chronic fatigue in first year of recovery?

[done4good]

I overdosed on Vicodin and alcohol in January of this year, spent a week in the hospital and 28 days in inpatient treatment soon after. Ever since I've been actively working a 12-step program and trying to heal physically, mentally and spiritually.
One thing that seems to just not go away is this constant state of exhaustion. I have never been like this in my life...I need naps constantly. I have to force myself to do many things that would have been a no-brainer before, even when I was using. I know my body is still working to expel all the toxins I put in there the last few years but dang..this *****!

I'm working with a psychiatrist, dr, therapist and naturopath to try to figure it out. So far there is nothing showing up that is an obvious cause, physically. I do have some depression but even when I feel ok emotionally, it is hard for me to get going.

I have about 5 1/2 months clean now and I'm looking for a light at the end of the tunnel. Anyone else have this kind of thing in their first year of recovery?

Oh...my using history is basically that I am an alcoholic and and addict. I abused alcohol for 25 years off/on and in the past 4 added in ultram, vicodin, percoset, klonopin and ambien. I know take an antidepressant.

Thanks for any feedback.
d

[guv338]

Glad and sorry about your  blood work.  I know what you mean, I hoped they would find something that we could put our finger on to get it straightened out.  No such Luck.  I feel much worse than I did while using  but I am starting to be able to take care of some of the things I used to neglect so bad, which I'm glad for.  I'm a bit stubborn also, so I know we'll get through this some how.  My dad used to tell us that, Life is like a grindstone,  It can either grind you down or it can polish you up.  Which is does to you, depends on what you are made of.  By the time we get out of the fog, we should really be shining, huh.  Keep you head up, I refuse to give in to this mess.  We will overcome it someday.  Peace be with  you.,

[Robin6298]

Well, the Dr just called with the latest bloodwork...all normal.  I know that this should be good news, but I'm both glad and disappointed.  Back to square one.  In many ways, I feel worse than I did while using..sad but true.  I certainly got more done then, than I can now. I keep waiting for the 'fog to lift', but it isn't happening.  They even screened for depression, but I didn't meet the physcological/emotional criteria, so that isn't it.  I have the desire and interest to do things, just not the energy.  Sometimes just climbing the stairs to my house makes my heart race, leg muscles burn, and my vision blur.  Ugh.  However, I will keep going to find an answer.  I'm as stubborn as the day is long, and I won't quit till I do.   Thanks for listening, and good luck to you guys as well.

[catmagnet]

Just my opinion, ok? Maybe the fatigue is somewhat due to our age, I'm assuming you're somewhere in the 40's based on the info. I am also chronically tired, I lie awake all night and sleep half the day. But look what we have put our brains/bodies through over the years. I'm also working a 12-step program to heal. I think it's gonna just take awhile, maybe you're stressing out too much about the past. That can make us tired. We're both still here, right? I'm not even sure if we can fully recover. I doubt either one of us is gonna feel young and vibrant again. But we can feel the best that our bodies will allow. Sending prayers and good feelings your way...cat

[guv338]

Congrats on your 30 days.  Man am I glad those days are gone.  It still ***** big time, but nothing like it did back then.  Although I p1ss and moan a lot about the ongoing problems, I would do it all over again, NOT.  I don't ever plan to go back down this road.
Good luck on your latest adventure.

[whitie]

wow, if this thread is not enough to make someone quit pills, I dont know what will.  my biggest fear is what you guys are going through. about 30 days or so, I have been clean and I am finding out that I will probably have to go through similar long term WD's for 4-5 years of norcos, and the last 1 1/2 years of methadone/and norcos. but what other options do I have?


ripit and full thorottle energy drinks have been saving me lately, but man those are not good for one either

[guv338]

I find it unbelievable that a prescribed medicine that we took under drs orders could be the cause of all of this.  It never ceases to amaze me what drug companies continue to push.  I also started with injuries/pain
which I still have, but not as intense as before.  I know exactly what your talking about in regards to not feeling like going and doing with the family.  Luckily my wife has been very supportive from day one and continues to give me way more latitude than I probably deserve.  I remember when I made the switch from vics to oxy, I thought it was a miracle drug.  Now the only miracle I see is that I have been able to stay away from it for nearly 6 months.  As I sit here looking at a blurry screen, with a foggy mind, typing with trembling hands, I hope for better days for us all.  Good Luck in your pusuit of forgetting this mess.

