The Thomas Recipe for Opiate Detox
I’ve heard a few people talk about using the “Thomas Recipe” for detoxing from opiates. Most of the herbs and drugs that are part of that regimen can be found right here on our own post about drugs for detox, but I thought I’d put the recipe up here too since it follows a specific set of instructions.
Thomas Recipe
Taper your Vicodin (or other opiate) dose as much as you can before hand, and if possible take some time off from work or any other obligations you might have.
What you need:
- Valium or any other type of benzodiazepine like Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax etc…
- Immodiun.
- L-Tyrosine.
- Mineral supplement that contains at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium. You may not find a supplement that contains all of these together. If not, then buy separately.
- Vitamin B6.
- Access to hot showers or baths.
Putting it all into action:
“Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can’t find a supplement for it.
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you’re aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn’t need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don’t take it, however, if you don’t need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the “coffee jitters,” consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
– Thomas”
If anybody gives this one a try, let us all know how it goes.
If you have trouble getting your hands on some of the above ingredients, then there are over-the-counter products like Withdrawal-Ease that might serve as a good substitue.
935 comments
i am in the nest with you….am tapering down….
Full blow skin allergy..red streaks all over
Hello everyone, I have been reading your posts for a month. I am happy to say I have just finished day 4 of my wd from5 yaers of eating 5 vics everyday.The first 3 days and nights were very very hard. What helped me was,potassium, anti poop pills, hot epsom salt baths, a heating pad, masterbation…eek, and Rhodiola herbal supplement 340 mg 3 or 4 timez a day, multiitamins, tylenol and ib profin, lots of water, amd 2 energy shots a day. lots of streching with deepbreathing, and praying. Z I feel soooo much better amd very proud of myself. I too was worried that with out V that I wouldnt be my spunky happy self but I promise you will!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for this site. I will continue to read and after yesterday, today will be day 1 without norco. Recovering alkie for 6+ years. 8 of the 10 mg norco per day. Have had many surgeries and the norco doesnt even cure the pain anymore. Will keep checking in for your amazing triumphs!
Well let see where do I begin, for the last year I have been taking norco 10mg for about 8 months about 6 a day and in the last 4 months I moved over to Oxy 30 taking about 90mg a day. I really wasnt planning on quiting until I got real sick about 5 days ago, it was a bad cold kepted me in bed for 3 days sleeping the whole time. I havent taken any kind of pain killer in 5 days just because I have been trying to fight this cold. It hit me now that if i am 5 days free of this why not try to quit and thats what i am going to do if I already have 5 days under my belt already. Today the fifth day was rough for me I wanted to take one so bad but I choose not to I stared at the pill over and over and finally just put them away. I am having some bad withdraws the sweats and cant sleep ofcourse. I didnt really know how bad I was addicted until today and how out of control its getting. I still have a bunch of pain killers left in the medicine cabinet should i get rid of them I dont want to take anymore I want to keep going with the detox for as long as I can.
I have heard about the Thomas recipe and decided it was time. Brief history: I injured my knee in 2001 and was put on Darvocet. I ended up having 2 surgeries on my knee, the last of which severed a tendon. I ended up with a severe limp which has caused sciatica. I have taken a pill, of some type, pretty much every day since 7/5/01. It is now 12/23/12. I was taking 8 10-mg Hyrdro’s & 100 Morphine ES per day when my husband got a great job offer in another state. We moved. I lost my doc and couldnt find one in my new state who would see me without insurance, which I didn’t have for the first 2 years we lived here. I resorted to buying Tramadol/Ultram online, mainly just to escape the wd’s. That was 4 years ago and thousands of dollars ago.
I’ve gone through unintended w/d’s more times than I can count, and it’s always the RLS over my legs, feet, lower back, upper back and neck that have me ordering more. Immodium takes care of the diarrhea, so I never really have a problem with that. It’s the dang RLS & anxiety that kills me.
I went to a doc today, a few hours after taking my last 1/2 of a pill. The reason I wrote for my visit was an injury, but when I got back there to intake I decided I was ready to quit. I told the nurse my history & told her that I know I can’t do this without help from the RLS. She gave me Vistaril, which doesnt seem to have done anything for the RLS, even though I said over and over and over again that it is the RLS that is going to cause me to relapse. I’ve taken quite 4 of the Potassium pills so far, and have eaten the Immodium like candy. I’ve taken 4 of the Vistaril and a Benadryl Allergy. The RN said that too much Potassium can be bad for your heart, but I dont know how much is too much. All I know is the RLS has GOT to subside.
