Help with a Plan to Kick my Habit?

[mikey5string]

I have around a 150mg/day oxy habit. I'm getting ready to stop for a while. I'd like to make it as comfortable as I can. I know I'm going to feel like shit and I know I made my bed so Im prepared, i just dont want to make it so bad that I say fuck it and get high.

i'd like to know if anyone else has kicked a similar habit and how so. I was thinking I could taper, if I let my GF hold a bunch of perc 10's and give me them when the wds got real bad. I have access to xanax, ativan, valium, loperamide, skelaxin, lyrica, lunesta. not saying all of those will help but i can get them pretty easily.

Would a few subs be effective? I'd like to find some and work them into the taper. I think it would help knowing that even if i could get pills they wouldnt do shit anyway.

Ive never really tried to kick before.
I have a house, a car, a job and a girlfriend who I really love moving in with me in September. im thinking about a family and I dont want to be addicted for my life. I dont want to lose any of these things.
the drugs are ruining me financially, i spend the majority of my day thinking of my next high. I dont enjoy things i used to anymore unless im high. I just want to be normal again. ideally id like to be able to enjoy a weekend here and there but thats way down the line.

thanks for any suggestions....

[firefeind]

the best way is to get to the roots of your life problems whatever they may be. seek out a professional

[lotus]

I have a house, a car, a job and a girlfriend who I really love moving in with me in September. im thinking about a family and I dont want to be addicted for my life. I dont want to lose any of these things.
the drugs are ruining me financially, i spend the majority of my day thinking of my next high. I dont enjoy things i used to anymore unless im high. I just want to be normal again



cling to that shit right there. no matter how much you hurt, how long you've been awake, how much you can't hold in, and how much you want "just a little", read, re-read, then read that shit again.

it may feel impossible, it may very well be impossible - but the sooner you get out, the better your chances are.

all the meds you listed above can be of incredible help - some better than others, and some you don't really want to carry on with too long (downers) cause you'll blink your eyes and find another monster tapping at your door. some of us are weird and get almost no help from downers, just a horrible exhausted drug'd feeling on top the withdrawal.....for some people it's quite incredible how imodium can knock the anxiety and cns horror down to a do-able level........muscle relaxers like soma are cool......you won't really know till you get there, and even then, soon as you get one symptom down something else'll grab you by the nuts and start twisting.

it's horrible, and there's no easy way thru it.....and you can't beat yourself up for that. most people don't make it thru their first shot and too many go running for methadone or sub not realizing what they're getting in to.

like i said, cling to that shit up above.

i'll send some vibes your way, may they find you at 4 am when you think you're breaking to help you see that you're not.

[ATLtrap]

professional help is def the way to go, if thats an option. if not.. my experience was as follows.
the goal was to be opiate free, so i didnt take loratabs or whateve ur thinking about taking.. i would stay away from any opiates if your actually trying to be opiate free. xanax, pot and alcohol were what got me through it.. i found that lunestra/ambien are of no help for serious wd. i took trazadone to sleep. i took 800 ibprofein sp? every 4 hrs for leg/back pains. i took imodium for the diarrhea. i also took clonedine, think it might block the opiate receptor and help reduce the wds. if i wasnt slamming vodka i was tooting z bars. if i wasnt sniffing z's i was yulking the roor. etc, etc. i found that after 4 days i didnt feel like TOTAL shit. still lousy, but not godawful. it wasnt until aroudn the 7 day mark when i could say i honestly felt good. my advice is stay off of opiates all together and go ahead and get it over with, once you get passed day 3 or 4 your in the clear. godspeed

[digby]

professional help is def the way to go, if thats an option. if not.. my experience was as follows.
the goal was to be opiate free, so i didnt take loratabs or whateve ur thinking about taking.. i would stay away from any opiates if your actually trying to be opiate free. xanax, pot and alcohol were what got me through it.. i found that lunestra/ambien are of no help for serious wd. i took trazadone to sleep. i took 800 ibprofein sp? every 4 hrs for leg/back pains. i took imodium for the diarrhea. i also took clonedine, think it might block the opiate receptor and help reduce the wds. if i wasnt slamming vodka i was tooting z bars. if i wasnt sniffing z's i was yulking the roor. etc, etc. i found that after 4 days i didnt feel like TOTAL shit. still lousy, but not godawful. it wasnt until aroudn the 7 day mark when i could say i honestly felt good. my advice is stay off of opiates all together and go ahead and get it over with, once you get passed day 3 or 4 your in the clear. godspeed

Not meaning to sound like the agent of Doom or anything, but as you said early on "my experience was as follows" followed by "once you get passed day 3 or 4 your in the clear". For most of us, not so much. When I kicked oxy with an almost identical tolerance, even with a week of set up tapering, it was 2 weeks of hell followed by 2 weeks of misery. So be aware that mileage may vary. Every person and every kick is different.

