Opioids The Opioid Withdrawal Megathread and FAQ

[Imagineomkara]

Hi there. I have a question, I?ve searched everywhere and can?t find an answer so I made an account so I can hopefully find someone who knows..
I have been on Bupe (less than 2mg internasally) for more or less 8 months. I have stopped taking it a week or two ago, taking one micro dose a couple days ago. To soften the withdrawal, I?ve been using heroin because I thought if I switched to that for a while (it?s been about two weeks maybe more) that the withdrawal would lessen to the length normal heroin detox would be as opposed to a month of hell just quitting bupe cold turkey. Have I just prolonged my withdrawal? Will I just feel bupe withdrawal and heroin withdrawal stacked on one another? And if I use kratom while I?m detoxing, will it just add to the problem? I?d only be using it until the sweats and RLS are gone, the other symptoms I can deal with. Or will I just experience the heroin withdrawal and nothing from the bupe or kratom if the kratom is only used for a well max? I hope someone answers soon.. I want to get through this. I?m so sick of being physically addicted.

 

[Madrus]

Hi there. I have a question, I?ve searched everywhere and can?t find an answer so I made an account so I can hopefully find someone who knows..
I have been on Bupe (less than 2mg internasally) for more or less 8 months. I have stopped taking it a week or two ago, taking one micro dose a couple days ago. To soften the withdrawal, I?ve been using heroin because I thought if I switched to that for a while (it?s been about two weeks maybe more) that the withdrawal would lessen to the length normal heroin detox would be as opposed to a month of hell just quitting bupe cold turkey. Have I just prolonged my withdrawal? Will I just feel bupe withdrawal and heroin withdrawal stacked on one another? And if I use kratom while I?m detoxing, will it just add to the problem? I?d only be using it until the sweats and RLS are gone, the other symptoms I can deal with. Or will I just experience the heroin withdrawal and nothing from the bupe or kratom if the kratom is only used for a well max? I hope someone answers soon..

I think you're getting less out of your heroin if there's any bupe in your system. I imagine that if you'd completely switched over to heroin after some amount of time (?) that if you quit that CT it'd be shorter than a bupe wd surely, but I don't know much more than that. No pain no gain, you could steadily lessen your doses until you're ready to switch to kratom, then do that for a while, but I mean... I don't know. It's going to be tough no matter what.

 

[Coffeeshroom]

This is just a personal note of what I have done to get of the dreaded H and other opiates . I was an H addict for a long time of my life and eventually had to go to a rehab to get clean, long story short from that experience I got clean and was on a maintenance dose of subutex, seroquel and valium for roughly a year long and then weaned myself of those chemicals till I was no longer depended on them. This all took me another year from lowering dosages of the three and switching over to methadone till the point I was only on seroquel and benzos and then only benzos and then nothing. During this time I smoked cannabis constantly and when I was eventually of all chemicals I was only smoking cannabis. I can say that cannabis helped me a lot through or during this transition faze.. Anyhow a couple years later I was clean for a long time and eventually relapsed ( yes I know, bad mistake on my part).. So after getting back on the H I got a Doc that helped me out as an out patient and Rx'd me subutex again. I would wait a full day after last dose and then hit the subs but only for 3 days and then only do benzos for another few days and then withdrawals was easy to go through but by doing this I started another vicious circle as I knew I could use a few days, detox a few days and then repeat. So this was not helping too. Then I came across the benzo, gabbies and tramadol home rehab/detox. This worked as well as I got clean again without the subs but still benzos was in the equation. This cocktail worked but left me semi dependent on the benzos, which wasn't really a problem as I use benzos everyday for my anxiety , SAD, insomnia and so on. So long story short. There are a lot of ways to get of the drug you dependent on but will power and discipline will always play a key and plus the chance of swapping one addiction for another is another possibility. Today I am still dependent on benzos for a few reasons but would love to get of them too. So now I'm looking in medicinal cannabis or the variety there of to help get me away from the rest of the chems in my life. Not sure if this post helped anyone or gave any insight but there is a way to break free, just be honest with yourself and the people that you want to help you. Opiate/opioid dependency is no joke and is a life time battle.


So I guess my advice is to get professional help depending how far you are down the rabbit hole but if that is not an option and you have access to some of the above mentioned chems or methods that can ease your road to recovery.. Please note I'm not a doctor or a professional in any of these fields or anything to do with chems and so forth.


I wish everyone on this thread the best of luck and hope that each and everyone of you get to your desired finishing line.


