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Harm Reduction Progress Mega Thread

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It didn't click until today, but i think a major symptom of PAWS I am experiencing is when i sit or law down in a way that's even just slightly uncomfortable i get pretty bad pain in my back and ribs. Would this fall under the increased sensitivity to pain category? It started getting bad about 3 weeks after stopping buprenorphine.

Also still not much improvment with skin crawling in my arms or slight temp. related discomfort.

do you have, or have you been taking clonidine? i feel it would make you feel A LOT better since it would stop the crawling feelings in your arms and regulate your temp.. any doctor would be happy to script it. i have a script to it to help with anxiety.. if you have q's about it or how it would help you can feel FREE to PM me :D
 
I've been taking it at night, it works well but I've developed a tolerance - lately I've been taking .5-.6mgs before going to sleep and then another .2-.3mgs at like 4-5am after it wears off and i start waking up every 30 mins. My own scrip ran out and my girlfriends scrip is large but wont last forever. I guess hopefully i get better before it runs out because i'd rather not have to go to another doctor. I can't afford it and my dad won't be thrilled about paying for it, since he was under the impression i would finally be prescription free - and he's been helping me out a LOT with the move.
 
Thanks for the effort though =D


I forgot to mention.. Occasionally I'll sit or lay in a position that also causes neurological pain, like in a nerve in my brain or something mildly stinging for a split second is what it feels like. PAWS, or something more serious? It happens when I put pressure somewhere in an awkward angle in my back and/or ribcage.
 
It didn't click until today, but i think a major symptom of PAWS I am experiencing is when i sit or law down in a way that's even just slightly uncomfortable i get pretty bad pain in my back and ribs. Would this fall under the increased sensitivity to pain category? It started getting bad about 3 weeks after stopping buprenorphine.

Also still not much improvment with skin crawling in my arms or slight temp. related discomfort.

That could surely be PAWS, I experienced something similar last December when I was clean. Things like riding in a car a sitting in an uncomfortable chair I would get back pain, and I would get sharper pains around the ribs if I moved a certain way. And taking a few codiene totally relieved it; maybe it was opiate related.

I have been having uncomfortable dizziness lately. If I tilt my head a certain way it will come on, also sometimes when I'm just walking through the house. It's a little concerning, I haven't outright fainted but sometimes it feels like I could.
 
Don't even get me started about driving right now... I had to drive from Chicago to San Francisco with this happening. I actually didn't realize it was PAWS until just recently because i had assumed the drive out is what messed up my back.

Also, I took upwards of 20mgs of loperamide to see what would happen, it's been a while and still not much effect if any concerning my arms, though my temperature is normal. It's coming up on 5 weeks since i last took suboxone, 2 weeks since clonidine and except for today a week without loperamide, and I am still experiencing symptoms traditionally acute.
 
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loperamide and buprenorphine both have *very* long half-lives so its not unheard of to have some mild, persistent symptoms this long after.

It could be AW symptoms or it could be PAWS but in my view, that's largely irrelevant because its just the name - either way its a product of your use and likely won't last that long but at this point, there's no way to tell.

My best advice would be unless its THAT problematic, to avoid all opioids (including lope) so that your body can continue progressing toward getting back to normal.

I would try to mitigate the symptoms with lots of exercise, maybe some supplements, healthy eating, the best sleep hygiene you can achieve and so forth.

Trying to keep your mind off it will be beneficial as well - focusing on it and perpetually being aware of it is near-guaranteed to exacerbate how bad it seems to be.
 
After taking that lope last night i got pretty good sleep for the first time in like a week, so it's a tough trade. I know avoiding the lope will lead to healing more quickly but the lack of sleep is taking it's toll on my energy, and my appearances - i just got a job so i don't want the dark circles that are starting to form under my eyes again getting huge, and nothing makes them bad like not sleeping.


On the psychological home front, however, i may need to direct my self over to hippyland(PD). :D
 
Congrats on getting to San Fran, caseface!

