The Poppy Pandora's Box- Heed My Advice

I just commented to someone who wrote in that they are trying poppy tea for the first time........I urged them strongly to avoid it.
This is written from year's of experience with this concoction of doom:
I tried them way back in 2000 and thought they were awesome. I did not bother to research just exactly what was in poppies, other than morphine and I never had an addiction problem (I've used perc's, T3's, vicodin in the past with nary a problem). I remember the first time I went cold turkey.
I lasted 5 days and every minute of those 5 days was AGONY in every possible way. No, I didn't use the stuff all day, I was doing maybe 2 cups/day (using maybe 3-4 pods daily).
Pods contain morpheine, yes, but they also contain various other alkaloids, each of them equally as addictive. i leaped before I looked and feel free to call me any type of idiot you wish.
Here I am 10 years later and for the past year, have done a structured (most of the time) taper to perhaps 1-2 tspns a day. I am now mixing it in with kratom because of various reports which say that kratom (which does not contain any known alkaloids) is very useful with the opiate w/d's. No, I have not consulted a doctor, nor will I, this is my private hell.
So please, if you're going to play in the poppy garden, be very, very careful.
The other thing is that this shortage is in no way due to a bad harvest, nor is it a coincidence. Pods have always been plentiful, regardless of the time of year (except may 2 months of the year I think). This is the very first time I have ever seen an across-the-board out-of-stock here in the USA. So now the vendor or two who actually has some is selling them at prices most people cannot afford anyway.
I'd love to buy some oxy's or perc's from the vendors I know and trust, but they are horribly expensive.
Okay, I've written a buttload and will hand the mike back to the rest of you.
I'm sorry if I sound like I'm preaching from the pulpit; I'm not. I can't help but wonder if there is anyone else out there right now reading this and relating to it. If you're there, somewhere, I'd love to hear from you. What you're going through, if you made it out from under the poppy, and how exactly you did it without wanting to drag a sharp object across your throat.
This stuff is serious and I need help badly.

 

ok, i feel for you, but ialso have to tell you i use opiates because i have cancer, i switched to pods because i don't have insurance and can't afford a doctor(also don't trust most) but i have never been addicted. but i know many, many ppl who are or have been, even my husband was addicted to heroin at one point. anyway, what i wanted to tell you is there is an herb that almost no one knows about. it has NO opiates in it: lactusa virosa, or 'wild lettuce' also referred to as 'wild lettuce opium' because for some reason, it works very well for pain and feels similar. it is milder, but way more relaxing and up until the 1940's doctors used it instead of opium because it actually works very well. i know of ppl who have been just as far out into this addiction as you are and sounded the same, but they used wild lettuce and got over it. i implore you to try this! if you are in hell, as you say then try it. it's even completely legal in every way, and is sold as a supplement usually to be smoked from a water pipe. i can tell you the best place to get it if you would like. just friend me and i'll pm it to you. good luck!! i wish you a full recovery!

 

what type of cancer do you have where you are getting no medical treatment? i only ask because i have a very close friend who has had cancer twice now without insurance the first time. he did, however, get medical treatment for both bouts of cancer, and is now cancer free and rebuilding his life.

if you are refusing treatment for personal reasons i can understand, but if you think you cannot get treatment just because you don't have the cash and/or insurance you are wrong, there are many options available. contact the national cancer institute, they can point you in the right direction. also, another reason i asked about the type of cancer, most likely you are going to be considered disabled and therefore eligible for state medical insurance, not to mention ssdi which could help with living expenses and what not. after my friends cancer came back he was already had state healthcare from the first time he was sick. he still has bills, but they are not even a tiny tiny fraction of the over 1 million in treatment he received throughout all of his treatment.

what exactly dont you trust about doctors, in relation to cancer treatment? im not a fan of doctors myself, and have not even been to one in years, but if you have cancer, regular doctors visits are a must, they are there to help you, not hurt you. not to be negative, but there is very little, if any chance the cancer will just go away by itself. I urge you to seek treatment.

i wish you the best of luck anjpodc, i apologize if i'm discussing anything too personal for the public forum, feel free to pm me if you wish to discuss it further. i have very strong feelings for people suffering from cancer, as standing by a friend i consider a bother through years of treatment and pain exposed me to the seriousness of the situation for anyone with cancer and how treatment is a must as early as possible

 

Excellent post and good warning for new users looking for a cheap high. I've been using pods for going on 3 years now--my habit consists of a few sips of tea every/every other evening after all responsibilities are handled. In the (almost) 3 years I've been using, I've never increased the dose and actually have no desire to do so due to the nausea it causes. I find poppies an effective anti-depressant and anxiolytic for my social anxiety, depression and Asperger's syndrome where neither therapy nor medication has helped. They're also an excellent substitute for alcohol, which I cannot tolerate at all.

With pills, I can definitely see myself using constantly and neglecting responsibilities, but not with pods. The taste is a natural deterrent, as is the nausea of high doses. I also don't get the soaring euphoria of hydrocodone/oxycodone/codeine from pods, which makes them less of a "recreational" drug and more of a "maintenance" drug, at least for me.

Of course everyone is different. Pods have a huge potential for addiction and overdose despite their natural origins, which is something too many people don't understand. While it's debatable whether all alkaloids in pods are addictive, one thing is certain: morphine, codeine, papaverine and some of the others ARE. That's enough of a reason to be cautious.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems with pods and sincerely hope you get the help you need, whether it's from a rehab clinic, spiritual guide or any other avenue. Despite my own positive experience with the drug, I'd strongly advise anyone who's curious to avoid trying pods. There are some situations, such as the one Anjpodc discussed, where pods are a godsend. For this reason alone they should remain available and affordable for anyone who needs them. I think we all have to be careful about who we share our good or bad opinions of pods with to help keep them "under the radar" and avoid media attention. Like anything else, they can be a double-edged sword depending on how they're used.

*Passes the mic to someone else*