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Question about the Thomas recipe

My husband is on his first day cold turkey from Oxy's, using the Thomas recipe. I didn't know what dosage of Valium would "induce sleep" safely in a 6'3", 260 pound man. His doctor wouldn't give me a straight answer and the internet just said 10mg 4 times a day is what is used to help alcoholics detox. Several hours later, it has not induced sleep. Would it be safe to give him any more than that?
He is also taking the .1 mg Clonidine 3 times per day, which I will increase to .3 by tomorrow.
Thank you for your help.
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Avatar universal
We are 83 hours into the CT and doing amazingly well. We live way out in the country, the phones, keys and money are all hidden and I have hardly let him out of my sight, so I don't think he is cheating either.
We are doing the Thomas recipe but after the third night, did not use anymore Valium. The Clonidine is hugely helpful as he hasn't had much of the symptoms that usually make it so miserable. I started him on .1mg-3 times per day and increased it to .3 but he only took that once, before we started cutting it back down. He just didn't need more than the .2mg dose at a time, and he is a big guy. He took his last dose of that last night because we are starting the second phase this morning of get up and get moving to rebuild energy.
He took Melatonin last night but hardly slept at all. He feels like he can't complain about that though considering that the other symptoms have not been as bad as anticipated. Some times you "have to endure hardness as a good soldier" if you want to get your life back. Since the oxy's are out of his system, he finally has the gumption to do what it takes again. Sorry to make this so long but... I came here looking for practical help and found it. I would like to contribute something before leaving. Most of you are very kind and supportive, which is good. Some are more motivated by a good kick in the pants though, so for those, let me say this. The man I married 27 years ago was a 6"3', 250lb hunk of toughness. Oxy's turned him into an impotent, excuse making, lying, selfish, woose that I had lost most respect for. I know that isn't what you want to be, but it is what you are if you have a bad addiction. The monster does the same thing to everyone, no one is immune.
One other important thing I was hesitant to say because I don't want to reflect poorly on Jesus but...we are born-again. My husband still got caught up in this but God is incredibly merciful IF you ask him. I really believe He is helping us and has made the process bareable. This is too tough to do on your own. Ask His help...and giving Him your heart would be a great idea too. Why bother getting your life all fixed up, just to lose it in eternity? Thanks and Peace
John 3:3
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
he might just not wat to sit still. let him do as much as he feels he can handle but with ur guidance and tell him now is his chance to have u cater to him he might like to hear it put that way lol ull get all his beverages for him rub his aching muscles things like that... tell him rest is the best and many many many hot showers or baths
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you all for advice.
Yes, we are getting additional support. We started Celebrate Recovery Group together last week and he has started meeting with our Pastor regularly. I told our adult kids so that is alot of accoutability he didn't have before. They are lovingly supportive of him.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'd say it's unusual to feel better day 2 than day 1, but everyone's different. Be careful that he doesn't overexert himself - opiate detox is a one step forward two step back thing as far as getting energy back goes. Also, with the Clonidine, it lowers blood pressure, so he needs to be careful about getting dizzy and falling as well as watch his pulse - it will probably be a bit elevated to begin with.
Helpful - 0
1000729 tn?1253365050
It just really depends from what I have been able to read on the forum.....  I am a newby to all this as this is my first and LAST TIME I will ever detox of any opiates!!!!!  I know my days were up and down minute by minute, hour by hour in the first 5 days or so.....  Keep on giving him all your support as that's really what it takes to get thru this!!!!!  The mental part is the big one!!!!  Once you get past the w/d's you have to deal with all the anxiety, insomnia, nerves, etc., etc....  The opiate malaise seems to be a real BEAR within its self!!!!  What is he doing for support outside of you?????  He really needs to consider some sort of support system where he can talk about it and release some of the anxiety that he is going thru with others that can relate to what he's going thru....  That I believe is IMPERATIVE for his sobriety!!!!!