[Duckfeet]

Mostly: don't be too hard on yourself, no matter what the outcome...I've gotten off dope for years, had good times and bad both ways...but opiates are strange, and our memories and reason for quitting don't always stay the same...the hardest lesson I probably learned is that I have a really inconsistent thought process when it comes to dope...best wishes, tho....

Only times I successfully kicked dope, you know, for seven years and for five years, was by changing just about every fucking thing, but younger you are, probably better your chances are...too many failures and it becomes a sort of expectation, and that kind of sucks...

[spider]

I am on day 8 of kicking a 200-300mg a day iv oxy habit. I went CT. Used a lot of Lope and some clonazepam, and a fair amt of muscle relaxer to help with sleep. It was / is hard but is getting much better by the day. I started feeling better at about day 4-5. But remember, this is all subjective and is what I did. I actually went out tromping in the woods yesterday looking for morale mushrooms and felt pretty good. Stay hydrated.

[wisegal]

I am on day 8 of kicking a 200-300mg a day iv oxy habit. I went CT. Used a lot of Lope and some clonazepam, and a fair amt of muscle relaxer to help with sleep. It was / is hard but is getting much better by the day. I started feeling better at about day 4-5. But remember, this is all subjective and is what I did. I actually went out tromping in the woods yesterday looking for morale mushrooms and felt pretty good. Stay hydrated.

Congrats Spider!!

[Dan Steely]

I like the taper(reduce dose by 1/3 every 3 days) usually I can drop 1/2 on 1st drop. taper to a very small dose. but if I had enough benzos for 3 days (and 3 days I could be a veg) I would quit earlier in the taper just to get it over with.

[mikey5string]

thanks everyone. i took 75mgs at about 8 last night and that will be it. Im feeling fine as of right now. Im going to wait and see how i feel tmrw before I decide to take a lower dose or some benzos.

as far as getting help, i feel like i know what i need to do and i know why i need to do it. the psychical part is the part that worries me.

[upstate_007]

I like the taper(reduce dose by 1/3 every 3 days) usually I can drop 1/2 on 1st drop. taper to a very small dose. but if I had enough benzos for 3 days (and 3 days I could be a veg) I would quit earlier in the taper just to get it over with.

The 1/3 every 3 days thing has worked well for me. Fairly painless and relatively quick.

[mrnatural]

If you have a doc that will help, one thing that might help you along with the usual things that you mentioned is Clonidine, in a continual release patch form. Withdrawals, for me, seem to send my blood pressure higher and these patches helped me through the two times I actually tried to kick. Good weed will help your BP, too, but consistent temporary medication might help ease the physical part. To me, the cravings are what both times got me back on the ride.

[deltapsik0]

If you have a doc that will help, one thing that might help you along with the usual things that you mentioned is Clonidine, in a continual release patch form. Withdrawals, for me, seem to send my blood pressure higher and these patches helped me through the two times I actually tried to kick. Good weed will help your BP, too, but consistent temporary medication might help ease the physical part. To me, the cravings are what both times got me back on the ride.

Yeah after a month or a couple weeks you know your system is clean, problem is now you know that you can get sky high again... slippery slope my friends, slippery slope..

[nick]

No advice,but much luck and I hope your pain passes quickly.

[mikey5string]

thanks again everyone.

I took 60mgs today after work. thats all i will take tonight. i made a rule with myself that I cannot take more than i took the day before. if i need too, i will take 40mgs tmrw and sunday and then start on 30mg monday. I will only dose once, after work. when i get to 15mgs/day im going CT with benzos if i need them. this should make it pretty easy. im already at half my normal dose. while im not high, i feel content.


im going to start walking a couple miles everynight. im going to go fishing this weekend too, its been a while and i love fishing. im also thinking about starting a bluegrass jam at my house and eventually get a band together. as bad as wd's can be i think the hardest part for me will be staying clean. im going to try to keep myself busy.

