opioid withdrawal, suggestions for successful recovery

I don't think sow! I think it is correct for the circumstances! You don't know how you are going to react till you are in it! And since you are male - who tend to bury things - this is how you function! The thing about burying things and sticking your head in the sand is that 1 day mother nature WILL walk by and kick you in the ass!!! A mortgage specialist acutally said that to me!!!! LOL It is true! i didn't deal with my moms death at ALL then about 1 year later I was in a class and LOST it!! You AHVE to deal with things eventually! Women deal with them now - as I'm sure you know from your girlfriend - and guys as I know from my husband, just don't want to talk about it or dicuss it! IBut evenutally it all comes out! Usually with a guy being angry or a woman being VERY mellow and sweet and rational!!!! LOL Just one day at a time honey! So get writing down things to ask for - Clonidine, that you are feeling anxious, and secluded, also how to wean yourself off of these! Antihistamines also work - oh yes and a perscription for Gravol - as the pharmacy will check!

so iwent in and saw the doctor, this guy was a 100% different then my doctor, i told him right out my situation he responded by asking me why i was coming down so fast..... i was like ahhhh, i've being bein coming down 1 mg a week since i was at 10mgs hes like ya thats way too fast im like sir thats 10 weeks? hes like yes i think you should stay at 1mg dose for awhile to stabilize??? i was mad at this point and i staired him down as he proceded to give me a lecture about relapse rate is so very high and the fact i smoke pot and ciggarettes puts me at a even greater risk of relapse. i wanted to argue back i was thinking of so many cocky an or clever ways to coming back at him but i didn't. he gave me only enuff clonidine to last me till tuesday when i see my regular doctor. he said take 2 a day every 12 hours if needed... i took one already cuz i didn't sleep last night so i hope this helps.

How did you find the Clonidine? I know your pissed about not coming off of these right away! BUT I agree with this doc, due to the fact that you ARE an addict - to not only drugs, but pot and ciggarettes, you ARE more inclined to come back on it! And everything HAS to be done slowly, I was about 5 months in total - and remember that was to get me off of the Perc's and onto other pain killers So event though I was replacing it I STILL had to be slow! I get it I do and you know I do! This is about your future and your health! And also when you are on Methadone and have a relapse it's a LOT harder to get back into the clinic - due to the fact that people are there from other drugs! I'm on .1mg 3 X a day! What are you on? I can only take it at night as it makes me wonky!

clonidine rocks, makes you super slow, i took 2 yesterday ill take only 1 tonight, the doctor told me to only take 2 a day, which is fine by me. i only need it for sleeping so ill just take it at night before bed. i was perscribed clonidine once before but i didnt take it properly so i didnt allow for it to do its job right. i woke up dismorning feeling great i got so much good sleep. makes a big difference to sleep for atleast 5 or 6 hours. anyway i dont care what that doctor says i need to be off this junk, i need to beat it. im not likely gonna stay at 1mg for any longer. im not gonna relapse, im probley gonna be sick for a couple of days but ill get over it.

my last day on methadone, tomorrow will be the first day clean im so excited. the clonidine is working great ive been sleeping much better and i am ready to start my detox. thank you for all you advice and support, of course ill keep posting updates on my progress. i hope you had a great weekend

lol i gots a tooth ache is back in my wisdom theeth, its all swollen. not good, not good timing. i one this i hate as much as withdrawal is a tooth ache. yukky.

I got mine pulled - the darn dentist was like "Well we can do a Root canal and then ......" I was like "TAKE IT OUT!" So for 75$ instead of $1,500 - NO pain!!!! LOL And it's just numbing anyway

Had a BAD weekend and it got worse till just now!! My eldest son was arrested and we found out he has been hooked on Cocainne!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SO upset - I feel like I let him down with ALL of my drug use! We have put him in a lock down facility that will detox him and help him understand things! He looks SO bad! I feel like a fraud - giving advice on here and to friends - yet I can't keep my family from going through this HELL!!! :'(

so sorry to hear about your son, i really hope he was just experimenting rather then lashing out about your drug use. i dont know?? im sure this is just a phase and you'll get through it. i hope so anyway. take care bambi

