rickATL

Hi Everyone! I just found this site tonight and it looks like a great support community. I've struggled with alcohol and drug dependencies since I was about 20 years old or so. I'm now in my early 30's. I've never really gone down the path of opiates or other "hard" drugs. I was always a part of the hippy scene and thought nothing of smoking and drinking. I was a pothead mostly every day and a would binge drink 4 or 5 days a week. Just about a year ago, I was introduced to the synthetic varieties of marijuana/THC. The smoke shops around town sells the stuff and apparently it's legal. So I started smoking that instead of real marijuana due to the legal system. I didn't want to get caught with marijuana. The last months have been very stressful and I was starting to use the synthetics very heavily. I smoked a bowl probably about once an hour or more. I could barely recall what sobriety felt like. Well, I finally got to a point where I decided that enough was enough. If I don't get my act together now, I'm going to be miserable for the rest of my life. So when I woke up Monday morning of October 2 last week, I decided not to smoke a bowl. In fact, I decided to just go 100% sober because I knew nothing would work if I kept doing some drugs and not others. So I've been clean since Monday. So far so good, except for the withdrawal symptoms. I've stopped smoking marijuana before and it was mostly a mental thing. It wasn't ever much of a problem. But now that I've quit the synthetics, it's a whole different ball game. I've had body shakes, hot sweats, cold sweats, panic attacks (not too bad), shortness of breath, muscle aches, muscle and limb soreness when moving around, decreased sensation on my skin all over my body, headache, and a general sense of uneasiness. I was shocked when all this started, but it's only making me want to keep off this crud. I've done some internet searches and apparently there are reports that heavy synthetic users of 3 months or more tend to have very similar symptoms to opiate withdrawal. Does anyone else have experience with synthetic THC withdrawal? I really don't know much about withdrawal symptoms and I'm just curious if my symptoms sound typical for what I've been abusing? I'm not interested in starting back up, I'm just kind of wondering when I can expect to start feeling better. I do feel better already as in a clearer head, more energy, and a better sense of well being. But those withdrawal symptoms are letting themselves be known and it's really difficult. Anyone know how long the synthetics take to get out of the body and return to feeling "normal" again? Thanks for any help or advice!

Dee74

I have no personal experience but it sounds like what you've experienced is pretty much par for the course, Rick.

If you're really worried I encourage you to see a Dr about it - best to be safe

Welcome to SR

D

Taking5

For what it is worth, this stuff is not legal:

Synthetic cannabis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On the rest of it, I agree with Dee that a) this sounds like withdrawal and b) you should see your Dr.

rickATL

Yes, the chemicals on the wikipedia page are definitely illegal. But here's how this industry is operating now...apparently scientists are good enough at constructing synthetic chemicals, they can now build almost any type of molecule they want. So as soon as the DEA makes a synthetic THC illegal, the synthetics labs just alter the chemical enough so that the new laws can't touch it. I have a feeling that law enforcement is getting sick of this because there's nothing they can do. And this stuff really is dangerous. It's far more dangerous than actual marijuana. I wish I never tried the stuff. But I swear, if you go to a head shop/smoke shop in the Atlanta area, there's like 15 or more different kinds of legal synthetic THC blends. Now they call it incense and it says not for human consumption, but everyone knows what it's for. It's horrible stuff. Don't anyone ever try the stuff if you're craving marijuana. That's how I got hooked on it. I ran out of marijuana so I went down to the smoke shop to try out the synthetics I'd heard about. Now I know what a bad move that was. But I'm doing alright. If things keep going the way they are, I expect to be feeling much better in the next day or two. Thanks for the replies!

Dee74

I did drugs and booze for 20 years.

The difference between me then and now is nowadays when something is marked 'not for human consumption' I no longer take that as a challenge lol

I hope you feel better soon Rick

D

rickATL

Haha...that made me laugh. I know what you mean. I used to do more drugs when I was younger and that's basically how I felt about anything marked not for human consumption. I figured that meant it was good. I'm just glad I'm still here and now we can tell stories and help prevent others from going down the same path we did. But sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.

I'm feeling pretty good right now, just really restless. I haven't slept much this week at all and whatever sleep I got didn't seem to do much for me. I'm about to try relaxing a bit and try some decaf tea. I feel like if I could just get a good nights sleep, this would all be over.

Spica

Hey Rick - from what I have heard getting off the synthetic stuff will give you symptoms similar to opiate withdrawal. I do not know if there are any medical dangers as there are with detoxing from benzos and alchohol but as Dee said if you can check with a doc that would be a good idea...better safe than sorry.

Good luck to you as you work through this...

Keep posting and let us know how it goes.

rickATL

I just wanted to update this thread so that it's got better information. I've been off the synthetics for 8 days now and I'm beginning to feel back to normal. The withdrawal symptoms have subsided almost entirely except for maybe a little restlessness or irritability. A little bit of depression kicked in a few days ago, but now that's gone too. So if anyone is curious about how long it takes to kick a synthetic THC/Spice habit, I'd say 8 to 10 days before you start feeling good again.

Synthetic THC is not an alternative to marijuana!!! Do not use it. It's a very dangerous and addictive chemical.

Spica

Good for you!! I am glad to hear you are now on the other side.

All the best to you as you continue on clean!!

LostinLaLaland

Is this synthetic stuff your talking about Salvia, and has like different strengths? Just wondering cuz me and a friend bought that one time and it was GNARLEY, lasted maybe 1 minute but for that minute you were in a different world. Seriously we would smoke a bowl say in a parked car in front of the house and a minute later be in the house and be looking at each other really confused like how did we get here. Different trip every time, fun just that one time but couldn't continue using that.

rickATL

No, that is not a synthetic THC. Synthetics had been going by the street name "Spice". Spice was actually the brand name of one of the first THC synthetics to hit the market. They basically feel similar to smoking marijuana except that it's very physically addictive and ends up making you feel like crap in the long run. The withdrawals seem to be very similar to opiates from the messages I've read on this site.

