How long before i can use again ?!

[Va_va]

Howdy everybody,

I started a detox 10 days ago ( monday ) and have been opiate free since, i was detoxing off dihydrocodeine and had only some sleeping pills and non narcotic pain killers too help, Voltarol ( does wonders ), Promazine 50mg for sleep and some 2mg diazepams. Today the pain is no longer here and im starting to feel good - that feeling u get when u strech first thing in the morning !
The depression cleared up but not the boredom, i play guitar but ive barley touched it since ive stopped. I paint but havent since.

Anyways the whole point of my detox was thus - i cannot at this specific time in my life be addicted to opiates as its not convinient, i need some money and a good job. A base as i like to call it.

So now im clean im going to focus on those things above but i still want to stay in touch with my opiate side and use fairly occasionaly ( in my opinion i dont see why anyone wouldnt want too ) But its a step being non dependant, a big one. Maybe one day i wont need to use but for now im going to be occasionaly, im still making progress.

So my question is how long untill i can use again - is my brain chemistry adjusted yet ? I dont want to have a dose and then find out the next day im in wd's as my body thinks its the same as before ? If anyone can shed any light on this i would be very gratefull.

Happy days everybody - Vava

[chucky]

This is a tricky question,if you have been clean for 10 days and you want to chip(occasionally use). I would suggest you tread this path with great caution, for it is the quikest way back into full fledged addiction. That being said, this is not immpossible though extremely tough on the willpower. I don't know how much your brain chemistry matters on this subjest except that if you think tour going to use on saturday and not want it on sunday, your mistaken, to change the way the mind works takes more then ten days, that's not to say you can't condition yourself to once a week, or whatever.Good luck!:cool:

[Va_va]

Yeah, it will be hard. And i completley understand your point about wanting to use the day after and continue to get loaded. But there's allot missing from my life right now, things i havent really had like good friends. I walk allot now and eat a healthy diet. But im just going to have to see how it goes even if i did just use weekends ( sat/sun ) no matter what its a step from my previous.

My main question is that if i dose up tonite (example) will my brain lower its endorphin production as its only been ten days therfore meaning i will experience withdrawels again if i dont have anything tomorow ? Or am i going to have to wait a few weeks or months ?

Cheers for the advice amigo

[chucky]

I think it is different for everyone, your tolerance has lowered somewhat, but I have always felt a little sick after chipping like you prepose,sweating especially on the back,stomach cramps though slite and basic boredom.

[Va_va]

Im going to have to do some research.

How many days did you chip for and how long between them ?

Sorry about all the questions lol

[COLONELWAYNE]

I hope you all don't mind me interjecting,but I feel 10 days is nowhere near long enough to wait before partaking again.Just the fact that this is weighing so heavy on your mind after only 10 days is reason enough to see you're still very much addicted and if you start chipping this soon it's only a matter of time before it's full blown again.You've got the worst behind you now,why go and mess it all up this soon? Give it some more time, at least say, a month and then see how you feel about it.I bet if you wait that long it won't hardly cross you're mind at all and if it does at least you won't get so anxious you piss you're pants just thinking about it. Furthermore I think if you start back this soon your really gonna feel like shit the next day, not necessarily from the withdrawls but from the fact you're gonna feel like you betrayed yourself by doing something you've worked so hard to keep from doing.Anyway, thats just my thoughts on the subject. Hope I didn't offend anyone! Peace out. C.W.

[chucky]

Well put Colonel, I couldn't agree with you more! As for Va Va comment " in the mean time get a life" I think he/she meant this for themselves but wrote it inproperly , thanks though Peri.:cool:

[red26]

If I was trying to start my life back up and get all my shit in one sock I would try to wait untill I havent thought of or about getting high for a while. This will take quite some time, it's how I've done it with other things in the past. Gettin all your shit back in the same sock takes time and energy away from the time and energy spent thinking about dope and the cravings. Finding other shit to occupy yourself with is the hardest part for me. Trying to have another focus or switch my focus from the high to something else like I said has proven to be the most difficult part of "cleaning up" and by no means am I saying it will be for you. Me personally, I wouldnt even think about when I can get that high again, fuck it, it'll be there when your ready. Obviously you've thought long and hard about taking a break, dont forget why you started thinking that way in the first place. As far as how long it'll take for your chems. to re-adjust themselves and re-calibrate, it doesnt take all that long. You've just gotta be taking care of yourself. Eating properly, taking vitamins daily, EXERCISE!!!. You see, all of these things are part of you getting all your shit back in one sock and getting back to functioning for yourself, not the drug. I'm rambling here... It'll be there when you decide to use again but the drive and motivation you have right now to clean up might not be...

