Preparing for cold turkey.......

[Xzentric]

I want to make this clear that this is not my post, but a golden nugget of information from another forum! This is by Angle on the codeinefree forum.

Just wanted to share so here it is........


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Preparing for Cold Turkey
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:44 pm
I chose to take the cold turkey route to coming off codeine but it may not be right for you in which case you will find loads of help and support with the taper method right here on the forums. The benefits of C/T were, for me, the knowledge that I could be codeine free and well on the way to feeling whole again within a matter of days.

I have now been free of very strong doses of prescription codeine for 8 days and the strangest thing has happened...I look great! Seriously, I still feel as though I'm coming to the tail end of a hellish dose of flu but I look 5 years younger, and so much less bloated in my face and tummy! And...I am feeling more hope and joy than I have felt in three years - nobody can believe the difference, especially as most people really do think I have 'only' had flu. If only they knew the life-changing experience I have been through like so many on these forums who came here for support when they were at their lowest ebb and found the encouragement and strength to carry on right here on the boards...

So this is how I did it.

Shopping List

Sundries

Ibuprofen tablets
Rehydration electrolyte powders*
Antacids for heartburn
Multi-vitamins
Lavender oil and lavender bubble bath
Bottle of spray disinfectant
Vaseline
Lots of super-soft toilet rolls (infused with aloe vera if possible)
Wet-wipes/baby-wipes
Packet/box of tissues
(Nicotine patches)**

Food & Drink

Bottles of water - still, sparkling, flavoured; whichever you prefer, but tap is best!
Fresh juice
Chamomile teabags
Tonic water***
Sugar or honey to mix with chamomile tea (some strange people actually enjoy chamomile tea 'straight' but for me it truely epitomised horses wee without sugar )
Fruit ice lollies
Porridge oats
Prepared fruit salad in bite-sized chunks
Small pre-prepared meals that can be heated quickly - read through http://www.foodandmood.org/ to get some ideas.

*Rehydration electrolyte powders (2-3 boxes from any chemist) - these are rehydration powders which, when mixed with EXACTLY the correct amount of water, replace essential body waters and salts after acute diarrhoea.

**Nicotine patches (or similar) - if you are a smoker you may well feel too unwell to smoke for a couple of days so, to prevent you having withdrawal symptoms from both the codeine and the nicotine, slap on a patch in the morning and you can forget about it for 24 hours. My symptoms were reduced by a third when I finally made the connection and foraged for a nicotine patch during night two.

***Tonic water - some say the quinine flavouring helps them with RLS (restless leg syndrome - see here for more info and advice.)


Other things you will need

Hot water bottle
Several pairs of warm, soft socks
Several pairs of clean, warm pyjamas - you will be changing at least once or twice per day in the first 2-3 days.
Magazines, books, CDs, DVDs, puzzle books - try not to choose things that will get your adrenalin pumping. Your concentration levels are likely to be low for a couple of days so choose things you can dip into for brief periods.
Bedding:
Several clean sheets
Several light blankets/duvets
Lots of pillows and clean pillowcases
You will sweat a lot!


Book at least a week off work, longer if you can! Even though you will start to feel gradually better after day 3 you will still feel as though you're recovering from a strong dose of flu so you'll be weak and emotional, and you may suffer insomnia as your body comes to terms with all it has been through. If you have a carer who plans to help get you through they will also need to try to take days 1-4 off work. If you're unable to take this time as 'holiday' you should feel not one iota of guilt about phoning work on day 1 and saying you have flu and cannot as yet give any clear idea about when you'll be fit to return but that it could be up to 10 days. They will have a much better employee when this is all over.

Try to make yourself as self-contained as possible on days 2 and 3 (when it peaks) so move everything you'll need into one room.

I spent the time on my sofa which was covered in pillows and light blankets as I was hot one minute, cold the next, so I could take off or add a blanket as needed. There was a table next to me that held my drinks, book, magazine, telephone, TV remote control, wet-wipes for wiping my face and neck when I felt sweaty, tissues for the random sneezing that came from nowhere (!).