I was thinking about this all last night - of course - and remember what I said about Genetics? Well I think - and many specialists believe - that it is just about a given that if a parent is an addict then the child will be! There are people out there that have NEVER drank, smoked, drugs etc, and it can be traced back to their parents. And the same for children of addicts = so is it that it is easier to get, or is it in their DNA? I think if it's in your DNA then you have MUCH harder time to kick it or to say no!

possibly but still, theres alot of people who's kids dont surcome to addiction when there parents are addicts so that could go either way. its tough to say for me. i dont no as much as you do on addiction im still convinced ill just put this chapter in my life behind me and just move on from it a ill try my hardest to not think about it again.

It's not that I think about it all the time, it's jus that it is always with me! I can't get rid of this - as I'm still and will probably always be taking the drugs! Yourself could be one of the many who just walk away from it, and go forward and never think about it! And I truly hope that is you! How are you doing? This is your 2nd day right? Clonidine helping still with the sleep?

well im sure your a great mom, and that the fact you take addictive meds as perscribed gives you an advantage over most parents. i really hope things get better now that you know whats going on with you eldest.
as for me, well im surprised the withdrawal is very easy to deal with. sleeping sucks, i cant stay asleep or more then a couple hours at a time but other then that, a little watery eyes everyonce and awhile too but its all very minimal.
my last dose of methadone was monday morning.

Good for you! is it too early for you to head out to public!?

yeah a little bit, but ill get to that. now my goal is to find a job. i miss working. get a little anxiety when i goes out to the store or for a walk but it passes. i consder myself lucky my withdrawal was so painless. i kinda feels silly for being so frightened to stop taking it but i realise that, that fear actually helped me cuz it lead me to this web site, and fortunately you decided to respond to my post and you helped so much. THANK YOU

Thankyou honey that was very nice of you! Detox and withdrawls and becoming healthy are steps - my son had a bad 2 days but is getting there, he will be in voluntary detox next week! He said "Mom the sh*t that is coming out of my body it's GROSS!!!" he looks so much better - and he was on coccaine!!!!!! So I said to him today"Lovey i am SO proud of you!" and I am! As I am of you Richie! It's an AWFUL situation that our brain tricks us into! And it takes a HELL of a lot of strength to get out of! So I hope that your sobriety continues and it gets easier each day! Drink Milk!!! I know that sounds whacky but IF you warm milk it creates a calming drink! This REALLY helps with the jitters! Be honest and open and if you feel like c**p or feel like you are going to go back, then get some help immediately!

Be aware of the triggers and avoid them! IF there are certain friends that want you to join them in getting high or drunk, avoid them! An alcoholic NEVER wants to drink alone or a drug addict wanting to be high alone! So even though they maybe your friends, they don't like that you have more strength then them! They WILL bring you back in! My son has realized these triggers and thus wanted another week away - he might even head into the mountains for a 3 month one, but he hasn't decided on it yet! Also seek out therapy - like counselling etc. I'm British so i always phoo phooed therapy, but we started - to help our son too - and even after 2 sessions it has been SO eye opening and a fantastic learning experience! Because it is social workers that are educated in this PLUS ex addicts! So just like you and I talking it is the same! I know you want to go it alone, I'm just letting you know the other side too! I would suggest that you look for jobs that don't have to deal with the public or too many co-workers - right now anyway! It can be too much - when someone or a bunch of people are demanding things! Even a warehouse job or a stocking shelves job - this is usually at night! Nothing that is boring though - such as a security guard at a warehouse that sort of thing! Keep your mind and hands busy - but not overwhelmed - as you will have "mash potato brain" that's what I have! I used to be the BEST organizer on the planet I could multitask like you wouldn't believe! NOW well If it wasn't for my daytimer I wouldn't know when to leave the house!!! ;-) XD So nice and slow OK? And know your limitations! And if you ever need to talk I'm usually on here! Good luck Richie!