[Robin6298]

Thanks for the words of encouragement.  I was using Tyenol #4, which is tylenol w/codeine.  8 tabs a day, the max dose, for at least 5 years.  The years previous were the same drug, but lower dose.   This is a 'lighter' opioid, compared to Oxy, and some others people have used here.  It all started with a lower lumbar injury, giving birth to my second child.  You can figure out the rest, my story has been told by many here.  However, for now, I do get a few 'good' days a week, where the fatigue seems to ease some, and I feel somewhat human.  But the rest of the time...ugh!   I just want to sit in my room and be left alone.  I'm just too tired to deal with anything.  Makes it hard when my kids & family don't understand.  I'm going to keep looking for an answer though.  I'm too young to live and feel like this.  Best of luck to you as well.

[guv338]

Wow, 19 months and still daily fatigue issues, et al.  What a fighter you are.  I sure hope I can hang that long.  Actually hope it doesnt last that long, but if length of time
using and amounts taken are a factor, I'm in deep.  I am beginning to believe these are factors I hadnt considered before.  I also had the blood work done and got the seal of approval.  I was almost hoping they would find something, so we could fix it.  No  such luck.  If you dont mind my asking, how much were you taking in the end of the 10 year stretch?  I went for around 12 years, starting with a few Vicodin here and there and ending at about 600 mg Oxy/daily for the last several years.  I know I deserve all I'm getting,  just looking for a reference point that I can shoot for.  A dr told me recently it could easily take 18-24 months to get through the haze.  Not what I was wanting hear, as you surely know.  I hope you get some relief soon.  

[Robin6298]

I've been clean for 19 months, and I am still having the same issue as well.  Daily, constant exhaustion.  It's really difficult to get through daily life.  I'm a 38 yr old female who used opiates for 10 years.  I wrote to the Dr on the expert addiction forum, and he didn't really have an answer for me.  I've seen my own Dr, and had some blood tests done, thyroid, etc.  All came back normal.  I'm now wating for some test results for peri-menopause, and low testosterone as that can cause fatigue, and my menstrual cycle has changed.  (Sorry to you males reading this...lol!)  I'm praying that shows something.  I don't know where else to turn or look after this.  I do know that this is just existing, not truly living.  Theres many things I want to do, but I just don't have the energy or strength.  It's negatively affecting my family life.  I didn't go through hell to get clean, for feeling like **** 24/7.  Just a note, do a search on adrenal fatigue/insufficiency.  The symptoms of that fit me almost perfectly, but many Dr's don't consider this a true disease.  There's a forum here for this as well.  Good luck to everyone...hopefully we will find some answers, and feel better.

[guv338]

I wish I had found something for the RLS.  My legs still give me trouble.  Not really
like in the beginning when they were constantly moving, now they just hurt from about the knee down, especially in the feet, late in the day.  You mentioned you were out of it that first week or so, well you did not miss anything good, trust me.  I went the first 10 days without any sleep, literally,  On day 11 I got the dr to give me a few Lunesta sleep aids, which began to break the cycle, a little at a time.  As for the vision issue,
I also at 47 used glasses but for distance, now my eyes are blurry all the time.  As for as small print like on a bottle or instructions, forget it.  Seems like my eyes just cross when I try to focus on it.  I guess its age catching up as well as the abuse to all of the bodies systems..  You are right it does effect Everything.  I never would have thought I was doing so much damage.  I always though that I could go off and stay a few days at the deer lease and stop and come home ok.  I am glad I didnt try that, I would probably still be there.  What I thought would take a few days has turned into nearly 6 months now.  
I hope the b12 shots do you some good.  Let me know.

