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Dealing with fatigue/lack of motivation?

phactor

phactor

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Messages
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Location
Chicago
Hello everyone, I hope this finds you all doing well.

As some might have also experienced, when first detoxing, after one gets over the acute phase you occasionally get a burst of energy (which in my case can almost feel manic). In my experience, this is followed later by a sort of occasional lack of energy. It gets better with time, but I still have some days when its very difficult to get going. I have been having trouble recently getting my day started. Now, once I get going it usually works out, but it can be difficult.

Take today for example: I did not sleep well last night and just feel kinda foggy. I have the day off and I know I should clean up a little bit, grocery shop and pay a bill or two. This is compounded by not having a debit card for over a half month (long story, one got lost in the mail, a new one is supposedly in the mail).

Anyone have any tips? I am looking for all methods/strategies (beyond stimulants of course). I do take Wellbutrin, which tends to help. But I have found that the motivational aspects of it tend to wane a bit. I should note that I had an extremely physical two days of work on Friday and Saturday, so that might be playing into it.

Also, does anyone have any tips for foods or maybe supplements that could help?
 
I have a similar issue and if I had to work I would really be struggling. My doctor told me to use a multivitamin and sometimes I forget to take it. I was on wellbutrin too but they changed my meds to citalopram, abilify, benztropine and remeron. So I feel this new regimen is taking some getting used to.

What you can do is try going to bed every night at the same time. I sometimes wake up after only 4-5 hours of sleep. Which I find that I should just get up then, because if I go back to sleep I feel much more fatigued. Do you like fruit? I'm not big on veggies but I've found now that summer's here, I'm eating a lot more fruit. That might help you as well plus drink lots of water.
 
I wish I had a suggestion because being a stimulant junkie in recovery, this is the bane of my existence.

I will say that l-tyrosine did give me a boost when I was coming off amphetamines back in April/May. I would take from 0.5 - 2.0 grams once or twice a day. Now that I've been back on amphetamines and off again, I really can't tell if l-tyrosine does anything for me anymore.

If you do try that, be sure to take on an empty stomach and don't eat afterwards for an hour or two. It it's a dopamine precursor (an amino acid) and I really don't know if there are any precautions associated with that being what it is.
 
I just drink coffee, black tea, or green tea, water, and try to get enough sleep at night. I take OTC supplements but only a vitamin D supplement, a multi-vitamin, and sometimes fish oil.
 
Oh I drink coffee daily, not much of a pop drinker but will have juice from time to time. I have a 25 milligram seroquel script as well for sleep which helps. For whatever reason I could not fall asleep last night till 2 AM... (okay.. okay.. I was playing Civ 5 till like 12 and I went to an NA BBQ before that so I was overstimulated).

I had a starbucks card and went and bought a smoothie. Felt much better after that. Went grocery shopping following that and bought frozen fruit so I can make more smoothies. I had a cup of coffee while at the bank, so maybe I have been going through minor caffeine withdrawal. I've been having to cut back due to finances.

Anyways, I am very much skrimping and scraping, but its for the best. I need to learn how to live in a budget. I didn't put myself too badly into debt this last run, but I have been making some major payments on it. I am trying to take care of it ASAP so I feel better about it.

I do remember l-tyrosine helping me back in the day (trying to follow the "Thomas Recipe" to detox off of opiates), might be worth looking into more once I get some more dough. I'd also have to see if it might interact with my Wellbutrin though (which acts mainly on dopamine). I actually love fruit and veggies, but I just haven't been craving them. I haven't been eating enough lately (first month to month and a half of clean time I ate like a horse). Money has been tight but it will get better soon and once I have my grad degree it will get even better. Gotta think positively. I am going to apply for food stamps which should help as well. I was denied last time, but when I went in to ask for an interview I was told to wait till I started school again and re-apply. Next Semester is starting at the end of this month.
 
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Time, exercise and diet is obviously the only thing that will help in the long run. Although I suggest l-tyrosine, I'm hesitant to even take it myself these days simply because all pills scare me now.

If you are still in PAWS, it might be a good thing to try in a pinch, but I'd definitely double check the safety if you are taking welbutrin (it is a dopamine precursor). It is an amino acid present naturally in foods like cheese (however it is typically out competed by other amino acids and thus why you have to take out on an empty stomach for any affect at all).
 