Much love
Your Coffeetonian

 

[PrincessRN]

So, today I am at the 48hr mark from my last dose of oxy.
Background: I started in July 2016, with 15mg of oxy at night after work to relax. I was having a lot of anxiety planning my wedding and thought this would help. Stupid stupid stupid idea to ever put those pills in my mouth. Well. It only went downhill from there. I was able to stop without any physical withdrawl symptoms beginning of Aug. 2016 except for some low energy, depressed thinking, and some anxiety. I didn?t get as much pleasure out of doing things. But I didn?t identify this st the time and should?ve never started again. Well. After the wedding I continued, slowly upping my dose by 5mg/day maintaining this for 2 months until I got pregnant. 4 weeks off the oxy again until I had a misscarraige.
Again same symptoms of low energy and depression when not using but AGAIN I said to myself see? I have it under control, I?m not gonna get addicted.
Started using again in the spring of 2017. And that?s it. I was hooked. There was no more stopping. I continued using daily, around 30-60mg/day (I know it?s not that much now, but wait.)
Around Christmas, supply runs out. I realize I?m going through WD?s cold turkey. I had some lyrica on hand. 25-50mg q8hrs was enough to keep the nasty cold/hot flashes away (for the most part), the nausea, but RLS and anxiety still helped.
I successfully withdrew over the holidays, calling in sick for work for the ?flu?. Went back to work on Christmas. Lyrica and Oxy free, thinking how good it felt to not have hot/cold flashes, chills, and that overall sick feeling all the time.
Well fast forward 1year. (I relapsed 1 or 2 days after). Going strong on HIGH doses of opiates. Whatever I could get my hands on.
I was taking 150-300mg of oxy, 100mg morphine, 60mg Norco /day. If I could get fentanyl patches I would use a 50 on my skin and 25 buccally. Dilaudid- 30mg/dose and up.
Anyways you guys can see my problem.
Ran out of supppy quickly on Thursday night and woke up in full withdrawls Friday morning.
I?ve been dosing w/ Lyrica 200mg q8hrs, and 6mg of loperamide/day only when the worst of the chills and flashes consume me.
I am 48 hrs in bc I stupidly took 30mg of oxy Friday morning so i could feel normal for a traffic court date. So I suffered all morning for nothing.
My last withdrawl, then first day was the worst, second and third days not so bad.
But this time I feel I will never be out of the woods
I have no hope or motivation, no energy. I feel like I?ve been hit by a brick and can?t get out of bed at all. It is Sunday morning now. And the RLS is still bad, still having hot/cold flashes despite lyrica.
Is there any hope of this ending soon? I go back to work tomorrow despite my symptoms. And I?m hoping I?ll feel OK enough to function or just power through.
Has anyone jumped off cold turkey at that high of a dose?
Also to mention this is 100% in the closet. Nobody in my life knows I?m an addict. But the last few weeks, needing such high doses I?ve been energy-less, no motivation, just living in bed. The stress of getting my next dose has been all-consuming over the past few months. My thyroid is slow bc of the drugs. I started to feel as if I was falling apart completely at the seams and needed to change my life permanently. After all, what kind of life is this? Work, drugs, go to bed, wake up sick.
My husband, doggy, and everyone around me is noticing the depresion, low energy, not wanting to leave my house or do anything. This is not who I was before the opiates. I used to be energetic, HAPPY, and fun, and high energy. Will I ever feel that way again? I can?t remember the last time
I felt that way. Also I have no support going through this bc like I said nobody knows, and if anyone did my life would fall apart. I was so unbelievably STUPID to ever take those pills. I feel I?ve lost years of my 20s bc of the opiates.
So. 48 hrs in cold turkey off a super high daily dose. Any advice?

 

[jamesBrown]