[Ratkos]

My first year of sobriety was nothing but exhaustion and coming down with colds. If I worked over 25 hrs a week I usually got sick. I abused my body for a long time and it didn't bounce back quick. Just like everything else in sobriety, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. Everybody is different. Just be positive and thankful along the way and hold your head up.

[done4good]

Sorry for the delay in replying...been too tired! ugh
I didn't have much RLS stuff thankfully. I was pretty out of it while in the hospital for a week and then on robaxin for a month in rehab and that seemeed to take care of it.
Good question on focus...not so great actually. Vision..well, I'm 46 so been using reading glasses for a few years now. I think it is worse than before though. When I was first in treatment I could not even see the numbers on the phone. That has gotten better though. It's amazing how much this affects EVERYTHING. Never would have guessed it when actively using, that it would take this long to heal.

I think our bodies are just working really hard to still rid of all the toxins and our energy is being sapped that way.

I went to my psychiatrist yesterday and he put me on a thyroid med that supposed to help boost T3 or something. My thyroid tests were normal but he said this can afffect women in their late 40's and on up, even if it doesn't show up on the tests.
I'll also be starting 10 days of vitamin B shots next week. Will let you know how that goes.

[guv338]

During month 2 or so, after I started sleeping again, I was able exercise in the early mornings because I would wake up and be so aggitated that I had to do something.  Sitting around waiting for day light was just killing me.  So I hit the gym for about a month.  Then I started sleeping a little more and since I had lost so much sleep early on, I just trying to get every minute of sleep I could.  I have always woke early, 4- 4:30am, so I was going to bed between 6-8 for the longest.  Now I have your problem, I
can hardly drag myself out to do anything.  Everything is a real chore.  My weekends are better usually, because I make myself get out and work in the yard and garden which is physical.  Work days are the worse because I have to use my pea brain and its so hard to focus on details.  I am beginning to think that the lenght of time we used and abused, has a lot to do with how long we have to endure the wrath.  I think I read 20+ years on your use and mine was about 12 years, increasing each year.  Are your legs
still a problem?  What about vision and focus?

[done4good]

thank you!!
finally someone gets it! I'm really sorry you have this **** going on too but at least I feel like maybe it's a part of recovery and it WILL PASS. Just not in our time apparently..ugh.

I am going to try vitamin b shots for 10 days via my naturopath. Will let you know how that goes.
Are you able to exercise at all? I honestly can't force myself. I can get to meetings, work some, but I can't friggin walk my dog a few blocks? ugh.
I am hopeful that it will get better, but some days I just give in to it and just sleep all day, literally.

I'm curious are you better on weekends?
d

[guv338]

Yes I am  experiencing exactly the same thing.  I also have about
5 1/2 off Oxy.  I did Sub for one month and now am 4 1/2 months off
everything.  I am constantly tired, dog tired.  I have to make myself go everyday.  By mid afternoon, I am just done.  Usually end up going to bed by 7-8pm.  I have tried the amino's and other supplements with no results.  I hope that time will fix this problem, cause I would hate to think that this is as good as it gets.  I hope you
find a way out of this constant fatigue.  Let me know if you do.

[done4good]

thanks for the feedback. I know I need to exercise but physically it seems too much right now. So frustrating. Still..nothing ventured nothing gained. I will try to at least walk a bit each day.

[worried878]

takes a while for the brain to start makin the endorphins ur body needs...like avisg said exercise helps kick start the process...amino acid therapy can help...ad's can help....time is the biggest help i guess  and aftercare...hang tight

[avisg]

your body my needs some more time to heal would exercise as much as you can that makes such a big diffrance .however if this goes on to much longer they need to look at other things it might be,

[SophieShine]

Hey there and welcome to the forum!
Congrats on your 5 1/2 months clean!!!
It seems to me that you gave a hard time to your body for over 25 years maybe it needs a lil more time to recover, just my opinion....
I was never in you DOC's and I am sure someone is gonna give you a more precise answer.
I would start with healthy food, vitamins and sleep hygiene.
All the best to you. xoxoxo. sophie.