DOSE: T+ 0:00	800 mg	oral	Pharms - Ibuprofen	(pill / tablet)
T+ 1:10	5.0 mg	oral	Hydrocodone	(ground / crushed)
T+ 1:16	5.0 mg	oral	Hydrocodone	(pill / tablet)
T+ 1:30	1 bowl	smoked	Damiana	(plant material)
T+ 1:45	10 mg	oral	Hydrocodone	(ground / crushed)
T+ 2:00	5.0 mg	oral	Hydrocodone	(ground / crushed)
T+ 2:00	800 mg	oral	Pharms - Ibuprofen	(pill / tablet)
T+ 2:30	1 bowl	smoked	Damiana	(plant material)

BODY WEIGHT:

150 lb

At the end of March of 2006 I had a seizure that was caused by a brain tumor. In April I underwent surgery to have the tumor removed. After surgery I was prescribed hydrocodone (5mg pills to be taken about 1 every 6 hours as needed) and ibuprofen (800mg pills to be taken as needed) for the pain (headaches and body aches).

At first I only took a very minimal amount of hydrocodone when ibuprofin alone did not ease the pain sufficiently. I was also prescribed a particular type of steroid to reduce swelling of the brain for the first 2 weeks following surgery. After the steroid regimen ended the headaches became more severe. Due to the severity of the pain I took 2 pills of hydrocodone (5mg each equaling 10mg). I noticed the pronounced (but not overwhelming) pleasant sensation from the hydrocodone. It is assumed that the reader is a least somewhat familiar with descriptions of opiate experiences. Although the hydrocodone experience is weak by comparison to other opiates, I found it pleasant.

Following this experience I would routinely keep the hydrocodone to a minimum for a few days and the take 2 or 3 one day for the pleasurable experience, then return to keeping it to a minimum for a few days, then 2 or 3 one day, and so on. There was a build up of tolerance almost immediately and I have never had an experience that was comparable to my first noticeably pleasant experience. I found that any more than 3 pills in about an 8 hour span usually resulted in a restless experience in which I found it difficult to just relax. Rather, I would get up to change the music, to go outside to get fresh air, go back inside, grab a book, go on the computer for a minute, get up again to go back outside, etc. I also would get itchy as is apparently common with hydrocodone according to what I have read in other people’s experiences.

For about a month I would alternate between taking one or no pills one day then taking 2 or 3 the next. I noticed an increasing build up of tolerance. Then I would take about 2 or 3 a day. By this time I found it difficult to abstain from taking any pills for a day or 2 but with willful effort I could abstain for a few days. However, many days I found myself taking one or two pills just to quiet the nagging yearning for them, even though I knew that one or two pills would be barely noticeable or not noticeable at all. Rather than taking them for a pleasant experience, I was taking them to avoid the unpleasant experience of not taking them.

In mid May, having sufficiently recovered from surgery, I returned to work. For that first work week I abstained from hydrocodone and stuck with ibuprofen when necessary for pain. The following weekend I took 3 on Saturday, 3 on Sunday, and another two on Monday. The next day I willfully abstained from taking any hydrocodone. That afternoon I felt pretty bad, like I was coming down with a case of the flu. I thought that this was probably due to withdrawal. I was at work and purposely had not brought any hydrocodone. If I had, I would probably have taken a single pill just to quiet the withdrawal symptoms. On Wednesday I took a single pill to avoid withdrawal. On Thursday I abstained and felt fine. On Friday I took a single pill. That was yesterday. Today I took a single pill in the early morning, saving the last few pills I had for late tonight with the intention of enjoying what would be my last session with these bothersome pills.

What follows is an account written as it occurred….

11:30pm
1 ibuprofen pill (800mg) swallowed

12:40am
No noticeable effects of ibuprofen taken over an hour ago. 1 hydrocodone pill (5mg) swallowed with gulp of coffee.

12:46am
1 hydrocodone pill (5mg) chewed in a small mouthful of coffee.

12:51am
Slightly noticeable effects of hydrocodone, perhaps only perceptible now that I am familiar with the sensations it produces in me.

1:00am (approximately)
Smoked a “bowl full” of dried herb Turnera diffusa (damiana)

1:08am
On top of the slightly noticeable hydrocodone effect, I have a noticeable light but warm buzz from the damiana similar to that of a small amount of cannabis. At one time I was a regular cannabis smoker and I am inclined to think that if I were a regular or even occasional smoker of cannabis the damiana would not be nearly as enjoyable or noticeable. I have not smoked cannabis in over a year and I have smoked very little in recent years so I can appreciate the damiana high for what it is, light but enjoyable.

