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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Quitting - Witdrawal and side effects of quitting heroin, how long does it last!

I

I Love Heroin

Greenlighter
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
6
I've quit heroin for 12 days, and I can honestly say I feel as if a part of me is missing.

My stomach constantly hurts, I feel sick all the time, I have no energy and feel miserable.

How long will the mental side effects take to wear away?

I feel as if I am never going to feel normal again and this is just how my life will be now!

Any information is appreciated.
 
You're in the stage of post acute withdrawal symptoms AKA PAWS. I wish I could tell you more, but I have yet to overcome it myselfⁿ

Edit: OD(other drugs) ----> BDD(basic drug discussion). Basically stating your thread was moved and where it was moved from where you posted to where it better fit to get the right attention and response.
 
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What you describe is a normal part of getting off of any addictive substance. Ive gone through exactly the same with heroin, and it's what led me back every damn time.
The dose, duration,frequency of use, and ROA seem to determine whether you'll run into post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) or not. I think your motivation for getting off contributes to at least 25% of the mental torment. For example, Its really easy to convince yourself that you're far worse off than you are if you're kicking for anything other than yourself.
 
I had been using for about 9 months, constantly in routine. Waking up and having it, then over 8 times a day shooting up. Must have been at least 60 worth to my self a day. A gram and a bit.

It feels like shit, I have chills and sneezing, sweats and bad stomach. It's been 12 days. I feel like I've suffered long enough. I feel so mentally unstable.

I have even started writing suicide notes and stopped myself a few times.

This is totally fucked man. I never will be the same again. No sleep it's just god awful.

Wish my dad never showed me.
 
I think it probably depends on how long and how much you used.

I don't know the answer but I'm anticipating it taking a couple months. It takes time for your body to get back to normal and used to not having it and for your brain to start making chemicals on it's own.

But I don't know for sure. I do know that staying busy and any exercise you can do helps. Even just a walk. I like riding bikes because you can go easy to hard and you get lots of wind when it's this damn hot out. Exercise will cause a natural release of endorphines and feel good chemicals. I swear I was addicted to exercise and the adrenaline and natural chemicals at one point in life.

Things will get better. Just take it one day at a time. I've found little mantras or sayings can help me. Something like heroin is evil, pain means I'm healing. Or something like that you can say to yourself in your head over and over to get thru the worst parts. Also, a rubber band on your wrist that you snap any time you start thinking about using. You have gone this far and every day you are one day closer to being free.

If you find yourself about to use, go to a clean person first and just talk. About anything, doesn't have to be drugs. And if you get to where you are positive you can't do it and are going to do something, go to a methadone clinic. Tell them you want the least amount possible that will still make you feel sane and that you want to taper as fast as possible. They get a lot of money and would be content with you being on it for life. So you still have to want to get off it. But try as hard as you can to not go this route if you can but it's better than using again.

Good luck. I'm dealing with it too but yours is probably much worse. But you will get better eventually. We all will if we can stay clean.
 
You will be the same again you'll just have more life experience. I went through something similar in having a parent that was an addict too, but eventually you'll see that they love you to the degree that they know how to love themselves, and it halted any sort of resentment.

Please seek help if you feel you're going to hurt yourself. It may be benficial to look into something such as methadone maintenance or suboxone to help get you on your feet.
 
I don't want methadone, I'd rather get back on the gear than that, as I hear that methadone is more addictive and the comedown is worse.

I don't understand why it's all lasting so long, I just wish I was better by now!
 
Small amounts of methadone and a taper will be easier to get off than giant spikes of IV dope and getting high. It will also make you feel sane. I don't suggest it either, but it's better than using and prolonging the torment. At least research it instead of relying on word of mouth.

You used for 9 months. You aren't going to get free in a few days. But each day is one day closer and it will get better and easier as you go. You have gone almost 2 weeks all by yourself using your will power. If you made it this far you can make it the whole way. You just have to stay positive instead of rationalizing using again. Do you want to go thru the last 12 days all over again?

Talk it out if you have to. Hell, I will talk to you on the phone if you really need to talk. I'm sure that's not appealing to you but there are people that will help.
 
Really appreciate that man, it's not just the 12 days. I feel lost, like there's a part of me that I will never get back that only heroin can cater to. I just feel like I'll never be free of the thought that heroin will take all my anxiousness and problems away once again if I use it. When you free to talk, anything helps, if you want to talk.
 
