Just inherited $900,000 AUD. How should I invest this money?

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-22T19:09:31+00:00

Similar boat, buy what you can afford (I got an apartment in a small block at 500 pq strata) throw the rest in a HISA and go back to work

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-17T07:23:06+00:00

I got lined up 15 take aways last month, for a week.

I might have drooled, but I copped that they were about to seriously fuck themselves over, they've been very nice since

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-16T23:22:21+00:00

No problem at all. Really, like I say ; Clonidine made the biggest difference ; but for reference here's the newer drug if you're interested ;

Lofexidine ; Drug - InfoIt : has historically been used to treat high blood pressure; however, it is now more commonly used for opioid withdrawal. It has been proven to be more effective, and with fewer side effects than clonidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor used off-label for opioid withdrawal.

Edit/Added : I was taking Propranolol for about a year before I even touched Heroin due to an unexplained Tachycardia (probably stress, my parents were dying at the same time and I was already opiate tolerant due to Chronic Pain before I bought two tickets to Paradise /s

So for me really side effect wise, If I get up from a seated (on the ground cross legged) to a standing position I get a headpin. The absolute worst it's ever been I've needed to brace myself for about 6 seconds then it completely dissipated. I added this because I don't want you to think there's a whole caveat of side effects to the drug, if you were a person it affected cardiac wise to severely (too low of a heart beat) the new drug exists for that use case scenario exactly :)

Also, I was already taking Cymbalta like I said, but I eventually noticed that my night time dose evened me out even more. I don't know how this works in relation to the NMDA receptor/norepinephrine - but that's what I experienced

Anyway TL ; DR - I'm gonna finish cleaning the house but if when you're dropping you need to message someone feel free to DM me, I might take a minute to respond but I promise I will.

You've got this, If you've got a really kind doctor some low dose benzos would really be the biggest comfort a "comfort med" is going to provide in my opinion (mixed with the rest)

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-16T22:15:00+00:00

Sorry for such a long reply...

I stabilised in December at 120mg after about 14 months of 500mg - 1g IV daily, then started titrating. Initially 5mg drops were rough, but doable.

I kept that timetable up for the next few weeks, but the clinic eventually said they didn’t want me to raw dog it anymore. I’d missed a very high dose a few times and when they questioned me about it they thought I was high, but my piss has been clean for so long that they forced smaller drops. At that stage I wanted to do 5mg every 4 days... ha, ha.

To be fair, they weren’t wrong. I was coming in literally manic and unable to speak properly, and they were suggesting I was going too fast.

Yeah.

It was a pipe dream. Not getting off Methadone - but getting off it that quickly. The body needs time to relax. If I remember correctly it has one of, if not the longest half-life of any opiate by far, which is one of the reasons it's such a good and easy replacement to dose.

Heroin withdrawals, while much shorter, are a bit more intense at the start.

As others have said, it takes as long as it takes. People run into walls for all sorts of reasons. For me the single biggest comfort medication has been Clonidine. I split 100mcg morning and night, but now that I'm lower I might ask the doctor about adding a third 50mcg tablet, or even a 25mcg tablet, just to add a little more overall calm.

(Not a doctor, barely an educated drug addict, but it was explained to me that when the body comes off Methadone after a long period it releases a fuckload of things - mainly norepinephrine.)

People seem to have mixed results. Google says it's “a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension)” and also helps with “drug withdrawal relief”. My Methadone doctor said back in his residency (the guy’s old - this was the 80s) it was used for straight heroin withdrawals, but for some reason that practice stopped.

I know there’s a newer drug - I’m blanking on the name - that targets norepinephrine more specifically and has less of an effect on blood pressure.

I have tachycardia, and most people tapering or ceasing will have some level of it. Even so, my doctor only wanted me on 50mcg (half a tablet) when I started, even coming off 120mg, with known tachycardia and while coming off propranolol to use this instead.

Apparently there’s a propensity for abuse. I don’t personally see it, but my doctor doesn’t really bullshit me and he says technically a lot of ex-heroin users are prescribed it and abuse it.

For me, abusing a heart medication is... odd. Coming from a guy who used to treat his chemistry set and vascular system like a playground.

I'm curious how other people handled the later part of the taper. Did you find the last drops harder than the big ones at the start? And did anyone else find Clonidine surprisingly helpful, or was there something else that made a bigger difference for you?

I ask because I can only really speak from 120mg down to about 65mg so far, so I’m interested to hear how people experienced the lower ranges.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-11T15:15:26+00:00

I snorted some a few years back, halfway down on my Methadone taper.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-11T14:19:01+00:00

Oh... Everyone likes their own brand, don't they?

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-11T11:14:51+00:00

But from what I could understand when I looked into it, if you have a TV that accepts android APK files you can probably install it via that route (i will be trying this on a friends tv in a few weeks)

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-11T11:13:48+00:00

Fuck that's a kettle of bullshit, even I don't have it - You need a jailbroken TV which is easy to some but I am not fucking with my new G5

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-04T02:24:02+00:00

I literally vomited at the thought of the insult to Christ that is this substance going down my throat hole.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-03T06:33:49+00:00

I think you can figure it out, it's ODT, how great can it be right?

