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When will I feel normal

yubacity

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
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I am 15 days clean from opiates apart from one relapse I had on day 13.My question is when will I start feeling normal again.At the moment I'm taking pegablin to help me sleep but last night I did not because I don't want to get addicted to them.So last night I settled down was ok until I tried to sleep the feeling of a million people tickling me came back so no sleep.Im thinking of getting valium and doing that one week and pegab the next week so I don't get addicted.Is this the wrong route to take and should I just bite the bullet and do it naturally.Hoe long will it last and when will I get back to normal sleep.And also when does the body temp get back to normal I'm always cold or sweaty and getting out the shower in the morning is an ordeal because once the water turns of I shiver with cold
 
Hi!
I am now 25 days free from opiates and I still have some sleep related issues, mainly RLS and waking up too soon.

I've been taking pramipexole, which is dopamine agonist, for the RLS and it has started working so I didn't have to start taking gabapentin which I have a script but don't want to get hooked on.

When I have quitted before it had taken about month until sleep issues have gone away and I have before used benzos for that even for two months without problems.
 
Hi!
I am now 25 days free from opiates and I still have some sleep related issues, mainly RLS and waking up too soon.

I've been taking pramipexole, which is dopamine agonist, for the RLS and it has started working so I didn't have to start taking gabapentin which I have a script but don't want to get hooked on.

When I have quitted before it had taken about month until sleep issues have gone away and I have before used benzos for that even for two months without problems.
Thanks for that mate I will keep using benzos and pegablin for sleep until normal service is resumed.I need to sleep because I can't take time of work I started my detox on a Saturday and called in sick Monday and Tuesday but was back at work on my 5th day of detox which was a struggle because I felt so tired.
 
I'm about 50 days off and still having some minor sleep/anxiety issues. I was taking Oxymorphone, though, which I think might have a little higher prevelance for those two things. It's different for everyone but it does keep getting better with each passing week (days tend to kinda be up and down but improvements over a week are noticeable).

Congratulations, by the way! You are doing great.
 
I'm about 50 days off and still having some minor sleep/anxiety issues. I was taking Oxymorphone, though, which I think might have a little higher prevelance for those two things. It's different for everyone but it does keep getting better with each passing week (days tend to kinda be up and down but improvements over a week are noticeable).

Congratulations, by the way! You are doing great.
Thanks mate and congrats on 50 days.I was told by friends that sleep is the last thing to get better.I did not expect the tickley feeling all over upper body drives me mad .The pegablin been a godsend but i will stop that and do some valium for a week.Iam 41and never been drug free since age 15 life feels dull at moment.Got a pearl jam show coming up in a few months that will be weird without be off my head.
 
I first read this as "Well, I feel normal" and I wanted to say "good for you! awesome!" then I took a closer look.


Hope you feel better soon! You can do it, hang in there!
 
I first read this as "Well, I feel normal" and I wanted to say "good for you! awesome!" then I took a closer look.


Hope you feel better soon! You can do it, hang in there!
Thanks for your words of support. I am very happy with what I done don't get me wrong.For 13 years I wanted to get clean but would only last a day of wd before quiting.Once the sleep and anxiety is sorted I can get of the pegablin and valium.The thing I love most is not thinking about the black tar I used to stock up in case it went dry. And one of the things that feels weird is sitting on that toilet in the morning and being productive instead of once a week if lucky.
 
On average, 1 year.

This isn't a very helpful data point.

First, the OP is likely to much better (if not completely 'normal') far sooner than 1 year. Insomnia can stick around a few months in bad cases. But the huge majority of symptoms will abate within a few weeks of ceasing opioids.

Second, in terms of actually feeling normal, not just no longer dopesick, it could be a year...that's a reasonable timeframe. But it could be way less or could be more. There's just no way to tell, as it various so much from person to person.

OP, you can expect a fairly gradual process of feeling better in the coming months. Sometimes you'll feel like your progress is stalled. Other times it will move quickly. Just know that the better you treat yourself, the sooner that elusive normalcy will be back.
 
This isn't a very helpful data point.

First, the OP is likely to much better (if not completely 'normal') far sooner than 1 year. Insomnia can stick around a few months in bad cases. But the huge majority of symptoms will abate within a few weeks of ceasing opioids.

Second, in terms of actually feeling normal, not just no longer dopesick, it could be a year...that's a reasonable timeframe. But it could be way less or could be more. There's just no way to tell, as it various so much from person to person.

OP, you can expect a fairly gradual process of feeling better in the coming months. Sometimes you'll feel like your progress is stalled. Other times it will move quickly. Just know that the better you treat yourself, the sooner that elusive normalcy will be back.
Thanks for the advice love that word elusive normalcy that's the holy grail for me.
 
I am 41 and never been drug free since age 15 ... My question is when will I start feeling normal again.

Congratulations on your decision to refrain from using opiates. I have plenty of experience on both ends of the spectrum: many years of (sometimes daily) opiate use and many years of total abstinence from all mood and mind altering substances. One thing that became readily apparent when I began to frequent this forum is the wide variability among individuals as it relates to rates of recovery.

My experience is that I start feeling "normal' after about a week and after two weeks to a month I'm entirely out of the woods, physically. Yet psychologically, the cravings linger on .. and on. At first the desire to use is overwhelming then as days and weeks transpire, the psychological grasp diminishes. Yet prior to my last relapse, I had been clean for almost 2 decades and the thought of using opiates still arose from time to time.