Sleep as much as you can during those first couple of days. You will probably not want to do much else anyway because, for two days, you will feel like you've been struck down by really unpleasant flu (HOLD THIS THOUGHT! Flu can last 2-3 weeks; this only lasts - at its worst - 3-4 days!!!). So sleep, sleep, run to the toilet, sleep, shower and sleep some more.

I was lucky enough to have my sister-in-law here who cared for me and my two children...and her one year old, and her unborn baby! (I'm not able to say here all that she has done for me because it is still too emotional to talk about and I need to stay strong. Suffice to say, I feel as though she has literally 'saved me'). On days 2 and 3 she had to do practically everything for me. Now, on day 8, those two days have quite a blurry, 'distant' feeling for me because you start to improve quite rapidly after that and it seems like a fading nightmare, but my point is that it helps a LOT having somebody there with you all day, all night, for those first few days. However, it can be done 'solo' too, so don't be afraid, just prepare yourself as much as possible beforehand for every eventuality

You will almost certainly get diarrhoea within 24-48 hours of cutting out codeine. It's not nice but it's really important because it is a sign that your body is clearing out all those dreadful toxins. So get prepared!

DRINK LOTS OF WATER! You will recover faster if you manage to keep your body and mind well hydrated and nourished, and this doesn't just apply to the diarrhoea; all your symptoms of codeine withdrawal will be eased if you keep your body's fuel topped up. You can take rehydration (electrolyte) powders during this period to help with this but please remember that each sachet has to be mixed with exactly the correct amount of water so don't guess.

You need to make sure there is a bottle of spray disinfectant next to the toilet along with a tub of vaseline and plenty of soft toilet paper. Each time you flush the toilet spray around the inside of the bowl with the disinfectant; it kills any germs and it helps prevent smells. After a while you will notice the dreaded sting so wrap a double sheet of toilet paper around your finger, dig into the vaseline and gently apply just inside your bottom. Gross, but really soothing.

One other thing I wanted to mention is that I am a horribly weak-willed person who has tried and failed to quit smoking for the last 20 years. I have an addictive personality, OCDs, depression and bi-polar. And yet even I found the strength to quit codeine because it was ruling my life and slowly disconnecting me from the world and my loved ones. Even just 8 days after quitting, my appalling constipation has vanished, my apathy and constant exhaustion are no more, my dizzy spells have gone, I can actually wake up to an alarm clock now and I'm eating regularly again because I'm actually hungry - in recent months I have lived on codeine, tea, cigarettes, the odd packet of biscuits and an occasional meal. My poor body thinks it is Christmas! Oh...wait... Most important of all for me, I am actually picking up the telephone when someone calls because I'm no longer feeling disconnected from everything and hiding myself away from the world.

That's everything I can think of for now but I'll add more stuff as it occurs to me and I'd be really grateful if the amazing users of these boards can think of anything I might have missed, or if any advice I've given is contradictory to safe practice. (You don't know me because I've felt unable to post anything much, but I know all of you. You have got me through some of the darkest hours I've ever known on nights 2 and 3 and I will never sufficiently be able to thank you all enough.)

Lastly...keep www.codeinefree.me.uk saved to your Favourites! Over the coming days you will find yourself coming here often for support, advice, suggestions and hugs

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the part this community has played in helping me quit codeine.


You CAN do this!

[edit] Things I've subsequently remembered and wished to add:

1. Short of Breath/Panting.
You may notice you are panting rather than just breathing. This is perfectly normal and is just a reaction to what you're going through, so just go with it. My 'panting' lasted for 2.5 days! Wierd...

