The Thomas Recipe for Opiate Detox
I’ve heard a few people talk about using the “Thomas Recipe” for detoxing from opiates. Most of the herbs and drugs that are part of that regimen can be found right here on our own post about drugs for detox, but I thought I’d put the recipe up here too since it follows a specific set of instructions.
Thomas Recipe
Taper your Vicodin (or other opiate) dose as much as you can before hand, and if possible take some time off from work or any other obligations you might have.
What you need:
- Valium or any other type of benzodiazepine like Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax etc…
- Immodiun.
- L-Tyrosine.
- Mineral supplement that contains at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium. You may not find a supplement that contains all of these together. If not, then buy separately.
- Vitamin B6.
- Access to hot showers or baths.
Putting it all into action:
“Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can’t find a supplement for it.
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you’re aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn’t need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don’t take it, however, if you don’t need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the “coffee jitters,” consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
- Thomas”
If anybody gives this one a try, let us all know how it goes.
29 comments
I have tried this recipe. The only thing different was the addition of Clonidine and Compazine. The Clonidine helped with the anxiety and rapid heart beat. The Compazine helped with vomiting and sleep. Without Compazine and Immodium, I wouldn’t have been able to hold any food in. The recipe by itself is still a wonderful aid to people trying to quit. The only thing I notice is the trying to “plan” it is usually not the case. Vicodin addicts usually go through w/d because their supply got cut off and they have no choice. I know it happened to me alot of times. I was able to quit because of this recipe,a understanding ER doctor, and some awesome support I found online and in my neighborhood. I have been clean now for 27 months. Thank you for this blog. Its an awesome place for people to go to so they can start taking their lie back
Kristin,
Thanks for the tips, and the kind words. Also, congrats on the 27 months.
I do agree that the “planning” phase is usually difficult, but it’s definitely a good way to prepare mentally, if you have the luxury of doing it.
I feel like a lightweight compared to some of the posters here, but I’m at the end of day 1 cold turkey from vicodin 6 to 8 7.5’s a day for about 3 months, 3-4 for about 6 months before that. It’s been 24 hours and I’ve been fine acutally, but now i can’t sleep. I took 2 klonopin an hour ago and no relief from the RLS. Otherwise I feel perfectly fine, but we’ll how long that lasts. What’s frustrating is some posters talk about 2 weeks before it gets better and some are done in 3 days? I’m hoping I’m the latter due to a lifetime of no drug use and overall healty living. But I guess time will tell. I have freed my calendar for tomorrow and the weeknd. Please with me luck. I am trying the l-tyrosine and the zinc and other supplements recommended here. I don’t have a hottub, but we do have a nice steam shower here. I guess I was expecting more pain and all I have now is inability to sleep and I want to sleep so badly!
today is day 6 for me cold turkey off of 400mg oxy daily. i dont know how i let myself get that deep. amazingly, i even had about 60 left that i managed to keep locked away from myself before finally dumping them back to my “friend.” most of my issues SEEM to be subsiding, but sleep has been hell and it is the restless ARMS that keep getting me kicked out of bed. i am wondering which items in this recipe anyone would recommend for mostly anxiety, mild depression and the restless limbs. thank you for any feedback.
Michael,
Thanks for reaching out, and congrats on day 6. It’s gonna be tough to find anything that’s gonna give you serious relief over-the-counter. And I would say, now that you’re already on your sixth day, I would stay away from anything harder, unless you feel like you’re strong enough to maintain it. Can you exercise yet? Take some walks outdoors. That helped me immensely with the depression. The anxiety sucks, but it’ll subside. Try some Valerian root for that.
Best of luck to you. Let us know how it goes.
