Can't get out of the bed.

[Alscott]

I have no energy. I can't get out of this bed. What can I do for more energy. Feel pathetic here. Asking total strangers for advice. Asking the simplest questions. What a shame. What have I become

[NeverDreamed]

I get the aversion to pills.  Obviously that is what got me here in the first place.  However, my diet is not CRAP.  I eat plenty of healthy food, and take vitamins.  From the day I was born, my body processes Potassium, Iron, and other things at an alarmingly fast rate, and I'm always low on these things.  They do not know what causes it.  My mom had the same issue, and it threw her into violent seizures for 6 years, she will be on seizure medication for the rest of her life, and to this day they cannot figure out what caused the seizures, or the drop in potassium/sodium/iron etc.  
So no I did not grow up popping pills, as I reached adulthood and started to experience some of what my mom went through, I now take vitamins for it.  The panic attacks, chest pain, shortness of breath, I'm sure food cannot cure that.  Do I want to have to take pills?  NOPE.  I'm trying now to get off of all of them, except vitamins of course.  So nothing is wrong with eating healthy, and being free of medication, but in the mean time, fighting this addiction, and helping my body get back to normal, the effexor is part of that.  One step at a time right?  I will not run back to my doctor for anything short of an emergency, they prescribed me something at my last ER trip (non narcotic) but something to take daily, I never picked it up.  I do not want to take anymore pills.  So yes, preaching eat healthy is a great idea, but may not work for all if they are doing that already.

[OutsiderS]

Alscott these are all normal feelings we have during withdrawal.  Just know this takes time but we have all been thru it.  As for energy, I am day 73 or so and I didn't really start getting my "full" energy back until a few weeks ago. Sure after a few weeks in I would get spurts of energy, but now I have energy all day! It just takes time.  I get a new supercharged feeling and I swear to you it trumps that pull high feeling.  There is no comparison.  So hang in there.  It gets so much better.  God Bless

[OutsiderS]

Alscott these are all normal feelings we have during withdrawal.  Just know this takes time but we have all been thru it.  As for energy, I am day 73 or so and I didn't really start getting my "full" energy back until a few weeks ago. Sure after a few weeks in I would get spurts of energy, but now I have energy all day! It just takes time.  I get a new supercharged feeling and I swear to you it trumps that pull high feeling.  There is no comparison.  So hang in there.  It gets so much better.  God Bless

[Free_ovitall]

Anti- depressants are just as bad for you as opiates. They screw up your brain chemistry and are very difficult to quit using.
Why is it everyone looks for a "pill" to cure all their problems in this country?

What is wrong with FOOD?  Has everyone forgotten that FOOD contains everything our bodies need to produce every single amino acid, protein, etc. we need to feel good and healthy? If you aren't feeling right, look at your diet first! If you are eating CRAP, that's exactly how you are going to feel! No "pill" is going to replace what you need to get from food. All those pills are going to do is screw up how your body is supposed to work. They cause the nero-pathways and nerotransmitters that use amino acids such as dopamine and serotonin to die off, so that when you want to stop using pills, your body can't produce the amino acids it needs to function normally, and keep all that chemistry in balance. Instead you will run to the doctor and get more pills to treat the symptoms caused by pills in the first place!

[Free_ovitall]

When Pop-eye had no energy, he used to pop a can of spinach and gobble it down, then he got a big boost of energy and he beat the tar out of Bluto for messing with his gal, Olive-oil.

Try that. Go to the store, and buy a can of spinach, the Pop-eye brand. That should work.

If it doesn't, it's good for you anyway- plus it has lots of iron. And the exercise you get walking to the store should make you feel better too, which is really the main suggestion of this post.  

[rnangel]

Congrats on flushing the pills! I think it's important to get much needed rest in the acute withdrawal phase (week or less). Think of it this way...would you be going out to parties and working if you had the flu? Certainly not. You are extremely tired for a reason. Your body simply needs some rest to heal and repair itself. I remember my detox all too well and I was in no shape to drive or go anywhere in public.

Now if you are laying in bed staring at the ceiling and having a pity party with yourself then that's a different story. If you isolate at home and don't keep busy doing things that used to make you happy then you are likely to relapse. So the million dollar question is, "what makes you happy?".

It sounds like a good plan to see your Dr. and let him know about your detox so he can best direct you. Depression and feeling blah is normal for the first few weeks but if it persists then no doubt you want to consider treating it. If you have been on antidepressants before or have a history of depression then it may be important to nip it in the bud. These are good issues to discuss with your Dr. or an addictions specialist. Many of us self-medicate because of depression and/or anxiety and fall into the clutches of addiction. So when we detox it would be natural that mental health issues would be amplified.

I wish you all the strength and courage to rediscover what makes you happy and go for it! You can do this! You are worth the effort ;o)

[NeverDreamed]

Yea for flushing the pills!!  Have you read a lot about the Lexapro?  I just googled it all it said was it's for a depressive disorder.  My only warning with anti-depressants is this... I was prescribed Effexor for anxiety/depression 2 years ago.  I had never had any of these issues before but needed something for what was going on in my life at the time. I began having anxiety attacks.  So now here I am trying to rid my body of any pills, and I read Effexor has it's own set of withdrawal symptoms, and is not good for pregnancy, i'm not pregnant but want to be this year.  So i'm pissed, if the dr. had told me there were withdrawals, or if I had done more research on it at the time I may have changed my mind.  So just keep that in mind.  However, if you feel you need it, just take it as prescribed.  
The energy will come back, I'm at Day 20 today and I'm taking a Super B vitamin complex, and my energy is great!  Be patient, you will start feeling better soon.  

