Posted by Elizabeth on July 23, 2001, at 16:15:15
In reply to Re: Ultram withdrawal! » Elizabeth, posted by MB on July 22, 2001, at 20:16:11
> When you say that it takes about an hour to work, may I assume you are not keeping a steady state serum level? Are you taking it PRN?
It's prescribed for 3 times a day. I do achieve a low steady-state level. I can't take it at bedtime, though (it would keep me awake), so by the morning, it's pretty much worn off.
> I think that I felt better within a few minutes. Some of it could have been psychological (from the needle prick). I'm thinking that it kicked in after about ten minutes and that I felt better for about two and a half hours.
If it worked fast, it would make sense that it wouldn't last long. But I'm surprised by the difference: for me it lasts 5 or 6 hours.
> The depression from dope withdrawal feels different to me than the depression I feel every day. Comming off of opiates, I feel a really intense feeling of longing...not necessarily for the drug (although craving *is* present), I'm talking about an intense, free-floating, bittersweet nostalgia.
I've heard this described as "emptiness" or as a "void" that needs to be filled.
> Also, there's this feeling that an evil presence is imminent.
I've experienced something similar to that in the context of panic attacks. I don't like going into details like that with doctors.
> I took a psychological test once that asked if I had ever seen spirits. I answered "yes" because one time on LSD I thought there were spirits in the room.
That's a nondelusional hallucination: you know that the "spirits" weren't really there. (IOW, the right answer was "no.")
I hate those silly multiple choice personality tests. Nobody should be diagnosed based solely (or primarily) on one of those.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:70206
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010720/msgs/71523.html