Dealing with pot withdrawl

[missfiveday]

My husband is Pot head.  He's 41 yrs old, and has smoked it since he was a teen.  When he hasn't smoked in even a couple hours he starts withdrawling, within a day without he becomes severely angry, flu like symptom including the chills, irritability, lethargy.  What's the best way to deal with the withdrawals caused by smoking pot?  He is also a sober alchoholic for years at a time before relapsing for one night of binging.  He is also on a prescription for percs for chronic pain which he limits himself to a max of 3 a day when needed... He also smokes a pack of day ciggarettes.  

[Dane74]

Rich, pot is not a  physical adiction, but it does stay in your system for a period of time.  But it doesnt have the ill effects as opiates does.....

[Dane74]

pot is also NOT an opiate, so even if there is a remote chance of withdrawal it is nothing like coming off opiates.  i am a regular pot smoker on and off for 15 plus years, and when i dont smoke for a lenghth of time all that happens to me is that i eat allot less, sex is not as intense, and i dont sleep as well as if i would have smoked.

[hellc@mst]

Here in NZ it is not uncommon for doctors to prescribe small doses of valium for 1-2 weeks as a way to minimise the anxiety and stress pot addicts describe when tring to stop. Few people acknowledge the intensity that some may experience when ceasing to abuse marijuana and minimise or make light of marijuana WD with the infamous "it is only mental" line

My response is, psychological cravings/addictions are far more problematic and severe than the transient symptoms involved in physical dependance. Just look at a methamphetamine addict Our minds are able to manufacture all manner of real, detectable, treatable symptoms if allowed. This should never be underestimated and i expected more empathy and compassion on an addiction forum.

I have to concur with other posters about the symptoms being more similar to opiate WD but i believe anything is possible with regards to substance abuse and addiction. Does he not have any pot left at all? I would be curious to see if his symptoms are relieved if he were to imbibe. Chance are that there may be more than just marijuana WDs at play.

Here are some links. The second link has some interesting articles about the phyiology of cannabis WDs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_withdrawal

http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/marijuana-addiction-withdrawal-symptoms

[koonamen]

maybe they are the percs... but i have  once had myself withdrawls from pot... for a week i would get chills with every motion and felt like death... no energy nothing... i smoked for probably 6 yrs then quit cold turkey for a job... but percs will do the same just much worse.... pot w/d for me lasted 4 or 5 days... not 4 weeks.. thats bs.... most likely percs

[missfiveday]

Valiums...

[missfiveday]

Yeah, I'm for certain it's from his pot.  He's never bought any p's... But all this started way before he had the pills.  I know he's not on anything else, cos his dr does pee tests every couple months and all that comes up is his pot n percs.  I have access to our garage where he hangs out with everyone.  I have a sister, a good friend and an inlaw who have addictions to pills, percs and oxys mostly.  I don't see any of the same behavior patterns.  And as soon as he smokes a joint he's fine.  He's very honest with me, and I've been seeing this for 8 years.  He has even talked to his dr about it.  His dr says he'd rather him be smoking the pot then to have him on values or anything.