I can't disagree with anything simco said, above. My experience and that of plenty of other opiate addicts is that "the huge majority of symptoms will abate within a few weeks of ceasing opioids." Again, your mileage may vary, as they say.

Finally, one thing that became a reality for me after a few attempts at getting clean was that in general, each time I try, it becomes more difficult than the last. Your relapse a day or two ago concerns me. The physical aspect of recovery from opiate abuse is far easier to overcome than the psychological. Support from others cannot be overstated. Associating with other people with a similar goal who have experience in getting clean and staying clean increases my chances of success tremendously.
 
Congratulations on your decision to refrain from using opiates. I have plenty of experience on both ends of the spectrum: many years of (sometimes daily) opiate use and many years of total abstinence from all mood and mind altering substances. One thing that became readily apparent when I began to frequent this forum is the wide variability among individuals as it relates to rates of recovery.

My experience is that I start feeling "normal' after about a week and after two weeks to a month I'm entirely out of the woods, physically. Yet psychologically, the cravings linger on .. and on. At first the desire to use is overwhelming then as days and weeks transpire, the psychological grasp diminishes. Yet prior to my last relapse, I had been clean for almost 2 decades and the thought of using opiates still arose from time to time.

I can't disagree with anything simco said, above. My experience and that of plenty of other opiate addicts is that "the huge majority of symptoms will abate within a few weeks of ceasing opioids." Again, your mileage may vary, as they say.

Finally, one thing that became a reality for me after a few attempts at getting clean was that in general, each time I try, it becomes more difficult than the last. Your relapse a day or two ago concerns me. The physical aspect of recovery from opiate abuse is far easier to overcome than the psychological. Support from others cannot be overstated. Associating with other people with a similar goal who have experience in getting clean and staying clean increases my chances of success tremendously.
Thanks for the advice friend.You have hit the nail on the head about cravings.I was listening to music today headphones on full volume.But all I could think was this would be so much better if I was high.I know I have got a lifelong battle with addiction.I have been a addict to 2 3rds of my life .I have stopped the pegablin I even started abusing that.What is wrong with me
 
This isn't a very helpful data point.

First, the OP is likely to much better (if not completely 'normal') far sooner than 1 year. Insomnia can stick around a few months in bad cases. But the huge majority of symptoms will abate within a few weeks of ceasing opioids.

Second, in terms of actually feeling normal, not just no longer dopesick, it could be a year...that's a reasonable timeframe. But it could be way less or could be more. There's just no way to tell, as it various so much from person to person.

OP, you can expect a fairly gradual process of feeling better in the coming months. Sometimes you'll feel like your progress is stalled. Other times it will move quickly. Just know that the better you treat yourself, the sooner that elusive normalcy will be back.

I went to a drug out-patient program. That’s what they said there kiddo
 
Hi Yuba - just dropping in to give you congrats on doing so well. I've just failed at 72 hours and 5 minutes and I feel like a failure although I have to say it is a (temporary) relief to feel a little better. I'm going to keep trying until I get there. So nice to see other people getting past the milestones. Props and I'll keep following your excellent posts - thanks for sharing.
 
I went to a drug out-patient program. That’s what they said there kiddo

And that makes you an expert how? Those are a dime a dozen, and most treatment programs still suck in the US.

If everything was true AND actually applied to me that I was told in drug treatment, I would have died a long time ago. I also wouldn’t be able to have gotten off methadone, learned how to meditate, stayed out of jail or ever accomplish anything like getting into grad school and getting straight As my first semester.

Once someone told me in rehab that the problem was I was “too smart for my own good.” Although I understand the good intention behind being told this, that wasn’t what the words they used communicated. What they communicated was I was fucked up and broken and had to submit to their way of small minded thinking, or else never recover.

When I shared that experience on BL, a much older and wiser member replied by basically saying, “fuck that, use the brain you are blessed with to help get your shit figured out.” In other words, your mind be your alley if only allow it to be.

That was way more helpful. Really epitomizes the difference between abstience based treatment in the US and what we do here on BL. As a general rule recovery industry ideology and dogma is not very useful.

It’s sad and ironic, but still seems to be incredibly true.
 
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Thanks for the congrats determinedmom53.Sorry to hear you had a relapse but keep trying.I relapsed a few days ago but I'm so glad I did the high was filled with shame and regret.I can only say for me pagablin worked so well try it it will help you sleep stop the anxiety.The first day I did it I slept 10 hours.The seven days before that I must have slept a Handfull of hours.I busted my head open on a half open door because I was crippled with anxiety and lack of sleep.You got yourself to 72 hours which means you can nearly get through the worst of it just hang on for one more day.Get some pegablin and try it because for me once I controlled the anxiety and could sleep I felt so much better. Good luck you can do it I tried and failed for 13 years to quit never lasted more then 1 day you went 72 hours.
 
Day 16 clean and I have had my best day so far.Took my kids to the zoo and it was great normally a day out would have me thinking about how to get high secretly while out.Today my appetite has come back I been eating all day and still I feel I can eat more maybe its the pegablin I been taking tried to stop but can't sleep without it.Today I will try either the valium or tamazepam I got .Im having a good day today will enjoy it because I know there will be some bad days aswell.
 
Enjoy the hell out of the day... you earned this, and it's awesome to hear about. Thanks for letting us know.
 
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