I use these vitamin C packets u mix with water it has a ton of antioxidants,vitamins and minerals.just an idea but it gets me goin in the morning.could be placebo but il take anything at 5am to help me out :p
 
I believe everything counts when you start dealing with withdraws. Eat well. Have a chocolate at the end of the night. Every little detail is important and that will make a difference when move on to other stages. I hate withdraws, not because of the physical deficiency you are submitted but because the bring all night mares and place all around you.

Try not to think about all you will have to in the near future, but more like how you are going to be feeling then.

Everyone is different and it seems that you have every tool to make the accomplished finished.

Good luck and all the best,
 
Almost immediately upon wakeup I made a smoothie with an oats and whey scoop, a mix of frozen fruits, and Vit D milk (whole milk). Made a noticeable difference compared to my usual bowl of oatmeal. Kinda freaks me out that I wasn't taking in enough vitamins.

Have to admit, since I lived at my parents for so long, there was always things like fruits and veggies in the fridge. Now I actually have to do adult things like buy them. If I do not buy them, I can not eat them. When I don't use drugs, I actually get hungry. What a concept. This really is basically learning how to live all over again.
 
I've recently noticed that when I snack on tropical fruits and I'm already fatigued mentally or physically, I'll feel a lot better afterwards. I don't know if it's the vitamins or the blood sugar spike but there is something to it for sure.
 
I'm struggling with these things also right now, Phactor. Summoning up motivation when it isn't there has to be one of the hardest things in the world. I've been trying to concentrate on small steps--just getting one thing accomplished. I don't know if that strategy is good though because it feeds into my sense of still be overwhelmed by all I am not getting done.8)
 
I find getting out of the house early in the am helps a ton with motivation. Get up, throw on some clothes and go for a walk.. Smell the birds, watch the flowers, that kinda thing (unless u live in the city, in which case its smell the sirens and listen to the piss). It doesnt have to be a long or hard walk, just get out and get some air & sun. Then come back & shower.. When i do that i feel a lot more motivated. Or even if you dont feel like walking, get ready & ho out first thing in the am, get coffee or something.

For me thats helped a lot, just getting out of the house in the am :)
 
I find this problem is really a cyclical thing, either for better or for worse.

If you feel fatigued you end up sitting around doing nothing, therefore you start getting unfit, meaning you're feeling more fatigued all the time, meaning you end up sitting around doing nothing....

Imo it's really just a case of working to break that cycle. Do what you can in the way of exercise even if you you feel fatigued and don't want to. It can even start of with tiny things like making sure you are actually leaving the house and doing a bit of walking about every day. Start forcing the exercise and you'll start getting a bigger appetite, which will give you more energy, which means you can do more exercise, which means you can consume even more calories.....
 
It´s incredible how many habits we need to get used after being "away" on opiates for a while. One really forgets how to live properly. Everything seems to be challenging and I´m amazed how difficult it is to start the basics like eating well, exercises, go to the doctors for routine exams. I found out that my hormones had been affected by all the opiates I used. Those lost years will never come back.
 
A lot of drug users are self-medicating for depression. Honestly, I skimmed I just wanted to make sure someone throws out there that it may not be a sobriety issue (depending on your history) so much as a healthy living issue - where you posted. Just trying to help.
 
I take a B-Complex when I'm feeling shitty. I don't know what your caffeine intake looks like, but that can also help. Also, for general aches and pains 400-600mg of ibuprofen can help. The B-Complex is what really helps me.
 
Exercise, diet, sleep.

But as someone else said, when you wake up in the morning.. get up and go! Honestly, it works.. don't even give those thoughts of being a lazy bum a chance to form and debate inside your head. You'll change that mental pattern, which is a good thing.

I have an Italian friend in his 50's who drinks and smokes, but eats pretty well (he forages fresh food a lot).. and he sleeps like 6 hours at night and gets an incredible amount done during the day. I'm convinced he has that energy because he needs to have that energy.. like when you demand your body do that it will adapt to do so. If you sit around then you don't.
 
Yeah, I drink a ton of coffee, supplement with 5-HTP, B-vitamins, and eat a lot of carbs. When I go a few days or so without bread and pasta I start to get the shakes really bad. Probably a blood sugar thing.
 
I know the feel man, I am on day 3 cold turkey heroin w/d right now, and am currently dealing with this too. You can do it! If you want it bad enough, it will be. You have to want to get better, mindset is everything I have learned. Be open to new things, try to get into old hobbies you had before.
This feeling is not forever. Good luck brother
 
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