detoxing off heroin at home cold turkey 1st time

[SickAsADog]

i came to denmark to stay with my grandparents so i could get over a 5 year battle with opiates, mostly heroin. i am almost on day 4 (in 11 hours, but who's counting ) and i was wondering if anybody may have some advice for me. i am able to eat, but the cold sweats and the insomnia and the weekness is driving me mad. i knew this wasn't going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but after feeling like this for a few days you get very depressed and desperate. i have no desire to go look for drugs while i'm here. i just need some helpful advice to get me through this, however long "this" is going to take. i've heard so many different time tables. some say 3 days, well obviously that's not me. some say 10 days, god i hope not! i had a habit of shooting a quarter gram in the morning and then the same at night. so, if anyone has any advice or information to help with my plight, i'd greatly appreciate it.

also read my blog if you want more details

thanks so much

[Sugah]

I've had short detoxes and long detoxes - either way, you're probably in or past the worst of it. Expect to start feeling better physically, by degrees, very soon. Doesn't mean you'll be tap dancing any time soon, but you'll soon find yourself on the sunny side.

You're posting in the NA support forum. Have you scouted out meetings yet? Suggestion - get to one ASAP. Also, I saw your user name and it struck me how soon it could be inapplicable - if you want it to be. How about something that reflects the positive? It's a good habit to get into, even now when you might not feel so positive.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[Lily]

You should post this on the other forum, the substance abuse forum. Perhaps you will get more responses.
blessings, Sheila

[noooooly]

Four days is great. Around day two or three a pal with a s-load of clean time told me "the best thing to do when you're in a hole is stop digging".

You stopped digging man.

My sponsor said take baths with Epsom salts. I thought he was nuts, but I did it.

[Lily]

How are you today Sick as a dog? Haven't heard from you! are you okaY? update us, k?

[bobmatic]

well i have gone thru the cold turkey a couple of times,it is not easy, but not impossible, you will feel better in a couple of days, have lots of fluids, take lots of showers, vitamins, i suggest you throw yourself into an NA room, immediatelly, and take a sponsor to work the steps, the restless sleep will fade away, your body will adapt. it is a good start, i have been in this issue for the last 20 years, and today thanks to na , i a m 1 year and 6 months, sobre, good luck, keep well, i pray for you... i always say NO PAIN NO GAIN,,,

[SickAsADog]

thanks everyone. i'm 6 days clean today. i still don't sleep much and my lower back is really hurting, but at least i don't have to shoot dope to feel normal anymore. that is a huge load off my chest. i'm starting work on monday (today is friday), so that should help also. since i'm in europe and i'll be back in LA in 10 days i've set up meeting for when i come back. for now i'm holed up on the beach with lots of vitamins and a sauna.

thanks for all the support. this is the longest i have gone without opiates of some kind for the past 4 or 5 years. a very big accomplishment for me. so even´though i feel bad i'm super proud of myself. i don't even mind the depression. i've been so numb for so long that it's nice to feel again even if it's pain. i feel alive for the first time in so long.

[kj3880]

That's great news, Dog. Now you'll need a new name, since you won't be sick anymore!
KJ

[Lily]

Good for you! Now that you have detoxed, do you have a plan upon return? Like a support system? NA or other? It is important that you get to the root of the problem as to why you have stayed numb for so long.....

blessings! and welcome back to feeling again! Sheila

[MrsMagoo]

Good for you!! I think Denmark was exactly where you needed to be. Remember to go to a meeting when you get stateside immediately and don't go near your old buddies. New life -new friends.

My husband has been off opiates (on methadone now) and still has alot of trouble sleeping. That may last a while. I'm so glad your starting to feel alive again. Good luck with the new job and the new life. All fresh beginnings!!

[SickAsADog]

yeah, i'm going to start seeing a psychologist when i get back. i've told everyone i know what i'm doing so all the old junkies are staying away. i think i'm going to change my phone number too. i also start school full time 10 days after i get back to LA.

honestly, when i used to go to NA or even AA when i was on methadone or suboxen i would listen to the people there and fiend out for drugs. for some reason hearing people talk about getting clean made me want to get high so bad that after 2 weeks of being on suboxen i ran straight to get dope right after a meeting and got started on it all over again. what can i do about this? will this feeling subside or am i going to have to stay away from addicts of all kinds so i don't get tempted? it's seems weird that NA would be a trigger as opposed to a help, but then i'm kind of unexperianced with all of this, really.

[shockozulu]

Sickasadog, I had a similar experience. It took a bit of time to find a group that didn't talk about "getting clean" or "using drugs/alcohol" but instead spoke of "recovery" and "how I see things today". It made all the difference in the world, even if it took me a couple months to find the group.

I recommend you keep looking. If you still don't find AA/NA to your liking you can always work a secular recovery. There are several good groups in LA (if you mean Los Angeles). If you mean Louisiana I don't know but hit the websites in Secular to find out. You can also work both programs, as many do.