Mild opioid withdrawal

I had unfortunately got in the habit of consuming OTC opioids with greater frequency that may be recommended.

Initially without any issue but the last while I noticed symptom emergence like getting jittery and anxious when not taking them, mild delirium, and unfortunately abdominal discomfort typically known to come about with opioid use.

Basically went "cold turkey" as of day before yesterday, some horrible abdominal pain and (gross), my lower intestine has been like an exploding bratwurst since.

Bizarrely I had this immovable "tire" around my lower abs for months now, and this morning when I looked down it had noticeably deflated.

Also, intense jittery anxiety and it feels like my sensory perceptive "gain" has been amped up so it's like I'm getting this environmental "screeching".

Pharmacist said it would take between 1 and 2 weeks to pass entirely.

Anyone experience with this, and any management tips to ease through the process?

This sucks.

I just need to take the edge off, lol.

Obviously no where near as intense as full on heroin withdrawal but I remember that scene from "French Connection", the dude just got drunk daily to kick the opioid tolerance.

markmoto

Sorry to hear that, please research into Amino acid therapy. Number of amino acids & group of vit B will help to rebuild neurotransmitters and hopefully let you off the addiction.

A chemical suddenly taken away from my brain, it feels like I need to retrain myself how to think and behave without its affect.

I never realized the quantity I was consuming until it kind of crept up on me.

First it was a couple pills here and there, no big deal;

Then I'm craving missing doses, it was the abdominal cramping and other stomach issues that really made me take stock of what was going on.

The funny thing is, every single time the pharmacist would dispense whatever opioid containing product they would reliably say, "DO NOT TAKE FOR LONGER THAN 3 DAYS, MMMMKAY?".

Re amino acids/Vit b, way ahead of you, I already take work out supplements loaded with that.

I'm sure it will be fine it's just irritability, every small sound is like nails on a chalk board at the moment.

markmoto

Not those aminos from protein shakes : ) And perhaps B group either synthetic versions or not getting absorbed enough.

dannyo666

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058206066/mild-opioid-withdrawal

Magnesium my friend-B vits are good long term but if you want instant jittery feeling gone then get some magnesium

".... the drugs don't work.... they just make it worse...."

lol

That song has been going 'round and around in my head for days.

And this was just OTC painkillers.

Cravings, serious cravings.

Heroin withdrawal must be an absolute nightmare.

apache

You just have to ride it out. You will feel better next week if you abstain.

flos1964

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117831837#Comment_117831837

How long were you on them John ?

flos1964

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835019#Comment_117835019

Sorry Apache meant for JJJ.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835019#Comment_117835019

I've taken pain killers containing opioids on and off for years cause they're more effective than anything else.

Around December of last year I went through a phase of intense use then tapered off without much issue.

And this summer use just became habitual, particularly over the last 4 weeks, the difference in this case being habit formation was much more evident, and for some reason symptom emergence (as said, abdominal issues were the wake up call).

The other aspect to consider is that up until rather recently also I was also quite happy to ingest just about anything psychoactive (which possibly made opioid discontinuation last december easier as I was tapering one but replacing it with something else).

But on this occasion I have a completely clean system (with the occasional absent minded regression) but basically nothing this time around to act as a safety net for opioid use cessation.

Last week has been rather ghastly but I must say being more clear headed (or getting there) is a pleasure also.

DaTown

Would the abdominal issues not be from the truckload of paracetamol that's in otc opioids?

flos1964

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835637#Comment_117835637

I to was on them for years...tramadol and tylex was my weapons of choice...crazy amounts...i went cold turkey three times and failed three times...used one to get off the other and then used the other to get off one...had an addiction doctor on the job as well...i thought i was a tough man but those things brought me to my knees...there was just no information where i was to help me...any way last year i started to taper down nice and slowly and got there in the end...they have left me with constant headaches and tinnitus but you are doing brilliantly...best of luck.

flos1964

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117835744#Comment_117835744

The truckload of paracetamol is deadly on the liver.

Can't fully explain this but, I was initially taking opioid pain killers for muscle cramping, generalized nerve pain and headaches.

Normally conventional painkillers just didn't cut it where opioids were nitro.

About the same time my body has rejected codeine, it has began to manage using just plain old paracetamol.

Paracetamol....

I mean, this morning about 7 am I was in the horrors.

1 gram of paracetamol and 30 minutes later and I'm doing I would say about 70 to 80% better.

Bear in mind solpedeine/codinex have been my closest companions for the last year, and this last couple months we've been positively inseparable.

I know conventional paracetamol mediates its effects through prostaglandins and COX enzymes which have no associated euphoria and generally little to no psychoactive effects (thus you can buy them in news agents).

.....

Obviously muscle cramping and headaches are a "downstream" product of nerve function in some capacity, just given the severity I never expected something as simple and generic as the above to actually work.

It's definitely vastly improved what has been a nasty previous week and a half (I know opioid tolerance passes in a couple weeks but it was showing no sign of letting up in my case - or so it felt).

