Hello again everyone. Well, it's now been almost 3 1/2 months & i still have all of the same symptoms, hardly any sleep each night due to the constant choking up of foamy saliva. I'm going insane from the lack of sleep, which is causing my chronic pain to worsen. I've tried all the various "Drying-up" agents such as Mucinex, NyQuil, and various antihistamines...no change AT ALL.
I'm seeing my Primary this week & she's a bit stubborn at times. She tried to say i have the flu. Anyway, i'm hoping that one of you out there that HAS gone through long term opiate usage & is now OFF...if anyone has gone through something similar...do you have ANY advice that i can bring to my Dr.'s attention? Already spoke to Pain Specialist, ENT, Endocrinologist, and my PCP about this...and no one thinks it has squat to do with opiates (I firmly disagree!). Thanks in advance.
Another thing that i have noticed since being off opiates for almost 3 months now (Besides NOT having any desire whatsoever to take any more, thank God)...is that i am remembering things much better, i am feeling stronger mentally. The only way to describe it is, "Clear." It's a great feeling...quite empowering, especially since being a slave to chronic pain for so long. You have all been great on here, i cannot thank you enough for the wonderful support.
Hey there and congratulations on your AMAZING courageous choice to get off those drugs after 2 decades!! Wow!
I have Crohn's Disease as well and so I relate. I found a good probiotic has done wonders for me. It is hard to learn to cope with our disease in a natural way, but I am proud to say I've only had one flare since I started recovery 3 years ago that needed prednisone to settle down. You are basically starting life all over again here. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Your body has a lot of healing to do.
Hugs,
Lu
Hi there. Just a thought. Take prescription antihistamines. I'm thinking maybe post nasal. Maybe not. I know i have my own set of major health issues. I'm not sure. But i know i dealt with alot of what you are talking about.
Seriously, thank you all for these wonderful comments. It's a bit odd to see everyone having gone (Or going through) exactly what i have been telling my Dr.'s for months now...and finally some answers! Since i do have other health issues, i have to be extremely careful as to what i take, even certain vitamins. Since saliva is the body's natural way to help stomach acids, i truly thought it was related to my GERD, or Crohn's..both of which my GI Dr. said no. This just makes so much sense now. I am actually starting to feel better for longer periods of time, but the sleep-spit-sleep-choke-sleep- cough up foam, is driving me nuts & nothing works. At least i can stop all of my GI tests now (Thank God). They've ran me through ever "Oscopy" under the sun trying to figure this out. MUCH appreciation to you all.
Hi honey:
I am at day 87 and still not what I would consider "well." I started a hacking cough on day 14, and even though it has died down considerably, every evening, I cough and hack up clear sputum (yuk). Opiates suppress our cough reflex and LOTS of stuff builds up in our lungs. It will take time, maybe months, to clear out.
I still sneeze constantly too.
What else....I have stomach issues--severe IBS---and have not had ANY kind of comfort in terms of my GI tract. I'm either constipated or have diarrhea...every time I eat is a new adventure...will it be ok or will I be nauseous?
Sleep: OMG, are you kidding me? I take Trazodone (prescribed) to sleep sometimes, but it is not quality rest...it gives me vivid nightmares and I only sleep for maybe 4 hours. At least 1-2 times a week I go the entire night with zero sleep.
We have to be patient; some folks have a harder time than others, and you and I are two of them...so are many other folks on here.
Can you exercise? I find it is helping me a lot, although I can't muster up the energy to do it every day, especially when I feel like I'm going to throw up all day. I chew candied ginger for upset stomach; it sometimes helps.
Hang in there....long term opiate use doesn't resolve itself quickly. As my doc explained, it changes every single cell in your body. Human physiology is amazing; the body can habituate to just about anything, and it learned to incorporate exogenous opiates for almost 2 decades in your case. It may take 3-6 months or longer before you are completely yourself again.
Take care, and keep us posted!
Hugs,
-Robin
I just wanted to reiterate what was said above...i lost weight for the first 4 months...had #3 for months...coughed and sneezed for months....it will stop.
Your welcome. The opiates slow up and stop up all your bodily functions. So when you stop using them everything comes back with a vengeance.
Are you taking Imodium? Eat light foods to start, the brat diet is binding, bananas, rice, Apple's, toast.
Melatonin, Valerian root, sleepy time tea, alteril, sleep by nature made.
These have helped lots of people.You should start to get some sleep soon.
Three months seems to be a milestone for a lot of the symptoms to go away.
Yes you will have good minutes and bad minutes. The good will start to outweigh the bad.
Protein is very good for healing the body, try the protein shakes.
Are you taking vitamins?
Ginger is good for nausea.
Your systems have to learn to adjust to no opiates. Yes, awe patience is a virtue. Are you trying to get some walking in? This will also help your natural endorphins, serotonin and dopamine re-populate.
Most find after being free from opiates for 3 to 4 months their pain levels
Actually decrease.
Keep on keepin on. Keep the faith.
Debbie
I wanted to thank you for the fast & kind reply. As a 43 yr old male who's dealt with this since his early 20's, including a few short bouts of withdrawal before Dr.'s telling me to start up again (Yes, you read that correctly), i guess i just need to learn some patience...LOL. It's the constant foamy salivating at night that's driving me insane & causing my lack of sleep. Nothing, and i mean nothing OTC or otherwise has helped. Thanks again, very much appreciated.
Hello and welcome. Congrats on breaking free from eighteen years of opiates.
Hun it isn't unusual what you are experiencing. 2 1/2 months compared to 18 years is really no comparsion.
It is going to take time to heal. Please be patient with the process.
Have you tried OTC natural sleep aids?
Drinking emergen c, protein shakes?
Take anti histamines. Treat your symptoms.
Keep moving forward you are healing.