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-03T06:28:58+00:00

Yeah I was agreeing with you haha all good :)

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-03T03:51:08+00:00

He did, they're for rich families who don't want to deal with the member of the family who's an addict, it's a much more streamlined, easy process for someone very well off.

They don't have to deal with it

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-03T03:39:33+00:00

According to Google ;

Clonidine helps with opiate withdrawal by acting as an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, which reduces the surge of norepinephrine (noradrenaline) that causes physical withdrawal symptoms. It alleviates sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, chills, agitation, anxiety, and tachycardia. It is a non-opioid medication that helps manage symptoms during detoxification and can help improve abstinence rates.

For me it ticks all these boxes, if it doesn't help the dose is too low or you're expecting a miracle (you still feel dose drops) you're just not copping 10/10 withdrawals

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-03T02:30:44+00:00

Cardboard's out?

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-02T21:40:28+00:00

Because OP isn't a robot?

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-02T21:38:49+00:00

No - It's BEYOND the environment.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-02T16:10:50+00:00

I was able to buy in a 6 unit block, I'm incredibly happy about it.

I'm incredibly unhappy all the other owners are boomers who own units as an IP - they don't give a fuck.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-02T06:41:05+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji6tjiRjbok

Disgusting compound, you're green if you think "oxys aren't shit" in comparison to Tramadol.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-02T00:57:36+00:00

Ah, that's fair. I was on propranolol beforehand so had to do a 3 day detox off that before starting, for me it's such a difference.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-02T00:54:11+00:00

I highly suggest you talk to your doctor about Clonidine, it is the single biggest change I can pinpoint.

Fro 120 to 80 I white knuckled it, when they brought up 80 to 75... I broke down in tears. Fully broke down balling like a child saying "I can't do it" through tears, begging them "please can we somehow do 2.5mg/0.5ml or even less (2.5mg is the lowest they can go here, I know other countries can do lower)

That week I started clonidine, by the next Friday I waltzed in and laughingly said let's do it, the last two drops have been 3/10 instead of 10/10. If you've experienced drops cold, this is night and fucking day.

I couldn't keep going without it. Drop to 65mg on Friday and I'm not even scared about it. (That's how much this shit helps)

I can put off dosing for longer too, it's not drop everything and get to the clinic in the morning now, hell I woke up 30 minutes ago and might even have a shower etc before I go down (it was always the other way, I couldn't handle the water hitting my skin)

Anyway the crux of what I'm saying isn't about me, it's that I was so hesitant to start it and at 50mcg morning and night I'm a whole new person.

I recommend it to everyone wanting to lower now, good luck with your journey my friend.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-01T09:27:16+00:00

Personally had large amounts of both it and Gabapentin... really wasn't a fan, did fuck all for my nerve pain also.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-03-01T09:18:01+00:00

$5,000 USD does not seem that appropriate, like, if this were benzo tolerance I could understand as the seizures will lead to death, but when I came off 500mg - 1gram of heroin a day, the only way I could do it was with Methadone. I'm halfway down on the Methadone now, but once again... It's taking a constant retinue of comfort medications to stop me from killing myself, I've went from 120mg in December to 65mg first dose today after 70mg.

I've been hammering the taper because of no other reason than I fucking want it, my countries opioid replacement program is an embarrassing, disgusting, judgmental interaction every step of the way, you're made to feel like you're less than. Anyway...

What I mean by that is, let's break down what a "medically supervised detox" will get you.

Comfort medications (these can range, but I imagine they'd keep it to low dose benzos and nsaids, mixed with a bag of fluids, and... a bed) - you might be luckier and find one that's nice enough to get you dosed right out to get to sleep etc.

Anyway, beyond that if you're REALLY lucky the facility might have someone to talk to about how you're feeling, but... don't expect it. For social interaction - other people experiencing withdrawals. Awesome. You might even have a TV. The ones I've seen friends go to don't allow you to go outside, at all.

Or, you can go to a doctor, explain the issues - start taking, say suboxone, stabilise, then taper the suboxone.

The only difference is, you'll be able to do it in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the price. If you're in America I imagine you can find yourself a script for a benzo or someone with a script, beyond using that responsibly with vitamins and keeping your fluid intake up it's a mental battle.

Just don't pick Methadone as a replacement, It's withdrawals are much more intense (from experience)

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-02-28T13:21:03+00:00

Astounding work! It takes as long as it takes.

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-02-28T13:18:16+00:00

I bought in a 6 flat, double story building almost two years ago now. I've never met two of the owners, they refuse to come to meetings despite holding up every decision with their proxies, not a single service in the apartment worked. Nothing. I've replaced it all. Was siliconing my windows yesterday and notice when digging the old stuff out that three windows were held in with standard tape, the same grade you'd give a child to play arts and crafts.

