Guys, please suggest something for chronic fatigue caused by opioids. I feel fine until noon, but after work, I become so lethargic that I have no energy for anything. My job is light, so it's not work-related fatigue. If I take, for example, 20 mg of tramadol, it all goes away, but I don't want to take it because it's just a vicious cycle.
So I can definitely speak on this, as can a lot of us probably. In my experience- yes, any type of opiate will cure that lethargy pretty completely. taking a less potent one is helpful in the sense that it helps you step down.
However- I've tried this method many times and I settled on just going CT because (for me at least)- each time I step down in dose it still majorly sucks. I'd prefer a week of hard WD rather then weeks of less intense, but still shitty WD. The lethargy is terrible though. I've felt it in the same way you're describing and also just from straight up PAWS. The problem with using ANY type of opiate in any sense after initial WD is that it just drags it out. Even with a couple weeks clean, I did a very small amount of fent and had intense lethargy for days after. Granted I wasn't sick- I could handle it, but getting into a cycle like this just gets old. And any symptom that persists long enough will bring me right back to ground zero.
S
o for actual things that help lethargy:
-There have been some great posts here about combating the lethargy that comes from dopamine deficiency mixed with poor sleep. I continued with a cocktail of (2g vitamin C + 2g Creatine Monohydrate + 750mg Agmatine) during WD any for several weeks afterward. This helped with WD in general but also kept me moving. It's not a cure all but it definitely helps beyond a placebo affect. There are some posts (maybe around page 3-4) from @alybenzene that describe the method of action here more.
-Caffeine in smaller amounts: I always tend to start drinking a lot more caffeine when newly clean to battle fatigue. I've found eventually it starts hurting me as I'm either yipped on caffeine or crashing from it. So, I have smaller amounts more often. And make sure you're having some type of sugar or carb beforehand, as the caffeine will drain your blood sugar and that doesnt help anything.
-B vitamins with water- yes, I never wanted to hear "just drink more water"... but seriously... people don't say it just to be annoying. It helps.
-Exercise: Again, not what anyone with fatigue wants to hear, but for me this was truly the MOST helpful thing. So much so that the nights following a small gym sesh I would sleep better, and within days my energy was drastically improving. I tried to do some light lifting or brisk walking in the evening. I'd save a dose of caffeine for this and just amp myself up before doing it. Sitting down with my shoes on, listening to music, drinking the caffeine, and then just doing it before I decide not to. Push through it. Again, I see this as one of the only true cures for lethargy other then improved sleep- which this helps with too.
My attitude on lethargy or really any PAWS symptom is that I'd rather just fight through it and be done! anything we take med or drug wise will only help in the short term- and we KNOW in most cases is going to continue the cycle in some regard. Again, this is my opinion through my experience.
On a side note- it doesn't help getting some bloods ran to check your hormone levels, as well as a plethora of other things that could be contributing to the lethargy as well! If you have a legit, measurable reason for the lethargy, at least you know what to fix. I wouldn't rely on vitamin C if my testosterone levels are tanked.