2. Weak Moments Later On.
"Break Glass Incase of Emergency!" - this coping strategy was given to a dear friend who was helping her partner off a terrible heroin dependency 25 years ago. Before he went cold turkey he was given drug counselling where they told him about the "Emergency!" strategy. It basically means that even when you've been clean for 2 weeks/a month/6 months you may still have sudden moments when you feel close to the edge - panicked, frightened, weak, tempted. You arrange a group of people you can immediately contact for support when this happens - I arranged mine three days ago because I know I might be feeling great now, but I'm also aware I could have a crisis in the future that makes me wobble.

3. The Shivers.
Fruitloop has just reminded me about the 'shivers' so I wanted to add this info here (take heart from the fact that I had already forgotten about this aspect of early-ish withdrawal after only 6 days). You can probably expect to feel very shivery at times so just be prepared to add more layers and top up your hot water bottle. This is also a good time for the horse wee....sorry, chamomile tea! It really does soothe you despite the fact your head is telling you it's Hell's own brew!

4. Insomnia.
Insomnia can be a problem when you start to feel better after day 3, which is why I think it is so important to allow yourself more than one week off work to recover. My insomnia started on night 4, just as I was starting to feel better in myself, which seemed really unfair! For the next three nights I paced the house as my restless leg syndrome went into overdrive (twitching, aching, frustrating muscle spasms which only worsened when I was horizontal). I would eventually keel over between 4-7am only to wake up again a couple of hours later.

By the third night I was so frustrated and so 'scared' to go to bed incase it happened again, but I just gave myself a talking to. I said "you're exhausted but you're still alive, you're still functioning, your brain will eventually just conk out, even if it takes until tomorrow afternoon, so just go with the flow." Accept you're probably not going to sleep, plan how you're going to fill those hours, follow all the basic rules for insomnia sufferers (there is good advice here ) and try to remember that bed is for sleep so if you're fighting a losing battle, get up. Don't let your brain start associating your bed with stress and frustration.

I finally fell asleep at around 7am sitting upright on the sofa and without even being aware that I was starting to drift; I just remember waking up again a few hours later with a stiff neck. Anyway, last night, which I expected to be my 4th without sleep, I actually drifted off beautifully at around 1am while watching TV wrapped in a duvet. I can't tell you how great I have felt all day because of it.

If your insomnia persists despite trying all the advice found in the above link, see your GP. Ask for only enough sleeping pills to get you through the next couple of nights so your body can rest and your mind can strengthen itself, and hopefully re-establish your normal sleeping patterns. Do not despair during those long, dark hours! You're not going to die from lack of sleep, and you will come through it, with or without your GP's help.

5. Mood swings.
Mood swings are something we all have to deal with as we rid our bodies of codeine, or, indeed, any drug. You will probably find yourself crying more than usual, and at the sillyest things! I cried a LOT when reading this site during days 2-3, but it was 'good' crying because it came from a feeling of solidarity because, knowing these people were going through the same as me, at the same time, gave me such a lift - I was too emotional to actually post anything on here until I was nearing the end of the first week...but I read everyone's posts constantly. Nobody else really understood what I was going through.

I also got angrier than usual. Angry at me for allowing myself to get into this situation. Angry at the children for bickering. Angry at my wonderful sister-in-law for making me eat to keep my strength up. Angry at my beloved mum for being away on holiday when I needed her most. Angry at my ex-husband for making me miserable enough to need to 'mask' my true feelings with codeine (six months after he left, and with me appearing to cope brilliantly, I had a breakdown at work. A colleague helped me upstairs and I remember lying on the floor in a ball, sobbing, when she handed me a glass and said "drink this, it will help"...and it did, for a small snapshot of time, until I had to take more to replicate the false feelings of wellbeing...2-3 years later I was taking large doses of prescription codeine daily and using every trick in the book to get my hands on my next repeat prescription sooner).

Loneliness is another factor which may come and go, especially when you are feeling at your worst. Even if you have the best family and friends in the world they cannot truely understand what you are going through. It was finding this site on the morning of day 2 that alleviated that for me and I kept it open 24 hours a day for 3 days so it was there when I needed it most.