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband.....  He will soon be on Day 3 and it does start to get better!!!!  I am now at Day 10 and am so thankful for all the support and knowledge this forum has given me....  It's the only way I would have survived this whole ordeal!!!!!
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Avatar universal
My hubby is at 41 hours CT off his snorting 300mg Oxy's per day. He has been addicted to pain pills for 15-20 years with the last 4 being Oxy's.
Gave him .1mg Clonidine and 10 mg valium every 6 hours, the first day. The last valium dose was at 11:00 last night and at 11:00 this morning he still doesn't want anymore Valium. He has never, not wanted another pill regardless what they were. This is amazing! He is not feeling too badly either. Wants to try to walk around the yard.
I know day 3 and 4 are usually the worst but isn't it really unusual to feel better the second day then you did the first?
Helpful - 0
199177 tn?1490498534
Remeber Thomas recipe has some great things about it .However keep in mind Thomas was an addict an addict that has overdosed and is no longer with us .Stay away from the benzos they are highly addictive.There are some great supplements He has come up with .In the end his addiction took his life don't let it do the same to you .
Helpful - 0
1000729 tn?1253365050
Hi There, has your husband already taken his 40mg worth for the whole day????  If yes, and he is still struggling you should call your Doc. up and ask what he's recommends....  I would recommend to NEVER take any advise about dosages of meds. by anyone other than a Doctor or at minimum a health coach/nurse!!!!!  It really all depends on the individual and their own tolerance levels to the specific medication they are using.....  PLEASE CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR POSSIBLE AN EMERGENCY ROOM FOR A RECOMMENDATION!

Hope ur husband becomes more comfortable soon as w/d's are terrible and the root to all evil!!!!!   d@mn pharmaceutical companies....  They have ruined so many lives but have made so many's manageable.....  It's hard to decide which way to interpret them....

You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers!!!!
Helpful - 0
271792 tn?1334979657
You are playing with fire by self-medicating him. 40 mgs of Valium is a lot first off and it is not intended to induce sleep. I don't know where you got that idea. I am very concerned that he is now taking that amount and you are considering increasing the dose.

The Thomas Recipe was born as a withdrawal aide. It will not take away the symptoms, only reduce them.

Now you are also considering increasing the Clonidine which was specifically prescribed correctly by his physician. Again, very scary.

I pray he will be okay over the next few days while getting through the physical withdrawal.
Helpful - 0
1006065 tn?1251478669
I wish I could tell you the answer to what is safe to induce sleep using Valium, but I have the same question as you!  I have Xanax, instead of Valium, and I have no idea what a safe dosage would be for me to induce sleep or that of your husband.  I'm a pretty tiny woman, but have a high tolerance to all medications, so it's so hard to know what is safe!  I hope you get the answer you are seeking soon, because I know I wondered the same thing!  I think your doctor or pharmacist (although the pharmacist might be reluctant to discuss it) would be the experts in dosages.  I'm sorry your doctor isn't being very helpful.  That's so frustrating because he/she is supposed to be the one who is helping your husband!

Tell your husband to hang in there.  I'm at 53 hours 31 minutes since I ripped off my Fentanyl patch (an opiate patch that is 100 x stronger than morphine!!!)  It's just now coming out of my system because Fentanyl has a far longer half-life than most opiate pills, so my worst is probably yet to come.  Tell him to take a lot of hot baths if he's hurting or has the jitters.  That sounds so simple, but yet has worked for me.

My doctor only gave me 21 pills of Clonidine (@ 3 times a day = only 7 days!)  at the .1 mg dosage and he has no plans to "up" it at all, even though Fentanyl is one of THE worst opiates in the world to come off of...it's the DEVIL!  So, the fact that your doctor is willing to "up" the dosage of Clonidine to .3 mg is a positive thing in terms of handling wds.  I hope you get your answers soon.

Blessings!


Lissy
Helpful - 0
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