I am so glad I found this website! I am on day 5 of WD. I honestly was attributing my symptoms to the flu I felt so miserable. I am also on valium and have continued using that in a small dose at night. The sleeping issue and body aches are the worse for me, plus I have chronic migraines ( which is why i got addicted in the first place) and of course they are kicking in now. What I found that is helpful to me is drinking lots of water and gatorade, massage ( I have a massage chair but you can do self massage or have a loved one help out) and deep breathing, relaxation techniques. I am ready today to start exercising lightly again once my headache subsides. One question, are other muscle relaxers helpful aside from the valium? I cant take over the counter sleep aids as they seem to make my restless legs worse. Any suggestions?
Yes, yes, yes…This recipe works. Although i dont suffer much with the leg syndrome. I usually try to ge t off by the second week of use or it get harder every additional week i am on them. Being i have had two back surgeries and just yesterday had surgery on my wrist. If i got past a month on them, then just add one more week of hell for every week past two weeks that i am on them. I have had my runs of years on this little wicked bastard and the faster i get off them the better. Good luck to everyone. i know you and i will both need everything we have to kick these bad boys…
How come no one is talking about the wonders of alcohol?? I have had a really rough path with this given the fact that my doc is giving me 120 a month.. and I found about 200 else where a month.. the 200 is a strong norco yellow pill.. Anyways I am following the recipe and so far so good.. I have surgery coming up and I plan on staying off em..
this is my secund day of my wdl and you can imaging how i feel, iam gona try he recipe wish me luck
Good luck Claudia! Life just so sweet when you’re not going through withdrawals.
Im so glad you guys have made it to the point of quitting. Any tips on actually planning to quit. I do about 10 7.5’s a day and I say Im going to quit but I just keep going back. I buy ten more to wean off of em and I always end up eating them and then saying, this time it’s it, Im quitting tomorrow. When I wake up it’s the hell of knowing I have those to wean off and I start freaking myself out about not doing them and then I do 1 just so I start weaning off. Then I always go get another half, just in case or some crap. I had this problem before and I did quit but I don’t know how I did last time. My life has been filled with years of abuse. Im sick of it and I feel guilty everyday about it. Im successful, happy, why is this crap taking over? I guess I just need somewhere to vent. Thanks. I was going to get some suboxcin to try and detox. Has anyone tried it and if so what can I expect? Is there still rls?
I have been taking about 60-100 every day for about 3 weeks after shoulder surgery. I had no idea I could get addictedsto quickly! These withdrawals are the worst thing I’ve ever been through, and I’ve just started tapering off over the past few days! Throw in some nasty stomach flu and it’s been just fabulous.
I imagine it’s worse for people who have used for years. I already suffer from clinical depression and I’m on medication for that. So now it’s the sleeplessness and anxiety I have to deal with. I took my last pill 14 hours ago. I hope I can get through this. I don’t even feel like the same person.
Listen I know people are in Need for support here and i just wanna give u background of my use. For the past year I would say about 20 ES a day and now I have been clean for 26 hours. I was so sick of driving 30 minutes out of my way to pick em up everyday so sick of all my friends call me to get em and sick of the way they made me feel. I work a full time job and have othe obligations that need done but I cannot take a day off or I loose money. Ihave stopped many of times before in my 3 year run. It first startered when I got a script for a torn muscle then I didn’t look back. But it really has been bad the last 6 months. I look at WD as a beautiful release. I did this to myself and have no one to blame but myself. I am still going to work like today and the next. Not every one has a job where u can take a 15 min break when u start shivering or u need to walk. I do. Taking off ur time is running from ur demon. I would say oh I got this coming up so I will quit after that then after that this comes up. This addiction has effected my whole life and I’m fucking sick of it. I took about 12 ES last night an thought long and hard for my motivation to quit. I finally found it and will not be denied my freedom of this drug. I have tried everything to curb the symptoms and the one thing I have found works best for me is when ur body hurts, u can think, and u feel like ur skins going to jump off ur body remember your motivation to quit. If that motivation is truely strong enough u will do it. Take a picture easiely accesable write a note so u can look at it and Believe me there is always a calm after a storm. When u feel a wave coming on motivate urself. Other drugs u tAke to get off this one is just taking another drug that u might have WD from. Go grab a bag of blow pops, orange juice, bannannas, Gatorade, water or what ever works for u. Then find ur motivation and just quit. I am a firm beilever in tough love and I always want to believe people have It in them. This post is helping me cope and I hope it helps u. Just take it 6 hours a time. U might have 2 or 3 storms in 6 hours for 20 minutes a storm but once u hit ur peak where you hit the most WD in a 6 hour time then when that number starts to decrease your over ur hump. WD is a mutha fucker I am not going to lie but it is a necassary part for parets to play with their kids again, people to live normal lifes, and you to be on ur way to recovery. I will leave u with this last thought that got me throught the first time I was clean for a year before I got hurt and what I am using now. I found what I need to motivate me to quit and am a pissed off individual right now mostly becasue I let it get this bad and I will not take no for an answer. Stay strong and keep busy the more u have projects or something going on you will not sit in your room and watch the clock. I hope this post helps 1 person and if it does please let me know.