All of this is such a natural and normal response to what we are going through. The codeine may have been successfully masking your true feelings for some time and they need to come out, but also, your body is going through so much in those first few days - of course you're feeling dreadful, sorry for yourself, lonely, tired, achy, tearful! The important thing here is to recognise it's completely normal and to let it all out.

This is where your family and friends come in. Even if just one person is aware of what you are going through, and supports you, you will have a built-in support network. I coped with the two worst days (2 and 3) by sleeping as much as I could, but when you start to get better on day 4, and need less sleep, you may find that this is when your emotions start to become hightened (it's also when you'll start smiling again though!) so make sure your support network is aware of this so they can step in and reassure you how wonderfully you are doing...and remind you that this is a temporary state! I'm on day 10 now (day 10!!) and I'm pretty much back to normal, apart from a general feeling of weakness typical of someone who has had the flu, say. I started to feel like 'me' again late on day 4, so since then has been all about getting my strength back and dealing with mood swings as they arise.

The best advice I can give if you're feeling down is to get out and get some fresh air, even if it's just for 10 minutes. When you get back, make a hot drink, top up your hot water bottle (for comfort), put on some soothing music...and come on here to vent!

(Thanks, again, to Fruitloop for reminding me about the mood swings.)


Edited by Mark: Post made sticky.

[Binky]

@Xzentric Thanks so much for posting this.There is a lot of great information in this post & I've been thru cold turkey at one time & this post just nails it.Thanks again for posting it.

[Perromaldido]

I'm sure this guy on the codeine board gave good advices on how going about CT with that substance , which, frankly I rate like a bad flue, no more. OTHA, when one is addicted to strong opiates CT comes 99% UNVOLUNTARILY.
You don't have neither the willpower nor the mindset for such an accurate prepration. You're lucky enough if you managed to save your emergency stash (trams, dhc, subutex) which most junkies cosume with no real need at all. When a full blown goes CT there's no more than a 48 hours max to go seek for relief. After that you are stuck where you are, you're just immobilzed. Either a friend comes to the rescue or you're really going to experience the inner meaning of CT.

Perromaldido

[mani]

A good read that @Xzentric.

Reminds me of the scene from Trainspotting where Renton is also trying to detox. The only difference is he stole a bottle of valium from his mum! I think he only lasted a day though.

[tadpol]

@mani- I just saw that movie recently. It was very funny, although maybe that's because if you've been on the coaster you can laugh. And actually I think he made it 12 hours. LOL

*This post was auto-merged. The following text was added 3 minutes after the last post:*

I know when I decided to go cold turkey it was hell. It's interesting how people say it's so like the flu. When did I ever have the flu where I was covered in goose bumps but sweating profusely? Or having tremors and muscle spasms? But it's the mess we get into, usually with decent needs or intentions. We have physical pain, our doctors give us drugs, they provide relief, then they stop rx'ing them. By then we're hooked and on the prowl for other means and it all just snowballs.

[Xzentric]

I'm sure this guy on the codeine board gave good advices on how going about CT with that substance , which, frankly I rate like a bad flue, no more. OTHA, when one is addicted to strong opiates CT comes 99% UNVOLUNTARILY.
You don't have neither the willpower nor the mindset for such an accurate prepration. You're lucky enough if you managed to save your emergency stash (trams, dhc, subutex) which most junkies cosume with no real need at all. When a full blown goes CT there's no more than a 48 hours max to go seek for relief. After that you are stuck where you are, you're just immobilzed. Either a friend comes to the rescue or you're really going to experience the inner meaning of CT.

Perromaldido

I'm now on day 4 myself, and your right. Today has hit me like a hammer.

I was being cockey the last 3 days, yeah I felt awful but thought its not so bad I will be better tomorrow.

How wrong I was. You would not believe how hard it is to write this because I can't stop shaking. Badly!

