The Opiate Withdrawal Survival Kit Part 1: Preparation
As I mentioned in my previous post, a great deal of planning and preparation should go into a detox session. The reason why so many people enter rehab in order to detox, is because it can be a very traumatic experience. One that will most likely put the rest of your life on hold.
Pick a Date
The first thing you want to do is set aside a date for your detox. Preferably during a time where you are relatively free of any obligations. If you have a job, you may want to take a leave for “personal reasons” or something like that. It’s going to be absolutely necessary for you to have at least one week to yourself, especially if you are a heavy user. Once you’ve secured a date, you need to determine a location.
Pick a Place
Where you decide to detox is just as crucial as when you detox. The location must be one that is very supporting of your cause, and away from too much distraction. Those of you that have some money will have the luxury of renting a hotel or a cabin in some remote area away from everyone. A rehab facility would be great as well, but if you can’t afford it, then find the next best thing. Unfortunately, I was broke when I went through all of my withdrawals, so I was forced to improvise. Most every detox that I had took place at my parent’s house. It was horrible at times, but it still worked. The hardest part is pretending like everything is ok, when it really isn’t. That is why it’s so crucial to either go at this alone, with someone who understands, or with someone who is going through it with you. After picking a location, it’s time to get some supplies.
Drugs for Detox
In my next post, I’ll talk about a whole bunch of over the counter and prescription drugs that you can use to help ease your withdrawal symptoms. If you plan on going “cold turkey,” then the whole thing will probably be much more uncomfortable, but there are benefits to the cold turkey detox as well. Using medication to assist a withdrawal can cause even more problems, especially if you’re someone who has a pretty deep psychological addiction. The medication may become a crutch, and possibly another drug for you to abuse. So make sure you know what type detox is right for you before you get started.
Get the Right Nutrition
Moving on, we need to look at what our diet will consist of during our kick. Chances are that you won’t want to even think about eating during the first few days, but it’s absolutely necessary that you get some sort of nutrition in you. I’ve experienced that solid foods are out of the question when I’m getting clean, so I like to stock up on a ton of soup and fruit juice. Between the two of those you’ll get all your basic nutrients. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water.
Use the Toilet
If you have a bathroom, that saves you the trouble of buying a bucket for your vomit and diarrhea. 
To Sum it Up
Other than those essentials, you can grab anything that you feel will help you get through the whole ordeal easier. I liked renting movies, because books were very hard to read or concentrate on. The movies will definitely help, but that all depends on what part of the detox your going through. In the beginning, it’s going to be quite a bit of agony, so you might be devoting most of your time to puking, going to the bathroom or writhing in pain. Eventually, you’ll be able to throw on a good flick without feeling too crummy.
Crazy Libido
One final thing for everyone reading this. You’re going to notice a huge boost in your sex drive during and after your withdrawals. Opiates are known to suppress sexual appetite in both men and women, so once you stop, it comes back with a vengeance. Whatever way you decide to handle that is up to you, but I just wanted to prepare you ahead of time.
8 comments
[...] that we’ve talked about how to prepare, and what detox medications you can use to help with your withdrawal, it’s time to get [...]
Thank you. I’m going through the process, into the middle of my fifth day, and wish I would have discovered your info five days ago. Your site has been very helpful – I’ve printed several pages for my wife to read, since she’s been my sole support. I own my business, and have only been able to take about a half day off, but a long weekend is coming up – thank goodness. I had the opportunity to “ween” off the drug, but like a true addict, I chose to use large amounts until nothing was left, then off to cold turkey. What a mistake… If anyone is reading this, and they aren’t swayed by your very important message, then here’s a footnote from a “normal”, middle-class, responsible family-man stating the obvious – you know that you’re abusing, no matter how you rationalize it with yourself. Stop.
I went to a methadone clinic. Got off the opiates (mine were alot stronger than vicodin just fyi) stablalize your dose. Over an 8 month period I have weened my methadone dose from 95 mgs/day to 13 and I am continuing to go down 1 mg/d till I am done. I have started getting very mild wds but nothing like the cold turkey wds i’ve experienced. The cost is very little compared to street prices and i am living proof it can be done. Just listen to your inner voice and stay strong and devoted, life will resume better than ever. You will appreciate it all the more I promise you. Good luck to everyone in the same situation I will pray foe you all.
@Kyle
I apologize for not commenting back earlier. For some reason I thought that I had already responded. Thanks for the advice and great comments about our site here. If we can help each other out even just a little bit, then our job has been done.
@ Clint
Always great to hear success stories. Keep it up, and thanks for the support.
