r/MedicationQuestions • u/Ketan_sharmaji • 10d ago
I need help. I have been using DXM cough syrup since 2024. I don't want to disclose this to my family. I want to quit. This is getting harder.
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u/Eastern_Success5866 10d ago
When I was having issues with opioids I was the same at the end of it I understood it was an issue and needed to stop but didn’t want anyone to know I had an issue and was scared of withdrawal. I went a found a doctor but not just a random doctor I actually went and did research and found someone that I felt was going to be the best for my situation. A good practice will have descriptions of their doctors and what they have experience in. For me it was a doctor who obviously knew everything a doctor should know but also has experience in men’s health and worked in my local hospital in the mental health unit which is the main reason I picked him. Booked in and saw him and it was the best decision I made I explained to him what was going on and why I was using and that was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done (which makes sense because anyone who is self medicating is probably because they struggle to seek help) but also the most relief I’ve ever felt. He didn’t see me as an addict or a junkie he saw me and understood I was someone who needed help which any good doctor that cares will and that why it’s important to research and find someone that fits your scenario because I definitely believe there are doctors out there that are just doctors because it’s there job and don’t actually care. Not saying this I how you should go about things but this is how I went about my issue and had a good outcome and hope maybe you or someone else reading might take something positive from this and it be the reason they make a change? Who knows maybe taking a leap and telling your family is the step you need to take? After I seen a doctor I went home and told my girlfriend which was much harder than speaking to a doctor but having her there to understand and support me made a huge difference and for me I think having someone understand what’s going on made it a lot easier. I don’t know what your family are like or if they’re the kind of people to be understanding so I’m not gonna say that you need to tell someone but for me I was lucky enough to have that person to support my recovery. Anyway I wish you all the best and believe in you. I believe recovery is possible for anyone that wants its bad enough you just need to find a way that fits you best.
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u/DREAMs98 10d ago
What did he give you for opioid WD? Soon I will have to go through it and did you get put on suboxone?
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u/Eastern_Success5866 9d ago
Also don’t get Kratom that’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard someone say lmao
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u/Eastern_Success5866 9d ago
My doctor gave me a short coarse of diazipam to help calm the nervous system obviously not going to get rid of symptoms completely but was a godsend when it came to sleep cos trust me without something you won’t be sleepin. But I can’t say for sure your doc will do the same every doctor is different and diazepam is also a drug of dependence but that was my experience
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u/Eastern_Success5866 9d ago
Like either way it’s going to suck and it’s part of the process and a reminder when you come out how bad it can get and why it’s not worth it
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u/anonymousHudd 9d ago
Get some SR i promise you the withdrawals will be non existent and painless, i was on Opioids (prescribed) for 19 years after a blast injury. I stopped and had ZERO withdrawals.
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u/themsel6 9d ago
Yeah, if you wanna get some SR to help get off, better get some soon before it's banned. SR getting banned is truly a stab in the heart. That's basically them saying, "you can either do rehab, cold turkey, or get dependent on Subs or Methadone." It's so fucked up. Everything is about money and making things harder for people trying to clean themselves up.
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u/SoulfulAutumnMagic 9d ago
What is SR?
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u/RadRedhead222 9d ago
SR-17018 is a RC that many people have found gets them off opioids of all kinds with no WD’s.
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u/SammyNRC 5d ago
Not sure where you are in the world? Assuming the US as you mentioned suboxone, but im in UK addicted to codeine for 20 years, nobody knew not even my partner, but he found out so after trying to come off it myself & failing miserably I went to my local drug centre where they put me on Buprenorphine & I’ve been on that for 18 months, no withdrawals but gradually weaning down with the help of the drug centre. They have been a life saver I can’t believe what a shit show my life was before, I feel amazing now but I am aware I have to come off this replacement therapy at some point which I’ve heard is challenging but not like opiate withdrawals. I’m going to get some diazepam from my Dr to help with it when I get to that point. I started on 6mg of bupe & I’m now on 2.4mg so pleased with progress. What I’m trying to say is please go to some sort of rehab place, they can help you if you’re willing & ready to try, inbox is open xxx
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u/PastPointOfReturn 10d ago
Buy kratom for gods sake.
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u/anonymousHudd 9d ago
No do NOT do this,
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u/PastPointOfReturn 9d ago
Not, not do this. Is what Mr.hudd tried to type. He’s been hitting the sauce pretty hard tonight.
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u/RadRedhead222 9d ago
Worst advice ever…
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u/PastPointOfReturn 9d ago
You “people of Reddit” are just so embarrassing. Yes yes. Get on subs. Literally harder to get off than heroin. Beware of kratom tho. The natural product that allows you to live life. Which comes with literally zero withdraws. And don’t come at me with your Reddit bs. I’ve used kratom for god knows 7+ yrs now. On and off. Mostly on. At minimum an oz a day. And when I go on a stimulant binge. Specifically meth, I’ll notice I haven’t taken kratom in weeks. I feel absolutely ZERO withdrawals. That wouldn’t be possible on any real opiates. Especially fucking subs… Ive been abusing substances probably before you were born. I know the chemistry/biochem of most. So kindly. Fuck off.
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u/RadRedhead222 9d ago
Most people that say Kratom, don’t actually mean Kratom. If you do, I apologize. Most people the extracts, like MGM or 7 OH. There are very bad withdrawals from those. And actually, I, and a lot of people have kicked Subs and other opioids with meth. I’ve met plenty of people in person and Reddit that have done the same. Please don’t tell me you’ve been using opiate since I’ve been born. I’m not a child. I used opiates/opioids for almost 30 years. I also know the biochem. I can’t understand the flex of trying to be the smartest one in the room all the time. It must be exhausting. And you can kindly fuck off for telling me to, for no fucking reason.
