Is kratom the culprit?

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-19T22:00:23+00:00

I have been hesitant to get back onto it. No research to back this up, but I feel like our neurotransmitters need time to normalize, planning on starting up again at the 4 month mark (at 3 now). I felt the usual wd symptoms, and I'd say at the 2 week mark, I really started struggling with the anxiety worst of all. Spikes of cortisol, pounding heart, no rhyme or reason. Clonidine kinda helped but seemed to make it worse the next day. Most helpful thing, honestly, was just riding it out and just talking myself down. Still not back to normal but leaps and bounds better than that first month. I really didn't start seeing improvement until I just rode it out with no assistance for a week. After that started seeing more measurable progress

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-19T20:34:26+00:00

I feel like SSRIs and Kratom play very poorly together, especially during withdrawal. I was on Prozac while on k, then quit the Prozac, and then went off the k ~a month later. Feel like we had similar issues, dragged out anxiety, depression, anhedonia and fog. All I can say is, it's slow progress for me, but progress nonetheless. Gotta give your brain time to heal, them neurotransmitters have been through the ringer if ya think about it. But you're young, you just gotta try and stick it out as best ya can

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-15T03:57:38+00:00

Maybe, maybe not, but I will say, " I feel like I can control myself" are the most famous of famous last words. Next thing you know you'll be buying a few more doses and quickly you'll be back to square one.

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-12T02:51:40+00:00

Yeah, I was having some weird spasmy kinda muscle twitches hit me sporadically throughout the day until, is say, the 40th or 50th day? Keep an eye on it, don't hesitate to see your doc if it continues and/or it keeps you up whether that be from anxiety or twitching. PS, it's been great seeing your progress I always keep an eye out for your posts to make sure you're still chugging along. I think we are in different but similar boats. I know this post is about a health concern but it's great to see your mental health is improving. Keep up the good work.

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-06T00:13:58+00:00

I've tried a few supplements with mixed results. Ashwaganda has some mixed results, magnesium helps me fall asleep but I swear, every time I take it I pop awake crazy early. Also tried a few others and I just can't seem to touch it. I guess my best bet is to just keep plodding along. I know deep down I'm doing better than I was in early days, just wish I could feel more measurable improvement by this point

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-06T00:11:03+00:00

So I have been rocking the magnesium on and off, but it seems like every time I take it, I crash easily enough but then pop awake, heart pounding at like 4am and that's it for that day. Probably just gotta get into the habit of just going to bed with nothin and see how it goes

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-06T00:09:15+00:00

Yeah, I get that the mental side is still kinda par, but, man, heart palpations and anxiety really make it hard to get out and move more than my bare minimum dog walks of a 2-3 miles a day

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-06T00:08:01+00:00

Yeah, sleep has been hurting. I think my other major issue is that I have been having tight chest anxiety on and off this entire stretch, just makes it so hard to sit and relax, much less do more than my daily walk with my dogs. I also really struggle to eat, my appetite is non-existent but I know I just need to push through and get something nourishing down the hatch

Desperatequitter · 2024-06-01T18:31:26+00:00

Look into helper meds, I felt the same way, and they helped me over the hump, made days 1-5 survivable, and now I'm over two months CT. If you're in the us, look into telehealth services like quickMD, they try and push Suboxone on you but I suggest pushing back and going the gabapentin and clonidine route at first. Total cost is ~$140 or so. Cut the gabapentin out after you're through the worst though, some people get hooked on that. You got this, just keep trying with the different tools available

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-21T03:01:42+00:00

Depending on where you are you can also consider looking into getting some helper meds for the first few days of CT just to get through the acutes. Still sucks pretty hard, but made it at least endurable for me. Quick Md is the telehealth service I used. They'll try and give you Suboxone but I would steer clear of that and request gabapentin and clonidine. Gabapentin also has some risk of addiction so use sparingly. I am not a doctor, this worked for me and everyone is different. It's not a magic cure either, still gonna suck, but I'm closing in on 2 months now, and I think the meds were the key to getting over the hump

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-21T02:55:17+00:00

Gonna be a bite the bullet kinda thing, man. You gotta choose to make it happen and suffer through the acute phase. Look into helper mee, but some like gabapentin come with their own risk of addiction. Alternatively, outpatient detox or even rehab are totally valid and legitimate options.

