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Another one bites the dust!
by KimH, May 28, 2003 12:00AM
I am an x drug addict, I did everything under the sun exept use needles. That was next because I was sniffing herion. I got arrested and ended up in a 5 month treatment center, then 3 more months in a 1/2 way house. I worked HARD at getting sober! I was coming up on 4 yrs sober. I also have Interstitial cystitus (I'm sure I mis spelled that)anyway, it gets very very painful and feels like a UTI. I was givin ultram for the pain and 3 of my doctors said it is fine with me being is recovery and all. Well guess what, I am hopelessly addicted to this! I'm pissed as you can imagine! I can't get off of it and the withdrawel is awful! What can you do about the emotional part? The anger, the feeling like giving up, the feeling that it is not fair!!!!! The feeling of defeat, the feeling that I can not do this again and shouldn't have too, the feeling that I can not trust any doctors.The depression, the resentment, the terror I feel waking up in the middle of the night with my pillow drenched and panic in my heart? When you can't get in to see a theripist because it takes 3 months to get an appointment. What do I do? Kim
i too have interstitial cysitis. it is a painful condition but in my case i was fortunate that i did not have to take narcotics for it. they did fill my bladder up with this god-awful smelling stuff once a month that came out of my pores for DAYS afterwards! i would get home and the kids would open up the windows and leave the house until it aired out! it was that bad!!
ultram w/d is pretty typical of any narcotic w/d's that you have already probably had. i was on ultram for only two weeks and spent three days in some very unpleasant w/d's, esp. for a drug that isn't "addictive". you will get through it!! you were clean for four years and that in itself should show you that you have what it takes. i know that it sucks, but there really is nothing else that can be done. taper down off the ultram, use the thomas recipe (someone post it please~) and everyone here will be with you in spirit.
on a more personal note: i have been in a custody battle with my ex over my ten yr. old son. the father had cirrohsis of the liver, end stage and last week had a TIA (a small stroke) to make a long story short, he died on monday, memorial day and i was left with the task of telling my young son that his father was dead. at first i thought, no, I KNEW, i would need narcotic help just to get through this... how else could i do it? yea, right! well, i have made it through the last few days without putting anything into my body (other than too much coffee and smokes!) i am pretty amazed right now! and grateful that i found this board and found out about rational recovery... i feel sad and empty inside but i feel strong and i have seen a glimpse of the person that i am becoming. for the ultram girl, i had 8 years clean in NA, started three NA groups in the atlanta area. i relapsed about 6 years ago and have a few days over five months right now. oh well, life goes on, you can pick up right where you left off my friend... and you will! :-)
peace,
amber
and i have been here for 16 months, i have been clean
now for 13 months , thanks to the support and knowledge
i gotten here at this fourm, i was clean in na for many years
untill i had to take pain med for medical reasons, i was clueless about how addictive they were and how difficult the withdrawls are, and that includes ultram, i was taken
vikes and precs and ultram. with the support of the good folks here at this fourm, i learned about the severe depression that comes with the with drawls from the pain meds and also the
almost complete lack of energy .
i was introduced to what is known as thomas's receipe, a list of vitamines and minerals, alonf with something to sleep and imodium., in any event i felt the same way you do ,when i found this fourm. Read all the post here you can and post any questions, im sure you will find the answers tou need in order
to get your life back. feeling hopeless is normal.
you are in the a good place.i tried to quit the pain meds on my own , but kept failing , , looking back it was because of the depression , hopelessness, and lack of energy, which the receipe helped more then i can express in words.
Amber, im sorry to here of you and your sons loss,
my prayers are with you and your son.
hippy
I've copied and pasted the Recipe for you.Thomas Detox Recipe
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor, simply a long-time Rx opiate junkie who has had many opportunities to develop a way to detox. This is a recipe for at-home self-detox from opiates based on my experience as well as that of many other addicts. It is not intended as professional medical advice. It is always wise to make sure none of the recipe ingredients or procedures conflict with medications you may be taking. Likewise, if you have any medical condition, disease, allergy or any other health issue, consult your doctor before using the recipe. Thanks, Thomas
This recipe is designed for cold turkey opiate detox. It assumes that you can get about 5 to 7 days away from your job or household responsibilities during which you can sleep, veg and act as miserable as you feel. Opiate WD mimics the symptoms of the common flu, so, if you need a smokescreen, hide behind a bad case of the flu.
If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.
For the Recipe, You'll need:
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
How to use the recipe:
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
With breakfast, take the mineral supplement.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have any medical complications, first check with your doctor before detoxing to verify that this regimen is safe for you.
percs(no more)
so death is something as addicts we know about,
addiction is a life and death situation, have lost many freinds
to drugs, so many i can not keep count.
oxic posted the receipe.
this ihow i took it.
l-tyrosine 500mg caps 8 a day in the morning, 4 a day weeks after.
b-6 100mg 2 a day in morning
calsium-magnisum
vitamins A -C and e
zinc, copper , phousphous , magneese
a strong multy vitamine
imodium for the runs and shits week 1
valium or xanax for sleep week 1 taper down as the week progresses
lots of hot baths and soaks for restless leg and body
lots of water, and gatoraide during the day for lost electolites.
bannas help with restless leg (potasium)
some people suggest 5htp for depression 1 a day weeks after 1st.
5htp also is good at night for sleep 4 caps.
some people also say benadryl is good for sleep.
you can start the receipe right away, the pils deplete our
body of most of its nutrients, the shits and runs make this a lot worse that is why the imodium is si important, loss of
nutrients and elctrolites make the with drawls a lot worse
then they have to be.
i have fpound that the l-tyrosine and b6 has been the most important for me.they sort of blocked out the pains of withdrawls.
pace hippy. ps. try not to fall into the trap of being to dramatic, we all know this is about living or just exsisting
in a way where the pills just suck the life right out of ya. and ya wake up everyday and feel like you 100 years old.
tho the whole receioe is important.
Bill
hows life treating you, i hope well.
peace brother---------hippy