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Posted: November 30, 2015, 6:13 AM
My husband and I have been smoking synthetics for a little under 2 months. I know two months probably isn't anything compared to a lot of stories I've read on here, but prior to two months ago, I had never struggled with any type of addiction. My husband, on the other hand, has had his battles with painkillers and marijuana (he has successfully quit them both). It started as stress-relief. I work 40+ work weeks on my feet constantly, stressed 24/7, almost always in physical pain from my job, not to mention that I wasn't getting nearly enough sleep. In all honesty, I didn't even think I had a problem until this past weekend. We didn't intend for it to happen, but we ran out of "Mister Nice Guy", a favorite brand of synthetic weed. We finished up a 10g bag and fell asleep. We woke up around midnight, prepared to scrape the resin, smoke more and go back to bed, no big deal, we could just go in the morning and buy more. Within an hour of smoking the resin, the withdrawals started for my husband. Violent vomiting, sweating profusciously, nausea, tremors, loss of appetite, and inability to sleep.
We actually had no idea what was happening. My first thought was food poisoning, or even the flu. I had just gotten over a really nasty 3 week-long cold, so I was hoping I was safe from whatever hell he was going through. So I did my absolute best to keep him comfortable and hydrated. Nothing seemed to work. He couldn't keep anything in him. As soon as he would take a sip of water, it would come right back up. Completely miserable. I decided to google his symptoms (as I am one to do), and the first page of results were ALL links to withdrawal symptoms and addiction/treatment help. There was our wake-up call. This went on for 24 hours. Around hour 22, I found an old bottle of Ondansetron, a prescription anti-nausea medication that my doctor prescribed to me for a stomach flu I had about two years ago. Desperate to help my husband, I gave him one. He threw it up almost immediately. Then, hour 24 came. We were in bed. Me, trying to sleep, him, sitting up and hunched over the side of the bed, puking in a bucket. I get the chills. I knew what was coming. With the chills came the obnoxious sweating. Within an hour, I was vomiting. However, the anti-nausea medicine did work for me. By morning, I wasn't vomiting anymore. We ended up going to buy more, just to get through the weekend/this work week. We have both acknowledged that we both have a problem and need help. I did read from a thread that the first 3 days are the absolute worst, so we are both taking a 3-day weekend so we can focus on getting better. I guess I'm looking for some sort of support system or some kind words of encouragement, since we don't really have anyone to talk to about what we're going through. Thank you. | ||
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Posted: November 30, 2015, 3:56 PM
Hello there, welcome to the forum, its a good thing you came here. First i suggest you start with the Beating Synthetic thread. I really think the fact you are smoking it for only 2 months, is a really good thing, compared to us, as you said. And i do think it will be easier, but psychological addiction is also a big part of synthetic, so even after you pass the physical past, you guys will have to find a way to deal with lifes struggles, and the physical pain from work you are talking about. But you have to be strong guys, as hard as it gets, dont give on the temptaion to go and buy more. And as you saw its going to get awful the first few days. But its a good thing its the both of you, because you can look after each other. Just keep youself busy with something this weekend and stay hydrated, because i went to then ER from dehydratarion. Someone suggested chicken soup, because there is no chance for hard food( at least for me). So yeah, give the other thread a look and stay strong. And keep us update, we want to help you guys! :)
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Posts: 26
Joined: November 28, 2015
Posted: November 30, 2015, 7:02 PM
Hi Want2
In my experience, second time quitting here, it does get easier with each passing day. The psychological side of the addiction can be tough especially if you were similar to me and lighting a joint every 30/60 mins without fail. I'm trying to keep myself busy and active whilst withdrawing and to be honest, despite all the s***, I'm kinda enjoying being able to apply myself to an activity without having to have a smoke break every few minutes. I'm trying to be super positive right now as I know I've messed up and I know I've made mistakes but for now I'm finding that a positive outlook is helping me stay away from smoking. It may feel like you can't go another day without but you really, really can. | ||
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Posted: December 17, 2015, 8:15 AM
I'm so ashamed to say that I fell off the wagon. My husband and I have tried so hard to just put it down cold turkey multiple times after my original post, but he would start (and continues) to start getting violently sick after 3-4 hours without it, and when I see what he's going through, I give up. He is now trying the tapering(?) method, just a puff or two every few hours every time he starts to get sick. I have tried this method too, but it's really not working for me. If I know that there is spice in our house, I have to have it. If I so much as smell it, the cravings start.
