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Hi,
I have a long history of what I would have defined as substance abuse (benzos, barbs, and opiate agonists) I came to this definition based on the fact that I was prescribed them but misused them taking them for non medical reasons, not taking the prescribed does, and manipulating other aspects of my life to accentuate the effects (ex. stopped taking my non addictive med that interfered, purposely would take them on an empty stomach etc.) and despite the fact that they were all prescribed and aquired in a legit manor one of them I called into my Dr. just cause I wanted it and she refilled it (even though it was a med I had been taken off previously and she should have known that) I wanted it because I "needed" the effect that it had when combined with my other med. I never considered it to be an addiction as the degree of misuse would ebb and flow depending on life circumstances it wasn't something I "had" to do ALL the time and if things got out of control I was able to taper myself back down etc.
UNTIL
over the holiday break things got super stressful (as often happens) and then the week after spiraled further. A week ago I finally got myself together...well more like some things happened that made me realize that things needed to change. I stopped cold turkey and had a friend take all of my pills. (the 7th was my first day off) the first 48hrs weren't so bad then it was HORRIBLE shakes, tremors, alternating hot and cold, massive headache, nausea, diarrea, abdominal pain, back pain, chest pain, my insides pretty much felt like they were on fire, extreme thirst, extreme fatigue etc. this lasted for about 4 days. At this point many of those symptoms have resolved THANK GOODNESS but I am still getting the shakes, muscle twitches, and have some temperature disregulation.
Is it true that these symptoms can last for a really long time? (I've seen months to a year) Why is that? Also, I was genuinely surprised that my body reacted in such a way as I really didn't feel like I was taking that much. Does this mean I had a bigger problem then I realized?
Incase it helps this is what I was taking:
Tramadol 50 mg (for the duration of the break I could acceptably take up to 6 I took close to 20)
Klonopin .5 mg (I don't remember how many I took with the Tramadol but my "favorite" is mixing it with the Fioricet)
Fioricet I don't know the dose but I was taking 2ish a day mixed wit the Klonopin for a bit over a week (this is the one that my Dr. took my off but I got back just cause I wanted it)
Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.
D
Congratulations D- you're doing great.
The symptoms you're currently experiencing are typical.That said we all have different bodies and different WD duration/severity. The best thing to facilitate your recovery is to take care of yourself as best you can- body, mind, spirit. Get enough rest, eat healthy, moderate exercise( walks count)fresh air etc.
I would strongly advise you to implement a recovery program into your routine- with a strong relapse prevention. The 12 step program works for me. Even if you don't feel like taking any pills now- the day will surely come.
Unless you already do- Prey some stress relief practices- meditation, yoga, prayer.
Best wishes,
Daniel
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Answers by Expert:
Daniel A. Toth
Expertise
Any questions related to: drug abuse,recovery and opiate withdrawal. Friends and family questions are also welcomed- however there's very little I can suggest if the person has no willingness to change.I will only answer NON- PRIVATE questions as my objective is to help as many people as possible- use a fake name. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT QUESTIONS REGARDING DRUG TESTS OR HOW LONG YOUR DOPE WILL STAY IN YOUR SYSTEM! My energy is directed at those wishing to stop self destructing.
Experience
Fourteen years active addiction;Eleven years to cocaine and heroin.
I've used every drug I've known about except PCP
Any comments are from personal experiance, and do not necesarily reflect any programs.
SEE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY!
