Mental Health Opioids recovery and mental health question about meds and recommendations for treatment

Wroinrecovery

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Coming up on a month sober off of opioids for the 2nd time trying to get clean last time I made it to a year and folded just on the off chance I found one and that was it, I only recently was able to go see a doctor for a regular visit (first time in 4 years) since being on drugs I essentially through all health out the window including not taking meds for bipolar and adhd. Since I have held jobs for a month or so before quitting it’s hard for me to qualify for help. But the doctors after admitting I’m in recovery put me on clonadine.1 mg and hydroxazine hcl 25 mg gave me 90 pills in each bottle said to take up to 3 of each a day and said to come back in 2 weeks. Not looking for pitty but they also handed me a suicide prevention paper I probably won’t fill out. I still even 30 days later have some very intense body pains and struggle to shit from time to time. Unless I was getting bad m30s I don’t know why I would still feel this terrible physically unless there was something genuinely wrong with my health, but at the same time I don’t want to disrupt overcrowded hospitals in my state we are currently in a state of emergency due to covid. I have a meeting with a therapist tomorrow for the first time since 2016 and hopefully soon after that a meeting with a psyce doctor, I used to struggle with benzo addiction too but haven’t relapsed on them for still well over 2 years my worry is that’s what they may prescribe me because after having a few overdoses and violent hospital trips I think I’ve given myself ptsd but I’m not one to self diagnose. The clonadine helps with some of the withdrawal pain and some anxiety but the hydroxazine makes me feel drunk and I’m at the point where I want to not feel “high” I guess anymore. I’m asking for genuine advice from anyone who’s gone through something similar or has some recommendations on what I should talk about with my therapist really anything helps
 
If your life is whole, your body is whole, WDs dont bother you as much. Definitely work on therapy. Find out what discomfort led you to doing opiates in the first place, cuz that's what has you aching now.

Most bipolar meds suck, but unmedicated bipolar sucks a lot worse. For you, and the world around you. Try to find something with a cool psych

As far as the physical side of opiate WD, lifting, gabapentin and weed, for me. Gaba and weed have pros and cons, but both were godsend for me. Lifting has no cons that are worth considering unless you have serious heart defects. Do it.
 
Get your blood drawn. That will give you some answers.

Anything from high blood pressure, vitamin deficiency, to abnormal stress can cause all types of symptoms and they all overlap as well. This would be in regards to physical symptoms (which you didn't really describe too much).

But certainly getting off opiates, then getting back on various meds can screw with your brain. A shrink wanted to add an anti d and seroquel to my regime a few years back and totally refused. Can only imagine how fucked I would of been had I turned an opiate and benzo dependence into now a 4 drug dependence.

Exercise and eating right is really all you can do for now until you get blood numbers and talk to your therapist. If they gave you clonadine you have high blood pressure? Don't let your blood pressure go low as that can cause issues as well.

I'm going through similar. Just different. Completely trashed my health these past 2 years with tons of fent dope, drinking, then onto methadone and more drinking. Actually closer to 4 years since while I was clean from opiates, the drinking was turning into a daily thing even 5 years back. Then cold turkey the methadone 3 months ago. Gave myself some serious PTSD. And was feinting almost daily. Tingly and numb. Was a total combo of methadone and alcohol withdrawal. So continued to drink through the withdrawal. After 2 months of withdrawaling and not really seeing improvement, I knew something was wrong, and literally getting very intense withdrawals as I got closer to the 24 hour mark of no drinking, which scared me silly.

Now back on a low dose of methadone and almost have the beer gone. But do not feel right at all. And the problem is all these symptoms intertwine. However I know what is wrong, my liver is fucked, and my waking blood pressure is over 140. It falls a bit later in the day. But not good for a 40 year old male where I am generally in shape. Among countless vitamin deficiencies. I feel like shit too and while I am not in opiate withdrawal by any means, I do not feel right and almost feels like some kind of opiate withdrawal is under it all. Almost been tempted to go find a good bag of dope to check. Have came across a few bags of dope these months but it looked so crappy, didn't even want to put it in me. Will eventually find a good bag to sniff or some real pain killers.

Either case, you have caught it and have legit concerns about your health which is good. You have to stop damaging your body going forward. And look at the bright side, at least you have your freedom and not locked away in a cell suffering eating jail food and sleeping on a hard bed looking at the wall. You can take care of your health and get back on track 100%

Do you smoke cigarettes? Or vape? Ditch the nicotine immediately if you can. This is nothing but poison for you. Struggling here too, but literally smoking a pack a week now. Takes time. Its pretty wild how much smoking effects your blood pressure. If I can make it the whole day without a cigarette, then drink a light beer my blood pressure goes under 130. Chain smoking all day, drinking all day, I have seen it over 145 (Bottom number is always 80-85...this number oddly doesn't move much). And why I am not looking for blood pressure medicine. Simply quitting smoking 100% is all I need to do here...but it is indeed hard as hell.

One last thing, don't worry about the ER. A private doctor would be better, I am scared myself to go to the ER. They won't care anyway. Been to the hospital several times waaay before covid in benzo withdrawal, or once I thought I had a heart attack (I was 6 months off benzos and work was so busy that day, the stress just took me down), and they essentially treated me like a mental case each time.

And lets not forget 2020. This has been the most stressful year for just about everyone, so no doubt stress itself is not helping. Which is where exercise comes in. Wouldn't jump straight to the weights. But swimming and cycling are REALLY good low impact cardio. And what you need is cardio to get your blood pumping throughout your body nicely. And you also get some natural opiates (yes you can feel them too). But again 2020. Normal things like pools and gyms are not open for the most part and the LAST thing I want to add (you as well is covid). Even walking. But you HAVE to exercise at least semi daily.

Hang in there. Again would start with a blood draw. Make sure cholesterol, and glucose levels are included also (at least on my last insurance these were extra tests not included in the standard blood draw). If you have a health issue, it will show there. And willing to bet they are all messed up, so working on your blood levels, and exercise (to lower the blood pressure) is what you want to do.

EDIT: Be sure you are taking a multivitamin too. Even the shittiest brand. I take in the morning. Not all of it gets absorbed anyway. Best to get it all from food, you are most likely not so a little extra from the vitamin is good. Would not go all out with all kinds of supplements. And that you are staying hydrated with good electrolyte balances. I got a juicer last week, but have yet to even open it up. Want to drink drinks for the liver and immune system. I would look into that as well.

You probably heard the saying you are what you eat. Doesn't shock me after eating beer and opiates and mcdonalds only I have destroyed my health. Hopefully its just temporary.
 
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Hi @Wroinrecovery,

How effective was the clonidine in terms of curbing your withdrawals? Did it help with the cold/hot flushes? If its worth it, I might seek out a prescription from my doctor.
 
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