Yes, indeed this helped. I have been taking 9 vicodins for about 6 months. The 500 not the 7.5. I had knee surgery. Dr. said no more. So. I had 8 left yesterday. Took three at 6:00 last night.
I will take 3 today, 1 tomorrow and 1 the next day. At least thats the plan. I am taking tons of vitamins and I have xanax.25 when needed. Your post was inspirational. How are you doing. I am afraid. Its been 15 hours since a vicodin and I feel ok so maybe it won’t be too bad. I am a baby. I hate pain. Wa, Wa, Wa. I hope you are well and thanks for sharing. J
I have been taking norcos, 6 to 15 a day for about 2 years. If you need to know the yellows. I decided to stop on my own. Never had a script, it seemed like fun at first. I tapered as much as possible which as we all know wasn’t much as an addict. Anyway I’m a little over 48 hours since last dose. I realize some of you may say I am not that bad off but it’s been hard. I still have access to the drug . Asked all my “friends” to never give it to me again. I also realize what it has done to me. Stumbled across this guide on the internet and figured, almost a day in, any help was better than none. Thank God I have some friends who helped me out. While I lay in bed feeling like death my mom and a friend helped to get all ingredients on the list. I even let my boss know what was going on and she was very understanding ; gave me a few days off. Xanax is all I could find for the sleep. I am taking the vitamins religiously. The RLS I noticed gets bad only if I’m not in a walking coma. I hate bananas, but anything for relief. Been taking baths as much as possible and as hot as I can stand. Have to say it’s helping greatly. Just got out of the tub and obviously I’m typing and out of bed. Imodium is great, the stomach cramps without it are excruciating. I didn’t follow it to a T, I am already taking the L-Tyrosine in the mornings. I have to parent. Don’t worry people my mom is helping. Started on it low, then took more. Feeling a little better though. I know I will make it through this. May be sick for a while, but I have my whole life to look forward to. I’ll keep you guys updated. Good riddance to bad rubbish! Also thank you for this site, It may not cure withdrawals. It sure in the hell takes the edge off.
Sue,
Listen, you’re awesome! As I’ve said before, it’s difficult for me to give advice on staying clean, because I truly do believe that everyone’s process is going to be different. You, like so many others on this site, have reached out. That’s ALWAYS the first step. Everything else will fall into place at some point or another. It’s just a matter of time. If this is the last time you go through this, great, if not, you’ll do it again. The only problem with this process that we go through, is that it’s a very tight rope, however, the only thing that can stop you is death. I know it’s brutal to think that, but it’s reality. We see it with celebrities all the time, but what we don’t hear about are the thousands of average joe’s and jane’s out there that fall off that rope each year. All I can say is, BE CAREFUL, take care of yourself. Create a life outside of that high, that you know will be better than your life with that high. It’s there…find it.