[Cranberry]

I'm now on day 4 myself, and your right. Today has hit me like a hammer.

I was being cockey the last 3 days, yeah I felt awful but thought its not so bad I will be better tomorrow.

How wrong I was. You would not believe how hard it is to write this because I can't stop shaking. Badly!

@Xzentric You hang in there & be proud that you even made it to day four. I've been through the cold turkey route and I'm gonna give it to you straight it's gonna get worse before it gets better. But stay strong my friend and use every single weapon that you have to fight the addiction monkey. It'll trick you and make you think there's no end in sight, but if you can just make it past the first week, you may actually feel your head clearing. I know we think we need drugs for the rest of our lives, but there's so many real life testimonies that prove this wrong. I won't sugarcoat, it's a tough pursuit but YOU CAN DO IT!!! I know you can. There's quite a few threads and alot of members here you can contact for support. As soon as you feel able walk, bike, listen to music, watch a good movie, clean the house. The key is to get moving, get your heart rate up, and give yourself positive distractions in place of substance abuse. A change of scenery will help your recovery in amazingly inexplicable ways. I'm in no way an expert, just a member that's been through the cold turkey route and I want to help you succeed in a life beyond addiction. It's all within your reach and the physical, mental, and financial rewards will be undeniable. Good luck to you, and I hope you can find what makes you happy. I am so proud of people when they manage to stay clean. Have faith in yourself and keep up the good work. Please keep us posted, and update whenever you can. Stay strong!!

[Perromaldido]

@xcentric It sounds as this may be your first wd from a major opiate. There are a thousand good reasons to kick it we all know but I'll mention one only. Each future kick will be tougher . Ask anyone who's been there. Yes, after one week you should be done with the strictly physical symptons, then you'll have to fight against psychological issues which are however dealt with in an easier way especially with a professional help. If I made it and thousands out here made it you can too. Going back to square 1 at your 4th CT day would be such a waste...you'd hate yourself for that. Hang in there.

Perromaldido

[mani]

I'm now on day 4 myself, and your right. Today has hit me like a hammer.

I was being cockey the last 3 days, yeah I felt awful but thought its not so bad I will be better tomorrow.

How wrong I was. You would not believe how hard it is to write this because I can't stop shaking. Badly!

Stay in there buddy you know you can do it. Keep busy, I know this is one of the hardest things anyone can do.

Keep remembering that you will feel so good after a few more days.

Keep us posted on your progress mate.

[Perromaldido]

A good read that @Xzentric.

Reminds me of the scene from Trainspotting where Renton is also trying to detox. The only difference is he stole a bottle of valium from his mum! I think he only lasted a day though.

LOL at that Mani. It's one of the funniest moments of trainspotting, yet how true that is. Renton expected way too much from those Vals. Actually at the beginning they made me feel even worse. Granted that after the first phase, during what I call ''operation mindf*ck'' they are great to get some sleep, which for me has always been extremely difficult.

Perromaldido

[Xzentric]

Thanks all, now in bed after another day of being sent home early from work. As far as they know I have had a bad reaction to the diazepam.

Just a quick question for all ho has been here before.

Did anyone suffer the mother of all headaches. I mean it's immobilising.

Every time I stood up or bent down it felt like my head was going to explode. I'm hoping its the wds and nothing else. I've just took another val and it's helped with he head abit.

I have been trying to watch house md, trainspotting and YouTube etc to kind of prepare myself, never expected it to be this bad though.

Actually had hallucinations from the sleep paralysis last night, I used to suffer from them quite bad after my younger days from doing E. but this was the first time in years that it's happened to me.

Not pleasent. Anyway, thanks again so much for all your advice. How many days do ou think I have left. Defiantly feel I have ht the peak of the worst of he wds.