I broke down and told my sister that I’m an addict and told her all I’ve been thru over the last few years to get those little white pills. One thing she said to me has been coming back to me over and over again. If I work half as hard to get off of them as I did to make sure I always had them, I’ll get thru this. There are a LOT of posts on this site. I’ve always been a really fast reader, but I’ve been here HOURS now and am only about halfway thru the posts. I hope all of the people that I am coming to “know” stick around to the end!!
Over a week here. Was sluggish and my mind frame is great. I was worried about physical addiction . The wd was to the restroom a lot and a lil slow but other than that I have taken ambien for sleep. I did ok as far as chills etc. Hope you who read this are as well :))
3RD times a charm……so I’ve heard….well, here i am again…3rd time around. I quit for a month, then relapsed…quit again for 2 month, then relapsed…..now im on day 3, i know what to expect and it sucks. One would think I wouldnt want to go throught this…..I DONT. I said this the last 2 times, but IM DONE. I know what your thinkin….he cant do it…well, i have no choice, if I dont do it this time i feel there will be no turning back. Each time i start back up, i fall farthur and faster then the time before…This last time I probably almost killed myself, drinking and poppin’, but god saw fit to give me one more chance. SO…here I go again. I have a support system in place this time. I was shocked at how caring and excepting my friend has been, she has seen my decline and was the one who pullled me up short when i needed it the most.
Good luck folks, I ve been on this shitty ride for too long. Time to MAN-UP an tell the driver to puller er over….IM GETTIN OFF
This is my 3rd day, actually at 4pm I will be 72 hrs clean. I have been taking anywhere from 10 to 14 750’s a day. I feel like hell…..HELP !!!!
Snowman – sorry – just saw your post and . I am thinkin this is the time that it sticks for you…you will be in my prayers and I hope by this time you are healing and kneeling and are on your way to recovery. There is always that last time – when something inside of you kicks you in the ass and says…I HAVE HAD ENOUGH.
Love
Kitty
I am still in the fear of withdrawal. But I have decided to come clean with my pain management Dr. next month as a birthday present to myself. I am on an extremely limited income and am saving pennies to get everything for thomas Recipe. About how much does everything cost. I have gone into withdrawal before but after 2 days I can’t hang. I snort 6-10 oxy 5’s and 15 to 30 10mg percs a day. Right now I am taking only enough to allow me to get out of bed for a couple minutes. Right now I am getting weaker and intestines are cramping, Because of my age I am worried about a stoke etc. Is that possible? Has anyone used pot during withdrawal? If so does it help at all? I have been adicted at least 20 years but seriously so the last 2 1/2. What should I mention to my Dr? How long will it take to get the physical part over with? I’d love to have someone to check in with for moral support. Thanks
Hello,
I have been reading all these post for awhile now, it really helps when there is people out there w/ the same problems, so I have been taking anything from Vicodin to methadone for about 4 years now I have quit several times and gone through the withdrawals and gotten over it and I have relapsed every time, now I am around day 16 right now and I feel better but I’m miserable and so depressed and can’t be around any one I shelter myself and stay locked up in my room, I have never been like this, will this pass? I guess I just miss my old self and I’m praying for everyone going through this as well take care everyone.
Been clean from 3-5 10mg norcos EVERYDAY and today is day 10 and I feel great had an excellent weekend I wont BS anyone if you really dont wnat it you cant do it all I can say is dig real deep for the first four days and let yor friend and family know whats up so they can support you if thats your thing #$%^ those pills NEVER again for me
Hey everyone great blog and very helpful. I am at 21 hours since my last vic and was doing 8 a day of 500mg for 13 months. I know it will get worse the next several days and I had to detox once before. Its amazing how many of us go through the same issue of not wanting to stop because of the 5 day or so withdrawl process. We look to each other for help and get it. However 13 months of doing this every day and 5 days to clean up. seems as if the trade off is miniscule. I am hopeful that today being Thursday and by Monday i should be feeling better. Lots of people rooting for me and this experience just amazes me. How we always seems to find the vicodin to continue the madness but not willing to put this much effort into a realtionship or business. i wish all of your in my shoes the luck love and prayers to come clean. Those who are on the fence you have to just say its only 5 days of your life and when its over life will be so much greater. I know what I am capable off off the drugs and I look forward with the strength of God to allow me to get there next week. Good luck to all of you. First time poster
Its been almost 3 years now since I quit cold turkey (next month will be 3 years). I posted here when I was withdrawing and the support was great, I come back about once or twice a year to remind me of where I was and to let others know it is possible to be happy and to live your life again. You can do it!
Honey and cinnamon, Valerian and bananas w a multi vitamin. All natural. As good as suboxone. I’m experienced and LOVE the herbal treatment. NA helps too. Peace!
I stareted reading post 1 and I am on 393……I am on day 10…exept the 4 tramodol I just took……JESUS help me…..someone talk to me….I will be back to post some of my testome…..? spelling….I am “hooked on ebonics” I meen phonics…and a few other ics…..peace.
