Dayoneagain

I don't imagine my story is even vaguely new to anyone, and I am not entirely sure what I am trying to get from my post other than having somewhere to share what I am trying to defeat.

I have been using prescription opiates for a year. Unlike many, I had no legitimate reason to ever use them in the first place. I have a relative with pretty serious back pain and I had ready access to her meds. It all started when I quit a twenty year pot habit, and for some idiotic reason replaced it with painkillers. The pot was actually easy to quit - this, not so much. My main drug was oxycodone, which I usually took at the rate of about 40 mg a day. I know from reading other posts that this seems light compared to some other's intake, but it has been enough to create a pretty good addiction for me. I have tried to quit several times, with no success. Last week I did the best I had, going clean for five days. Then on Friday I found a forgotten hydrocodone tablet in the pocket of some pants. That turned into scoring four more of them that night, then a hydrocodone and an oxycodone Saturday. Then a hydrocodone and a morphine SR yesterday. I can't believe I went through a week of hell just to turn my clock back to 0. At least I really have very limited access to the drugs now, as my relative figured it out and started hiding them. I think I was really through the worst of the withdrawal when I took the drug Friday, but once I found it I just couldn't quit thinking about it. If I have any question, it is - what am I in for this week? Will it be easier after a relapse? Harder? The same all over again? I am also totally open to any unsolicited advice. Thank you, and good luck to any and all also dealing with this.

Norcomichigan

Well, the things that help me are things a dr can give you like a sedative like Valium or Xanax....this go around I am also using Clonidine. I am not sure if I am allowed to mention it, but there is something called the Thomas Recipe that talks about safe detox.....multivitamins, hot showers, a sedative. You should call your dr and fess up and see if he or she is sympathetic. Barring that, I wish you luck. This is my second time withdrawing this year and mine have been legal scrips of norco. I just run out too fast.

Get some gatorate and tylenol.....stay hydrated. Sleep as much as you can.

Norcomichigan

Sorry, it says I cannot give medical advice. My advice them is to call your dr and fess up. Ypu will need some help coming off safely and humanely. If someone could delete my above post that would be great.

Beetle53

Hi! I'm pretty new here too and have only been sober from alcohol for about a week this time around. I did used to be addicted to drugs including benzos but never anything codine based. That was mabe 6-7 years ago. It sounds like you really want to succeed but don't yet have the tools to fight this. It also sounds like your addiction has spun more out of control since you've tried to quit. I say that because you mentioned going out and scoring. Which is really risky. I know it doesn't seem like it at the time, but that's dangerous! Have you talked to a doctor? A good first step might be to visit a doctor and seek out some therapy. There is more to this than just the pills, and you could really benefit from having someone help you get to the core of your addiction issue, while assisting you in developing strategies that can help you beat this. That's what I had to do and I was in and out of treatment facilities for about a year. But, I stuck to my goal of quitting and did a lot of work in therapy and managed to get/stay drug free. I hope this advice is helpful. There are a lot of different methods, which is great- because addiction has no "one size fits all" answer. I hope you can find what works for you. Wishing you all my best! Hang in there!!!

Dayoneagain

I probably used the wrong term. By "scoring" I simply meant that I had stolen a few more from the relative I mentioned above. Being a pretty square guy, I wouldn't have the vaguest idea where to go about "scoring" street drugs or even who to ask (which is probably a good thing). Since the relative is wise to me now, and we had a good talk about the necessity of preventing my access to her meds, that source will have pretty well vanished. That is going to be one of my best motivations to stay clean; the simple fact that I have no more access.

I really have no interest in any sort of opiate replacement therapy. Despite my relapse, I had made it through the worst of the withdrawals on my own and I am confident I can do it again if it is no worse than it was before. I do intend to speak with my doctor about some kind of antidepressant, because I think the opiates (and the pot before it) were a form of self-medication for the depression I have always struggled with.

2granddaughters

I bet those folks at NA would be able to get you straightened out.

All the best.

Bob R

sugarbear1

Welcome to SR!

Glad you are here!

SSIL75

IME withdrawal will be minimal to none after that level of relapse but who knows. Have to figure out a way to stay off them for the sake of your head though.

sissy07

Welcome to SR!