You are referring to something called Salvia Divinorum. It's something different all together. It's actually one of the most potent hallucinogens on the planet. As you know, just a little bit can have a super intense affect. I don't think there are any known side effects or anything with Salvia but it can be extremely dangerous if you're not in a safe place. I've experiment with Salvia in the past, but it's just too strong for me. Plus, I'm now trying to see how living 100% sober feels.

finally6

I just want to say thank you so much, i smoked for about 16 months and the last 8 was everyday pretty much, i have been dying just to know how long i would have to go through this, im on day 6 and it is rough, how are you now? how long has it been?

kim4061

After 2 years of smoking all kinds of brands, k2, spike silver and gold, hayze, trainwreck, supernova, zombie matter, bloody mary, funky monkey, blackout, melon eraser, bloody eyes, and probably another 10 or 20 different kinds i cannot remember. Between me and my boyfriend we were smoking 10 grams or more a day. 3 days ago I decided to quit as its slowly taken over my life where I cant even go 10 minutes almost without smoking it. Doing it on the job as well. Im 20 years old, have my own apartment, manage my own storage facility, have a vehicle, pay all my own bills cable,insurance,phone..etc. Why would i want to give that up for something as stupid as a plant sprayed with fertilizers/chemicals or whatever? Anyways so today is day 3, and all thats been happening is severe depression, hot and cold flashes, no energy, super sore, and very hungry but no appetite to eat. Other than spice, 2ce is the only drug ive done. In a 2 1/2 month long time frame I DID NOT do 2ce for maybe 8 or 9 nights and after getting off my binge I had no withdrawl symptoms from it. The withdrawls im having from spice make me feel like I want to die when I have everything to live for and I would never wish this upon anybody. If you are currently smoking pep spice take it from me and everyone else thats going through this and STOP NOW!

Dee74

I'm sorry you're going through that Kim.
Please do seek medical support if you think you need to.

welcome to SR

D

QuickQuit

That is hilarious, although I do believe that 99% of the drugs in prescribed pharms are "not for human consumption" and something tells me that the flouride in tap water might not be either...maybe it was my toothpaste bottle that told me that

These SynDrugs are bad though. I live in Tampa Bay (where many of the labs are). Each time one is illegal, another comes out with the exact same name. The brand doesn't change, the availability doesn't change, and the stores never stop selling it. Spice is the #1 Homeless Drug of Choice and it has major withdrawals.

I am 35 years old, went through the Ice that hit in the mid-90s, went through the heroin that hit in the late 90s, and smoked pot for 20 years. I started smoking spice when I moved to FL because I had no weed connect and I wish I never tried it.

The withdrawals are increasingly worse the longer you use and include stomach convulsions, diarea, headiness, lack of energy, and basic feeling of poop. Milk and Tomato Soup become your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it lasts for about a week.

Horrible feelings...don't do it. It's not even worth it. Get some pot if you want to smoke spice...at least that won't make you want to curl up in a fetal position for a week.

PS. I learned long ago that, "if the come down is worse than the high...it's not even worth the trouble". It took me a long time to learn that covers everything but pot.

Dee74

welcome to SR QuickQuit

Badwolf

Sorry to bring an old thread back, but im beginning my process of quitting spice.. 2 days in after a year of smoking, nearly broke down tonight, and probably would have if i was in the wrong company. quitting spice will be one of the most challenging things I've done. I've already dealt with depression, so that's going to get no better the next two weeks. the information in this threads great and at least now I have some what of a time frame for the withdrawals. As someone already stated, spice is an even worse alternative to weed, I had no problems quitting weed, coke or anything else... but spice really has an addictive nature to it that i havent been able to break.

To anyone else out there going through this, you're not alone in it. i'm suffering through withdrawals as im typing this but im determined to make it through. spice is truly the devil >_<

brit05

@ Badwolf Thank you for bringing back an old thread. I'm not one to usually get on these blogs but something has started taking over my life & I'm in desperate need of help, support group...anything. I was introduced to something called spice & it gave me chills readying where you put spice is truly the devil because not 5 mins. ago I was trying to explain that to my mom. I've been having out of this world withdrawls..throwing up, cold sweats, shaking, not being able to eat, depression, anxiety, feeling hopeless, sleepless nights. I broke down to my mom about everything & she made me go to the dr where I learned I was also having heart complications. All this while still holding my job paying all my bills..etc. Does anyone know when I should start to feel better? I feel like at time I'm dying inside. Please if your reading this & are thinking about trying spice..DO NOT!!! "spice is truly the devil >_<"

Badwolf

No problem brit, i'm, unfortunately, back on day one and couldnt feel worse about myself, i made it nearly a week but broke down last night when it was offered to me.. I've still kept it a secret, still able to hold down a good job and pay my bills as well but for how long.. I'm disappointed in what happened and am feeling pretty low.. I wish I could tell you where to go to make it all better, but i'm struggling myself. NA does help though, so it's a good place to start.

I'm not sure how they can legally sell it where i'm at, but that's a big mistake. I quit alcohol and other things with ease, but spice is a whole new monster.

userX

Hello,
all these are very helpful and i'm currently at day 1
I've been sober for a day now and experienced all these symptoms :/
My major issue with these symptoms is the fact that it is almost impossible to sleep! how do you guys manage?
Once im in bed.. the cold/hot sweats keep coming :/
and the apetite is even worse :/ i have barely eaten anything since yesterday morning.. how do you guys manage? can you please instruct me on the medications that you use just to help you get through this process ..
i need to go to work.. but really do not want to in that state..