To ALL, you might want to use L-Theanine at bed time to push down the Alpha wave activity and increase the Beta wave in the brain. Also a 750mg tab of MSM at 6: in the evening will cut the body aches down a lot before bed. GABA is important to use one hour before bed with Nighty Night tea which has Pasion Flower and Lemon Grass herbs. The GABA and the tea promote a sense of relaxation so you can find sleep. After all this the main item in your tool box has to be a relationship with your support system and a strong Faith in Christ, who will get you through. He will never judge you, only forgive you when you ask for it.
1 Cor 10:13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
(NIV)
We all fall prey to these substances due to injuries,accidents, or health chalenges. Those are the things Common to Man. The But here is that if we will be in relationship with HIM, He will provide the way out from under the oppression of the substance and the health challenge that precipitated the use of the substances we need to be rid of. It only requires faith that HE is, and that HE will. You all are an encouragement to so many. Keep the faith!!!
Humble Holy Roller and all who read here: Humble, I know where you’re at (or were at at the time of your post). I hope you made it. I’m on day 10 w/o methadone and the anxiety/restlessness is the worst. I’ve turned to this site in desperation. Hopefully some of the tips I’ve read here will help. Unfortunately, the only thing I’ve come up with to help with my lack of energy has been the other “meth.” Not a good idea, I know, but I have to work and my suboxone treatment doesn’t start for another 18 days. I’m using as little as I can get away with, still sleeping for the most part at night. The inability to sleep and restless legs went away after about 4 days. The diarrhea has been CONSTANT. Awful. I’m drinking tons of water. Going to try some of the herbal suggestions. Peace all and good luck. Humble, I hope you made it through!
I have a week off starting saturday and am preparing myself to get off norco that i have been taking daily for at least 2 years..i take anywhere from 4-5 daily but try to keep to the 3 per prescription. i feel i have no joy in my life even though i quit drinking 2 months ago…im scared because i have to get through this so i can function at work and in life. i will make a list of thomas ingredients. please tell me i possibly can be through the physical symptoms in a week and will keep going to program for the depression..i dont know what else to do, but something has to change and being on these pills daily is not healthy
i am trying to join this blog and am being told that my comment is awaiting moderation? I do not even know if anyone is seeing this?
Im in for a long ride!!! I can take 10~ 10.325 a day I cant take it anymore. I had enough last light after having WD for 2 days not having enough med till my next doctor visit.my Insurance coverage ends soon….so i dont have the money to continue to see my doctor for this med. I wish I could do a tv show on getting off Hydros for both of us My Husband, takes alot…( Husband and I ) the Tv commercial is great but, really who would really do this in front of cameras. I have health problems but, feel that we both can get off these and continue taking non opiat meds. My life is a story. From my mother dying with ALS. in 2004. and just lost a brother in law to Heart issues in Sept.2013 he was 27 yrs old. alot of people dont talk about this getting addicted to Hydrocodines nor do they in schools or pulic places…but, theres alot of people on them. including older men and women (ages 65 to 70) Im 43 Yrs old. I feel old but honestly I wish I could do the things my age are doing right now. Well, Im going to get the meds and I will soon let you guys know when I start Day 1. This will be soon so Peeps, pray for me….If I can do it anyone can!!!! I plan to take video of this to talk about this afterwords. This needs to get out and by no one coming forward….well, its just going to stay under the rug like it has been for Years.
I’m about to kick the habit, I’ve been taking 7.5 Loratab for the past 10 YEARS! I’m collecting my ingredients for this receipe, but I’m having trouble with the perscription meds on the list. I was curious about an otc sleep aid? I’m going to be able to have a few days off from work, so I’m going to shoot for the four days durring that time. Will I be able to make it back to work after nine days? I do clerical work, so I’m hoping so. Just looking for some insider tips if anyone has any to offer.
So do I stop taking the Percocet completely then start the Thomas Recipe?
Nowhit – There are different oppionions on this. I quit cold turkey and used the thomas recipe. I could never taper because I ate up everything I had and could not control myself to taper. Others on here have tapered down to just a few and then used the thomas recipe and gone cold turkey at that point. If you could give me some additional information by email, I would be glad to at least correspond with you through this ordeal. I have survived three + years, so I must have done something right “with a little help from my friends on this board” kittymom001@gmail.com. Good luck
Is anyone still checking or posting to this board? So many of you have given me so much hope with your amazing stories of success. I’d love to have some support/encouragement. I can see how you all helped each other & feel that some encouragement/”comraderie” could be sooooo very helpful for me at this time where I feel so alone.
I’m starting this . Wish me luck
Ann, please post and let me know how you’re doing. I will check in more often to see if you post back.
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