[PrisonHer]

Not meaning to sound like the agent of Doom or anything, but as you said early on "my experience was as follows" followed by "once you get passed day 3 or 4 your in the clear". For most of us, not so much. When I kicked oxy with an almost identical tolerance, even with a week of set up tapering, it was 2 weeks of hell followed by 2 weeks of misery. So be aware that mileage may vary. Every person and every kick is different.

heck yes. I've never ever in my life been able to *be in the clear* after 3 or 4 days. Day 3 is the worst..day 9 sucks ass too..around day 12 I'm able to walk up straight..maybe by day 20 I can sleep more than 2 hours. By day 60, if I'm lucky, I'm able to laugh and smile.

I know alot of people say they have a week of hell and then it's over. HOW??? seriously. I don't bitch and moan thru withdrawal..I take my punishment. So mentaly I know I'm not dragging it out. Anyway..I've never really been able to stay clean for very many months at a time. I guess I'm missing something..like I've never *really* taken the time to know who am I without dope.

Professional help does little. IMO. You can get the exact same results in a shack in the woods or basement apartment in the bronx..it all depends on how much you want it and how much your willing to go thru to get it.

I think that's the important part of getting thru withdrawal and staying off dope..and mikey it looks you have all these wonderful things to think about and help you out thru your process.

[MethadonBoblow]

My advice would be go to a suboxone doctor and tell them your problems and do what they tell you to do. Don't stay on the subs too long though just long enough that you'll be over the withdrawls from the oxys.

[Dan Steely]

My advice would be go to a suboxone doctor and tell them your problems and do what they tell you to do. Don't stay on the subs too long though just long enough that you'll be over the withdrawls from the oxys.

A week or two of subs would probably help a lot. They work pretty good for the habit you have but you can kick without them too. Be wary of long term and high doses of bupe regardless of what dr says and do your own research if you go that way.

Sounds like you got a good plan and a good mindset.

[Opiyum]

Gonna go ahead and move your thread to a more appropriate forum.

[Morfiend]

In my opinion, it is better to go through hell and keep it as short as possible than slowly taper down over months. If you were using to get high, then why would you maintain your tapering attitude for months straight? This requires persistent willpower not to get high for a LONG time. It is better to go "cold turkey" with possible use of Loperamide if necessary because you can watch the clock and keep a time-line and force yourself to just not do it for 5 days. 5 days is 120 hours and 7200 minutes it IS possible. Take Melatonin every night before sleeping and it will reduce your tolerance quicker. Take other sleeping aids as necessary (time goes by much quicker in your sleep). Once you begin to recover, focus on how terrible the last x days were and how much you don't want to repeat that. Focus on the fact that oxy never really made you happy and put things you love in jeopardy. Focus on how long you've already managed to obstane and realize you reserve bragging rights for every day you last sober. And as time goes on you will start to think of it less and less and eventually you will forget about it alltogether if you manage for 6 months or so. The only thing that can cause you to go back is thinking you will "only do it once" and you are smarter than that. Good luck and believe in yourself. If a man with no legs can summit Everest then you can quit pills.

[Chipper]

That's good advice, lotus. mikey, think about what you may have to trade. Remember the pain. Good luck!

[hydro chris]

In my opinion, it is better to go through hell and keep it as short as possible than slowly taper down over months. If you were using to get high, then why would you maintain your tapering attitude for months straight? This requires persistent willpower not to get high for a LONG time. It is better to go "cold turkey" with possible use of Loperamide if necessary because you can watch the clock and keep a time-line and force yourself to just not do it for 5 days. 5 days is 120 hours and 7200 minutes it IS possible. Take Melatonin every night before sleeping and it will reduce your tolerance quicker. Take other sleeping aids as necessary (time goes by much quicker in your sleep). Once you begin to recover, focus on how terrible the last x days were and how much you don't want to repeat that. Focus on the fact that oxy never really made you happy and put things you love in jeopardy. Focus on how long you've already managed to obstane and realize you reserve bragging rights for every day you last sober. And as time goes on you will start to think of it less and less and eventually you will forget about it alltogether if you manage for 6 months or so. The only thing that can cause you to go back is thinking you will "only do it once" and you are smarter than that. Good luck and believe in yourself. If a man with no legs can summit Everest then you can quit pills.

yeah, good post.. but some how "my built in forget er always kicks in "and i forget how bad it is. damn fuckin thing, where the off switch?:)

[HandMeSomeOpiates]

cling to that shit right there. no matter how much you hurt, how long you've been awake, how much you can't hold in, and how much you want "just a little", read, re-read, then read that shit again. .

