Help with withdrawals

Need help with going through withdrawals.  I have no one to talk to, that knows that I am an addict.  I am now on the last of my pills.  I cannot get anymore.  I know this site doesn't cut people down for having problems with drugs.  The posts I read are so positive, and at the moment I really do need some good advise.  



Thank You
Tobybear

[GA Guy]

I posted to you at the end of the other post..but here's the information again. Please, read it and ask if you have any more questions. There's a lot of inspiration and support here for the asking...

This is a work in progress...something I've been working on off and on for the last couple of weeks. It's not considered complete, but has lots of info from lots of sources. If any of the "old timers" have anything to add, let me know and I'll add it to the document. I hope to use this to post a general "how to" every couple of days or so.

Listed below are suggestions for detoxing and quitting an opiate addiction. They are just suggestions compiled from the detox plans of people that have gone through cold turkey detox before. They are just that, suggestions, and any detox plan is best when done under a doctor's care. Consult your doctor before trying any of the suggestions below.
This is prewritten for anyone who is beginning or planning on beginning a colt turkey withdrawal to opiates. This includes drugs such as tramadol (Ultracet and Ultram) codeine (Tylenol #3, #4), Darvocet, Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco, Lortab and derivatives),  Oxycodone (Endocet, Percocet, Oxycontin), Morphine, Demerol. Fentanyl, and Dilaudud. There are many other opiates not listed, so if you don’t see it listed, you can still use these suggestions if it’s an opiate based addiction. None of these apply to benzodiazepine based addictions. These addictions should never be dealt with by going cold turkey. Always consult a doctor for a detox plan for benzos.

First of all, opiate withdrawals are uncomfortable, but rarely life threatening. You may think you’re going to die, but most of the withdrawal symptoms are just very uncomfortable. Opiate withdrawal symptoms usually start 12-24 hours after your last dose. But, the timing of withdrawal symptoms depends upon the drug taken, length of time you’ve been taking it, and how you react to medications. The physical withdrawals usually last 3-7 days, with days 3 and 4 being the worst. Once again, this is all dependent on the person. You can expect these symptoms. Dilated pupils, diarrhea, runny nose, goose bumps, abdominal pain, stomach cramps, sweating, agitation, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, leg cramps, general aches and pains, and sleeplessness. This list is not absolute. You may experience all of these symptoms, only some of them, or other symptoms. Again, we are all different. Below is the famous Thomas Recipe. It gives some general information along with supplements that help with the withdrawal symptoms. The only thing I would add to this list is a blood pressure drug named clonidine. It effectively lowers the blood pressure and lessens many of the withdrawal symptoms. Most any doctor will prescribe it if you’re honest as to why you need it. Discuss dosages and frequency with your doctor.

Thomas Recipe:

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 (immodium) (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 (immodium) 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.

[Glauren]

What is your back story? (how long you been using? and what?)

[tobybear]

Thank You for the information. It's nice to know someone is out there listening. Glauren, I had an auto accident 2 years ago and have been taking hydrocodone 7.5 for over a year.  Now the Dr. won't give me anymore. She says that I need shots, besides the physical therapy that I was taking.  I ran out money and now can't afford the shots so she won't refill my prescription.  She said that I am a drug seeking person and will not refill the medicine until I take the shots.  Which I will probably do once my money situations gets better.  Anyway, I started taking 3 times the amout that I was prescibed, and now I am out of them, and scared of withdrawals. So I needed Info to understand what I will be going through and how to go about it.  It is something I am not looking forward to.

Thanks again
Tobybear

[beachtowel]

This recipe.......
Why do you need Valium............another addictive pill that has crippled millions..........

Stop thinking you need meds to get off meds.................

Subutex or Suboxone inpatient detox given by doctors with a five day life is the only safe
way to use meds.....
FLaddict did it I know but she is one in 50 who can.........
Addicts take pills thats what they do......

A patient treating a patient is risky.........

You say your alone and nobody knows people close to you know your screwed up they might
not know exactly why.........
Getting to recovery alone........detox alone...........living alone...........it is a horrible place and a
ton of loneliness.......
loneliness is a huge trigger to use...........

You are going to have to trust someone or go to an inpatient detox on your own to start at least there will be people there who no and understand how to help you......
good luck.......