That will go away in time. Your body is missing something it's relied on for a long time. So you probably do feel like something is missing because it is. Your old self will come back in time.

I'm actually trying to ride my bike right now. As soon as I get back I will send you a message.
 
Click the link in my signature and check out sober living. There are a lot of people that can help you through what you are going through because they have been their before (myself included).

The best thing you can do for yourself is not use. The second best is to seek some mental health help.
 
I sent you a message yesterday. Don't know if you saw?

Sometimes if you're not signed up for email alerts it isn't real obvious.

Hope you're doing well.
 
I'm just starting my journey to quit heroin. And I completely understand how you feel. Like part of you is missing. I am using loperamide, robitussin, and a generic form of tagamet. I kept reading about loperamide and how good it works for withdrawals. I have to say it IS working! I DON'T feel like crap and actually feel "normal" WHATEVER that is! I'm tapering down my dosage everyday and plan to be completely done and off heroin in 7 days. I watched a video on YouTube by a guy named Aaron Cohen. I needed SOMETHING to help me get thru the withdrawals! You're doing a FANTASTIC JOB! Keep your head up and stay focused on your goal to be sober! I'm always available if you want to talk!
 
Acute phase, where the most severe symptoms are experienced last from 3-5 days. Resolution phase (term I made up just now) is when you get over the hump and slowly start to feel better. This ends at about the two week mark in my experience. Lastly, the post acute withdrawal phase. A long-lasting period of time in which depression and apathy are present, but the more intense withdrawal symptoms are not. This phase can last for months.

This is a simple explanation, but it should help.
 
Keif' Richards said:
Acute phase, where the most severe symptoms are experienced last from 3-5 days. Resolution phase (term I made up just now) is when you get over the hump and slowly start to feel better. This ends at about the two week mark in my experience. Lastly, the post acute withdrawal phase. A long-lasting period of time in which depression and apathy are present, but the more intense withdrawal symptoms are not. This phase can last for months.

This is a simple explanation, but it should help.
Click to expand...

QFT. I like the idea of the resolution phase. I have never thought about it that way. I have always just called it "turning the corner". Also, if you are experiencing PAWS be mindful as it comes in waves. I noticed that at the thirty day mark, the forty-fifty day mark, and at about a year I had a resurgence in symptoms, especially anxiety and desire to use.
 
manboychef said:
QFT. I like the idea of the resolution phase. I have never thought about it that way. I have always just called it "turning the corner". Also, if you are experiencing PAWS be mindful as it comes in waves. I noticed that at the thirty day mark, the forty-fifty day mark, and at about a year I had a resurgence in symptoms, especially anxiety and desire to use.
Click to expand...

True. One of the biggest misconceptions about drug use, Opioid use specifically, is that the acute phase is the reason addicts return to use or can't stop using. While this is partially true, nobody wants to be sick as it's pretty unpleasant, the worst part is trying to return to "normal" life while still dealing with the absence of Opioids in your system. I've been sick many times, but I've always gotten through it. The real test comes from life. Trying to do all of the everyday things that people are supposed to do becomes a lot harder when dealing with PAWS. You always have this nagging thought of, "If I were high, work would be so much easier" or "This would be so much more fun/interesting if I were high, maybe just one time" etc.
 
Stopping when you have a very high tolerance is just setting yourself up for failure. The withdrawals and PAWS and everything is going to be bad.

I think it will be a lot easier and with greater success, if you slowly taper over a couple weeks. Maybe instead of shooting, sniffing, or smoking. You want something that isn't fun, but by decreasing you are getting used to smaller amounts and your body is adjusting to the lower dose.

A common suggestion is decrease 25% and go for 3-4 days and decrease another 25%. It isn't fun but it keeps your body out of withdrawals. I personally dropped as much and as fast as I could. Sometimes I could drop a lot each day, then sometimes I would get to an amount that barely made me feel same so I just stayed there for a week or two. Then I tapered more and eventually I got to essentially nothing. It was much easier this way and if you really drag out the low doses it helps with paws.

It would probably be easier with subox, bupe, methadone, but it can be done with a taper which makes life much easier. I don't have access to those drugs so a slow taper is about the only option I Jane of I want to get off them.

I would love help with meds but it's just not in the cards for me.

Best of luck whatever you do!
 
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