I'm now down to between 250 and 500mcg of suboxone per day, and have been skipping days now and then (with the help of my lorazepam script and loperamide). Today (it's about 9am eastern time) is my third day without any opiates, and I feel the cravings coming on, hopefully I'll be able to quell them with only a few hundred micrograms!

Buprenorphine is by far the easiest opiate to taper down with, at least in my experiences!
 
I am working on a taper of my own n spent a lot of time reading on this site. I have gone from oxy to hydro n now small doses of tram w/a lil benzo. Today is my 1st day on last stage. I have been very interested in everyones progress on this thread. I have my fingers crossed!
 
Just wanted to give a shout to all the people who seem to be making awesome progress on their tapers/withdrawals/sobriety ! Keep it up, everyone.

Personally, I am currently maintained on methadone, 75mg. Probably gonna start tapering next month.

The good news though, is as of a couple weeks ago the doctors finally gave me the good word that my cancer is in remission !! Cancer free baby, hells yea.
 
Congrats on the mod spot, dude.

And on the remission of your cancer... that hits real close, but it's good to see you are doing better.
Is the pain gone to the point where you think you can taper down completely?

Everyone seems to be doing well... everyone who is a "regular" in this thread seems to have good success tapering off and quitting.
I would kind of like to see some stats or maybe a poll.

Obviously, alot of people just come to get info on drugs and pop out, but the people who are interested in getting off seem to be really successful.

As for myself, i'm off all opiates. Really all drugs, switched to MMJ for my pain management and acupuncture, and even though I'm in some pain, I'm feeling way better mentally, etc...

I've done suboxone once in like the last two weeks, just for a little break, but I'm really doing well and made my goals. My focus was to be off long-term, but I'm not going to beat myself up about wanting a "pleasure cruise" here or there (as in every two or three months, not every two or three hours as I used to have.

It's good to see everyone doing well. Congrats to our new computer overlords as well.


Edit: this is kinda unrelated, but....
So i found out that my mentor from school died, like the last artist who mentored me before I became a professional - it was complications from HIV, but he was really old anyways. His partner was one of my best teachers. I found out and told my fiance who was super flip about it and just made some kind of joke about one of our mutual friends not being able to go on. I didn't know what to do, it was super out of character.... I don't know it was just kind of a shock. Was this a huge indicator of some underlying personality trait (I have been sensing lots of negativity) or just an isolated incident? I'm kinda baffled by this.
 
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Just wanted to give a shout to all the people who seem to be making awesome progress on their tapers/withdrawals/sobriety ! Keep it up, everyone.

Personally, I am currently maintained on methadone, 75mg. Probably gonna start tapering next month.

The good news though, is as of a couple weeks ago the doctors finally gave me the good word that my cancer is in remission !! Cancer free baby, hells yea.

Excellent news man, glad to hear it! :)
Just curious, have you seen Run From the Cure or This Video? Just for future reference.




Personally I'm doing alright, but it's 5 weeks since i've taken suboxone and still experience symptoms that are traditionally acute. :\
 
The good news though, is as of a couple weeks ago the doctors finally gave me the good word that my cancer is in remission !! Cancer free baby, hells yea.

<3

that's awesome to hear, brother. that put a huge smile on my face reading that.

everyone seems to be doing really well in here! keep it up everyone!:D
 
reading everyone is doing good (which i am assuming people are speaking of me also) is great.. but i fucked up, i used bupe a few times well after the bupe w/d's were gone just to catch a high :| .. but im moving on from that, today was the last day for that few day "mini binge" but i'm not sure if i will get w/d's again. But if i do i hope they are only a week long like when i first came off subs.. i've got tramadol, k pins and a lot of kratom but that just delays the inevitable so i am just gonna do what i usually do and just CT and suck it up if there is w/d symptoms (even though i feel i won't have any.. we'll see :\ )

And just to clarify, my reason for coming off in the first place was to make it so i have no dependencies to opiates, not to stay clean forever and still use once in a while.. but im starting to feel it's either on opiates or off them, there is no in between that i can get myself comfortable at and i have no clue what type of schedule i would need in order to use but not be dependent.. so i guess i am just saying fuck it and i'll stay clean, because while i was clean for that month i felt good and i donno why i fucked it up by using a mg of bupe a few times.. so if i get sick, i feel i deserve it for being stupid.

