Drug Addiction Rapid Detox Forums

To All,
I went through the Waismann Rapid Detox treatment with Dr. Bernstein about a year and a half ago. I had a lower back injury and was on a very high dose of morphine for about 7 years... 380 mgs a day to be exact. Through a series of surgeries and great treatment with Renee Fabrizee at the Newport Beach Headache and Pain Institute (Same office as Dr. Bernstein), my pain was greatly reduced. I had no need for the high levels of medication anymore. It was time to get off. The Rapid Detox sounded like a great idea. I jumped at the chance.

Now I am not so sure how to explain this all without saying too much. If you want a medical, clinical explination, look on the other posts... Claire wrote some things out that will explain a lot. As for my experience... I went into the Garden Grove Hospital and they gave me morphine as directed. Actually, the proceedure went quite well. When I woke up, I felt like crap. Let me say this first... they say how bad your withdrawals are are directly related to what you were using, how much, and for how long. Keep in mind, I was on 380 mg of morphine for almost 7 years. That was a very long time with a lot of meds. The opiate blocker they give you make your body not physically dependent anymore. But you have a lot of chemicals and stuff running through your system trying to find a way out.

This next part is kinda gross so skip it if you want. But most importantly, know this... whould I do it again, YES! So, a few hours later, stuff starts coming out. Diarrhia(sp?) that just wont quit. I mean the kind where you just go right there in your bed, and all the way to the bathroom, etc... I wont say more. But this lasted about 4 days. They will give you Immodium though. Would I do it again... YES!!! Besides that, you are wired... they give you something that makes your adreniline(sp?) go like crazy for weeks. I got 11 hours of sleep in the first 7 days. Anyway, you will feel like crap for days. Would I do it again... YES!!

I went to Domus and they were just SUPER!!! When I say Dr. Bernstein for the first time, I cussed him out and told him he lied and didn't tell me how horrible it was. But slowly and surely, I got to be feeling better, and I was off my meds! When I see him now, I could just kiss him! My life is so much different. I had no depression, no relapse, and NO REGRETS!!!

Yes, it is hard, that they don't tell you that in so many words, but it is sooooo worth it! I would recommend it to anyone who finally wants to stop the cycle of pain, medication, withdrawals, and everything else. You can finally be done with it all.

I hope this has give some of you a realistic version of the experience. I could say more, but why? If you ask me a question, I will be happy to answer it. Whatever you do, good luck.

Namaste-

thanks for the graphic description. Not just anyone would be so blunt and I think it's necessary to know exactly what to expect. I don't think most of us are on what you were and for as long so hopefully it wouldn't be as bad.

Thanks again.

I just came back from the Waismann and I could not disagree more with you...I guess is not just about how your health and how much damage you have done to yourself, but how you minimize or maximise any discomfort. I was taking 400 mgs + of Oxycontin a day and , I felt tired after the procedure had a bi of the runs next day in the morning that was pretty welcome to someone that could not go at all....They send me to Domus Retreat for 3 extra day and I extended for 1 more week because it was so nice being treated like a human being for a change. Everyone that I met there anothe 5 people were just blown away of how come all the other treatment centers do not learn this...
So, I am sorry that you did not have a great experience , but as simple as it gets, after 6 rehabs( really famous ones) I feel free of this drug for almost a decade and I did it in the best way possible...Kudos Waismann ...Kee p doing the great work you do....

How long did detox last? Did you still feel bad after you got out of detox? Please let me know. My husband is doing 5 days now and doing it alone.

I felt bad for about 2 weeks. I am not sure if that was because of the med-detox, or just getting everything out of my system. If you read other posts, other people have had n easier time with it than I did. So, as I said before, it took about 10-14 days to feel physically better. I didn't really feel myself for about 4 weeks. But I didn't get depressed or anything. I just wasn't myself for that time.
Tell your husband to hang in there. Some people say 'one day at a time'. During this experience... I had to do 'one minute at a time'. It was difficult, but the outcome was so worth it. Be patient with him.
Good luck to you both!

Hi

Great story, I am so happy for you that you managed
to turn your life around and get off meds that were
ruining your life.

I can't afford to go into a well known detox place, I'm
a single dad trying to bring up 2 teens as well as deal
with an addiction that has so far lasted 41 years! I have
been trying to get free of Methadone ( Heroin substitute )
for the past 20 years! I was a fool most of my life, being
involved with drug abuse since I was introduced to it
when I was a 15 year old kid.