Jane,
Be brave! There’s obviously a part of you that wants this. A part of you that wants to be rid of the pills. Hold on to that, and I guarantee you that that inner baby will eventually go away.
God bless!
Thanks for the advice. I am now just past 72 hours. A little tired, but got around today to get some exercise. Finally the bad part is over. Thank you guys so much for the help. Too many sites suggest taking the drug to get off it. That just seems stupid. Everyone out there feeling like crap stick it out. I promise it gets better.
Sue,
It’s only stupid if it’s done wrong. I’m not a big fan of methadone or suboxone, but some people swear by it. If you can go cold turkey, by all means…go for it!
I have been inhaling/snorting norco, vicodin, morphine, dilaudid for the last 2 1/2 yrs of my 5 year addiction to pain meds. Does anyone have any advice on what to use to ease the pain in my nasal passages and sinuses when I quit? It is terrible and I have a hard time moving past this point. I know once I’m past it I’ll be able to do the rest. There is no joy or high in these drugs anymore-not for me. I take them to keep from getting sick and that is a humbling piece of knowledge. I’ll appreciate anything you have to offer. Alexa
How long does it take for norco to be completely out of your system and is that when the withdrawls start? How long do they last?
Theresa,
It really depends on how much you’ve been using, and for how long. For me, the withdrawals were full-blown within 48-72hrs, which is pretty standard from what I’ve read.
I’ve been taking about 8 norco/day for about 18 months. How sick will I be , will I be able to go to work? What about the mental effects I already have severe depression and occasional thoughts of suiside. Will these become worse? I really want to get off this stuff. I have also been taking about 2-3 ativan per day for severe panick attacks, would valium work better for the withdrawls? and then how do you get off the benzos. The whole thing sounds pretty scary and I really need to know how long it will last. What about taking clonidine to help?
Hello all, I’m here because I take 6 10mg of Norco a day and have for 3-4 years. I ran out and can re-up anyday now from my Dr. Thought that this was crazy to keep on like this. Barley slept last night and am aching and irratable bigtime. My wife and kids are off school all week so I think I can take the time to detox now. They don’t know and am very embarraced of my addiction. I feel if I can kick it like I did cigarettes then i’ll be ok. Can I do this cold turkey or am I asking for trouble? I feeel like I have the flu and my body is aching. I don’t have the motivation to do anything and that is my biggest and hardest to deal with as of now. Today is my first day and I can’t do anything. Any advice will do. I like bananas even more if they will help with RLS. Check back later for more advice.
Hey Frank, I wanted to give my two cents but I want to be clear that this is a very individual thing, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
I have been on and off Norco for years due to a reoccurring back problem. I’m usually on for six months and off from six months to a year or two, so I have been on this roller coaster many times. I am currently nearing the point where I will wean myself and begin my detox but I am on 8 Norco per day as we speak.
In my humble opinion it is important not to get caught up in the language of addiction. The way we think about this and the language we use colors our experience and, often, pigeonholes us into the worst possible version of what you are experiencing. What I am getting at is that for me, and maybe for you, looking at quiting the pain medication as a part of the treatment process removes a lot of angst and negativity from the process. In other words, I am injured/sick and have been given medication. When I have recovered I stop taking the medication, which has side effects but is simply the last phase in the process of dealing with my injury or illness. It is what it is, do what you have to do and don’t get too caught up in over-thinking it. Again, this is simply my opinion but it does have a significant physical and emotional effect. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, and the unpleasantness is simply part of the process. Better that than fretting about being an addict, and choosing to carry all of the baggage that goes with it. Plus it allows you to focus on making yourself comfortable throughout the process.
I try to taper as much as possible. Cut your dosage by 1/2 a pill ever few days or even every week. It doesn’t make the final stage go away but my experience is that it significantly reduces some of the side effects.