But, I did put my foot down (so to speak) and said enough was enough. We were considered a middle-class couple, we pull in a combined income of almost $3000 a month. Almost 3 months of smoking spice and we have honestly probably spent around $1,500-$2,000 in the last 3 months on spice. Christmas is 8 days away, and I haven't been able to afford a single gift. This is the lowest and honestly the darkest time of both our lives. We are so shamed of ourselves. We can't even face our families (even though they have no idea what's going on). However, I am proud to say that I am trying the cold turkey method again and I am officially almost 31 hours sober. My only symptoms of withdrawal so far are all mental (insomnia, anxiety, irritability, very bad mood swings, I'm pretty sure I've cried at least 15 times since I put the s*it down, and I'm having a lot of trouble concentrating on anything and everything), and my only physical symptoms are extreme loss of appetite and sweating-then-chills. I have my leftover anti-nausea medicine with me at all times just to be safe (I just have to get through today, then I have a 3-day weekend to get as sick as my body needs me to just to get this stuff out of me!) I could use some support and words of encouragement, cravings are kicking my a*s and it's taking everything in me not to just buy more. 😔 This post has been edited by want2getbetter on December 17, 2015, 8:15 AM | ||
Posts: 1906
Joined: October 23, 2011
Posted: December 17, 2015, 8:45 AM
AA's HOW IT WORKS http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-10..._howitworks.pdf -------------------- Serenity Prayer God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference. Free copy of AA's Big Book on-line: http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/alcoh...olics-anonymous Free copy of NA's Big Book on-line: Copy & Paste coastalcarolinaarea.org/literature/books/b_t.pdf AA's HOW IT WORKS: Copy & paste www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-10_howitworks.pdf NA's HOW IT WORKS: http://www.na.org/admin/include/spa...0it%20Works.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------- --- driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity. ---there are those too who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest. ... I need AA more than it needs me. --- I fight recovery tooth and nail.... I'm not used to being sane, it just doesn't seem natural. ...... According to the great spiritual teachers, ignorance does not result from what we don’t know; ignorance results from what we think we do know. ---Some think that 2+2=5 and believe it. Some know that 2+2=4 and can't stand it. --- I didn't have a very happy childhood but I sure am having a long one ! ---Dry since 1989 working daily on getting/staying SOBER. ---If you want to drink, that's your business ...If you want to quit, that's AA's business. ... Tell me, I'll forget; ... Show me, I'll remember; ... Engage me, I'll understand. ---Most problems are psychological. Most solutions are spiritual . "If we try to change our ego with the help of our ego, we only have a better-disguised ego." --Richard Rohr WWBWD (What Would Bill W. Do) | ||
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Posts: 26
Joined: November 28, 2015
Posted: December 17, 2015, 9:03 PM
Hey Want2
I know how you feel, I'm 3 weeks into my second time quitting right now. You're going through the worst of it right now but with each passing minute you'll start to feel a little better emotionally and physically. It's a bulls*** substance and we're all better off without it. Stay strong and God bless | ||
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Posted: December 17, 2015, 10:51 PM
For those of you who have cared enough to read my story and even offer support and kind words, thank you.
11:30pm will be 48 hours spice-free and I'm surprisingly feeling good. Actually, I'm not really sure if it's that I'm feeling good or if I'm just so proud of myself for not caving. Either way, I'm not complaining. I feel so lucky that I'm not (yet? 🙁) experiencing any physical symptoms of withdrawals other than my (continued) loss of appetite. I did however force myself to eat 3/4 of a burger this afternoon, and I'm keeping myself well-hydrated. Has anyone else been able to quit with no physical symptoms of withdrawal? It seems like every story I've read has said that the first three days are absolute hell. Are there any cases where people don't experience withdrawals until later down the road? Or am I just extremely lucky? | ||
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Posts: 26
Joined: November 28, 2015
Posted: December 18, 2015, 7:09 AM
I tried cold turkey but the physical withdrawals were too much. General consensus seems to be that the first few days are the toughest with the pain subsiding slightly from day 3 or 4 onwards.
I'm into my third week right now and whilst I can say I'm doing fine, I'm eating and sleeping for example, I do still get the urge to smoke from time to time. I've found keeping busy, if only mentally can help subside the urges. It is hard to do, you've done brilliantly to not smoke this s*** for even ONE hour! What's keeping me going is reminding myself of how much I wanted to quit and how much I'd hate myself if I went back for even one last hit. Also I'm trying to revel in the freedom of not needing, and I mean really needing, a joint every 30 minutes. Obviously the weather this time of year won't help but I've found being out of the house is a great help. You're doing the right thing, it's hard but you'll get there and when you do, the buzz from being clean will match any buzz the synth ever gave you! In the past week I've started to socialize a lot more than usual, a direct result of not needing to run away and get high every 30 minutes! Also loving falling asleep and waking up 6 hours later rather than waking every 90mins desperate to get high. You can do it! :) | ||
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Posted: December 21, 2015, 2:04 PM
For those who've cared, I am six days clean! My cravings for spice have subsided, however they have been replaced with VERY intense cravings for hot and spicy foods. As someone who can barely handle Taco Bell's mild sauce, this is very strange to me. Has anyone else experienced this?
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Posted: December 21, 2015, 2:05 PM
^Last post was by me, just forgot to log in.
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Posts: 26
Joined: November 28, 2015
Posted: December 21, 2015, 6:56 PM
I've found my appetite has returned and I'm really enjoying my food again, not just spicy stuff though.
I think whilst addicted, I was basically eating to fit in with smoking, so I never had time to cook or enjoy food as it essentially got in the way of my 30 min smoking sessions. As a result I eat s*** (not literally, thankfully) for a number of years. I'm now eating meals as opposed to endless snacks and actual food as opposed to junk! On a related note, I've found a lot of things are a bit more enjoyable without synth which is the exact opposite of the fear i had as an addict that everything would be boring minus being high on synth. | ||
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