So, today I am at the 48hr mark from my last dose of oxy.
Background: I started in July 2016, with 15mg of oxy at night after work to relax. I was having a lot of anxiety planning my wedding and thought this would help. Stupid stupid stupid idea to ever put those pills in my mouth. Well. It only went downhill from there. I was able to stop without any physical withdrawl symptoms beginning of Aug. 2016 except for some low energy, depressed thinking, and some anxiety. I didn?t get as much pleasure out of doing things. But I didn?t identify this st the time and should?ve never started again. Well. After the wedding I continued, slowly upping my dose by 5mg/day maintaining this for 2 months until I got pregnant. 4 weeks off the oxy again until I had a misscarraige.
Again same symptoms of low energy and depression when not using but AGAIN I said to myself see? I have it under control, I?m not gonna get addicted.
Started using again in the spring of 2017. And that?s it. I was hooked. There was no more stopping. I continued using daily, around 30-60mg/day (I know it?s not that much now, but wait.)
Around Christmas, supply runs out. I realize I?m going through WD?s cold turkey. I had some lyrica on hand. 25-50mg q8hrs was enough to keep the nasty cold/hot flashes away (for the most part), the nausea, but RLS and anxiety still helped.
I successfully withdrew over the holidays, calling in sick for work for the ?flu?. Went back to work on Christmas. Lyrica and Oxy free, thinking how good it felt to not have hot/cold flashes, chills, and that overall sick feeling all the time.
Well fast forward 1year. (I relapsed 1 or 2 days after). Going strong on HIGH doses of opiates. Whatever I could get my hands on.
I was taking 150-300mg of oxy, 100mg morphine, 60mg Norco /day. If I could get fentanyl patches I would use a 50 on my skin and 25 buccally. Dilaudid- 30mg/dose and up.
Anyways you guys can see my problem.
Ran out of supppy quickly on Thursday night and woke up in full withdrawls Friday morning.
I?ve been dosing w/ Lyrica 200mg q8hrs, and 6mg of loperamide/day only when the worst of the chills and flashes consume me.
I am 48 hrs in bc I stupidly took 30mg of oxy Friday morning so i could feel normal for a traffic court date. So I suffered all morning for nothing.
My last withdrawl, then first day was the worst, second and third days not so bad.
But this time I feel I will never be out of the woods
I have no hope or motivation, no energy. I feel like I?ve been hit by a brick and can?t get out of bed at all. It is Sunday morning now. And the RLS is still bad, still having hot/cold flashes despite lyrica.
Is there any hope of this ending soon? I go back to work tomorrow despite my symptoms. And I?m hoping I?ll feel OK enough to function or just power through.
Has anyone jumped off cold turkey at that high of a dose?
Also to mention this is 100% in the closet. Nobody in my life knows I?m an addict. But the last few weeks, needing such high doses I?ve been energy-less, no motivation, just living in bed. The stress of getting my next dose has been all-consuming over the past few months. My thyroid is slow bc of the drugs. I started to feel as if I was falling apart completely at the seams and needed to change my life permanently. After all, what kind of life is this? Work, drugs, go to bed, wake up sick.
My husband, doggy, and everyone around me is noticing the depresion, low energy, not wanting to leave my house or do anything. This is not who I was before the opiates. I used to be energetic, HAPPY, and fun, and high energy. Will I ever feel that way again? I can?t remember the last time
I felt that way. Also I have no support going through this bc like I said nobody knows, and if anyone did my life would fall apart. I was so unbelievably STUPID to ever take those pills. I feel I?ve lost years of my 20s bc of the opiates.
So. 48 hrs in cold turkey off a super high daily dose. Any advice?

My advice... Be open and honest with your family about ALL of this. I think you'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel(emotionally at least). Love is powerful, and the bonds it forms are difficult to break. I'm sure your husband(?) will be a source of comfort and support.
Think about it this way. What if the situation was switched around and it was your husband(?) who was secretly addicted to opioids? If he came to you, head hung low, and admitted to being an addict and then begged for you to forgive him and help him get/stay clean.... what would you do and how would you feel? Would you want to divorce him? No, I doubt it. Would you feel like you could never possibly trust him again? If you love him I think not. It's not like you've been hanging out with junkies, stealing everything you can get your hands on, or IV'ing MASSIVE doses of opioids(I IV 40mg's dilaudid 3 - 5 times a day along with two 100 mcg/hr fentanyl patches used buccally, plus whatever else I can get my hands on..... I'm not bragging, I just wanted you to know there are people who are MUCH more addicted to opioids than even you, and those people have made it thru the "storm" with the help of loved ones.)
Honesty and a good support system are integral to the process of getting and staying clean.

As far as your physical symptoms, I have A TON I could say but I don't think it's necessary since all the info you need to help your body/mind feel better is on Bluelight already and it's not hard to find. I hope I'm not coming off as rude...I would normally go over all the things you could do to help your pain but I'm in MAJOR withdrawals at the moment. My eyes and nose are dripping all over the place as I type this.

Just do a search on how to help opioid WD's here on BL and you'll find plenty of info.

I hope you take my advice. Seriously... don't fight this alone. Good luck ?.

