Day 8 off opiates and still no energy!! Any advice???

[Jig29]

Hi! I have made it to day 8!! Whoohoo!! I'm feeling great about that! But everyday I get up I still do not have any energy! I have been getting out and excercising everyday for as long as possible but then it's like I just get zapped of my energy and it is horrible!! I have been taking vitamins, drinking a ton of water, Gatorade , and vitamin drinks.. I still can't eat a lot ( which I feel like if I could that might help!) when I can eat I'm eating healthy food.. Just not very much of it.. I have been addicted to opiates for 5 yrs..! This is my first and LAST w/d! Period!!! I will never put myself through this he** again!  With that said, does anybody know when I can expect to regain some energy??? Please! Any advice would b helpful!!

Thanks! And God bless!

[VICourageous]

Hi again Jig29

Wow!! You have come far since you came on this site. Proud of YOU!

Great advice from all the above. Just take them baby steps at first and one day this will all be behind you..However, Just take it "One Day at a Time". Glad to hear that you are going to get some Aftercare! Try some AA meetings too. I find them much more Spiritual. Most meetings now days are cross addictions, so you will be welcomed with open arms. Find a Church that has Celebrate Recovery in it. Going on 4 yrs now and I have changed some of my Aftercare, to being able to talk about my God. Good Luck!! Things will all work out in Time..Hang on to that Patience.
Bless
Vickie

[WalkTall]

To me, the lack of energy is the hardest part.  But it comes back.   Hang in there and take it day by day.  Any form of exercise will generate endorphins.  

[Danny111]

You just have to give yourself permission not to feel like doing much for quite some time.  It'll come back when it comes back.  In the mean time blow off the things you can blow off and do the things you have to and each day you'll feel a teeny bit better.  

[gnarly_1]

Hi......well the energy thing is always a problem  just know with time it will get better....are you sleeping yet???? that always makes the energy part more difficult  sleep and energy are the last things to return......try to eat lean protein  like baked chicken or fish stay away from red meats  also get up to walmart and pick up a can of ''whey protein shake mix....it is like 18 bucks for a 2lb can  just a scoop to a glass of milk  the chocolate flavor is good  drink 2 a day  this will help with the energy and it also has a boat load of amino acids for the brain to heal  it is that and time....keep posting for support...
........................................Gnarly....................................

[motye51]

LOL....It's b/c your feeling....which is something none of did very well.  Drugs allowed us to NOT feel...so when those feelings come rushing back we kind of don't know what to do with them b/c they all seem to come back at one time....this IS where aftercare will help.  I promise!  It will help you to sort through all of these emotions (b/c honestly, they're exaggerated right now, so it will lessen) and learn where to put them.  You are truly right where your supposed to be in this.  
I can't stress enough how important aftercare will be on your journey.  Believe it or not....I am a true believer that getting clean was the easy part....staying clean is the hard part. If you  are an addict, and you want to STAY clean...you MUST put some type of active recovery in place. I am partial to N/A b/c it works for me....but some type of 12 step program is necessary.

[Jig29]

Hey! Made it through day 8! Now onto day 9! I have more energy today but the anxiety is kicking in bad today! No I haven't gone to any meetings as of yet, however, I am planning on going to a NA meeting tomorrow with a friend! Today is my first day back to work, I'm not gonna lie, im struggling with the idea of being around people... I know this will get better and my eyes are on the prize! This is my first go around with this ( and my last) so all of these feelings are so different from the way I have felt the past 5 yrs! I'm just trying to embrace all of my emotions but it is very overwhelming!!

Thank you for your feedback!! It is most appreciated!

Have a great day! I will check in a bit later!!

[jifmoc]

Hey, jig, congrats on day 8. If I had energy on day 8 I would have been jumping for joy, it just doesn't happen like that. Symptoms dissipate VERY slowly and you will have to give it a few weeks. Keep exercising etc.

On your other thread, many of us mentioned how vital aftercare is in STAYING clean. Did you start?

[Jig29]

Thank you Motye! Your right! I keep expecting this magical day to appear and then all of the sudden I will feel great! I know it's not going to happen over night ( I sure wish it would). But it did take me a long time to get where Iam at so I just need to be realistic of the fact it's gonna take me a while to get back to my old self! I actually have been taking the vitamin c packs and the L Tyrosine so I'm sure that is helping! Just not used to feeling so drained! I know it will get better tho!!

One day at a time!!
H

[motye51]

What I found that helped at this point was L-Tyrosine which you can get at GNC. I also used the Emergen C quite a bit....these worked for me. I tried to stay away from cafeinne b/c I found, when I tried to use it during w/d for energy it would always backfire and make me have an anxiety attack.
The other thing I will stress is you need to give yourself a break!  This is not where on day 10 you will be back up and running as if nothing ever happened. You do have to give your body and brain time to fix itself.  Don't push super hard...just take each day as it comes...I wouldn't plan any mountain climbing any time soon....but keep moving forwards.