[poonwhalla]

I agree with red if you can try to focus on something else for now if it is that trying on your head would be your best bet. Usually for me the longer I wait, the better it feels. No matter when or if you "dose"your body will react to it. There is no way to escape the WD's butthere are ways to minimize them like keeping healthy.

[jacky]

I have a hard time doing anything that takes motivational drive, or attention span when coming off of opiates, my abilites beyond the withdrawl state in those areas of cognition after the withdrawl stage, while abstaining from opioids are not as peaked as when I use. I have ADD, and I think the opiates perform a beneficial stimulation of dopamine and help me motivate, focus and carry at least some of my plans to finish. I personally just wanted to get off street drugs. so I am content using prescrips and herbs, and hope maybe someday I can try cutting back on that. at least now my tolerance is in check using different methods, and I dont use more and more. if anything I am using less than I was a year ago.

[harbacious]

Va Va, ask yourself this question. Did you quit just so it wouldn't take so much dope to fuck you up?

If the answer really is no, and you are truly looking to fill that opiate sized hole with the things that really matter in life, like friends, family, a good job and the money that comes along with it, then realize one thing. Your not ready yet.

True, you've gotten through the most physically painful part, but you are most assuredly not out of the woods. The mere fact that you are still willing to use, even occasionally, means that whatever life/relationships/career you build because your now able to function "without getting high", you can (and probably will) lose if you begin to use again.

I don't know any career (outside of the entertainment industry) where you can get away with being high. As well, not many true friends would be willing to stay silent if they realized you were slipping back into your old habits.

In truth Va, if it's ambition for a better life that has prompted you to spend 10 days detoxing; go shopping. Seriously, go look at the cars, houses, trips, and lifestyles that you could be enjoying if you were to kick this demon out of your life for good.

Realize that, number one, you may have (mostly) recovered from the near death experience known as opiate addiction, but you are going to be dealing with something that is best described as post-traumatic stress disorder, for the rest of your life.

No matter how long you go, no matter how strong your convictions, you will feel that tug on your soul forever. It will lessen over time (I am told), but once an addict, always an addict....Get used to it.

Just know. Those things that seem convenient enough to you to endure a painful detox, are 1000 times more rewarding than an opiate high ever can be. In the end, occasionaly use will bring you full circle to addiction, it's just a matter of time. The only difference is that falling off the proverbial horse hurts much worse when you have a long way to fall.

If you are going to begin building a life for yourself, do it. But fuck the chips, go balls out and don'r look back. As long as you justify this medication you will NEVER be happy with the real rewards life has to offer. Good luck and God Bless.

[shoxy]

im currently enduring a hellish 8 day stretch, against my will...due to the fact that im completely broke...i think most of the physical sickness has cleared up, but im having so much trouble sleeping, relaxing....i heard this is common for painkiller users who detox from oxycontin/vicodin/lorcet/morphine which im doing all, and sweating all those out......and not to mention that my fiance and i didnt prepare for this, as it came as a sudden thing...we ran out and we're broke...absolutely no prep, and all i have are some multivitamins and bottled waters. i desperately want to go on methadone and get off the shit forever, but we cant even afford the $91.00 a week, and we dont have a car to get us across state line, because theres no clinic here.. so as you see, i have alot of problems right now....i must say, i dont like this "clear" thinking thats hit me the last 3 days or so...i cant sleep at all, my body hurts...the bordom is a killer..if i had some $, id go to a movie..but then again, if i had some $ i wouldnt be in this mess...oh man this is hell. i have tremendous chills and sweats still though, and no appitite...so im sure my body pretty much hates me right now for not eating and not having its usual dose of numbing solice....this is against my will, when im ready to kick for good, ill do it...we're about ready to choke each other being stuck here so...sober...

[bogumil]

Dont wanna disturb here, just poppin in with a tip: If youve been clean for lets say 4 weeks (minimum if you ask me) you could have a poppy t once or twice a week. It lasts about 2 days and you dont make that connection of sniffing or smoking something to be happy.
Lately I heard a lot about people kicking habits with poppy tea. Seems to work great. But its different from person to person and the best would be to kick opies at all.

[shoxy]

yeah ive made the tea a few times and all it does is moderately relax you and keep youre stomach from cramping soo bad....




Dont wanna disturb here, just poppin in with a tip: If youve been clean for lets say 4 weeks (minimum if you ask me) you could have a poppy t once or twice a week. It lasts about 2 days and you dont make that connection of sniffing or smoking something to be happy.
Lately I heard a lot about people kicking habits with poppy tea. Seems to work great. But its different from person to person and the best would be to kick opies at all.