Strange Withdrawal Period

[Bear17]

Hi all,
I am coming off a long time daily use of Codeine and have decided to go cold turkey. I have done this previously and got smashed with withdrawal symptoms. Normally running nose, aches and pains, huge legthargy, and worst of all rls and unable to sleep. Symptoms start day one and peak at day 4-5.
So I am on day 3 today and haven't had one symptom. Not a runny nose, headache or anything. Maybe a slightly harder sleep last night but I still had about 5 hours.
Now this is what I am thinking.
I have been on a couple of medications since my last withdrawal and I wonder if this is playing a role.
First one is Sevikar 40/10 daily and Nexium daily. The only other ones I have taken for my cold turkey is imodium but only 2 tabs twice per day and magnesium.

I have done some research and it appears that some of the active ingredients in Sevikar have been trialled for withdrawals and found to be effective. Maybe the Nexium does something as well.
But no shit, I have been waiting for three days now and not a sniffle.
Anyone else had this before?

 

[shartito]

Do any of the active ingredients in those meds hit the opiate receptors?

 

[Bear17]

One of the actives in Sevikar is a Calcium Channel Blocker and their has been studies into its use in opiate withdrawal.
"OBJECTIVE:
To determine if the calcium channel blocking agents (CCBs), nifedipine and verapamil are safe and effective therapeutic adjuncts in the management of withdrawal and craving in patients with chronic dependence on opiates, ethanol, amphetamine, benzodiazepines and marijuana.
METHOD:
Oral rapid acting nifedipine or verapamil was administered for 2 weeks (together with oral methadone in decreasing daily doses and specific symptomatic treatment, if appropriate), to patients with chronic dependence on various drugs of addiction. Several objective and subjective parameters were quantified to provide information about the patient's basic condition and progressive response to treatment, both before and after each CCB treatment. Patients also completed a daily questionnaire concerning their withdrawal intensity and provided a daily urine analysis.
RESULTS:
Both nifedipine and verapamil appeared to be safe and effective therapeutic adjuncts in the management of withdrawal and craving in 24 patients who successfully completed the trial. Although comparable in therapeutic efficacy in the doses used, verapamil produced far fewer and milder side effects than nifedipine. None of the verapamil side effects resulted in suspension or termination of treatment and it was the preferred agent, especially in patients presenting with a low blood pressure.
CONCLUSIONS:
In this pilot study nifedipine and verapamil appeared to be effective for the in-patient management of withdrawal and craving in a broad spectrum of chronic drug addicts. Verapamil produced fewer disturbing side effects compared with nifedipine and it may prove a safe, non-addicting and rational treatment in the long term management of chronic dependence, withdrawal and craving. As such, it may be especially valuable in offering the motivated chronic addict help and hope for the long term management of this problem in a community setting. The present results warrant the establishment of a verapamil based, double-blind, drug-matched or placebo-controlled clinical trial to test the validity and significance of these preliminary findings"

 

[Bear17]

One of the mechanisms of Clonidine is that it acts of the blood vessels to relax them which is how most blood pressure mids work. Sevikar has two actives to lower BP. So maybe these two in synergy have an effect on withdrawals?

 

[Bear17]

Do any of the active ingredients in those meds hit the opiate receptors?

Imodium does but usually at ultra high doses. Not two tabs twice a day. But maybe in a cocktail it has a greater effect.