Regards

[alumni]

Headaches and increased body pain are very typical withdrawal symptoms. I'm not sure about "sleep paralysis" but it can definitely occur while heavily using opioids regularly.
Acute symptoms can last for more than a week depending on any number of variables like overall health, age, history of abuse and concurrent medical conditions. There's no magic time period that I'm aware of.
I might have mentioned it before but please get rid of any opiates you may currently have in your possession. Even after the acute phase subsides, Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) often causes some lingering problems that can lead to a relapse if access to your previous drug of choice is easily available to you.
You might take to heart the adage that "quitting drugs is often easier than not starting them again."

[tadpol]

@Xzentric's - Hang in there. I know it sucks beyond words. You CAN do it.

Here is something (stupid) that helped me A TON. I took a mentality of "baby steps" if I made it 5 minutes- long enough to get to the bathroom and back. I would praise myself for baby steps. All I had to worry about was the baby step I was currently stepping. LOL It got me through. This is post surgery, complete cold turkey. No drugs. Cut from one end to another. When I say nothing I mean nothing. No narcs, no benzo's no sleep aids. Nothing.

Here is something that might make you smile. Day 2 I was sent home (from the hospital). I was wheeled out to a bench to wait for my husband to get the car. It was like someone took my eyes...wiped a ton of mud off them and gave them back The tree's were so GREEN. The flowers were beyond beautiful. The air ...I could smell it again.

There is something about being "clean" after a long time being medicated that is so ....freeing. I encourage you to open the window, step outside when you can. Listen to the birds sing in the morning (if you don't want to kill them first *lol*). These small things will let you know you are strong. You can do it.

I send you all the best intentions

tadpol

[Art Vandelay]

Does the op have chronic pain that will skyrocket once he is off the dhc? I usually take half of one to one dhc a day depending on the lyme pain I am in. I have read most of the thread but didn't know if you had pain that would be untreated after stopping dhc.

I picked dhc cause of the low abuse potential, the great pain relief and the low cost. I can get prescribed hydro and oxy but they are too addictive and there are so many hoops to jump through and it's expensive.

If you have chronic pain you will still be in chronic pain if you stop the dhc. Cause if you are in chronic pain all the rehab stuff is pointless. Unless you are Tom Cruise who can beat the pain with dianetics.

[orangeGorilla]

I gotta say that is one of the most detailed and extensive cold turkey remedy's I have seen. Is this tailored specifically for codeine...I guess I'm asking is the withdrawal from codeine different than that of like oxy and such.

[Xzentric]

I gotta say that is one of the most detailed and extensive cold turkey remedy's I have seen. Is this tailored specifically for codeine...I guess I'm asking is the withdrawal from codeine different than that of like oxy and such.

I'm guessing it's for all meds, as they are all opiates. It's just the intensity and length of time that differs with each med,
.

[Perromaldido]

Going CT on major opiates large use - that is all the way from Oxy to Fent - will make you beg for a codeine sickness.

Perromaldido

[bradw]

There are quite a number of opiate/opioid-withdrawal plans and 'recipes' that are available online; the one posted above by @Xzentric is tailored specifically for withdrawal from codeine. I suspect that, with a few tweaks here-and-there, one could quite easily make this plan applicable for use with stronger, full-agonist opiates/opioids such as morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, etc.

Going CT on major opiates large use - that is all the way from Oxy to Fent - will make you beg for a codeine sickness.

I would have to agree with @Perromaldido that cold-turkey withdrawal from codeine (or even DHC) is not always as severe as cold-turkey withdrawal from heavier full-agonist opiates/opioids (i.e. oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, etc.), but codeine withdrawal is nothing to joke about. Withdrawing cold-turkey from any narcotic is a terrible, horrendous experience (with very few exceptions: 8-12 mg/day of codeine is not likely to be extremely difficult to withdraw from, for example).

