Coping with withdrawals

[thewiseonehere]

First off, let me start by saying hi and saying from what I've seen, this is an excellent site with excellent and supportive people!
Anyway, I was taking only 4 mg of suboxone recreationally everyday for the last several months (thanks to a buddy of mine who get's the stuff like candy from his doctor), and I decided I'd quit and weather the storm. I can deal with the runny nose. I can deal with the body aches. I can deal with the gut-wrenching cramps, diarrhea and depression. But Damnit, HOW CAN I GET RID OF THIS INSOMNIA???? I have slept a total of 4 hours in about 4 or 5 days. I think this is day 6...I've called in sick to work for the last 2 days, and I pretty much have to go back to work tonight (in about 18 hours) because they are short-handed...I have tried just about everything I could find to sleep. In these last several days, I've tried Melatonin, Valerian root, Diphenhydramine HCL (OTC Sleeping Pills) and my doc wrote me a prescription for 20 30mg Temazepam's. I took one at about midnight, only to wake up 2 hours later, leg twitching and eyes wide open, darting around the room...I swear, It's the insomnia that has caught me SOO off guard....This is my first real experience of coping with withdrawal. And It wouldn't seem that the withdrawals would be that bad for a person who has only abused the stuff for only about 4 months (and on occasion before that),But BELIEVE ME, THIS IS HELL ON EARTH!!! I have half a 200mg seroquel a buddy of mine gave me, and seroquel has put me to sleep in the past...If this continues for much longer, I might try it...ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS??? Please help...I need the support.

Thank You

[gopher1]

my finace had neculoplasty done back in december. His pain clinic doctor gave him a prescription for Moprhine, he is addictied now. He is still in pain, yet the doctors wont do anything further for his back, just keep refilling his morphie. Now he is abusing the morphine, runs out a week or two early then ends up in the ER, gets a shot of demoral/phenagran, and toradol and they send him home. He is ok for a few hours then he is back to having withdrawl. The last time, a few weeks ago, he got admitted to the hospital, a new neuroseurgon did an MRI, one of many, and put him on a morphine pump for 3 days. After he had already been off the morphine for 9 days. THe new doc looked at the MRI,said it was clear, the only way they found the dics problem the first time was a discogram.So he gives him a script for norco and a muscle relaxer, and sends him home. Now 6 days later, he is going through morphine withdraw again, he has become very depressed,and cant even function. He has another appointment with the pain clinic next week but they wont see him till then. and all they are going to do is refill the morphine again. I dont know what else to do, why wont they re-evaluate his back. This is viscious cirlce and it seems no one will help him find the cause of the pain, just give him a pill to make it go away. Any suggestions ????

[Immanuel]

To thewiseonehere:
  Let me add to your wiseness. I'm a studying psychologist, and recovering addict of Methadone. Whether your aware, or not, suboxone is a drug usually given to Methadone patients to get them off of it. In actually this 'substitute' has bad withdrawal effects as well...its like trading one for the other. However, getting to the point of your insomnia, things like Valarian Root and Melatonin don't have much affect. I sought out a psychiatrist who was familiar w/ these types of addictions, and so he prescribed me an anti-depressent(high anxiety/low depression which goes w/ withdrawal)which will allow me to finally sleep peacefully called Remeron. Hence the key wording 'REM' which as you know is our deepest sleep. And now, I seem to be sleeping too much actually, so he doubled the dosage(this particular anti-depressent works in a weaker state when dosed w/ more) to alleviate my long sleep habits.
  I hope this works for you! Below this section, I'm going to talk about how any opiates, and Methadone affect the mind & body, as well as what supplements there are to repair the body to it's "natural state"...this is for ANYONE suffering and looking for the ONLY TRUE answers, NOT other meds...
   Methadone is one of the most physically dependant medication invented in the 20th century. The reasons: its long half-life (24-36 hrs), it's a synthetic morphine, and the diabolic symptoms of withdrawal & the length of the wtdrwl symptoms. Methadone, like all opioids creates changes in gastrointestinal function...meaning that any food you eat, absorption of the vital nutrients are impaired. This, of course, affects the body negatively. Aches and pains, sore joints, chronic fatigue, sleeplessness, high anxiety/low depression are signs & symptoms of the deficiencies. Methadone effects brain neurotransmitter function and production. It causes havoc in the pituatary gland (produces adrenalin) which causes one to suffer chronic fatigue. All opiates down-regulates opiate receptors in the body which accounts for the long-lasting aches & pains of wtdrwl. Its particularly important w/ methadone wtdrwl because left untreated, the symptoms can last for months. The longer one takes methadone, the more profound the changes in mind-body function.
   Regardless how much you decrease your dosage intake before quitting, there will be some level of wtdrwl. Studies show little difference of wtdrwl intensity between 1mg & 80mg. The wtdrwl is unique to ea. individual. Some can come off 65mg uncomfortably, hardly breaking a sweat while others coming off of low doses suffer PURE AGONY (such as myself, BUT comin' off 40mg). A strong rule to live by is: TREAT THE INDIVIDUAL, NOT THE DISEASE.
   I detoxed off methadone cold turkey at home(not clinically recommended)! Even if you should try out-patient, and you're interested in how to repair their body naturally such as I did, I'll list the supplements essential for withdrawal recovery along w/ what their function is below:

