PAWS and Cough Syrup abuse

[shadowknight]

Hi.

Its been around 70 days since I've been clean. I abused cough syrup for a period of one year and few days back I have started experiencing a few problems. I feel dull and tired (mentally and at times physically too), sleepy etc. Is it possible I might be experiencing Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome?

Best,
Shadow

[mr.lucky66]

I understood all that but don't think  the cough medicine has anything to do with your current anxiety. It could be the xanax. Xanax is used for anxiety but can cause rebound anxiety when it wears off.

[shadowknight]

The cough syrup I used to abuse contained codeine. And I think that falls under narcotics? Its been 70 days since I kept myself completely away from cough syrup. I take Alprazolam (the one i take we get here and the one I take is known as 'restyl'). I used to take it once in a blue moon. Like whenever I felt its need. Once a month, twice.

What else do you reckon it could be then?

[mr.lucky66]

It's been over 70 days since you have ytaken narcotics or cough medicine? If so, these synptoms aren't related to paws, very doubtfull. all the besy

[shadowknight]

Its almost 9 PM now. I'll try hitting bed at around 11 or 12. I am feeling v. sleepy at the moment but I am scared I might wake up in an hour or two. I want to sleep till around 7 in the morning. I am trying to change my routine right now. I usually work with alot of people who are from different time zones so I've to adjust my schedule accordingly. Thats why I am awake during the night hours and I go to sleep during the morning/afternoon. I want to maintain a proper schedule for sometime.

I havent gotten a response yet but I am looking forward for one. Should I go ahead with the Alprazolam? I usually take v. small amounts (around 0.25 mg) of it so that its just enough to help me fall asleep. And most of the time, if I am sleepy, it does help me fall asleep.

And I plan on taking it for the night.

[shadowknight]

Could all this be happening because I havent taken any amino acids or anything else to help myself?? I really hope this ends soon! I am hardly able to sleep also even though I am feeling sleepy. Last time I slept was yesterday at around 3 PM and I got up at 7 PM. I was still feeling sleepy so at 9 PM again I slept for an hour then got up at 10 PM. I am awake since then! Last night = 3rd of May. Its the 4th of May now and its 2 in the afternoon. I slept at around 12:30 PM but I could only for an hour. When I last woke up yesterday at 10 PM, I started feeling fine and I was till around 8 or 9 AM. Then again this started! My arms feel numb, I feel I am suffocating!

[shadowknight]

Ok I think this is getting worse now!! I have been exp. this from the last 3 or 4 days! Does anyone here think it could help if I take Alprazolam?? Its usually sold as Xanas. Please help!

[mr.lucky66]

remember there are 2 diffewrent kinds of cough medicine people abuse. Narcotic and non narcotic DM. big difference

[shadowknight]

I'll also assume you are going to have no problems finding a doctor. Once you stop, you'll need a healthy deit. Proper nutrition, vitamins, minerals etc. A doctor or a nutritionist will help you with that. All this will help you during the recovery process. And be positive. Try not to think negative and avoid people who might influence negative thoughts inside your mind.

[shadowknight]

Pick a day. Make a will. Get as much info as you can get. Find out what kind of cough syrup it was. And if whether you can go cold turkey. Meet a doctor and tell him about your plans. So whenever you experience something weird, you can talk to him and he’ll help you relax. I quit without the help of any rehab. But I got a lot of help here. And I did it the hard way. I experienced a lot of anxiety. A rehab isn’t a necessity but I feel a doctor is. I am going to visit a doctor tomorrow and see if I can ask him to prescribe something which will help me sleep and relieve the anxiety. Remember, its not easy quitting and at the same time, it’s not rocket science either. I am as old as you are and if I can do it, so can you. Specially if you have the will. You just have to be strong. You have a whole life ahead of you! That’s all I can say to you. And that you are ready to quit!

[Sportsguy86]

Eh, I highly doubt what you are experiencing is related to PAWS from Cough Syrup.  Possible I guess though.  I think alot of people forget that they before they were addicted, they experienced fatigue and discomfort at times too.  Could be anything, really.  Go to a doctor.  Too often people attribute things to withdrawal and really build up in their heads.