-jB-

 

[Jessicaortiz87]

I don't know how to start my own thread so maybe you guys can help me here. I'm trying to get off heroin and on subs but for some reason I keep going into precip withdrawals. I've even waited 24 hours and still went into it. This has never happened to me before except the last 3 times which resulted with me going back to H. Idk what to do. I've been able to start suboxone in the past 12 hours after last use with no problem. HELP! I wanna start my subs but I'm very sensitive to withdrawal and can't wait over 24 hours. I also am scared to death of going into precip withdrawals. Idk what to do I can't live this way anymore.

 

[Coffeeshroom]

I don't know how to start my own thread so maybe you guys can help me here. I'm trying to get off heroin and on subs but for some reason I keep going into precip withdrawals. I've even waited 24 hours and still went into it. This has never happened to me before except the last 3 times which resulted with me going back to H. Idk what to do. I've been able to start suboxone in the past 12 hours after last use with no problem. HELP! I wanna start my subs but I'm very sensitive to withdrawal and can't wait over 24 hours. I also am scared to death of going into precip withdrawals. Idk what to do I can't live this way anymore.

I use to use sub's to get off in the past and to get passed that dread first day of WD before taking sub's I use to knock myself out with benzos and gabbies that normal got me to the 24hr benchmark that I could take zubutex and not get precip WD. But with that said its weird that even after s 24hr wait you still hit precip. Most people would advice to wait even longer 48hrs even but for me 16hrs use to be enough. Maybe someone more exp can chime in

 

[kleinerkiffer]

It might be better to use the Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS) instead of only time when inducing on subs

 

[Arcadece]

I have posted before and tried hard to quit opiates but failed went from 160mgs of methadone down to 60 Mgs of percocet then jumped off lasted 10 days then back to it again well it's been 5 days off and a friend gave me a oxy 80 if I took it would I be OK tolerance wise and if I did would it start my withdrawal over again any thoughts or advice would be appreciated thanks

 

[mtop2036]

Well since you got down to 60mg of percs 80mg of oxy is a 25% increase. I wouldnt, definitely would set you back some withdraw L wise.

 

[Arcadece]

Thank you that's what I wanted to know I appreciate it

 

[robertdavies]

Hi, guys and girls, this is my story. Back in 1989, I had back surgery to remove 2disk and a back fusion. I was on 3 Narco per day and 2 Oxy per day and 8 Ultram per day. I have been off the Narco and Oxy since December 25, 2018
I cut down the dose of the Ultram to 5 per day. On Thursdays Feb 21 was my last day of Ultram. It's now Monday morning at 3:44 am Feb 25, Who long does the WD go on for? I have not had a good night sleep in 4 days. I have leg cramps and not feeling tired How much longer is this going on? Thanks any feedback. Latter Robert in LA

 

[DoctorMolecule]

Hi, guys and girls, this is my story. Back in 1989, I had back surgery to remove 2disk and a back fusion. I was on 3 Narco per day and 2 Oxy per day and 8 Ultram per day. I have been off the Narco and Oxy since December 25, 2018
I cut down the dose of the Ultram to 5 per day. On Thursdays Feb 21 was my last day of Ultram. It's now Monday morning at 3:44 am Feb 25, Who long does the WD go on for? I have not had a good night sleep in 4 days. I have leg cramps and not feeling tired How much longer is this going on? Thanks any feedback. Latter Robert in LA

You probably have a couple more restless nights ahead of you, your sleep should be better at least by this Thursday (1 week after your last dose). I also wouldn?t be surprised if you actually get a decent nights sleep tonight. Tramadol withdrawal sucks dude, so I feel for you.
Please let us know and update us on how you?re doing

 

[Sidban]

Hey all. This is my first post ever. First of all. Well done to anyone and everyone deciding to quit whatever substance you've been using. Also, thanks to all the people who comment with encouragement and advice.

I'm not going into the details of my addiction. I've been heavily addicted to codeine for about 5 years. I've gone through cold turkey 4 times. It gets worse every time.
This is day 2 of cold turkey. 2 very sweaty nights. Hoping tonight is a bit better. I've got runny nose, aches and pains and anxiety.
I've been using diazepam which helps A LOT. But I'm probably addicted to that too. I've also got otc sleeping pills. Nytol.
I understand codeine is much easier to cold turkey than other drugs. But I just wanted to reach out cos I don't have any other support.
Thing is, when I'm clean, I feel great. I always give myself a treat though after a few months and the addiction comes back ten-fold.
Take care y'all. Peace

 

[PrincessRN]

Hey guys.

My last CT I managed to stay clean 2 weeks and then I relapsed again.

The intense drug cravings and the neurological symptoms-hot/cold flashes never went away and it wore me down.