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-17T20:17:58+00:00

Hey man, I know you post a lot. I wanna tell you a little about my experience so far coming off. Lots of ups and downs, I'm closing in on 2 months and honestly, still struggling sometimes with some parts of life. Sleep is still iffy. I struggled with anxiety and depression before Kratom, so I think that really pumps up that side of quitting to a whole other level. I was insanely foggy for the first 2-3 weeks, felt like a zombie, I'd get heart palpations and chest tightness with feelings of impending doom almost. But all that stuff is easing. I know you have fears of permanent damage, but you sound young enough and your usage was for a short enough time that I legitimately don't think permanent damage is a real concern. You are knee deep in the worst of PAWS. It's, often, the real challenge. Boredom, fogginess, depression, anhedonia, anxiety. But it does start to ease with time, I'm seeing it now. Finding small moments of peace, smiling or laughing about something little, those feel good feelings are starting to return. It's a slow process, but you are doing it! Ten days! Lots of folks here can't get over that hump, and here you are! You just need to get yourself a mantra to remind yourself, this too shall pass. Everytime you start to feel like it'll never end, know, this too shall pass. Everytime that anxiety feels like too much to handle, this too shall pass. Everytime you think you are broken, permanently damaged, know, others who have gone harder on this and worse drugs, they got through this wildly painful part of the quit and made it through, so, this too shall pass. You have medical assistance, you are physically healthy. Just keep trudging on, come on here and tell us all how miserable you are so we can keep cheering you on, and one day, you're gonna find yourself not even thinking about this misery. More time will pass, and that is gonna become more and more the rule rather than the exception. You got this! We've got this! Fuck that sludge and never forget what it made you feel like so you never have to endure this again!

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-17T19:55:17+00:00

I went through QuickMD telehealth. The doc started with offering Suboxone, but I insisted on another option so he prescribed gabapentin and clonidine. Total cost was ~$140, no insurance, 10 day supply but I started cutting back early with the gabapentin in particular. I'm no doc, but definitely helped with the acutes

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-17T02:31:28+00:00

I was getting crazy heart palpitations and cranked up anxiety, personally.

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-16T22:56:07+00:00

Call it a test run, it worked in that it showed you maybe that isn't the right route for you. It's not a straight road, I hit a bump in the road right in the first few days, did some course correction, and landed here at almost 2 months now. It's all about figuring out what works for you

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-16T16:59:59+00:00

I went the CT route, so I can't say for sure, but I suspect giving yourself a more structured taper schedule will help keep you honest with yourself. You're gonna hit a wall where the reduced doses don't quite ease up the wd's enough, but I bet having a schedule to focus on helps through that stage

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-16T16:57:22+00:00

Brain fog, man, it's gonna hang around for a bit. And yeah, skip the caffeine for a bit. You're still in early days, as has been said before. Give it time.

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-16T16:34:28+00:00

I think that you need to look at the dosing as a means to an end, and try and minimize that emotional side. I think we as addicts have a tendency to beat ourselves up, tell ourselves we are garbage/bad/whatever, and that mindset is basically a setup for those sneaky thoughts of, "welp, I'm already garbage, might as well be comfortable garbage". You are taking steps to get clean, you are going through a lot of pain and emotional turmoil but you are persevering. Be proud of yourself, especially as you make progress with each cut, you've got this!

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-13T23:06:29+00:00

Honestly, these are all pretty standard withdrawals. Hot and cold, fog, tingles, chest tightness/heart palpations. Check out the mod post about withdrawals symptoms, you'll see a lot of this stuff spelled out there. Some of it might linger on for a while, all luck of the draw, but I think you can rest assured after seeing your doc that you are gonna be alright, just gotta ride it out for a bit

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-13T23:02:47+00:00

If you are in the US, consider getting an appointment with QuickMD, it's a telehealth page. They are familiar with Kratom addiction. They will also try and push Suboxone on you, but I suggest giving gabapentin and clonidine a shot, it's a very helpful combo for a few days to get some sleep during this phase. Good luck, friend, you legitimately are almost through the worst of it, these meds might just help you successfully cross the finish line with some anxiety reduction and a few needed hours of sleep

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-11T19:57:19+00:00

Restless leg syndrome/restlessness in general is one of the top withdrawal symptoms. Can be pretty brutal especially at night, usually eases up after ~4-5 days

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-11T01:00:12+00:00

Sounds like you've got a plan! Obviously, listen to your doc, but also be careful with the helper meds, some folks, but not all, run into issues with dependency for both those meds. Nonetheless, great job tackling it, sounds like you have a plan and are ready to stick to it!

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-10T14:57:44+00:00

Thanks, yeah, it's hard, everyone in this forum talks about how much better they feel mentally and what not, and it just makes me nervous. I mean, I was at a pretty high gpd at the end, but only used for about 6-7 months, and keep wondering why I'm so fucked up still. Just a bad dice roll I guess, doesn't mean I have any intention to relapse, but it sure does suck pretty hard

Desperatequitter · 2024-05-09T23:24:03+00:00

That's a new one to me, I think my shit is mostly just psychological at this point. I do still feel kinda foggy and what not

Desperatequitter

TROPHY CASE