Just needing suppport

[chaddavis333]

Hey everyone. I haven't posted in a couple of days. I have had wds before, but never any that have lingered on so. Tomorrow is a week since I gave up my year long battle with loperamide. Yes immodium ad. Please dont' use it to get off other opiates. Its a lie. YOu do pay a price. Of course, I was doing 20 a day, when all of sudden I went into withdrawal the previous week, and went ahead and just quit. Anyway, I still have insomnia and have to take zquill to sleep and it is not  a restful sleep. Also, sorry for the grossness, but yellow liquid diarrhea, for the past 2 weeks. I get these headaches that feel like a band around my head. Of course the docs all say, I cant withdrawal from loperamide, but there are thousands who say otherwise. Theses are the same people who also said I would not have wds from tramadol. Anyway, I hope someone can tell me if this is still withdrawal. I have never done it from lope, so I don't know. It said to have the same chemical structure of fentyal or methadone. I don't dare want to compare an otc with something like that because I know that those are much worse. I still have a touch of electrical zaps like anxiety, the head ache thing and the stomach issue. What is going on here. The only other thing I have done differently is I had to switch to generic Lexapro, but I was having the headaches before. Thank you to those who have commented. Trust me, I know there are a lot worse out there, so I am grateful for what I have. I would love to hear from someone who abused the lope like I did. Again, I did it to get off opiates, and just never quit...my fault I know, but how long does the suffering last. Thank you to Robin and of course Sarah for always responding. it means a lot to me if I never say anything......

[pillguy]

It's my understanding that Imodium is a modified molecule of fentynal.  The fentynal molecule has been altered so that its size prevents it from crossing the blood/brain barrier.  Since it can't cross this barrier it can't get you high, but it will affect those receptors in your gut.

I have read posts from people describing how it might be possible to cross that barrier.  Some folks swear by it to relieve WDs.  Never worked that way for me.

[cdvr1]

I've noticed one very important thing that nobody has mentioned to you. Imodium AD has a very small form of opiate in it. So technically because of the amount you were taking your going thru opiate withdrawals all over again. Which is also the reason for the color of your diarrhea. I know this for a fact for multiple reasons. One, I was an opiate addict for over 16 years. I went thru wd more times than I can count & always took Imodium to be able to do anything at all. I ended up checking myself into a psyciatric hospital for a few different reasons but one was I couldn't stop taking Imodium even when I was still taking opiates. The weened me down from the Imodium plus have me other meds to help with wd. Then I was out in a suboxone program which I know some people don't want to do but it helped me drastically! One of the things on the contract you have to sign actually says Imodium will come back in your urine drug screen as an opiate & of course you can't take any form of opiate while on suboxone or you'll get sick. So you either need to just ween down, quit them cold turkey out hey some help from another Dr who knows that you most definitely will wd from that amount of Imodium. I know this probably wasn't much help but I just wanted to make sure you also had these facts just in case they do help you make a decision on what to do. Good luck to you!

[NeverAgain127]

I didn't write that tea recipe correctly.  You discard the brown ginger skin, and chop up just the white part.  Don't eat or steep the skin!!

[NeverAgain127]

You poor soul...I know how much you've suffered, but this will be over soon.   Do the doctors who tell you that you cannot w/d from loperamide know the amount you were taking?

It sounds like you are passing bile.  How is your appetite?  I would be eating a BRAT diet; bananas (high in potassium), rice, applesauce, toast (dry.)  

Loperamide essentially paralyzes the gut; I'm only speculating here, but it sounds like your GI tract is rebounding.  

Sort of the same thing happened to me with my respiratory system.  30 days after I quit oxycodone, I develop a CONSTANT dry cough.  I was freaked out about it, and had chest xrays and lung function tests.   All normal.   The darned cough lasted 2 months.   I was convinced I was dying, but what was happening was that the opiates had suppressed by cough reflex for so long it was finally "waking" back up, and the pendulum swung hard in the other direction.  

Keep up your fluid intake, and try to sip Gatorade.   Ginger is wonderful for soothing the stomach; have I given you my recipe for ginger tea?  Well if so, here it is again:

Buy a big old nasty piece of ginger root at the grocery store.  Peel off the brown skin (not an easy task, but try to get it all off.)  Chop up a bunch of into little pieces.  2 or 3 big tablespoons.  Now toss them into a big mug and pour boiling water until the mug is full.    All the pieces will float to the top.    Put a small plate or saucer over the mug and leave it to steep for 5 minutes.  Take off the plate, and you'll see all the pieces have floated to the bottom; yay!  Take small sips.   It helps me SOOO much.

You can also buy candied ginger and snack on it, although it IS covered in sugar.  

Two other calming teas are chammomile and mint.  You can even buy them combined.

Try a heating pad on your tummy when you're resting...I go through at least a heating pad every two months; that's how much I use them STILL on my stomach (I have IBS.)

Regarding the sleep, well, it's 5 am now and I haven't been able to get ANY sleep tonight.   I think it's my new job; very, very stressful.  I'm exhausted, but my brain just stays awake.    So I can't help you much there.

Hope you feel better very soon honey.  You're doing GREAT...

Hugs,
-Robin

[dedicatedtostop]

I wish I could answer your questions but unfortunately there's just not a clear cut answer.
I want to add that you have " stopped yourself " for quite some time so those issues may linger for a bit. I think Quince has given you some great advise on a referral for a Dr. Also!!! PLEASE PUT THE LEXAPRO OUT OF YOUR HEAD!
Honey, I have been a nurse for 13 years and I am telling you that it takes a good 6-8 weeks for the increase to have any impact on you.

I also want to add, and I don't have an official article, I will have to look it up... But way back when Methadone was actually compounded w the Lope in it and in some way the chemistry was reformulated.. So please know there's much more to the lope. You are very correct! What your going through is WD which, again I am not a Dr, but based on the info I provided above, this may be more comparable to a Methadone detox.

Hang in there!

I have been following you and am very proud of you.
I would take the above posters advise on finding a Dr that can help you!

It's not easy, I know, but it's SO worth it...
I will try to find an article in regards to the info I posted above and send it to you!
Hang in there!! I am pulling for you Buddy!!
Hugs!!

[chaddavis333]

Yes I have had blood work and the only thing low was potassium. only slightly. I just cant figure this out.

[Quince30]

Oh, I forgot to add that it's vital you take electrolytes!  Water alone can work against you as it also flushes electrolytes out of your system.   You should be able to find some at a pharmacy and should incorporate them  with other fluids.

[Quince30]

Hi Chad, thanks for posting as I am wd'ing off of opiates (codeine) and this reminds me to be careful of how I do it.

From what I understand loperamide works on nerve receptors to slow down the movement of the gut.  I guess that means it allows greater time to absorb fluids and form proper stools.  Since you've been taking so much of it, your gut isn't really working its own job but letting the loperamide do it.

My daughter has the opposite problem (a chronic illness) and we visited an internal physiotherapist.  She gave us advice, medications to take and checked on the progress of the gut.  Essentially, she said we needed to re-train her digestive tract.  I think that's what your gut needs...retraining.

Do you have access to an internal physiotherapist?  If so and if you need a referral then get one from your doctor.  It could take a while to re-train your gut.  

I hope that helps!  Big hugs to you. :-)