Real Talk!!!!

[duck]

Real Talk!!!!

ideal talk

[youwonhundred]

well, i did it with subs. 1 mg up the nose 2X day, gradually dropping to nada, and i am a couple weeks away from a year without a habit. i dibbled a bit but never got strung out.

[Dan Steely]

well, i did it with subs. 1 mg up the nose 2X day, gradually dropping to nada, and i am a couple weeks away from a year without a habit. i dibbled a bit but never got strung out.

thats cool man. how long did you take the subs

[mikey5string]

55mg sat and sun.

nothing since a 15mg about 1pm on sunday. I woke up monday morning at 4:00AM with pretty bad RLS/aches i took 4 ibuprophen and got back to sleep. havent taken anything today.

im trying to taper because i cant miss work and i cant sleep with the rls and aches. if i don't sleep work is a nightmare, i have to be up early. im trying to take just enough to take the edge off and never more than i took the day before. i dont have access to easy access to subs.

i am proably going to take 30mg tonight. right now i have a terrible restless/achy feeling all throughout my body. i feel like i always have to stretch, in a very uncomfortable way though. im sneezing like a bastard too. ive been taking otc nsaids today to try to keep the pain/discomfort bearable.

in case anyone is interested....

[hovadagod]

that's a shit load of sub. 30mg? 55mg? try 2mg.

[Dan Steely]

that's a shit load of sub. 30mg? 55mg? try 2mg.

he's talkin oc ya crackhead:D

[hovadagod]

lucky bastard...

[mikey5string]

yeah hova thats oc not sub.

althouh i just got a call from an old friend who heard about my situation and offered a couple subs if i needed them.

the thing is im looking forward to that 30mg when i get home. its like my treat for being good. doesnt matter that its only 30mg. i deserve it GODDAMNIT!!!!!!!!1 sorry. im already rationalizing, i know.

[runormal]

You mentioned working - are you having to go to work while going through this kick? Ouch! IF you do have to be going to work then subs could make your life a lot easier for the next few days and plan out a 5 day taper. If you can take some time off from work then doing a quicker CT might get if over with faster. Either way hang in there and good luck you are doing good!

[Nonphixion]

thanks everyone. i took 75mgs at about 8 last night and that will be it. Im feeling fine as of right now. Im going to wait and see how i feel tmrw before I decide to take a lower dose or some benzos.

as far as getting help, i feel like i know what i need to do and i know why i need to do it. the psychical part is the part that worries me.

I kicked CT from a Oxy habit like yours few years.. 1st and formost have the right mind set going in make sure u are doing it for u, sounds like u have the right/& good reasons to quit. I used comfort meds tho xanax, and soma tried to sleep the worst of the WD's off w/ somas. good luck keep ur head up. I went back to so be careful, it soon moved to IV H use. I didnt want to quit forever and i knew that deep down tho.
-T

[mikey5string]

You mentioned working - are you having to go to work while going through this kick? Ouch! IF you do have to be going to work then subs could make your life a lot easier for the next few days and plan out a 5 day taper. If you can take some time off from work then doing a quicker CT might get if over with faster. Either way hang in there and good luck you are doing good!


yeah, i have to work. I hvae to be up at aroun 6AM too. 10 hr days usually w. 1 hr commute (traffic) and some physical labor.
it is the main reason i not doing CT. i just wouldnt be able to function.

[mikey5string]

today instead of getting any oxy i got 4mgs of sub from a friend. 1.5mgs took the edge off. i still have some aches but its manageable. im going to take 1.5mgs tmrw and see how long i can go without taking the final .5mg.

its definitely not enough but its all i got so im trying to make it work.