1:15am
Chewed 2 hydrocodone pills (5mg each) with a small mouthful of coffee.

1:30am
The warm pleasant sensation from the hydrocodone is present and noticeable, though not nearly as strong as half the amount would be had I not developed a tolerance for it. I now chew my last 5mg hydrocodone pill immediately after swallowing 1 800mg pill of ibuprofin. This brings me up to a total of 5 pills of hydrocodone at 5mg each equaling 25mg total. I note a “weaving” effect not unlike that from being drunk. Music is more moving than usual. I am listening to a compilation of various old school dub music by the way.

2am (approximately)
I smoked another small bowl full of damiana. This augments the experience somewhat.

I am experiencing the slight tendency for rolling of the eyes, like what one may get when very drunk. This interferes only slightly with my internet surfing and the typing of this experience report. I have been sipping the strong coffee I have become accustomed to. I have found that spiking my brain waves with gently stimulating sips of coffee is enjoyable while experiencing the pleasant sedative hydrocodone effect.

2:15am
The tendency of wavy vision effect is more pronounced now, but still not very disruptive. I feel the gradual increase of sleepiness. I only barely feel the itchiness that even smaller doses of hydrocodone typically gives me.

3am
I notice that the experience is gradually declining. I am okay with the fact that I have no more of the pills. I am not looking forward to any withdrawal symptoms I may experience tomorrow and the days following, but I do not expect it to be very bad at all. If anything, it will be more of an issue with the boredom of total sobriety than anything physical but I will have to see over the course or the next few days. I do have a small amount of salvia herb that I can use to interrupt any opiate addiction symptoms if I find it necessary.

One Month Later

In the days following my last session with hydrocodone I didn’t really experience withdrawal symptoms. There was a slight nagging boredom with sobriety, especially when at work and there were occasional headaches. Although it was possible for me to obtain a prescription for more hydrocodone I did not seek to get one. It is now a month after my last hydrocodone session and I feel that it is better to abstain from such pills as hydrocodone, vicoden and percacet.

Looking back I regret that I did not experiment with the use of Salvia divinorum to interrupt my opiate habit as recent pharmacological research indicates that there is a potential for just such a use with Salvia.

If I could go back in time I would try using some Salvia while I still had some hydrocodone pills left. I would then see if I could interrupt the otherwise irresistible urge to use up the remaining hydrocodone pills. I can only speculate as to the effectiveness of such an experiment. Here are some links to research papers concerning Salvia divinorum’s potantial for treating opiate and other addictions…

Regulations of opioid dependence by opioid receptor types
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11316510&dopt=abstract

Salvia Divinorum, Diviners Sage - a natural anti-depressive, anti-addictive kappa-opioid agonist
http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/salvia_kappa_opioid.html

Salvinorin A: the ‘magic mint’ hallucinogen finds a molecular target in the kappa opioid receptor
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12628350&dopt=abstract

Antinociceptive profile of salvinorin A, a structurally unique kappa opioid receptor agonist
http://www.sagewisdom.org/mccurdyetal.pdf.

Downregulation of kappa opioid receptor mRNA levels by chronic ethanol and repetitive cocaine in rat ventral tegmentum and nucleus accumbens
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10554970&dopt=Abstract

Effect of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist, U69593, on reinstatement of extinguished amphetamine self-administration behavior
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11526958&dopt=abstract

Effects of a newly synthesized ?-opioid receptor agonist, TRK-820, on the discriminative stimulus and rewarding effects of cocaine in rats http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11967626&dopt=abstract
k Opioids as Potential Treatments for Stimulant Dependence http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&q=cache:lS9LzKd2ue8J:aapsj.org/articles/aapsj0703/aapsj070361/aapsj070361.pdf+salvia+divinorum+opiate+addiction+treatment
Kappa-opioid receptor modulation of nicotine-induced behaviour http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11044755&dopt=Abstract
U69593, a kappa-opioid agonist, decreases cocaine self-administration and decreases cocaine-produced drug-seeking http://www.springerlink.com/(x5q0hl55rmjui04555j3zk45)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,5,15,journal,160,713,linkingpublicationresults,1:100390,1

Exp Year: 2006	ExpID: 53961
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Dec 9, 2008	Views: 29,041
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Hydrocodone (111), Damiana (107) : Combinations (3), Addiction & Habituation (10), Alone (16)