After a life of drug abuse, I now find myself addicted to
the medication I was taking to get my clean of the
heroin addiction I had! figure that one out! anyway I
am now in the process of waiting to be admitted to
the local mental hostpital (Great Britain Ha!) to try to
detox off my 100+ mls of methadone I have to take each
day just to feel normal! I hate it! I have to get clean
for my kids, they don't want a Methadone addicted
pensioner for a dad do they?

Once again, glad you got clean,wish me luck guys!!

xhead

Wow, what a story! 40 years plus... that is a long time. But have faith, it can be done. My uncle was is the very same place two years ago. he also was on methdone for 40 years. He had tried everything to get off those pills. He went into a program in Newport beach called Sober by the Sea or something like that. he was in program for about 8 months, but he is doing very well now. It was hard, but he did it, so can you! I wish you all the luck in the world. You and your family will be so much happier after you make the change. Be strong. You can do it.

Thanks blondie

I'll let you know how I get on! I wish I could go someplace by the sea
to detox instead of a bloody mental hostpital, but that's just how it
is in the U.K. unless your name is Amy Winehouse of course, then you
can go anyplace I suppose!

I'm terrified because I know what the pain to come is like but
when (not if) I do it I may come out lookin' like this but
I am sure me and the kids will be very happy when it's over and
done

Thanks agan for the kind words blondie, best wishes to you also
my friend

xhead

For those of you who are not sure if rapid opiate detox is truly being administered to the general population and if it is effective, it is. I am a prior patient of Dr. Bernstein and also Dr. Weismann from back in 2000. After numerous attempts to kick opiate use on my own and continually failing I realized that I would eventually die or go to jail. I was treated in five different residential and outpatient hospital rehab units. I would be able to detox under HEAVY medication but with all of the side effects that addicts continue to make any effort possible to avoid. Detoxing is the worst in every regard. And what's worse than that is when you have been able to stay clean for 3-4 days is dire misery only to use on the 5th day because you either have had enough suffering or you feel that you have your use under control. Understand that you NEVER you will never be in control when it comes to addiction. It is a lifelong disease you are blessed with and there is NO cure.

The best you can do is to number 1. Get clean and number 2. make the commitment to stay that way for only one day at a time in the beginning. As the days go by, and they will I 100% promise, you begin to slowly put the addiction on the back burner of your brain rather than the first as you have so many years. 3. The use of support groups in the first 3-4 months of sobriety is vital and I recommend it with all of my stubborn soul.

In past recovery attempts I would never be able to maintain sobriety beyond the 3rd to 4th month. Never. I began to finally see a pattern contributing to my relapses. I began to write my thoughts down on paper and journalize each attempt. Many times I would begin journaling even before I could 100% quit while simply relapsing or using all over again. But what all of this journaling and participation with other addicts did was to educate me on what I was doing wrong. I had heard the saying "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results". Simple, insane saying that it is. Well it was time to do it differently.

Many doctors and therapists said that you won't truly appreciate sobriety until you have gone through a full blown detox. Bullshit. Not true. I found myself wanting to begin using all of these tools that I've acquired to stay sober and work a program to become a functional human being again but would hide from the thought of detoxing on my own. Rapid opiate detox gave me the chance to skip all the bullshit and get on with the recovery. I knew I was ready for recovery and wanted with all my heart to succeed like my friends were. No more little secrets, no more lies, complete and total freedom from that wicked demon that always lured me back in.

I had an unusual addiction but a horrible one. I was addicted to Hydrocodone cough syrup or Hycodan. I would acquire two 8 ounce bottles from various pharmacies each day to sustain my habit. Vicodin was a drop in the bucket compared to how I felt on Hycodan. Weird I know but I never had a cough in 8 years! But I never had a steady lifestyle or rational thought process in 8 years either. My life then compared to today is as if I truly am a different human being. No body "wants" to live that lifestyle, no way. It just happened.

Today I am clean for five and a half years. I say five and a half because although I have not used an opiate in eight years I didn't completely stop using other stupid mind altering substances like alcohol and diet pills until May of 2003. It took me a long time to trust in myself and trust that I could really let go of all my crutches and false sense of securities. Man, learning to live without substances was tougher than anything I've experienced in my life, bar none.

I don't hear as much about Naltrexone and ROD as I did in the past. Some say it is so controversial. Whatever. I am who I am today because of what Dr. Bernstein did for me and want anyone who is suffering out there to regain their lives back through the use of this tremendous gift being offered today. I relapsed a total of 13 times before finally coming clean through ROD in 2000. Thank you Dr. Bernstein and Dr. Weismann. D. (44 year old female Real Estate Broker from Southern California)