So now this past week (since Saturday) I have been trying to quit daily. I go about 24-48hrs at a time and then I relapse again. The sweats, hot flashes get me every time.

I have found Lyrics and CBD to be the most helpful during WDs. It takes away the anxiety and depression -10-20mg as needed.

I just took the last of my CBD. Well this morning I was 12hrs in again, then broke and took 40mg Hydrocodone.

I am going to continue to keep trying to quit. I need freedom from this. Being addicted for me is like being in chains. I can?t go anywhere, I can?t do anything, I feel I might as well be dead if I don?t make a change. So I am NOT going to stop trying.

Guys we can ALL DO THIS. when the cravings come back i have to remember that it?s bigger than what I am feeling right now. A weeks worth of feeling like crap is not a bad trade for the FREEDOM of not being chained to a drug.
I am going to check back in one week and I?m praying to God I will be clean ??
Thank you to everyone for the encouragement, I am still going at this alone, nobody knows what I am going through. I am trying to keep up a high demand job and be a dog mom, wife and take care of my elderly parents.

See you guys in one week. We can do this.

 

[robertdavies]

PrincessRN hangs in there... Keep trying to look at the big picture. You can do this! I did after 30 years on Opioids. Talk to someone close to you! It helps Let'shear from you in a week.

 

[PrincessRN]

So. Day 3 after no opioids. Day 4 from my last DOC. The chills and sweats are horrible.
I?ve barely been out of bed except for a daily walk with the dog.
I?m taking Lyrica 150-200mg q8hrs and CBD oil which together helps the chills. But nothing is helping the sleep. I can?t sleep for shit. I slept maybe 2 hrs close to this morning but that?s about it. I have benzos but I quit that cold turkey as well. My last dose was 4 days ago.
I was taking (in addition to my crazy opioid habit (over 200-250mg Oxy/day since last CT) 1mg Clonazepam/ 1mg Lorazepam nightly to help me sleep. Well I realized I was taking them inadvertently for a whole year. But I don?t feel dependent on them.

Anyways. It?ll be 72hrs soon since my last dose and hopefully I?ll be over the worst of it. Everyone is so nice and encouraging on here, BL has been a life saver!

 

[Jekyl Anhydride]

So. Day 3 after no opioids. Day 4 from my last DOC. The chills and sweats are horrible.
I?ve barely been out of bed except for a daily walk with the dog.
I?m taking Lyrica 150-200mg q8hrs and CBD oil which together helps the chills. But nothing is helping the sleep. I can?t sleep for shit. I slept maybe 2 hrs close to this morning but that?s about it. I have benzos but I quit that cold turkey as well. My last dose was 4 days ago.
I was taking (in addition to my crazy opioid habit (over 200-250mg Oxy/day since last CT) 1mg Clonazepam/ 1mg Lorazepam nightly to help me sleep. Well I realized I was taking them inadvertently for a whole year. But I don?t feel dependent on them.

Anyways. It?ll be 72hrs soon since my last dose and hopefully I?ll be over the worst of it. Everyone is so nice and encouraging on here, BL has been a life saver!

Just want to mention that poly-drug WD is it's own special brand of hell. Dropping a mg of Clonazepam and a mg of Lorazepam would be rough all by itself. While I applaud your ardent approach, I would strongly reconsider dropping the benzos until you've at least gone through a week or so of the opioid WD's. Soon it's going to become so difficult your chances of failing will increase exponentially, no matter how strong you are.

On top of that poly-sedative WD can be dangerous and increase your risk of a seizure, not to mention psychosis from not sleeping for over a week. Even dropping the Lorazepam and keeping the Clonazepam for a bit longer would be a more prudent decision then Cold Turkey-ing both. Even at 1mg, Clonazepam should be tapered, esp with Lorazepam stacked on top. I would never want to impede your cessation goals, but that's just too much.

 

[SS373dOH]

Jekyl knows whats up.
Take a hot shower/bath, barely dry off and RUN to your bed and try to pass out before all the symptoms napalm your ass again.

 

[PrincessRN]

Yeah I had such a great day on Saturday but then could not wind down. I was so anxious, my heart was racing. It wasn?t until 2mg Lorazepam and 10mg Ambien, 50mg doxylamine succinate that I got any sleep at all.

Took only the Unisom and Lorazepam last night and was waking up constantly still.
The worst part now is waking up so damn cold. I?ve never set my heater at 77F before.
And the cold shakes that hit at random times of day. Day #5 though, at least I?m here.