[Glauren]

Well.....I am newly sober, so the WDs are definately fresh in my mind. They are definately not fun, and not easy. I am not as knowledgeable as most on here, but I can tell you what I did, and hope that it will help out.
First off my back story is this:
I started taking loritabs about a year and 3 months ago. It started with about 2 a day, then at the end I got up to at max 13 a day. It got to the point I would take to many and get severly ill, and throw up without warning. I started spending waaaaaaaay to much money on them, and my dealer lives pretty far from my house. So it began to be a huge hassle. I never got perscribed to them, I am just a druggie I suppose. Then I just decided to quit. A huge part of it is that I am taking a vacation in 2 weeks, and will be going out of the country. There was no way I wanted to detox on my vacation. So I knew I had to stop.
So I just took the rest of my stash, and prepared myself for the WDs.
For me it was extreme discomfort. I felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin, and could not get comfortable to save my life. But one thing that helped was drinking MASSIVE ammounts of vitamin water, and gatorade. I never stopped drinking either. I was constantly trying to put vitamins in my system. And even took a multi vitamin. One of those A-Z ones. And showers. That seemed to provide a temp relief. The worst part to me was not being able to sleep. Xanax helped, but I would still wake up tossing and turning. You just NEED to realize that IT WILL ALL END. When it is happening it is soooo easy to just want to use to take the pain away, but just keep telling yourself that if you can make it through day 4, it only gets easier. Oh, and you are going to have pretty bad diarreah (diarrhea). But I took Pepto and it helped. Luckily I and feeling just fine, no depression, and I have a lot of energy. lol....to much maybe. And unforch I am stuck at home due to an infection in my intestines. So I am a little restless. Other than that I feel AMAZING, and I can not stop offering any advice that I have. I want everyone on here to get through whatever they are struggling with, and have their lives back.
Hope that helps a little.

There are others on here that did it differently, I just did it cold turkey.
If you have any questions I will be happy to answer the best I can.

[tobybear]

Thank You Glauren for the info.  I know it is going to be hard, and I am so scared. I started taking the pills for pain, and then for energy, then to keep from feeling bad. Now I just want to get off this merry go round. I want to be able to think with a clear head.  Lately, I have had a hard time keeping my mind on one thing with out drifting off somewhere. I know in my heart and soul that I need to do this, but my body is the part that is scared. Thanks for the encouragement.

tobybear

[Glauren]

You do need to do it. And you CAN!
Do you have any hobbies? I paint, and did that alot to keep my mind off of it. Maybe that would be something that would be benefial to you.

Tell me about you without saying anyting you dont want....I can help give you some ideas.

[fishmeal]

Hi this is pre-written for new people… hope this helps:

It’s good to come clean with your doc concerning your desire to get off.  Ask him to prescribe clonidine, (not klonopin), and ativan.  These will help with sleep, RLS and anxiety.  These are best to try before formal detox and drugs like Suboxone.  I had to do formal detox because I tried everything else, including alcohol to get off and nothing worked for me.  Keep in mind that when you try… make it a good one!  Have some time off of work if you can… maybe a four day weekend or more.  Make the last day of work without any drugs, because the first day is usually the easiest.  Try your best to get clean and stay clean because the other methods require more potent drugs and you have to come off of those.  I am still on Suboxone and am a little worried about that… It does work well but the jury is out on, “At what Cost.”  I also learned while in detox, that the mind can psychosomatically create pain to “get’ the drug.  Another was that healing while using opiates greatly diminishes.  I would have sores on my hands that would take way too long to heal.
Best
Fish
I have to say this from the bottom of my heart,  Please do not keep playing around with these drugs they are very powerful ….. kinda like heroin in a pill and just as hard to get off once you attain the, "addicted" status.

[tobybear]

I wish I could paint, about the only thing I can paint is the outside of our house, or maybe a bedroom or too.  I am not an artist.  I loved walking my dogs everyday.  The Dr. won't let me do that anymore, because she says that they make jerk me while walking them.  Which is true whenever they see a cat or another dog.  I love reading, don't write too many letters.  Don't like to talk on the phone. Enjoy a few t.v. programs.  I have a herniated disk in my neck and am suppose to keep activity to a minimum.  Which is why I loved the pain pills.  I could what I wanted without pain.  Now I am on Day 2 and fell like I have a super bad hangover. I am scared of what's ahead, but determined to not take pain pills.  I love playing with my 4yr old grandson. Now I don't get to. Maybe when I get over the detox I will feel like playing with again.  Fishmeal, I have a husband with agrophobia and can't leave him to go into a detox.  So I am stuck doing it myself. Which is why I think God led me to this forum.
Thanks so much for the info. I would be lost without ya all.

God Bless
Tobybear