid (loperamide incl) from decent dose of pods is just not recommended especially if you have obligatories or some kind of theatre at home. Taper, taper, taper. If you still are going to try it, at least get some benzo's to ease the menthal hell.
 
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How big is your cup ? I mean half a cup doesn't sound like very much at all. I'm currently using 48g per day, and that's about half of what i was using at the peak. So what I'm saying is, that relatively small dose you're on should be relatively easy to taper down, and come off.

You might find something of use in this thread

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/625635-Tapering-Poppy-Pods-anyone-with-me-been-there

Podsnomo has been through it, and come out the other end successfully. I'm about halfway through my taper. I'm sure if you have a read of what Podsnomo has to say, you will find a lot of useful advice.
 
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It's not much if your cup is small and you use "regular" pods, I mean if you used super-potent pods half cup is a shitload of alkaloids. Anyway, the thing with pods is that if you use every day for 4 months, there are basically decent concentrations of goodies in your blood 24/7, and you never experience withdrawals like with shorter acting opioids, and coming off will be no walk in the park, especially CT.

But you need to start tapering hard right now. If you cannot taper with pods, use loperamide or some other opioid. Do anything but CT as you might feel that you can just keep on rocking an think that you would only suffer couple days in the end, that is not the case with pods, and you'll regret if you end up doing that (and you will relapse more likely).
 
It's not much if your cup is small and you use "regular" pods, I mean if you used super-potent pods half cup is a shitload of alkaloids. Anyway, the thing with pods is that if you use every day for 4 months, there are basically decent concentrations of goodies in your blood 24/7, and you never experience withdrawals like with shorter acting opioids, and coming off will be no walk in the park, especially CT.

But you need to start tapering hard right now. If you cannot taper with pods, use loperamide or some other opioid. Do anything but CT as you might feel that you can just keep on rocking an think that you would only suffer couple days in the end, that is not the case with pods, and you'll regret if you end up doing that (and you will relapse more likely).

I'm assuming by a half cup he means a half cup as in the unit of measurement.. a half cup is 125ml, which is generally 125 grams of powder...
Not sure why people are taking his use of the word cup literally lol... I doubt he is talking about the cup he drinks his tea from.
 
Good luck man, opiate addiction sucks, I am on suboxone and it is really helping with cravings. I rarely crave heroin anymore, it gets easier as time goes on, but you are scarred for life man, your brain will never forget morphine and pods, I wish you the vest of luck.
 
I hate to be a harbinger of doom, but these guys are right. I've gone CT off of a heavy oxymorphone habit more than once, which has to be comparable to pods, and I was literally bedridden the first several days/nights. Oh, and you can count on no sleep for the first several nights. Melatonin will be worthless. At least you have weed, IDK how much that helps, but I'm pretty sure you'll still be laid out hard. What I would do if I were you, you still have time to make a Dr. appointment. I'd get online and find out which docs in your area prescribe bupe/subs and I'd make a quick appt. It would be so much more comfortable for you than CT. Believe me, you don't want to do it that way. And once you're in the throes of withdrawal, you won't even be able to get out of bed, much less leave the house for a doctor's appointment. And BTW, there'd be no concealing your "condition" from your wife. Get help from a doctor for this. It's my best suggestion under the circumstances. Good luck to you :).
 
I'd wean down over the course of a couple weeks or if you are that worried about withdrawals just go see doctor and get on a 10 day suboxone detox. Hell, just find an 8mg sub somehow and take 1-2mg per day and you should feel mostly ok by the time it's gone...

I don't know why anyone goes cold turkey nowadays considering how easy it is to get subs.
 
[*] Does anyone recommend pot to help ease withdrawals? If so, what kind, a sativa or indica? Honestly I still plan on occasionally smoking pot as I do right now. And honestly, even if I started smoking daily I would MUCH rather be doing that then what Im doing right now!

I definitely do, but it really depends on your personal preference to weed. Usually you feel anxious during WD and for some people weed can make this and other WD symptoms even worse. For me, I'd never go through any kind of WD or taper without weed (if I could help it). It helps give me some temporary relief, helps me eat (usually appetite is non-existant during WD), and helps give me an optimistic mindset.
 
Good luck. I was in the same situation- no one knew, was low on money. I maxed out a credit card on it. Tried to jump off with kratom and did for a time. But it was rough. I eventually got on suboxone.

Be prepared for a looong wd. Pod wd is no joke.
 