[downandout1982]

I also made myself get out my first day I took the kids to my moms and visited an old friend my second day was my daughters birthday wich we had been planning for months so i got to the store first thing in the morning to pick up the cake then it was wrapping pressents then off to Chuck E Cheese then packing all the kids presants and cake back home. Day three was the worse by far I went to the clinic were they tried to give me more pain meds so I left and went for a long drive in the country. day four my husbands parents wanted a little birthday part with just us. I guess my point is kk is correct it did help when I was just home in bed I felt even worse because my mind was messing with me I had thoughts of loading my gun,. . .  you know? just get out a little bit. I think one's mind is its worst enemy. I had to keep telling myself this isnt the worst thing that will happen to me in my life. You CAN do this!

[Alscott]

I took my bath, flushed my pills, and now back to the bed. Can't seem to get energy to do anything. This is what m afraid of. The vicodin gave me energy. That supercharged felling. Now what. Don't worry I have no pills and I don't want to start this over again. This feeling is too much for anyone. I just want my life back. I feel so bad for my family. I have lied to my husband, cussed him something awful, due to my mood swings. I started lexapro on Sunday. Should I not take it and wait until my body heals from the vicodin withdrawals..

[NeverDreamed]

Amen KK.  At day 2 I forced myself to go to a friends BBQ, and ended up having fun, and with all the chaos going on there, kids running around, music, etc... It so took my mind off of what I was going through.

[kk1303]

...I also made myself eat healthy foods every day. Take vitamins and drink water. We get our energy from food...if you're not eating, u won't have energy.

[kk1303]

I'm gonna be blunt, but consider this tough love. You CAN get out of bed.  You are not chained or strapped to the bed..so don't say u can't get out of bed, bc u really can get out...u just don't want to. You have to MAKE yourself. Day 2 I went for a walk and a drive. Day 3 I went antique shopping for several hours and out to eat with my parents. Day 4 I went on a job interview. Do you honestly think I wanted to do all that? Heck no. I wanted to stay in my bed and curl up and die. But I told myself, "well, you're gonna feel like $#!+ lying in bed, so why not get up, move around & feel like $#!+...get what I'm saying? Nothing is going to make you feel better per say, but lying in bed doing nothing is only going to make things worse. At least when you're moving around, your mind is taken off how cruddy you feel for a bit.

[zoea]

Hang on. It will pass..our bodies r pushed so much when we use.
Now u need to rest. It will get better. Fluids food and vitmans. X

[rnangel]

Oh and there is no harm in Ibuprofen or Tylenol for the aches and pains ;o)

[rnangel]

Well friend two hours has passed since your bath. We are all still here for you. I have flushed drugs and had people take them and flush them. Either way..there is always more out there. I know you want recovery because you have found your way here. So hang in there. Forgive yourself for the past and live in the present. One day at a time. You can do this. And for goodness sakes don't keep any pills around ;o) You're an addict and willpower has nothing to do with addiction. We're talking faulty wiring after repeated use. Not to worry, your brain will recalibrate in time. Please don't white knuckle through your recovery. Find a meeting and a sponsor. Keep us updated. Get lots of rest. Peace xox

[kyle505]

Alscott:
I don't know you, but I know me. I'm not the most disciplined person in the world; and as far as pills went, I was very weak. For over ten years I abused. I'm 43 days clean; I went through the detox. I complained, felt sorry for myself, knew I couldn't do it.  I did.  As the over-used expression goes, if I can do it, so can you. Flush the pills, get through the first few days and you'll be on your way.

[NeverDreamed]

No what if's hun.  You CAN do this, flush those 3 right now.  You are too far to start over.  The bath will help, throw some epsom salt in there if you have some, it helps draw toxins out of your body.  Please, please throw those 3 away, they are not worth starting this process over...  I felt like a complete tweaker when I realized I had none left, I searched all my old purses, and bags and medicine cabinets trying to find just one more... thank God I didn't find any.  Then on Day 3, I found another purse in my closet, while trying to clean up my mess, I found 3 vics, and 4 norco in the pocket, I can't even tell you how terrified and excited I was.... before I could think anymore about it, I ran to the toilet literally and threw them in.  I knew if I had them in my reach I would take them.   I'm so thankful I did that... it will feel a little bit scary for you to toss them away, but do it.  You CAN do this, and you are worth doing it for

[Alscott]

I'm attempting to draw a bath. My body aches right now. Not sure if it is from the vicodin withdrawal or the sleeping all day yesterday. I keep having the urge to pop a pill. I have three left. I have not had the courage to throw them away. What if I can't do this

[downandout1982]

I was drinking ensure it helps. as far as energy you probably wont have any for a while, My friend suggested to me that I should try vitamin B6. It will get better.

[rnangel]

You have become an addict in the early stages of recovery??  If you don't have to get out of bed then don't. You need 4 things right now..sleep, water, food and support. You're mind and body will tell you what and when. One day at a time. Take care of yourself and let us know how you are doing xo

[kyle505]

I agree with the others...If you can eat, do so. Then take vitamins - multi, B6 & B12 help me. You're experiencing both the physical and mental symptoms of detox. I'd bet that most of what you're going through is mental. And another way to look at it - during my days 3 & 4 of withdraws, I could not be still; I would have welcomed a chance to stay in bed. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. So, try to relax and fuel your body. This will pass. It will get better.

[Climb_Strait]

Food, water, and vitamins. That and time. This will pass and you will feel SO much better. I do. Also light exersise helps.

[NeverDreamed]

Started taking the super B vitamin complex almost 1 week ago, along with a multivitamin, I feel great!  

[LeaAnn807]

Eating, getting fluids in and moving around in short intervals will build your energy.  Super B Vitamin helps too.  It takes a few days no matter what when you're detoxing.  Just get up and walk around the house.  Do some easy stuff and then when you feel like it, go back to bed.  

That's what i did!!!