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How to deal with opiate withdrawls?

Discussion in 'Opiate Withdrawal Treatment' started by blinghoblanger, Jun 15, 2015.

  1. I'm looking to help a friend kick the opiate habit. We're in the process. But that means eventually the withdrawl times will come. Does anyone have ideas on how to deal with it?
  2. Totalarmordestine

    Totalarmordestine Senior Contributor

    Opiate withdrawals are horrible, and if taken enough opiates long enough, withdrawals can be hell on earth. I usually would take suboxone (or subutex), and sometimes methadone to help the withdrawals. Methadone helps a lot more, because its not only helps more with the physical symptoms, but it helps with the mental symptoms, while suboxone only kind of helped with the physical symptoms, but I still always prefer to take suboxone since methadone is very bad for you, and is way worse than any other type of opiate withdrawal, as methadone withdrawal is the most intense, and most longest and difficult to overcome. So if you methadone, do not abuse it at all, only take just enough to help withdrawals just enough to help, not to feel completely cured, and better full of euphoria. Only take a little, and only for a few days or so, because it is the one addiction you don't want. And it really should only be taken by people with severe heroin addiction. Suboxone is definitely the safest way to go, but make sure that if you do take something like suboxone or methadone, that you take what you need to get off the opiates, and then stay off, because the more you go back and forth, the worse your addiction and tolerance will be, and the more difficult it'll be to overcome the addiction. And if you can't find something like suboxone, cough syrup should help, since it helps cure the withdrawal flu like symptoms. Besides taking stuff for the initial withdrawal symptoms, it is good to take a benzo like xanex to help you sleep during the first days, since it will be near impossible to sleep without them. But all of this advice is for someone that takes a lot of opiates, and has severe symptoms. If you only take some opiates and don't have severe symptoms, then just man up and quit cold turkey. Going through a small withdrawal cold turkey is still much easier than going through an intense withdrawal with methadone and benzos, and if withdrawal isn't that bad, then it isn't necessary to take methods designed for real addicts with real withdrawal symptoms.
    Drew and ScreenName like this.
  3. tarverten

    tarverten Senior Contributor

    Stop taking opiates.

    Withdrawals of opiates depend on the opiate. Duration of use and the type of opiate.

    You do know there are reports that anybody who takes an opiate changes the brain chemistry and biological makeup of a Human or an Animal? in the sense that it cannot be reversed, it does something to the receptors once you take any opiate albeit first time or one time or any dose..When this happens it changes your mentality, it makes you prone to extreme depression, prone to arthuritus illnesses and lessens your immune and E-Doctrine system, not to mention sexual drive..Remember this is all by just taking any kind of opiate first time or even just once.
  4. blastguardgear

    blastguardgear Senior Contributor

    Drink water while withdrawing drink a v8 juice to replenish . Stay in bed and rest make sure you have a towel to wipe swear off when you have cold and hot sweats take b vitamins.smoking weed can help minimum the discomfort of withdraws and may help you eat and sleep.take a hot bath for the sore aching muscles hope this helps it helped me for years.if u go to a Dr tell them u wanna start suboxsin to quit doing opiates.not all dr.s can prescribe subboxsin so make sum calls first try substance clinics
  5. thepieeatingjay

    thepieeatingjay Senior Contributor

    Jumping from addictive medicines to addictive medicine will just fuel your addiction even further. I have seen this first-hand with my boyfriend. I ended up taking an all natural route for detox and it worked pretty good for him. Some stuff i found on Amazon that had good reviews called Withdrawal Aid. I'll cite it in the bottom of this post. The stuff worked well and was a quarter of the price compared to other medicines available over the counter. My boyfriend was back to normal within a month, the only thing that lingered was the depression. Best of luck to all.
  6. shadowsupernature

    shadowsupernature Senior Contributor

    Opiate withdrawal refers to the wide range of symptoms that occur after stopping or dramatically reducing opiate drugs after heavy and prolonged use (several weeks or more).
    Opiate drugs include heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Dilaudid, methadone, and others.
    These drugs can cause physical dependence. This means that a person relies on the drug to prevent symptoms of withdrawal. Over time, greater amounts of the drug become necessary to produce the same effect.
    The time it takes to become physically dependent varies with each individual.
    When the drugs are stopped, the body needs time to recover, and withdrawal symptoms result. Withdrawal from opiates can occur whenever any chronic use is discontinued or reduced.
    Symptoms usually start within 12 hours of last heroin usage and within 30 hours of last methadone exposure.
  7. portraitofjs

    portraitofjs Member

    Talk to your doctor (if you have access to one) about clonidine - it is an alpha blocker that can help opioid withdrawals. THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, because clonidine can be dangerous, which is why you need to ask your doctor about it.