ORAL NUTRITION - (CORRECT PROTIENS)proteins are building blocks for neurotransmitters(receptors)& building blocks for our 'natural opiate' receptors. For 3 weeks NO RED MEATS-contains chemical components which increase inflammation & pain. Excellent source of protein are chicken, eggs, and fish. If unable to eat solids, protein shake.
L-METHIONINE - amino acid. aids production of master neurotransmitters-serotonin, dopamine, and adrenalin. Rebuilds neuros production & function.
EXERCISE - low impact like walking, stretching, swimming.
DRINK LOTS OF WATER!
GREEN TEA - antioxidant
NO COKES, CANDY, OR SUGARY FOODS
INCREASE FRUIT & VEGGIE INTAKE - the fiber helps bind & remove toxins from the body.
MULTIVITAMIN - for repair, healing, and normal body function.
OMEGA 3-6-9 - repair & proper functioning of cellular membranes, anti-inflammatory, helps build immune system.
L-GLUTAMINE - heals the gut. building block for GABA-crossing the blood brain barrier.
VITAMIN C - essential. get as much as possible.
REDUCED L GLUTATHIONE - helps liver detox methadone metabolites.
ADRENALIN SUPPORT - Adrenal Plus product. reduces fatigue & anxiety & insomnia.
MILK THISTLE - essential for liver repair and detoxification.

  Lastly, let me remind everyone that this is doable. Even though it feels like it may, it won't kill you. It'll be a miserable event, but if you're determined, as well as patient, the body WILL HEAL itself...not over night, but in time. You will go through a 'drug hunger' phase from anywhere up to 6 months because your body is seeking that 'quick fix' to ward off the side effects of withdrawal. After 90 days of being clean your body should regain its normality, such as mine did. Why so long? REMEMBER THIS: abusing the body for an EXTENSIVE period of time results in EXTENSIVE recovery. If you 'use' for say, 5-10yrs...the body definately will not repair over-night, ONLY over time, esp. depending on the INDIVIDUAL!

Have patience, and if one is spiritual, "pray incessantly". "God helps those who help themselves." I would've never done it w/out Him...c'mon out-patient done cold turkey!? He listens at ALL times. I hoped I helped in one way or another to anyone seeking true help w/ this. I leave you by saying, "This has to be done..free yourself from being a 'slave' to this poison that our clinics refer to as medicine...after all, I did it (the HARDEST WAY), so my prayers and compassion go out to ALL suffering this affliction. God bless!

If anyone has questions about help w/ opiate detox/withdrawal, post me a message, and I'll be happy to answer anything I can.

[ex herion user 10years]

if any 1 want subitex email me i have 1000s to sell ***@****

[HACKING MOM]

Hello,

So happy to have found this site and the offer of help.

LOONG story shortened...I've been addicted to opiates(started with loritabs,and norco,etc..),now on subutex. Been addicted for a little more then 3 years. Subutex or suboxone for 2 yrs. I've weaned down to 1miligram a day of subutex. I started at 8mil. When I abused hydrocodone it was up to 20 or more pills a day..

  This has been a huge challenge. A couple years ago I went cold turkey off pain meds....OH MY GOD!!! what a damn nightmare...Talk about no sleep and no support and some serious pain in the legs and my back and was just wanting to crawl out of my skin and DIE!!!  