So 1 gram paracetamol 3 times a day, trying to limit it to that.

Hermes Trismegistus

Hi John,

How are you holding up now? Good I hope.

I just happened to see your post - it jumped out at me as I'm currently going through opioid withdrawals myself at the moment (not codeine but heroin). Multiply the horror you're going through 10 fold and its not even close. I was never one for needles but I had smoked it for a few years in the past, then when my father was diagnosed with cancer back in April and given a matter of weeks to live (unfortunately, he has now passed away) I had a relapse. Sorry, dont mean to make this about me mate, just giving some context and explaining how I can relate.

"I know opioid tolerance passes in a couple weeks"

Opioid tolerance can significantly lessen within a matter of days, which is why so many people who inject heroin or even morphine for that matter often overdose after having as little as a week clean (due to using the dose they typically would have taken). You'd be surprised how quickly your tolerance can zero off, especially after a cold-turkey.

It's a shame I didn't catch this thread a little earlier as theres a relatively simple method of extracting the codeine from the paracetamol using cold water and coffee filters, with the end product being a codeine tincture with a yield of approximately 90-98% depending on how precise you are in your method. Enlightening you in how to carry out this process certainly would have made it easier on your liver, however I expect the damage has already been done if you've been using OTC codeine for as long as you state. I have to say it worries me that you're still taking a gram of paracetamol a day though. That'll kill you John, and quickly too.

Anyway I truly hope you're doing better John, hopefully we'll get an update from you. You've inspired me to start my own thread off in which I aim to document the process which will help me maintain my sanity over the next 10-14 days so thanks for that John.

Hope to read that update (even if you did relapse, theres no shame in it - dust the aule self off and try again).

~ H

No not at all, glad to hear someone else's experience.

Yeah I found it I guess you could say "an up hill battle" type of situation, but in terms of overall lifestyle, analogously it's been more of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" type of deal.

The difference in the comparisons probably makes sense only to me, lol.

Point being I'd found constantly taken something to just mellow out was the easy way to get through the day.

And it was proving pretty challenging to move on from, but something clicked in relation to physiology, and this may sound kind of ridiculous but going back to the gym to get "a pump", it seems to have replaced the feeling using opioid products had given.

That feel good rush.

It's like it's kick started my body into being active and thus feeling good again.

Over the last week I've even managed to stave off having to use paracetamol, oddly enough replacing it with a light cup of coffee (never drank this ever) occasionally.

....

So, that's where I stand for now, and I can only see what happens moving forward.

So fingers crossed it becomes a "from strength to strength" type of progression.

I look forward to reading your thread, seeing other peoples coping and recovery strategies relative to their situation is always positive.

And perhaps against my better judgement, I gotta add this:

It sounds so cliched cause every health article now a days contains some kind of advocacy for exercise.

Fact of the matter is since about the third quarter of 2019, I simply haven't been able to maintain a decent physical activity schedule, between one thing and next.

Those various opioid products were a damn god-send over that time period, pain alleviation, both physical and psychological (and I unequivocally believe the two are inherently related).

I think it's part of my very identity to be a big imposing looking brute (I've lost 20+ kgs since the above time and turned all skinny and pathetic), and at this point I truly believe there is a physiological pain alleviation mechanism in having active musculature that goes beyond posture; electrical integrity of the physiological system as a whole - cellular signalling etc.

Thank fully now I'm in a position to recommence physical activity and I think it was a matter of transitioning from drug dependence, back into that (a transition that's still in process), that's been tricky not only to do, but to understand that's what's I had to do.

I mean I never would have thought pumping iron of all things would act as an analgesic, physical and psychological but - again, fingers crossed this is a "from strength to strength" type of situation.

God dammit.

Slight relapse over the last few days.

Drugs make you do some pretty stupid out of character shit.

Aw hell, another day, another morning, hit teh gym, get my pump on, resolve to try and avoid having to rely on these crutches in future; it's not easy though.

This time methamphetamine, which hangs around in the brain quite a bit longer than I'd prefer (24 hr half life so full clearance takes forever).

My GP referred me to an addictions councilor (lord knows what that will accomplish), but I guess all I can do is pick myself up, dust myself off, keep on keeping on.

You know what craving burns the worst right now?

Craving for anything.

Anything to get dissociated, anything mind altering.

It's crazy, I always thought I'd have this under control (well I mean, I guess I do, but that control is hard work sometime).

I don't think there's any longer a physiological craving for opioids or anything, but there is a terrible psychological craving to simply leave planet earth and fly once again out in the universe.

Jezus mary mother of christ, what I wouldn't give for a bump right now (meth).

😭😭😭

That sweet dopamine rush, is there anything in the world quite like it?

apache

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007131#Comment_118007131

Just keep thinking of the comedown after it.

flos1964

Been dabbling again myself ....even love the sense of anticipation of whats to come...

Gremlinertia

Ok i can't leave this thread open now. Drug abuse isn't something that can be dealt with online solely and definitely not here..

Thread closed - Grem