Trying to kick opioids... help please?

[operator-error-girl]

Hi, I hope all of you are well.

Trying to crawl away from a 60mg/day hydrocodone habit. This is as prescribed by my doc due to a really unfortunate skiing accident I had a year ago. More than 8 hours post-dose, I get excessive yawning, chills up my back, then come the flu-like symptoms and I turn into a considerably less charming version of myself.

In an effort to taper (and because I'm low on meds and can't fill for another week) I picked up some kratom. Am reducing the hydrocodone by 25%. Other than tasting vile, the red doesn't help much and the white causes massive jumpiness, noise sensitivity, overstimulation from pretty low key stimuli, epic irritability, etc. Guessing there's a noradrenaline rush. They both have the same mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine content (1.6% / 0..04%) respectively.

Not keen to do suboxone (did that years ago and it was its own nightmare), don't take any other meds to speak of (though I have cyclobenzaprine and trazodone on hand), and am a fairly healthy 51 year old woman who loves her opioids but sees clearly what the future looks like. Taking magnesium, ashwaganda, rhodiola, D3, EFA, and all the B vitamins you can imagine.

So, here are my questions:

1. Does anyone have advice on how to use kratom while tapering? The 3g I'm taking 2-3x/day is clearly not helping much and, in the case of the white, making me a bit nuts.
2. Other good options?
3. WD aside, what to take to manage pain? Is there any kind of 7-hydroxymitragynine tincture or similar?
4. Keen to hear opinions on whether to taper or get a hotel room far from people I love and go cold turkey/deal with the misery for 3 days or so.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and kindness. And please may I ask that you qualify your response as based on research, personal experience or anecdotal evidence.

Be safe, stay sane,

OEG

 

[jackie jones]

I will quote Burroughs.

"I have never known any self-administered taper to work. You always end up finding some excuse to take more and wind up where you started."

Kratom is not very helpful for withdrawals, in my experience. It is good to have in your withdrawal arsenal, but have some other things in there as well (Benzos, Gabapentin, Ambien, etc.) Withdrawals last much longer than 3-5 days. That is just the beginning.

Vitamins are a good idea, in general, not just during detox. I always thought during my active use, if I am going to try to feel good all the time, I may as well take certain steps for my health. It is only logical.

If you are really serious about recovery, get into a medical detox and let the professionals help you. I think Suboxone is great, it has been essential to my own recovery, but each to their own.

Welcome to Bluelight.

 

[nznity]

The only way i've got clean by myself on like 3 separate ocassions were with this combo clonazepam as needed+ 900-1500mg gabapentin a day+ 20mg loperamde for the first 3-4 days. stopping the gaba on day 10ish reducing the dose lil by lil. same with clonazepam. That combo is a godsend, i quit a massive intravenous morphine habit 3 months ago without having to reduce my doses with that combo. loperamide is OTC, if you can get xanax/valium/clonaz would be good and GABAPENTIN/PREGABALIN(LYRICA) is a must too. Cold turkey or tapering has never really worked me.

 

[Joey]

My own experience, I went on methadone maintenance and eventually reduced the dose week by week til I cold turkeyed at a much lower dose. Its easier to taper this way with a doctor I think, and the script is daily so theres no risk of overusing. Suboxone is common and less harsh than methadone physically too.

 

[dopamimetic]

"I have never known any self-administered taper to work. You always end up finding some excuse to take more and wind up where you started."

It did work for me multiple times - notice the multiple, and I'm on kratom again now. Tapers can work but it's very very hard when the target is sobriety. Switching to something else that is less addictive, has more desirable effects or whatever is much easier. NMDA antagonists make the withdrawal disappear and can be good aids (memantine does it but needs prescription. DXM can be used too.)

 

[Mgold55]

60 mg daily hydro isnt that big of a habit. Could be done relatively easily, with about 5-7 days of moderate discomfort, nothing severe. I have quit norco 60-70 mg daily and have quit oxy at 30 mg and at 120 mg daily. I could say quitting norco 60-70 daily was WAY easier than 30 mg of oxy daily. And then the 120 oxy daily was literal death.

 

[Iceman1216]

60mgs of hydro is doable! I tapered for a short time.I broke my daily dose in 1/2 and took one less 1/2 each day at mid day dose. I like my sleep so I was not going to do it there, and morning withdrawals Suck, so not there either
After 1 week I was down to just 61/2s and jumped. only 2-3 days of real discomfort, a little Imodium for bowel movements, and stomach, Alive PM for night time.
All is well

 

[nznity]

LOPERAMIDE+CLOANZEPAM+GABAPENTIN AND LYRICA= BEST AID MEDS. I CAME OFF A 100 MG IV MORPHINE HABIT with that combo.

 

[vision conquest]

The combination that I found to be the best was diazepam and clonidine.

10mg diazepam together with 50mcg of clonidine, wait 45 minutes then repeat untill you feel ok.

I reckon with a 60mg hydrocodone habit you should be feeling ok by 30mg diazepam and 150mcg clonidine.

It is possible to take too much clonidine so it is very good if you are able to monitor your blood pressure during the wd.

 

[Branggen]

I just wanted to say that I self tapered without fucking up and taking more so it is do able, just kind of depends where you are in life

 

[yubacity]

If you don't easily transfer habits take pregabalin for 4 to 5 days. Taper up until comfortable then taper down. So basically get past the first 4 days then quick taper down