When I get down to about 1/3 of my highest dosage I begin taking more vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Phenylanaline, 5-HTP, Choline, Glantamine, and GABA. The Choline is very important. The GABA is best before bed. You will have to look into dosage, and be sure to read about each before taking them to make sure that they are right for you. I also start taking Sena tea to help get my bowel closer to normal before I stop taking the meds. It will help reduce the severity of dia area
I usually hit a wall where any reduction results in full on withdrawl symptoms, usually 1/2 norco three times a day. At that point I continue with the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids but I also take xanax, clonidine, compazine, and immodium (all as needed). Make yourself as comfortable as possible, keep hydrated, and the bad part will be over in 3 or 4 days. I try to think of it as a really bad flu and just forget about the stupid hydrocodone.
Thank you so much everyone- I am in the planning stage and your letters are inspiring me to really do this thing. I have helped people kick for many years and feel I had much love and compassion for them. Now that it’s me, and I have had only a small taste of detox, I am scared to death. I can still keep my meds with the medical issues I have, but for me, it’s the soul loss that’s really killing me. Grief stricken at the loss of freedom, just a little bit sick most of the time. Thanks again-you are Angels to me. Where can I get the Opiate Withdrawal Survival Kit part One?
I am 3 full days with no Vicodin (weeny addiction compared to some (3 -4 5/500’s a day, but the bowel water issue and muscle aches are killing me! Doc gave me Tramadal and some other muscle relaxer but I feel Like I Am Going To Die! Can’t sleep and am hoping to get some exercise in, grouchy and wanting to take tylenol ANYTING to feel normal again. Can’t do the up and down thing anymore and cannot stand the idea of never being over this or not feeling like this. Someone please tell me this too will pass and I can do it! I am hoping the supplements in Thomas’ recipe do not interfere with my other meds, but I feel like death warmed over anyhow so I am going to dive in head first. Good luck to all of us who try to kick this trash! It is so ROUGH!
I have been taking anywhere from 15-20 10mg yellow pills for over 6 years and I finally woke yep a few days ago and said to myself that I have had enough. I took the last of my supply, and I few extra just for the heck of it, and I have now been clean for 16 hours. It hurtsm dont get me wrong, it hurts like crap, and to make things worse, I am at work right now. The worst part to me is the RLS. I hate not being able to sleep and I am sure that I will have a lot more of it to come. I just keep telling myself that if I can stick it out for the next week or two, then I will be ok
I am going through methadone detox through a clinic. I started out using oxy’s and roxis religiously for about a year, every single day. At least 40 mg but mostly around 80-120 a day.(If I got lucky up to 200mg) Anyway, been at the clinic about 8 months and am working my way down.I am at 25mg, my highest dose was 55mg.Word of advice for people considering methadone detox: DO NOT let yourself replace one addiction for another, like many do. I went into this knowing my limits, even though it totally SUCKS watching people go in there day after day getting a “legal high”. If you just take what you need to function, and not to get totally high, you will succeed. Anyway, Detox is getting harder, especially with the malaise, apathy, anxiety, body aches, sweats etc.I may switch to Suboxene to end my detox. But about the recipe: Potassium for the restless limbs, it controls nerves and helps calms the muscles.L-tyrosine works wonders for mental and physical energy, CINNAMON supplement for hot/cold sweats(not listed in recipe), multi vitamin/mineral with the iron, zinc and such helps with overall well being and getting your body back in balance.Drugs force our bodies to become dependent on the drug of choice, and all the nutrients are flushed out.I have only been following this for two days and I feel wayyy better, I highly recommend this rather than giving in to illicit drug use to calm symptoms.The benzo’s are ok, just don’t let yourself grow to love them..Also WATER and fiber help to keep you regular.Only use the fiber if you are irregular. Good luck, your not alone in this. It’s hard, but just remember how much happier life was without dependence on drugs. You feel naturally high, something many forget when falling into addiction.Tackle this monster one day at a time…
Jacqueline
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