Keep in mind that codeine is converted by the liver into morphine, at a ratio of approximately 10:1 (in most individuals; enzyme deficiencies and/or differences can alter this, but for the sake of this post we will use the ratio affecting the majority of individuals). Therefore, an individual taking 100 mg of codeine 4x daily, a total daily intake of 400 mg of codeine, is ingesting the equivalent of 40 mg of morphine daily. Looking at it from this perspective, a high-dose codeine dependency is just as severe a problem as a dependency to therapeutic doses of morphine; 10 mg q.i.d. (q.i.d. = 4x daily).

As with most, if not all, cold-turkey withdrawal plans/'recipes' (including the one posted above), the focus is primarily to keep the individual "comfortable" during the acute withdrawal syndrome. Depending on the particular substance or substances used, the acute phases of withdrawal can begin as early as 4 hours following the last substance use. Typically, however, the early signs of withdrawal occur betweenr 8 & 12 hours and the severe signs normally begin between 12 & 24 hours.

► The early signs of withdrawal, beginning at <8 - 12 hours from last opioid use, are anxiety, fear of the withdrawal itself, drug craving, diaphoresis (excessive sweating), chills, lacrimation (tearing-up), rhinorrhea (runny nose), and yawning. These first symptoms normally reach their peak between 36 & 72 hours.

► Between 12 & 24 hours from last opioid use, further acute symptoms begin to occur, including: piloerection (goose bumps), anorexia, dilated pupils, irritability, dysphoria (intense feelings of depression, discontent, and indifference), restlessness, mild-moderate insomnia, tremor, mild tachycardia (accelerated heart rate) and/or hypertension (high blood pressure), and abdominal cramps. These symptoms normally peak at around 72 hours.

► Beginning between 24 & 36 hours from last opioid use and reaching their peak at around 72 hours, the following acute withdrawal symptoms may occur: diarrhea, myalgia (muscle pains) and muscle spasms (especially in the lower extremeties), nausea, vomiting, severe insomnia, and violent yawning.

The acute physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal syndrome generally resolve within 5 - 10 days. The psychological symptoms of opioid withdrawal, however, may persist for weeks to months (and rarely even indefinitely).

Important Note: While the above values/figures can by applied to many different narcotic pain medications, they cannot be applied to ALL narcotics. For instance, methadone withdrawal may take 24 - 48 hours from last dose to manifest, and the acute withdrawal syndrome may persist for 2 - 3 weeks longer than with other opioids. Buprenorphine (known as Suboxone or Subutex) also takes longer following the last dose for withdrawal to begin, and withdrawal may be more drawn-out than with other more common narcotic drugs (morphine or oxycodone, for example).

[billyboy1965]

@Xzentric When I'm on my cruel high horse (I might retire brusque and replace it with cruel high horse) I've mentioned almost everything this amazing person said, as has alumni who takes his share of shit. Sophie has. Binky has. Just not all in one compelling comprehensive post. What she wrote is what I witnessed. But she lived it.

The step by step preparation, supplies, support system and determination made this horrible process not as horrible, but horrible nevertheless. She must have had a mentor or sponser to be so prepared.

Again I praise and commend you. It's obvious you are taking this seriously and researching and educating yourself to help become sober. I'm amazed you're even attempting to go to work, or to be even able to do it.

You are helping others. Not only do you want to help yourself, but you want to share and help others. You will be the poster child and save me the time of typing out opinions we apparently now share. Not as brusque, most likely.

Have you noticed the non-cold turkey supporters haven't responded to any of your posts with praise for you, when previously they chimed right in with supporting the easy way out? Interesting, isn't it?

When you make it through this, and continue to struggle with it daily, and understand it can be done if you want it to be done, you will become frustrated with the people in denial supporting the people in denial and you will relay your personal success story.

Keep in a support system. You could relapse; it's common. Hopefully not. But if you do, that support system can come in very very handy.

Stay strong buddy.

[Jellyfish]

@Xzentric.

Great post, i'm sure this will help a lot of people who are facing WDs cold turkey.

Are you still tapering?