71 hours CT

[Opi-ette (OP)]

So last week, found myself in a bit of a sticky wicket (amirite Brits?) and had to go 3-5 days without. I'd never gone that long before and was scared out of my mind. The most I'd ever had to white knuckle was a day or day and a half tops so I knew I was in for it.

I had Pregablin (Lyrica), some Xanax, Lope, Soma and thankfully I ordered some Clonidine a few weeks prior since I'd heard so much about it. I have to say the Clonidine really did help. I was still craving like mad mentally and was in physical pain but I didn't have that hot hot burning heat, no pounding heart,  it relieved a lot of symptoms up to 80%-ish )along with all the other comfort meds I listed). The grogginess though was too much to handle. I could barely walk to the kitchen, so I thought I'd try Adderall at 1/2 my normal dose. I've read terrible things about taking that or any speedy substance while in W/D but at 1/2 dose it was actually very helpful. I was able to get out of bed, clean up a bit, get to my desk and snap out of it for a while. It sort of balanced out the sheer exhaustion caused by the Clonidine.

Just thought I'd share that little tidbit with you guys.

[makita]

How much did you take and how often?  Usually you don't need as much as they say.  I've been majorly helped by .05-.075mg and definitely wouldnt take more than .1, 2x/day. 

[nick]

72 hours! If you're kicking a short acting opiate you1'd be well on your way to getting clean!
We use Benzos and lofexidine here and it works ok.

And full marks for the sticky wicket metaphor.

[Opi-ette (OP)]

How much did you take and how often?  Usually you don't need as much as they say.  I've been majorly helped by .05-.075mg and definitely wouldnt take more than .1, 2x/day.

makita I was taking .1 2-3 x a day. I was going by what I was reading. I guess that explains the partial deafness and my eyes felt like they were 5 times the normal size.

PS: I forgot to add that music was a god send. LOTS of music. It does soothe the savage beast.

[Opi-ette (OP)]

72 hours! If you're kicking a short acting opiate you1'd be well on your way to getting clean!
We use Benzos and lofexidine here and it works ok.

And full marks for the sticky wicket metaphor.

This is true, but it was a temporary thing and I knew eventually I'd be re-dosing. Don't think I'm quite there yet physically or mentally to just continue on and get clean.

Hehe thanks! I was hoping I was using it correctly

Regarding lofexadine, I read makitas thread on the phile about it and it sounds great. Better than Clonidine, but try as I might, I couldn't get any.

[Der Alte Krieger]

That colonidine is some good stuff, I kicked 3 times with it in rehab and it really takes the sting out of WD's. The biggest problem I had with it was the feeling of constantly being just awakened and wearing about half of my food

[Narkotikon]

I've never been a fan of Clonidine.  It seems like people either love it or hate it for w/d.  Plus, they usually script too much.  I've been on 0.1 QID before and it was just way too much.  Had that totally drained, weak, tired feeling.  Plus, the only thing it helped with was the high blood pressure, which is what it's supposed to do.  It didn't help with hot/cold flashes, leg aches, anxiety, etc.  In some ways I felt like it made the w/d worse, not better.  But that's just me.  I'm glad it helped you.

The lofexadine is interesting.  I don't know much about it, but I've heard it's supposed to be better than Clonidine.  When I was just out of the methadone clinic I was in years ago, the doctor there tried to get me into a clinical trial that UK was doing at the time.  They were testing lofexadine for opiate w/d.  I never did the trial though.  I started using again b/c I just couldn't handle methadone w/d.  A week at tops and I was done.  Poppy pods and pills to the rescue. 

I think benzos or good muscle relaxers work the best for w/d, at least for me. 

[Zoops]

Yeah I can't stand clonidine either. Gives me a pounding heartbeat while at the same time makes me feel all washed out and weak. Lyrica and benzos would be great though. Lyrica especially is AWESOME for opiate withdrawal. Like 200mg every few hours, damn it's like you're not even in W/D anymore.

And +1 about the music thing. Works wonders for me.