What has made my journey especially difficult is the 'shame' I felt. The 'secret', of wanting to remain that strong person everyone believes I am and was...My 16yr. old daughter and my husband who is in law enforcement, and he would speak 'low' of addicts. That was an extra embarrassment. At this time he is supportive but does not have a clue on how to relate or empathize with me. Our family Dr. has kept me on the 1 mil. of subutex for the last few months...I then tried to go off with out asking or telling(thought i'de surprise everyone) and I was the one in for a surprise...after 4 days...I was having pretty uncomfortable withdrawls(sub stays in body for quite a few days). My doctors office was closed over the weekend and I went to ER room and got 20 loritabs. That lasted me til Monday;and back to the doc. Now I'm on subutex AGAIN!!! I'm taking 1mil, a day. I want my old life back sooo bad. I'm willing to endure some discomfort,but hate to let my daughter see me sick all the time. I was an energetic person and athletic and 'bubbly'. Now I'm more isolated and scared to work because of the fact of just wanting to be drug free and set free from the physical dependancy. My doc is one in only 7 in my city that even can prescribe the medication. I thank god for him,but feel he'll let me stay on this for a loong time...

it's expensive and inconveniant. I want to know what sort of things i can do to slowly get off this(but within a month)..I do have plenty of xanax and sonoma sleeping pills and soma muscle relaxers; if these things can help! Does anyone else have a suggestion or a plan that worked for them? I'de appreciate any type of advice or support...THANKS!!!

[theoldsoul]

unfortnately i have become somewhat of an expert on dealing with withdrawal symptoms. i have been on and off of Herion, Oxys, And pain pills for about 3 years now... not needing these medications i took them recreationly for the euphoric feelings they induce.

when i first started taking pain pills it was during a stretch of time where i was injuried most of the time for a year and a half. 3 broken ankels, broken hand and a torn rotator cuff. i ahd never thougt of taking nor did i know anyone that was taking these meds at the time(bearing in mind i was stlill pretty young at the time, 15yrs) i began to love the feeling i got when i took these pills but was no where near dpendent on them. i would share them with my friends and eventually they too began to develop and affection for these pills.

i didnt began to become addicted until around 15months later. it was around that time i watched what was a very promising baseball carrer come to a dramatic and un-happy ending. because i was unable to play for the majority of 2 years due to my injuries several colleges and scouts began to loose interest in me. claming that anyone with the injury history i had could never stay healthy enough too develop into a professional baseball player. this absoultely killed me moral, baseball was my life and i had planned on it being my meal ticket through life. Also the injuries that i suffered where not practical injuries that happen consitently, the injuries i had over that period of time were of the freak variety, where you look back and say to yourself i cannot believe that just happened to me.

shortly after i decided to leave baseball and become what i now consider as a loser but at the time, was the popular kid at my school that everyone looked to for what was cool. everyone was unaware of my love for opiates

once out of the game i began to loose interest in schoolwork and began to hang out with frineds all the time against my parents advice. i was depressed and thought my life was over, it was then that the pills became my comfort in life. when i was on them i didnt care aboout anything i was just happy, and i loved being happy again.

not before to long i was taking somewhere around 15-25 vicodins, percocets, demerols, just what ever i could get my hands on that contined opiates. this became far to expensive to continue although i never considered quitting at that time. i siwtched to oxys in an attempt to save some money. the same thing happened, i was eventually taking at the least 400mg a day it was insane, and the worst part was that i knew how bad what i was doing was on for my body, mind and emotions. again i needed a way to get the euphoric feeling without spending the amount of money that i was. so i switched to herion. i became addicted to heroin for around 1.5 years and during that frame of time attempted to quit many times being succesful several times but eventually craving the euphoria and returned to my abuse.

the thing i find strange about your original post is that suboxone i had heard was the miracle pill in terms of coping with withdrawal from herion or for that matter any opiates. but each time i tired to quit i tried a new method, not for any reason just thought i had the soulution each time i wanted to quit.

Although the first tim i attempeted to stop using was during my oxy stage and for the most part was unaware of the hell that was in store for me. i had all the symptoms of withdrawal i wanted to die but kept telling myself that i ahd food posioning, i think that helped in preventing me from relaspsing thinking that there was not cure for my condition other than time.

the most effective way i found for coping with withdrawal is going to your docotor or any doctor and telling them your situation. i reccommednd asking for clonodine, which i beilieve is a medication for blood pressure, but is very effective in eliminating withdrawal symptoms, in addition to clonodine my cocktail consisted of perscription sleeping pills,which if you havent been through withdrawal before i cannot urge you enough to consider some kind of sleeepaid,
i also took a medication to aleiveate some of the cramping that occureed this were also very useful in preventing dihaera. and finally i was on valiums to help with anxiety and cravings.

it is also helpful if your are able to clear your schedule for 4 or 5 days, i didnt leave my house for 4 days and becuase of that i didnt have to worry about interacting with other people or having to perform a task or job at work. this will do wonders in terms of preventing immediate relapses.