This was for an article in a teen magazine hence the youth perspective:
I was a good kid. A diligent student with a 3.5 GPA through 9th grade. Now I was somewhat shy and didn't have a lot of friends. I discovered that by smoking weed I had instant friends. It was great at the time. All of a sudden I knew all these people, was getting invited to parties- hanging out after school getting high. Pretty soon getting high at lunch and even before school and then ditching school all together. In the beginning it was the social activity, not the "high" that was the major attraction. I just knew I would stop smoking it soon, perhaps after I got a cool girlfriend. Well then I started really enjoying the high- Having a bad day? Forget about in and get stoned. The parents getting on my case? Forget about it and get stoned. This girl I really like doesn't know I exist, better just get stoned. I found a way to great way to cope with all my problems. Well my grades started dropping, my hobbies such as all ocean activities and sports where only done high and then slowly not at all. Nothing was "cool" or important except getting high. With or without my friends. Then I was introduced to Meth or "crystal" Would I have considered it if not for my weed habit? Of course not. Plus I am just going to try it this one time. Wow! Now I could easily talk to girls. In fact I could talk and talk for hours to anyone about anything. And you know I'm one cool, smooth dude. Man I feel good. Then after it wore off I would struggle with depression and smoke a lot of weed until I got more meth. Now high school was over. I had no ambition for college but I did work in the family business. I still could hold a job with these habits. Now a friend tells me about this drug (heroin) that is just like pot except there’s no "burn out" He doesn't address it as heroin but a harmless sounding slang name. I observe him and his friends smoking this brown powder for months. They seem to be having a good time. They don't die. In fact there having more fun than I am. I wanted to try it. Just once, too see what it feels like. I would never try it again. Again it was the new friends at first and then the drug that became the major attraction. But it was o.k. because I'm going to never smoke it again after this next time. Oops, I did it again. O.K. but next week I'm going to quit for sure! Now the heroin made me feel nice, but the cocaine smoking was awesome. Plus no crash because I'll just smoke a little heroin. Before too long I was injecting a cocaine and heroin solution (speedball) into my veins as often as I could. Working did not accommodate my lifestyle. How could I work anyway in heroin withdrawal? I had to get some dope! Let’s see, my family has disowned me, I've sold everything I ever had. I've robbed every friend or family member than I had contact with. What am I going to do? Some how I got my fix every day. Not once but three or four times average. But it was still o.k. because I'm going to quit, maybe even tomorrow after I get high. I went for years thinking this way. I've been arrested many times. I even admitted myself many times to detox to get over the addiction but found myself planning my next high before I even left. I just couldn't cope with life. I didn't know how. But that won't matter, as soon as I get my fix everything will be alright. And it was..., for a little while. At this point I had long stopped kidding myself. I knew I was a hopeless addict. In fact three of my close friends overdosed and died. Another got sent to prison for years, and none of these guys did anything I didn't do. I knew I was on a dead end course to jails, institutions or death. I would put myself into one recovery home after another only to leave to get high. Why? I wasn't ready to admit I was completely powerless over my addiction and my life had become unmanageable. Only after I completely surrendered was I ready to listen to suggestions from the wonderful people in Narcotics Anonymous. (twelve step program) Today I enjoy many blessings of recovery. I have a wonderful family that loves and trusts me. I work every day, pay bills, support myself and even help others where I can. I love to travel and do as I can afford to. I still have problems but today I don't escape with artificial substances. I have learned coping skills, and realize that life isn't always wonderful but it could be a heck of a lot worse. I don't want to wake up one day an old man, and wonder what I could have been. I'm going to find out! You see, I'm one of the lucky ones and am extremely grateful for that. UPDATE 5/24/2005: Relapsed with painkillers about one year ago, and have been struggling since. I have about 30 days clean as of today 5/24. It's no big mystery/shocker. I stopped doing what I needed to do (program) and made a stupid decision. A couple vicodins woke up the dragon. I'll be ok if I do what I did to get the five yrs. Good luck to all of us! 2/14/06 Doing really well today (one day at a time). I also went through and am still very much going through the most difficult thing I ever have without using any drugs. Not hiding from emotional pain today by artificial means but rather accepting my emotions as natural and moving forward. I'm focusing today on not denying my emotions but acting constructively despite. I realize today that any artificial numbing may help in escaping short term pain but then complete facilitate suffering. Today I recognize my self destructive habits.
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