- Zoops

[Opi-ette (OP)]

That colonidine is some good stuff, I kicked 3 times with it in rehab and it really takes the sting out of WD's. The biggest problem I had with it was the feeling of constantly being just awakened and wearing about half of my food

Haha yeah I feel ya. Almost felt like a nursing home patient myself with all the slow shuffling and my bed swallowing me whole

[Opi-ette (OP)]

I've never been a fan of Clonidine.  It seems like people either love it or hate it for w/d.  Plus, they usually script too much.  I've been on 0.1 QID before and it was just way too much.  Had that totally drained, weak, tired feeling.  Plus, the only thing it helped with was the high blood pressure, which is what it's supposed to do.  It didn't help with hot/cold flashes, leg aches, anxiety, etc.  In some ways I felt like it made the w/d worse, not better.  But that's just me.  I'm glad it helped you.

The lofexadine is interesting.  I don't know much about it, but I've heard it's supposed to be better than Clonidine.  When I was just out of the methadone clinic I was in years ago, the doctor there tried to get me into a clinical trial that UK was doing at the time.  They were testing lofexadine for opiate w/d.  I never did the trial though.  I started using again b/c I just couldn't handle methadone w/d.  A week at tops and I was done.  Poppy pods and pills to the rescue. 

I think benzos or good muscle relaxers work the best for w/d, at least for me.

Yeah I've heard its about a 50/50 split weather people loved or hated Clonidine. Sorry it didn't help you and made you feel worse. Maybe like makita said, lower doses would do the job without the sheer exhaustion and other side effects. Small dose of Adderall seemed to help combat that though.

If I could find or get Lofexadine I would definitely try that. At least keep it in my comfort med arsenal.

[Opi-ette (OP)]

Yeah I can't stand clonidine either. Gives me a pounding heartbeat while at the same time makes me feel all washed out and weak. Lyrica and benzos would be great though. Lyrica especially is AWESOME for opiate withdrawal. Like 200mg every few hours, damn it's like you're not even in W/D anymore.

And +1 about the music thing. Works wonders for me.

- Zoops

Agreed on how immensely helpful Lyrica is.

[lawyerup]

ya i can attest to the shitty feeling of too much clonidine, i mixed up my pills one night after taking some ativan and took 3 .2mg and i was drooling and feeling god awful.

[Opi-ette (OP)]

ya i can attest to the shitty feeling of too much clonidine, i mixed up my pills one night after taking some ativan and took 3 .2mg and i was drooling and feeling god awful.

Holy Christmas on a cracker! How long did it take until you felt better? I thought 2 or 3 .1's spread out was bad,  I can't imagine 6 at once. Did you feel like passing out or faint?

[makita]

just another vote for pregabalin/gabapentin as a withdrawal med.  Honestly the best approach is a combination recipie of meds: best case scenario is some pregabalin/gabapentin, clonidine or lofexidine in smaller doses, a bit of DXM (twice reccomended dose is good and nowhere near enough for psychoactive effects), and some benzos if you have them.  Add in a taper if possible and you're golden.

I've not used this to kick opiates completely but I've used it to drop down abruptly from a ridiculous fent run to just regular meds a bunch of times, an act that would normally make for much suffering, and it works beautifully--sleeping great and fully functional the whole time, the only thing you're missing is the part where you're actually getting high. 

[makita]

just another vote for pregabalin/gabapentin as a withdrawal med.  Honestly the best approach is a combination recipie of meds: best case scenario is some pregabalin/gabapentin, clonidine or lofexidine in smaller doses, a bit of DXM (twice reccomended dose is good and nowhere near enough for psychoactive effects), and some benzos if you have them.  Both the clonidine and gabapentin can be bought online, and the DXM is OTC (make sure you get the kind that is just DXM like Delsym, no other cough or cold meds added).  Add in a taper if possible and you're golden.

I've not used this to kick opiates completely but I've used it to drop down abruptly from a ridiculous fent run to just regular meds a bunch of times, an act that would normally make for much suffering, and it works beautifully--sleeping great and fully functional the whole time, the only thing you're missing is the part where you're actually getting high.