You are far better off doing a taper with suboxone/subutex seeing an outpatient Doctor that specializes in addiction medicine. Unless he or she is a quack, you should find the appropriate level of physical and psychological assistance that someone with a "secret" habit would benefit from far more than a "secret" detox. The symptoms are too hard to ignore at this level of addiction and the alkaloids from using pods tend to have a very long half life.

By using a Buprenorphine detox you guarantee yourself the ability to function adequately and still keep your "secret" if you must. A good addiction specialist can really be an ally in continuing sobriety from opiates as there is no "cure" and once you've gotten the taste, only a physician is qualified to treat the varying symptoms that come from addiction. The brain is literally starved of endrogenous neuro transmitters and the realignment and self production to an adequate level can take a very long time on it's own; being prescribed anti-depressant or anxiolytic medication can speed the recovery along.
 
i went cold turkey with methadone (123 or 122mg) with weed, alc, dxm and immodium... its a bitch but, its doable. just make sure you have something to do at all hours. listening to GLT at 3am is annoying.
 
GLT? Gays, lesbians, and transgenders? I know GTL is gym, tan, laundry, not sure on this GLT though.

You're def right about having something to do. Sometimes it's really hard to get motivated to do anything and nothing sounds interesting/fun/worth doing, but it is a lot easier if you have something to focus your mind on so you're not just sitting around thinking about how awful you feel or how much this situation sucks. Reading or watching TV/movies can help if they're engrossing enough.
 
I tapered successfully off of pods several times (way too many times actually)... the thing with pods is that the reduction in dose has to be a bit more aggressive then other opiates due to the variety in potency of the product. Grinding all your pods together should help with this. Eventually, I did get on Suboxone for awhile and tapered that down. It was easier then a straight up total agonist withdrawal that is for sure. Suboxone can be very very discreet. Considering the length of your habit, it might be the best option. The Suboxone doctor can also give you comfort meds. I didn't want benzos so I was given Clonidine and Atarax. Those both helped me out big time.

Anyways, best of luck to you. Even a quick tapered might help. You might be able to get away with starting it before your wife leaves. If you do this then four days might be enough. Make sure you have very basic and simple foods+protein shakes. Keep looking into supplements, the "Thomas Recipe" has some good suggestions. Also, keep in mind that POD WD usually takes a good 24 hours to get going.

All in all it will not be fun, but if your minds is in the right place it is doable. Keep reminding yourself that you are taking steps in the right direction and that the pain is temporary. Easier said then done. I will say that once you get over the worst of the withdrawal, you may find yourself having some pretty intense emotional moments that can feel pretty damn good.
 
Hey guys sorry I took a while, but I have read everyone's responses. From the sounds of it, I am in deeper than I thought. If it helps to equate my dose, I typically use around 4 mammoth pods to actually feel a high (pretty significant high if high potency) and 3 pods or a little less to feel fine during the day. I actually have fallen in to some money and, after reading everything here have decided to take a different approach, since I think I can afford a month or two of tapering doses - especially as the dose decreases...

MAINLY this is due to the fact that it sounds like 4 days is no where near enough time. That said I have started a taper - I have cut my dosage in half, and it actually hasnt been too bad. That said with Pod potency variation who knows if I just have a potent strand. Anyway, I am going to use these 4 days as a "testing ground" to go without for as long as humanly possible without completely destroying myself. I have pods that are on their way right now (I cut it close with veterans day..god im retarded) and will have some to pull me out of withdrawal when I cant take it anymore. When I dose I'm going to use as little as possible, and then try to maintain on that dose or less with a little higher dose loperamide.

On that note...an idea which I dont know has merit, but thought I would run it by you guys. I was thinking of trying to FAST taper off of pods, and as my pod dose decreases, increase lope dose. The idea is to get my pod dose down as low as possible until its 0, then taper off of the much cheaper loperamide. Is this something anyone has ever tried, or is this basically a ridiculous "broscience" idea? Just a random thought I had.

Anyway, thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. I think you guys saved me from a stupid decision that could have ruined a lot of shit in my life (well, not as stupid as getting in to this situation in t I am still going to try going 4 days CT just to do a quick "cleanse", even though the whole thing takes longer than that. Then, if I feel like death (which I most likely will), I will use as much as necessary to help bring myself up from the throes of hell.
 
Sorry one more thing - many of you are suggesting a suboxone taper. I googled doctors in my area and I was going to make some calls tomorrow. What should I expect, and what do I say? I'm sure it will be an uncomfortable conversation, but if it helps that much, I'd obviously be better off getting it.
 
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