i had no ill feelings from withdrawal using that method and when i woke up the 5th day i felt great and life became better with each day that passed. making it wasier and easier to stay clean. orginally my doctor wanted to perscribe me to some type of medication that would have prevented me in the future of being able to get that euphoria that you get from opiates. i am unsure why i at the time refused to take the perscription, although i think it may have had something to do with the fact that i was experincing the same eupohric feeling while he was teeling me i wouldnt feel this way anymore. and anyone that has experienced that euphoria knows that you never want the feeling to end. although if you come across this medication i suggest jumping at the oppurtunity.

another way i quit, although probably dangerous and not reccomend is nyquil, sleeping pills and immodium
although my addiction was not as sever as it had been at times it was still a very real a serious addiction. but i found that the nyquil helped in eliminating some-most of the flu like symptoms experienced such as: the nausea, hot/cold flashes, joint/back pain. [t is important that you be careful if trying to use over the counter medications to help quit, because it is easy to take a much larger dose then neccessary for 2 reasons, anyone worried about withdrawal obviously has been taking more than the reccomended dossage of some kind of substance so it is easy to assume you should take more than the dossage for other meddications. 2nd if the medeicine is helpful in alleviating some of your symptoms you are prone to continue taking more and more at the slightest sign of any symptom.] the sleeping pills, as anyone who has been through some kind of withdrawal knows can be a life saver. during withdrawal a very common symptom so common i can alomst guarrantee that if you go through withdrawal anytime in the future you will not be sleeping without the help of something. the immodium is obviously used to help the frequent bowel movements that occur during withdrawal. which in the past i never could get over and usally was so bad or uncomfortable that i immediately relapsed.

also helpful in coping, although not legal is the miracle known as marijuana. this i have been succesful with while stopping from shorter or less sever addicitons. it helps with cravings as well as cramping, bowel disurbances,pain and the mental obstacle that is your own mind that has been programmed to love your substance of choice.


It is immpossible to overcome withdrawal if you havent mentally come to terms with quitting and overcoming the addiction. you must truly,whole heartedly want to stop using or you will never be succesfull in overcoming withdrawal

it is very difficult for anyone to go through the days immediatley following the abscence of somthing that previously was depended upon by your body, but you must realize it is only a phase that will pass. i know that during the early days of quitting that it seems immppossible to overcome this, but know that this is nothing that is going to kill you and continue to tell yourself how much easier and enjoyable life would be w/o having this addiction in your life

there are many other ways that i have found to be helpful, if anyone is interested or needs advice or support email me at ***@**** please only contact me if serious about quitting

[thewiseonehere]

Well, It's day 8 and I sort of feel like an impressionable human being again. I am able to sleep at least 5 hours now, and suprisingly enough, I don't really feel depressed...There's still lots of anxiety and nervous energy left....my legs still have a very hard time staying still, but only at times....Kind of a coincidence, feeling almost normal on easter.... ;)...anyways....thank you GOD!!! Felling much better....Thanks...

[Jammerman]

Hello.....I also have been clean for nine days now.....I had the same problem as you are going through....I asked for Valium, for anxity.....I was told that thats what you get when you go into detox, so I thought I would try and detox myself off this ****....They perscribed me the valium...I took 20mg every 2 hours until I hit 40 mg......That worked, I went to sleep.....I did this for two days, then 20mg total a day until the **** was out of my system....NO more than 5 days.If you can get some valium I promise that will make you go to sleep....But please please do not use it for more than the five days......Life is good....This **** I thought was my friend...It let me down big time......I will never ever go back.....Talk To You Later.....CEYA

[Jammerman]

Hang in there....It's a beautiful day 8...My problem now seems to be I have no energy....I need to go outside and get motivated....Life is good my friend..I need to get into the meetings though....I got through the physcial part, now I need to just maintain, and in order to do that I need the help of the people in the NA rooms.....I won't be able to do this alone forever....9 days now, the sun is shinning, time to start getting busy living life instead of dying....I'll check back with you later......CEYA

[thewiseonehere]

I'm glad you feel better! NA is probably a good idea though...I don't think I really need it....might go to one though if I start getting bad cravings or depression....but SO far that hasn't been the case...well...I gotta go to a CPR class for work...so you hang in there my friend...It'll be over for the both of us soon enough...and I remember someone on this site saying one of the best sayings that got me through the peak of the hellish w/d's, and that is "You must weather the storm before you can find the rainbow."...Ever, ever so true....

[thewiseonehere]

And, Yes, I know, It was extremely irresponsible of me to use this particular drug recreationally...The buprenorphine is just so long lasting, that I could enjoy It all day (and yes, it did give me a considerable amount of euphoria, that is 'till I was taking it to feel "normal")....but after dealing with these w/d's, I am for sure, no questions asked, THROUGH WITH THIS ****!!!

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You ought to ask your doctor about xanax or klonopin...either one will help.,,