    Other than that, if you use loperamide/Imodium for the diarrhea, remember that it is an opioid that acts only peripherally, so you will withdraw from that too. Try to stay hydrated if possible, and when you feel up to it, start doing activities - taking out the trash or loading the washer for a small sense of accomplishment, going for a walk to get some fresh air, etc. You can do it!
  8. missbishi

    missbishi Community Champion

    Actually, it's not quite that simple.

    Withdrawal from opiates requires medical supervision. Withdrawal symptoms can sometimes be fatal you see so it is imperative that a health professional is involved. Cold turkey is unsafe where opiates are concerned and a drug replacement program is usually the preferred option.
  9. Crowl

    Crowl Member

    Withdrawal symptoms will surely come, but I don't think you and your friend need to be afraid, just a stage in the process. Of course, not giving a medical advice, but you should consult a doctor.
  10. andrewjames

    andrewjames Member

    Opiates are a strange beast. Some people can transition off them fairly easily, others not.

    Some of the worst to kick are the ones you get from your doctor: percocet, oxys etc. I wish you and your friend well.

    Obviously, speak with your physician if things don't go well. This isn't something you want to deal with without expert help.
  11. kariad28

    kariad28 Member

    That's really hard to get through without medical help. I know friends that went through it alone and almost died. I feel that if you are too far gone go into a rehab. If your scared talk to someone for advise.
  12. Jack Wallace

    Jack Wallace Senior Contributor

    Реорlе аddiсtеd tо орiаtеs gо thrоugh diffеrеnt withdrаwаl stаgеs during dеtох. Thе аmоunt оf timе dереnds оn thе sеvеrity оf thе аddiсtiоn, аs wеll аs individuаl fасtоrs. Yоur оvеrаll hеаlth саn рlаy а fасtоr in rесоvеry. Thе аmоunt оf timе yоur symрtоms lаst dереnds оn yоur lаst орiаtе usе, аs wеll аs thе frеquеnсy аnd sеvеrity оf раttеrns оf usе. It саn аlsо vаry by орiаtе tyре.
  13. JohnBeaulieu

    JohnBeaulieu Community Champion

    Natural does not equal safe and just because something is advertised as natural does not mean it isn't equivalent to any other drug or medication. If somebody needs medical intervention for withdrawal they should get advice from a professional.
  14. Iconoclast85

    Iconoclast85 Member

    I kicked an opiate & methadone habit with minimal fuss by using Kratom. I was never an IV addict, so for IV addiction this may not apply (I don't know), but I managed to negate methadone withdrawals with absolute ease. I even worked for about a week or two and was perfectly functional during this period. It's worth researching. I suspect pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in keeping the usefulness of Kratom for opiate withdrawals quiet because it has the potential to wreck the profitability of methadone and buprenorphine.
  15. JohnBeaulieu

    JohnBeaulieu Community Champion

    Some people do well with a pharmaceutical solution. They just need to be monitored closely be medical personnel that really know what they are doing. Things can go doing hill fats otherwise.
  16. Tryingtoquit

    Tryingtoquit Member

    When their ready. They will quit.
  17. Tryingtoquit

    Tryingtoquit Member

    Get some ibprophen an get ready for a nasty ride..... Im withdrawling from subs. Now. Horrible nasty ness. But only way to do it. Or consult a doctor if u can.
  18. My daughter is going off Norco for the first time in 10 years. It's going to miserable for hER. I just pray to God she follows her plan. This time I see a certain look of determination in her attitude. She is ready!
  19. deanokat

    deanokat DrugAbuse.com Community Organizer Community Listener

    @ConcernedGrandma... I am praying for your daughter right along with you. Good for her for wanting to get off Norco. It won't be easy, but if she's willing to work hard she can do this. One thing for her to remember: It's okay to get medical assistance if she needs it. Withdrawal can be difficult, so if she struggles with it she should get some help from medical professionals.

    Sending positive vibes and hugs of hope your way.
  20. excuses

    excuses Member

    I went through a methadone treatment center and finished that program 2 days ago. Am having pretty bad withdrawal symptoms. Just took a small amount of heroine to help me because I can't get back into the methadone clinic for 5 days. Of course I'm very disappointed in myself. I guess I want to know if can off the methadone by using very low of heroine. This is the first time using heroine.