God Bless
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for mentioning the bit about the crazy libido! I thought I was going insane or turning into a nymphomaniac! Even though I’ve suffered through w/d’s more times than I can count, I always thought that I was weird on account of the overwhelming sex drive. I’d read somewhere that orgasm actually enduces the same or similar brain chemicals (endorphins, maybe?) that are released from the opiates so perhaps that’s the reason. I just thought my excessive drive was a bit over the top. Thanks for making me see that I’m not alone there.
I was, however, a bit depressed to read in one of the other posts that the w/d’s get worse and harder the more times you detox
I recently had a conversation about that. The one and only other person who knows about my problem is not very supportive. He was miserably pi*sed at me because the first time I detoxed I was over it all and back to normal within 1 1/2 weeks. During my last detox on day 16 I was still having trouble. Most of the physical symptoms had subsided but I still just couldn’t get out of my own way. I had zero energy and was depressed as hell. Now, at least, I see why and can show this to him so maybe he’ll understand (but I highly doubt it – like I said, not the most supportive person and one of the reasons I’m thinking about getting involved with NA if I can kick it this time).
I had actually had the idea that this time I was going to really plan every element of my detox prior to finding your site. Most of the other times it had been forced due to lack of meds and although I told myself I wanted and needed to do it, I don’t think I was mentally ‘there’, if you know what I mean. You would have to have gone through this crap to know what I mean, I guess, about being ‘there’ and another reason my support person doesn’t get it.
Anyway, aside from confirming the libido thing and increased time to detox after numerous tries, I also wanted to thank you for helping me to put my plan together with a bit more direction. Your site has been incredibly helpful to me, even though I’m trying to get off harder opiates (Percocet 10/325 – max of about 200 mg per day, and Fentanyl patch 50 mgs).
Here’s to hoping this time I actually get my life back. I’m facing divorce, lost my business, am going bankrupt, and have this addiction problem so life hasn’t been so sweet for me; however, on the upside, as of right now, I’m seeing all of these things as an opportunity to re-invent myself, to start fresh – tabula raza so to speak – and that incentive, I hope, will get me through all of this!
Cheers and best of luck and prayer to everyone out there who is, like me, going through this roller coaster ride!
Lisa
@Lisa
The sex drive is crazy isn’t it? Boy oh boy, was I unprepared for that the first time. I mean, just picture me at 18 (I’m 29 now) getting hit with the post withdrawal sex drive. It was nuts!!!
In regards to the length and intensity of your detox becoming greater with time and use, I can’t remember where I read about that, but it was from some medical article about opiate abuse. The doctor stated that basically, your brain becomes so used to the external opiates, that it shuts off it’s own production of endorphins much quicker and doesn’t return to homeostasis because it anticipates that it will receive the artificial opiates instead. It’s amazing how our brain operates.
I think having a detox plan is extremely important, especially if you are on high doses. But like they say; “gettting off is the easy part, staying off is tough.”
Best of luck to you Lisa. I encourage you to try every method of recovery possible before you settle on a single one. I don’t take anything away from the 12-Steps, but I realized early on that it was not the best path for me. Everybody quits using drugs someday, one way or another. Find your own way.
Take Care
Day 6 for me now, and still feel the aches and burning bad! But, I will say for those thinking about kicking or in the deep end as we speak, by day 5/6 you will be feeling mentally a lot better! And for me, a lot better than being blasted on oxy or dope or pills, you’ll feel a clarity in your mind that hasnt been heard or felt the whole time we were using! . They are ALL the same! Methadone is an even stronger opiate (but will last all day) suboxone is a long lasting opiate along with a “ghost” opiate that isnt an actually opiate, but binds very strongally to your receptors. And you have to take it sublingually for the right results! In fact, the time I weened down on just suboxone, was the worst withdrawal I’ve ever had! I literally didn’t get 1 minute of sleep till the 14th day!!! Luckily I had a bottle of amphetamines from my “ADD” days
but even then, still felt like a zombie!
Now, I am going thru withdrawals again, unbelievable right? but most here understand. Its a battle, and no matter how many years you’ve been clean, you/I/we will always be addicts. And whether you go for the 12 step things or not, what is tremendously important is that we never forget we are addicts. Be honest with your doctors, and loose contacts with suppliers. Thats the only way to protect yourself. That and to remember. Remember how much time, money and energy were spent on this lifestyle. And remember how ashamed it made you feel. (That’s only because of our societies ignorance around mental illness, deppression and addictive personalities.) And remember your withdrawal, and how horrible the whole thing was…..
Several days ago I was looking for some questions and answers that weren’t anywhere around. So, I’ll offer my email address so anyone who has any question, comments, needs advice or whatever can feel free to write me. I have quite a bit of exsperience on all this along with a medical background, so feel free to get in touch.
adamdosz@gmail.com -just put something in the subject so i know its you and not SPAM!
stay strong
Can anyone give me info about the amount of mgs. in norco,
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