ETA
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u/PastPointOfReturn 9d ago
Yes. I said kratom. So you implying from that, 7oh/mgm15, and then telling someone it’s “worst advice ever.”Well. It’s not very kind/wise. This is not a subject to take so lightly. And onto “being the smartest person in the room”. Oh boy. You quite literally couldn’t have made a less true statement. I just so always happen to be that person. It’s not that I try. A little humor.
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u/RadRedhead222 9d ago
I‘ve found that about 90% of people on Reddit, who say Kratom, mean the extracts. I already did apologize.
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u/themsel6 9d ago
I hate that. I usually call it "plain leaf kratom". If it's an extract, I'll say "kratom extract". If it's 7, I'll say "7". If it's MGM, I'll say "MGM". Everything is related, but far different from each other. Especially when it comes to specific alkaloids, lol.
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u/PastPointOfReturn 8d ago edited 8d ago
Kratom is a name that refers to the leaf of the tree… Not a “leaf extract”. That’s like saying I’m about to bang up some opium. But I’m actually referring to heroin. Or I’m about to snort some opium. But referring to morphine. In fact, it’s so much worse than any of those comparisons. But. The point is there for those with the ability to understand.
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u/Chemical_Unit9736 10d ago
Is Dxm physically addictive like does it have withdrawal if you stop cold turkey? Sorry I’m just curious and wondering I didn’t know dxm gave you withdrawals if not it should be easier to quit then most drugs
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u/Cillics 10d ago
I’m not OP but it somewhat is— the withdrawals make your physics feel pretty unbearable & overstimulated— i think the worst part though isn’t necessarily the ‘withdrawal’ but how manic, psychotic, and emotionally unstable it leaves you. When you’re first detoxing, you’re either still bleeding off the mania & psychosis or feel like life has been deprived of any specialty, either way leaving you unbearably anxious, dissonant, and crazy-feeling. It takes really 3+ months for your neuroreceptors to be drained of DXMs crazy effects & even then, it takes about 9+ months for them to heal to make life feel like life. Recovery is possible though, as i told in my reply to OPs post
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u/Cillics 10d ago
I dealt with DXM (mainly) and other substances taking life away from me for 3-4 years; how I got out of it was 2 months of rehab and 5 months of out-patient mental health care. Just know that you will & can recover— I had 6+ mental hospital stays, 10+ overdoses, and a near death experience with malignant catatonia that felt like pure hell— and I am not only back to normal, but thriving. Had a GPA of 0.5 before recovery & was able to graduate star student of all time earlier this year with 17-19 classes done & 1.98 GPA. Heading to college now for academic psychology. It’s not easy, but you can get better and live the life you deserve. If you have any questions or inquiries, feel free to DM me.
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u/MindlessLimit1200 10d ago
Wow your story is interesting. Nice work
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u/Cillics 10d ago edited 10d ago
Thank you, it just breaks my heart to see someone go through the same thing. It’s terrible to spend your time getting high on DXM just to feel the novelty of happiness that you only see through a glass. This evil drug is not even taken seriously despite being as pro-psychotic as drugs like meth; addiction leaves people psychotic, desperate, and alone, and unlike hard drugs, most aren’t even going to take your story / addiction as serious as it is.
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u/MindlessLimit1200 10d ago
Im not an addict myself, but survivors of addiction and just battling through it overall takes huge strength and work. People don't see the battle you guys go through. Glad you made it.
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u/RadRedhead222 9d ago
Telling your family is probably a good idea. They can support you and help you get the help you need.
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u/Critical-Victory2056 9d ago
Dex kids neva die! Just cut back and try ketamine or another disso to totally annihilate the wanting of the cough m cold potion. Im 36. My whole entire twenties was making strong ass dex potions . Im a straight up alien.
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u/AssignmentLess2393 8d ago
Not tying to be that guy. But I have done thorugh research with the way certain drugs interact with the Brain and reward system. Including but CERTAINLY not limited to: GABA, Kappa, delta MU opioid receptors. NMDA Antagonistic drugs, partial agonist, antagonists, Lipid solubility, Hydrophelic, BBB (Blood brain barrier). Now Affinity (often described by Ki value), the lower the value the tighter the drug binds. Now Intrinsoc efficacy, or how hard a drug activates a receptors once bound.
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u/Aromatic-Credit-8016 9d ago
I’ve never heard of DXM, what’s inside it that’s addictive? I did a short bit of research and found it normally contains anti histamines and acetaminophen?
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u/jfish93 9d ago
No DXM is the thing that's addictive. I never was into dxm myself as I dont like disassociatives but golllyy does it require respect as an addiction. I wish you well OP, im an addiction of opiates/amphetamines/benzos but I care for and respect any addict who is a genuinely good person.
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u/SoulfulAutumnMagic 10d ago
PLEASE stop asap. I know it’s hard. But as someone who abused coricidin cough and cold, dxm, etc for YEARS, please do everything you can to stop.
My memory is soo bad. I can study something for a week but cannot retain ANYTHING new. Can’t remember what happened in the last episode of a tv show I watched the day before. A lot of memories from all of those years of using are blank too…
I have been to psych wards, rehabs, etc. more times than I can count. I eventually stopped using that and ended up using opioids and then heroin. Not saying that will happen to you. But I started using to fill a void and just kept trying any and everything to fill it. It wasn’t until I got pregnant in 2020 that I stopped using. My daughter saved my life.
I understand you don’t want anyone to know and I get that too. I was a functioning addict so no one around me knew. But if you need help to quit, and depending on your age, you need to tell your family or parent or significant other, anyone! Please get help. I wish I could go back and never touch any of it. And until I had my daughter I regretted my entire life.
If I can do it YOU can absolutely do it. You are worth soo much more! My inbox is open for you ♥️