Post Acute Withdrawal HELP please.

[MrsANAV]

Today I am 7 weeks free from oxycodone! I was under pain management and taking the medication daily for a year and a a half. My dose was the 5/325s 4 times a day, sometimes up to 6 pills in the last months of usage.

I decided I'd had enough and went cold turkey. I ended up in an ambulance and suffered severely for two weeks in acute withdrawal. When that broke I felt wonderful but now I'm faced with post acute withdrawal and I don't know how much more I can take.

If anyone could please just tell me about your experience with PAWS, what your symptoms were, he you coped and if and when it ended!?

I am experiencing very severe panic episodes, intense anxiety, mood swings, slight depression, trouble with concentration and memory and severe fatigue. It comes in waves and seems to hit for 4-6 days and let up for two...then repeats. But at night my heart POUNDS and races.

I'm on Clonidine and I realized today that some of what I'm experiencing may be this medication. Anyone have experience with side effects from Clonidine?

Any experience or discussion is greatly appreciated. When will this he'll end?! There's no going back I just need coping strategies!!

[dominosarah]

Dont worry about PAWS.  This is still part of the wd's.  I would also start to look for a different therapist.  This one is clearly not educated in addiction.

[MrsANAV]

Oh...and I have been trying my best to eat and drink! I am using the pure protein boxed drinks. I am a ten year post op gastric bypass patient so always have them and plenty of vitamins. It's just that I get so physically sick I can't swallow food or I heave. I really think it's the Clonidine which I stopped today!!

[MrsANAV]

I greatly appreciate the support from you all! I've avoided forums until now because Ive tried not to dwell but I need somewhere to talk.

For those who say this isn't post acute withdrawal how long does this last and why does it come and go? It seems I get 4-6 days of pure hell and two days break and then repeat. It very much feels like PAWS.

[gnarly_1]

Hi  well I agree with Vick and Jifmoc  this is not paws   that doesent hit for months  this is still what I call the ''mental mindscrew'' and that takes time  you said something in one of your posts about not eating for days????  that in itself can send your brain chemicals in to a spin  your blood sugar tanks and causes all kinds of mental problems  you must eat and eat well to recover  lean protein like chicken breast grilled or backed  fresh fish grilled or baked  and push the protein shakes  walmart has a good protein powder  ''whey protein mix it is 19 bucks for a 2 lb can  1 scoop to a glass of milk  drink 2 a day  it has the raw protein for energy and a boat load of amino acids for healing the brain the chocolate flavor is good just stick it out it does get better with time opiet withdrawal can take a wile for the mental part to adjust  as always I recamend the N/A progam  just because you stop the pills does not = recovery  you need to learn the skills and help to deal with the addict that is still alive and well in your brain  keep posting for support where all here for you
.....................................Gnarly

[chig1130]

  Hello, and im so sorry for you. Just know you are not alone. Please check your messages, as I have sent you a pm. I feel like I can give you some comfort.

God Bless
Chig

[jifmoc]

I will tell you: YES, this is typical of opiate withdrawl and it will improve.  Try not to panic about panicking. Everything you wrote is normal. I know 7 weeks feels like a long time, but remember you have numbed yourself for YEARS. You need time and patience. Glad to hear you will be starting meetings!

[luvdolphins58]

Hello. Have u tried raw ginger root for nausea and dry heaves. Also acidophilus works wonders. (Natures Bounty only brand I buy ) also valerian root for anxiety.  Of course b4 taking stuff check with Dr. This is what I still use all the time. Just a thought.

[MrsANAV]

I'm sorry for the typos...

[MrsANAV]

@jifmoc

I have been seeing a psychiatrist weekly but he refuses so even entertain the notion I'm still in withdrawal. He insists I have a severe anxiety disorder instead. When I try disagree he becomes angry. I need to find a new one.

I'm struggling so this week when my husband went to sea I didn't want to be alone with my kids for a week. Yesterday we flew from home in Hawaii to my parents in Calofornia. I did good on the plane but still feel sick physically and mentally in waves.

I return home in a week and my first course of action is a new psychiatrist and NA meetings. My worst symptoms are anxiety and severe when it hits. My heart POUNDS and races and it scares me so bad that the rear just snowballs.

I've been struggling to find help. I don't want drugs I want coping skills. So when I get home it's my top priority. I need people who know what this feels like and have been successful over coming it. I need someone to tell me YES this is typical of opiate withdrawal and it's real but will improve. The psychiatrist telling me I have a mental disorder when I never have....freaks me out and brings on more panic.

Thank you for your reply I greatly appreciate it.

[jifmoc]

Mrs- Like Vick above said, you are still in wds mentally. This is where learning to live life w/o the aid of substances comes in. This is why we promote aftercare on this site. It was the first thing asked of me when I came on here. You can eat better, exercise, take vitamins and yes, that's great, but it won't help you face life w/o feeling sad, angry or anxious. Remember, we're still addicts. Now, we're addicts w/o drugs and we need lots of help.