[MattGyste]

whats up? i've been addicted to cough syrup for about 4 years. any advice you can give me to help quit?

[mr.lucky66]

I abused narcotic cough medicine for many years and got started being a junkie on syrup. It depends on which kind but I drank some rot gut stuff like turpenhydrate and codeine and some other nasty stuff until I found cleaner stuff. I don't name names much to educate people but syrup is a little different than pills or dope in that it affects the stomach more and codeine does as well. I remeber being very young and gaging down a bottle and going to a party and sitting in a chair nodding when everyone else was drinking. It changed my life and not for the better. all the best

[worried878]

What do u mean...deal with drug abuse...do u mean like r they all educated on it?  Most are and understand it and the paws and stuff...an addiction specialist would for sure be qualified...talk to you psychiatrist about it...I am sure most have experience with patients who abused as they often have underlying issues with depression or anxiety which causes us to try and self-medicate to reieve it
I do know for me...stress aggravetes or even causes a paws episode....it does sound like u r anxious about this situation and that alone can cause sleep disturbances for me and an uncomfortable feeling during the day...like i drank too much coffee or something...the anxiety may also be contributing to your "organ failure" as well...it is amazing what stress can do to our bodies...talk with your doctor about it...main thing is to try not to dwell on it as it makes it worse..hard to do but try to think of something else when u find yourself dwelling on it...i used to wear a rubberband on my wrist and pop it evertime i thought about smoking a cigarette!

[shadowknight]

Ya. I was fine. I would say I was perfect! I quit on the 20th of Feb. For 7 days, I felt something similar to this. I thought they were w/d symptoms. But later I kind of figured it was severe anxiety. The reason I had stopped was because I heard some scary stories! And it scared the living **** out of me! Trust me. I thought I would eventually die. Then I started posting here etc, and one member here said what I was experiencing might actually just be anxiety. And then all of a sudden I wake up one day and I am 100% alright.

Back to the present. Lately I started experiencing erectile dysfunction. And this has been killing me. I am always thinking about it. I am getting married this October. And I need to get rid of this problem (I am a virgin and so is my fiance). And then few days back I started experiencing pain in my lower abdomen and in my testicles. That made it worse! I thought my organs were damaged. But I experienced this pain only for a week or two. Now I am fine. No pain in testicles, no pain in the abdomen. But the fear is still inside me. I cant stop thinking about what I did. I think if something happens to me and my parents find out, they'd die! Seriously. Specially my mom. She has a heart as strong as a feather. She would never understand how I could abuse drugs.

Is it possible this isnt PAWS but a very severe form of anxiety?

And also, please tell me this. Can all psychiatrists deal with drug abuse?

[worried878]

70 days later....i am at 87 days clean from hydros...codeine is a narcotic as well...strange,,I have had paws as well but not to the extent that u r describing..is there anything wrong or upsetting going on in ur life right now?  and u were feeling good post withdrawal til now?

[shadowknight]

Dear Friends, I am hardly able to sleep from the last 2 days!! :( I am able to sleep for only 4 hours or so. And after I get up, I am feeling sleepy most of the time. It feels like my mind is half open had half closed. Today I slept at around 3 PM and got up at 7 PM. Then again I went into bed at 9 PM and slept for an hour. I hope this will go away soon?? I am not able to eat either. And sometimes I am feeling very scared and I feel like crying. I really dont know what to do! Please help.

[shadowknight]

Its been 70 days since I quit. And this is what it contained:

Chlorpheniramine maleate and Codeine phosphate

I hope that helps.

[worried878]

how long has it been since u quit and what drug was in the syrup?  if it has been a bit since u quit,,,could be the PAWS...educate yourself on it...hang in there

[cathy5841]

look in the health pages here on the forum..top right of this page.  there is lots of info on paws.  yes it is very possible for you to be experiencing it.
cathy