EDIT: just noticed i haven't posted in here since page 4 where the fuck has time gone?
 
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reading everyone is doing good (which i am assuming people are speaking of me also) is great.. but i fucked up, i used bupe a few times well after the bupe w/d's were gone just to catch a high :| .. but im moving on from that, today was the last day for that few day "mini binge" but i'm not sure if i will get w/d's again. But if i do i hope they are only a week long like when i first came off subs.. i've got tramadol, k pins and a lot of kratom but that just delays the inevitable so i am just gonna do what i usually do and just CT and suck it up if there is w/d symptoms (even though i feel i won't have any.. we'll see :\ )

And just to clarify, my reason for coming off in the first place was to make it so i have no dependencies to opiates, not to stay clean forever and still use once in a while.. but im starting to feel it's either on opiates or off them, there is no in between that i can get myself comfortable at and i have no clue what type of schedule i would need in order to use but not be dependent.. so i guess i am just saying fuck it and i'll stay clean, because while i was clean for that month i felt good and i donno why i fucked it up by using a mg of bupe a few times.. so if i get sick, i feel i deserve it for being stupid.

EDIT: just noticed i haven't posted in here since page 4 where the fuck has time gone?




You are figuring out what I learned myself. Us addicts can NEVER go back to the good old days where we used once in a while for fun. It is all or nothing.

I know how it feels to want that back but it is just not possible bro. You have to move on from that part of your life if you don't want to be a junkie anymore. It really helps to have some outside support.

Good luck bro and feel free to PM me if you need anything,
David
 
Hello everyone, just came back from a few days in N.Y where i dropped a few hits of LSD with my gf, got some xanax and Clonazepam, then back to life, back to reality (not really, as i'm usually in an extremely amazing mood for 2 weeks after) This was trip # 34 for me after 2.5 years since trip # 33, and before that it was a 7 year mark. It's therapeutic in my case and has helped me a lot in overcoming my opiate dependence. The child-like laughter and the simplicity of its bizarre complexity makes it a real wonder drug.
I also started jogging again before i left and will probably start doing it again a few times a week, the feeling is great and that 1st joint after the jog is really something to be looking for. Eating habit and hunger in general are also way better. I dropped to 1.5 mg of Subutex and things are looking good.
Hope everyone is doing great


I Was wondering if there are some people here in their 30's or older who do enjoy recreational LSD every now and then? I love the shit :)
 
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Started my methadone taper today, dropped my dose 5mg so i am now down to 70mg daily. Feeling fine so far, will probably drop another 5mg next week. Methadone has been a double edged sword for me. I am so grateful it got me off heroin and basically saved my life, but on the other hand I hate being chained to the clinic and methadone has been making me depressed lately. The complete opposite of how I felt the first 3-4 months on it. I only have to go to the clinic two times a week, but I am just tired of it. Also, the withdrawals are hell.

I am debating just jumping off at the dose I am at now, and switching to suboxone after 4 days or so of cold turkey.. then doing a rapid taper with suboxone over 3-4 weeks then just stopping. I know this won't be very pleasant, but I am just SO done with opiates and the fucking gorilla on my back they have bestowed on me.
 
that's basically or almost exactly what i did but i was on almost double your dose of 'done (not dicksizing, just trying to help compare) and i waited 10 days (couldn't bare the w/d's any longer) and got on subs @ day 11 off methadone and it felt like heaven in a weird tasting tablet.. seriously man, i would really consider subs, i was on methadone 1yr and bupe 4yrs and if i had to compare a year on methadone to a year on subs i would deff. choose subs.. i was so much happier and free (not chained to the clinic).. Good luck on whatever you do, and if you need someone to talk to my PM box is always open lol. :D
 
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