So...that means major support and life changes. Meetings and or counselor. There are other programs but AA/NA is the most well known. It kept me from buckling under the weight of my own depression.

[MrsANAV]

Thank you! I am REALLY struggling with caring for myself right now. I am so sick feeling mentally that it rolls into physical symptoms. I really think the use of the Clonidine is contributing to nausea, food aversion and dry heaving spells. I'm trying to take it hour by hour and my main goal right now is feeding myself and drinking because I think I'm getting into a dangerous cycle of not eating for days. I have been taking vitamins and have been eating better. I did buy a pricey supplement called calm support that has things which should ease withdrawal but I have a fear of pills right now! If I feel a withdrawal symptom I atteibute it to the supplement and stop taking it. I want so badly to exercise but I'm too weak which again I think is the Clonidine.

I really felt at almost 2 months Id be over this, it's very discouraging but I'm hell bent to get my life back. It's just a day to battle and I intend to win no matter how long it takes.

I will keep up on the vitamins, eating and drinking! Food is fuel and I think I'm running on a dangerously low tank and it's making physically sick.

[VICourageous]

I understand the Anxiety and Fear and also the No-Energy and No-Motivation. All these came in Stages. Month after Month was a new layer that was removed. I still think it is your Brain/Body still detoxing these Toxins or Chems out.

I had bought a few things like CALM. This is a relaxing Magnesium Supplement. It is the Anti-Stress Drink. Magnesium in the Epsom salt is good for Baths too, as it will help relax you & draw more toxins out!
You can find some good teas or herbs and such but these things can get spendy.  To this day I still take my RelaxaMag and my D3 oil for sleep. All the Minerals/Vitamins like Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium and Ds are known to help relax your muscles. Also pick up some Protien Powder. This will have lots of Protien and Amino-Acids are great. Go look at all the Emergen-C products too. Water and Water and LOTS of Fluids will help to and so will a very Healthy Diet. Eating Healthy is a fast way to get those Vit/Min and Electrolytes going. I also have read about the Bs & Cs on here too.

Again, I want to Welcome you and hope you stick around for Support and help others with your Support. It is a good site to meet new friends too!

Others will Chime in here too. It seems to be on the slow side at this moment.
Bless

[MrsANAV]

@VICourageous

Thank you for your reply. I'm so lost in all this withdrawal stuff I don't know if I'm here or there! All I do know is that these symptoms greatly mirror the ones felt in detox. The anxiety and panic seem to be linked to PAWS but I feel much more sick than most post acute people report. The anxiety is just debilitating and I get caught in bouts of fear that cripple me but I have nothing to fear!

I just refuse to start any anxiety med as my goal here is to heal and let my body and brain figure this out. I do think the Clonidine is compounding some symptoms.

Can I aak what natural things you used?

[VICourageous]

Hi & Welcome to our Forum.

You are only 7 weeks out and you are most likely still in the Physical part of w/ds. It takes some time for the Brain Chems to balance out. When this is happening it will send some false singles to your Body as well. That nervous system was highly affected by these Meds.

PAWS has been around & around on this site and many people experience the after-fact in different ways.

I finally broke down after 3 weeks of misery back in 2012 and had taken the Clonidine. It is a light BP med that many Drs use these days. I could only take it at night and did so for such a short time. I ended up going down the Natural Route.

Here is a piece of info regarding PAWS I got from a Dr way back when!

After a person has become adjusted to a certain level of the drug/experience removal of it affects the Emotional/Biochemical balance that has been established, etc.  The person then has to READJUST to Living without the previous level of Stimulation, etc. Post Acute Withdraws can last for months, yr or yrs. It also has Emotional and Physiological aspects that are very difficult to endure.

Now speaking from my own Experience I did not even feel this until I had many, many, many months down the road. I had educated my self a bit on Addiction and the Brain, so I knew as a older women whom has used off & on for most of my Life that it would take some Time..Even at 3yrs I still can have those moments. I think what it boils down to is just adjusting to Living Life without reaching out for something to get you Buzzed or make you Numb. Life will always throw us some curve balls. It is learning to Live in ones own skin again. Living Life on Life's Terms as we talk about at the meetings. It is feeling those REAL Emotions once again.

I would not dwell on it and this part (if you even get this) will not hurt you. It is all about putting up those Boundaries and Changes that have to be made. It takes a TON of working on to stay clean too. Picking up those Tools and using them now to stay on the right track. Behaviors are hard to change and this is what we have to work on.

CONGRATS on your 7weeks. Good Job and keep one foot in front of the other at all times and always keep your Guard Up!!
Bless
Vickie