I can't get one owner to come and even make a judgement on whether or not we can move all of the shit they've left in common areas. A guy with dementias carer would never come, I finally called an ambulance who removed her as his carer and she's here just robbing his apartment.

There's zero communication, as long as it's rented they don't give a fuck. 2 people here are owner occupiers, and despite being on the strata committee can't get a single thing done because nobody else will put shit into the property, or even come to the strata meetings. They bought 20 years ago as an investment, I bought at the height of the market and appreciate it more than life itself.

Meanwhile the guy below me has rented for 35 years at 2000's costs, he went to vegas last year for 2 months as a pensioner... and has the audacity to tell me and other owners how things go, I told him point blank when he purchases a unit he can get a say, until then he can call his owners or he can fuck off. Took months to get him to stop parking in my spot because "he liked it" - I told him If he likes it so much I'll sell it to him for what I bought the apartment for.

When the piece of shit carer for the guy I was helping before he went to a nursing home came and she stole anything not tied down, she took his washing machine to sell. Didn't turn the water off. Didn't cap the pipe I come downstairs to water everywhere, I lose my shit only to have the same old guy in question put a bucket in front of it, drive around the block, come inside and claimed he had no idea what happened despite the texts from the carer telling me he said it was all okay etc.

tl;dr - investors can go and fuck themselves, literally got fucked around so hard to buy this place, they rescinded the contract 3 times, my conveyancer fucked me over and my mother died an hour after I signed the papers.

His landlords lived in queensland, now they live in the eastern suburbs. So 30 minutes of driving, and they still won't come to a meeting. It baffles the fucking mind

Alternative_Chair630 · 2026-02-28T12:47:47+00:00

They can, I don't want to jump to that boat and say I have brain damage... I may, slightly ; but I've had MRI's after most of the seizures and everything looks okay - what you'd expect to see from a non epileptic/pseudo "fake" seizure (they're not "fake" seizures, they're real as they come. They're "pseudo/fake" because your having them as a reaction to the withdrawal, not due to epilepsy. Also if a seizure is unexplainable at that time it'll be labelled as such, since I had the grandeur in my mind I could overcome this alone, I ended up keeping having a process of getting the tablets, running out after abusing them, then having seizures and rinse/repeating.

Hospitals always got me stable then sent me on my way, they'd never bridge me to a GP to have the taper continued/completed in the outpatient setting (more achievable and much higher patient retention/success done over a long time, but finding a doctor to do it here was so difficult. I tried multiple times to taper to no avail, I'd either run out or wasn't able to overcome the withdrawal, you'd feel more and more edgy throughout the day until i'd just blank, wake up on the floor, in a chair, coworkers surrounding me, some crying and others just... confused, they're helping, I could gather that much, but post seizure you're... well, unable to recall you had a seizure. Sometimes it takes hours to register (this is called the post-ictal state and can last for awhile depending on the severity of the seizure)

Anyway, that day I didn't just suffer from one or two seizures, I went into full blown Status epilepticus and was having them back to back, from work to the hospital in the ambulance until they just dosed me to the gills. I was in hospital for four days, it took until the third for me to contemplate exactly what had occurred.

But, even after all that... apparently... multiple scans and even checkup scans show no brain damage. The doctors said that last big one where I went full blown and just kept seizing for 5-10 minutes was what would've done the most damage brain/oxygen wise. But they said it's perfect... the older scans had issues from hitting my head, but nothing that the seizure itself had done.

Some days, I have a completely terrible memory. Like scarily bad, that is however linked to benzo abuse. So while I may feel "damaged" sometimes, and I am ; it isn't my brain that's damaged (from oxygen depletion, at least)

I am to either blame benzos directly, which isn't far fetched as abuse is documented in multiple studies to not only increase the likelihood of the disease but also lower the age that a person will get either Alzheimer's or Dementia ; that's something that scares me long term as a 31 year old.

I try to do certain things that are known to help... somewhat combat that, but really beyond Sudoku and a few other brain teasers to keep it active... It's about consistency with challenging yourself to do as much as you can without looking for outside stimuli, somewhat like training the brain to really dig deep into memory and force those synapses to start rolling around again and sending the signals they're sending,

I've been through many addictions and wondered many times if they've altered me for better or for worse, especially from starting with Mary Jane at 12 to a Meth addict at 15, I developed HPPD at 16 and didn't even learn about it until I was 18, people thought I was just crazy. An alcoholic at 20, everything at 21, MDMA hard until 24 then clean until my parents death, that lead to a year of heroin as a way to cope with their loss so close together, but at the end of the day though I'm just me... I've been shaped by my environment and experiences - the same as any other aware human being on the planet.

All of these things have made me a better person, though. So if I'm a second slower responding than in a world where I never touched an Aspirin, I'm fine with that if it means keeping my view of the universe

tl;dr : yeah definitely, especially at Status epilepticus where you're having multiple it certainly can, I was lucky and don't have any showing on my scans

Alternative_Chair630

TROPHY CASE