What I am thanful for

[justneedtotalk]

I am thankful for my sobriety.....I am thankful that I no longer have to wake up and grab that first pile of pills to get up and out the door in the morning....I am thankful for not having to scoure the dealer and friends contacts in my phone just to find my next supply.  I am thankful that I no longer have to run out of pills for a week sometimes two and go through withdrawals each and every month.  I am thankful that I can actually look my wife and family in the eye and say that I am not on drugs.  I am thankful that I no longer have to live that secret life of deception and denial and having to go through withdrawals without anyone at work or home know what I was going through.  

That is one of the areas that I am most thankful is the freedom from having to hide everything from everybody.  I never did come clean with my wife but I have almost 90 days under my belt this time and am starting to really feel a lot better.  I attribute a lot of my success to exercise, good diet, and lots and lots of vitamins and protein shakes.  I have lost over 15 pounds and ride my exercise bike 50 minutes a day.  I also work out on my BowFlex each and every night and am slowly getting back to the physic I once had.  I kind of took a small break from this site here a few weeks ago and have been actively commenting on a lot of posts lately.  I particularly like the new posts from 24-48 hour withdrawal people.  I look back at some of my own posts during that first month and I can feel their pain through their words and I feel obligated to share some of the things that really helped me get past the worst parts.  Coming off a long opiate addiction then moving right up to methadone was one of the dumbest things I have ever done but looking back I am stronger because of it and definitely in a lot better shape!  As long as we/I can stay sober our lives will constantly improve even if the things around us do not work out as we may want them to.

To all that are starting out that may read this, hang in there.....There is a life outside of the physical and mental struggles of detox.  You just have to give yourself a chance to get to the other side.  For many of us it has been a long time since we have seen any long stretches of sobriety and once you get there you realize just how messed up you really were.  Good luck and God Bless!!!!

[03jamllam]

Well said my new friend!  I feel like I am in the same shoes as you.  I am a 37 yr old women who has never told my husband the feeling of "need"  that I had for opiates.  I recently stopped taking percs after a 2 month ordeal.  I took 3 10/325 a day.  Its has been a bad week for me, but I am starting to feel better!  This forum is my only friend as I am to ashamed to tell my husband of 8yrs.  Congratulations to you and your success!  I wish you all the luck and know you will do it.  Keep up the good work, and I will too!  Peace

[justneedtotalk]

Thanks man.....I owe a lot of my recent behaviors to you.....The protein shakes and exercise have worked wonders...I can honestly say I am in better shape now than I have been in a long time.  I am still fighting some residual affects but they are minimal compared to the past 90 days of hell.  

I agree, methadone users should not put themselves apart from everyone else BUT I detoxed off of large amounts of hydro, oxy and various other opiates and it was NOTHING compared to the detox off of methadone.  That is why whenever I see a methadone post I always comment.  I have a friend that has RA and they are talking about putting him on methadone.  It is a tough call because he is already on Fentenol patches and hydro and the methadone would be cheaper and work better.  He has one of the worst cases of RA for his age bracket and probably will never be off of meds.  I warned him about the dangers and left it up to his doctors but I told him, once your on it you will probably never come off of it.  Again, thanks for all the words of encouragement and God Bless!

[gnarly_1]

Hey dude good to see you post and a great post at that...im always thrilled to see someone make it off methadone I know what a struggle it is but I also believe we really appreciate our sobriety that much more having to fight so hard for it you have fought a good fight and your wining
90 days is really the beginning of you new life free from the grip of methadone you can sigh in releaf it is over your getting well now progress will start to come faster now the energy crash will go away and your life will will become a beautiful place once again...its so good to just feel life again....I wish you all the best in your recovery have a clean and sober holiday good luck and God bless.....Gnarly    

[justneedtotalk]

Thanks.....Day 4.....You are almost there!  Try getting some light to moderate exercise and I promise it will help immensely.  Also, try drinking a protein shake in the morning and one at night.  Your body needs the protein to help rebuild what you have destroyed and the amino acids are like candy for your brain cells.  The exercise will literally but your detox time by a lot.  Good luck and thanks for the comments....God Bless!  

[kkeef]

very inspiring post - thank you!  I am on Day 4 and reading everyone elses stories is really helping me... thank you!

[justneedtotalk]

Thank you all for the nice comments.....LIFE IS GOOD!!!

[el_em_en_oh]

I couldn't have said it better myself. GREAT post dude.

Keep up the hard work.

"Keep coming back, it works if you work it"

[quitinoxys]

Excellent post and congrats on approaching 90 days it is a great accomplishment.

[throwindatowl]

Sweet man. Im so glad to see people doing the right thing. I got a couple of weeks clean it does feel good. I to workout and love it. It helps so much. Eating right and just taking care of yourself just feels good. Weve been beating on our bodies Im surprised we can take it. I too like to see people turning that corner come day 2 and 3. If there is hell on earth its running out of pills and wd each and every month. Ive done the same thing for about a year and Im done. Glad to see you are too! Good job...

[dominosarah]

Great post!!