Tommorrow is a week no opiates under my belt. Shouldn't count days.

[Havocsfool]

Almost one week out, kind of sucks to be in this place. It's almost harder then when the withdrawal was kicking my ass. I seem to become a narcoleptic during withdrawal(for the first 5 days), which is opposite for many people. Anxiety, and the world are distant. It should be noted that I took kratom during this attempt, but in the past I skipped a couple days to see what withdrawal was like straight and I know I don't get anxiety during withdrawal. I get the usual physical symptoms, but the emotional side of it is strange for me. I tend to either notice the emotional difference or the physical difference more, and the times when I notice the emotional difference are the times when I'm likely to use. The times when I notice the physical difference, I can just ignore it(sleep thru it or stay busy) or take kratom or loperamide(normal doses). Have any of you felt like your focus on symptoms seems to be either primarily emotional or physical? And does anyone else have the opposite of anxiety when they withdrawal for the first 5 days at least? Being able to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere? I've had a lot of anger today and the old pain in the gut is back with a vengeance, it surfaced this morning. Almost like it's getting back at me for all the time I ignored it. I was surprised I didn't feel it sooner, but I probably have IBS or something, my intestines have always felt strange in the same place since I was young, it's just turned into a (mostly) dull pain the past few years, maybe it's a weird shape there. Could just be the main withdrawals last gasp. Anyways, opiates suck because they detract from the natural anxiety(or in my case anger) and the drive to do things and create a worthwhile life. It's better to be in a state of annoyance and try to use it as fuel, than to be a slave to a drug and lose the drive for life. Next up will be kicking kratom and caffeine(HA HA HA!! I'm gonna cry, not really, but caffeine seems like an impossible addiction to quit).

 

[simco]

A week...that's terrific. Though in some ways I think that's one of the toughest periods in opioid WD. At a week, you're exhausted from the acute WD, but you're body is also starting to crave and otherwise fuck with your thinking. It only gets better from here, man.

 

[Jabberwocky]

It would be really hard to diagnose right now given you've recently withdrawn from opioids, but I'd definitely make an appointment with a gastroenterologist for around first month no opioids. I found that gabapentin would help a bit with my GI symptoms, so that may be worth looking into (but if you're already using kratom and this is still an issue it could be something significant).

I agree that when opioid withdrawal was more emotionally or psychologically not using would be much more challenging than it was when my experience was more just physical. This can be why starting to do recovery oriented work prior to kicking can be really valuable. Training in resiliency is just super useful with this stuff.

Besides the kratom, what are you plans for plowing ahead with your time newly sober?

 

[Havocsfool]

Hey Simco, yeah tell me about the cravings. Before I was too busy feeling bad to care, but the past two days my mind has been playing with me. Telling me to just use a little bit. I'm used to this voice that justifies shit now. I'm an ex-coke user and went thru horrific ambien withdrawals a few years ago. Anyways, thanks for the response and encouragement, it's much appreciated.

 

[Havocsfool]

Toothpastedog, well I've got a lot of shit to take care of. Gotta get money for my gf and her kid. I just picked up a second job, planning on going back to school in the fall for an advertising degree. I finished a couple years of college already, but my social anxiety used to be too high when I was in college. Now I have the opposite of anxiety, I never thought I'd come to appreciate anxiety, but in some ways I miss the motivation it provides. I've got a couple of projects designing logos already, just need to finish them. Withdrawal was getting in the way of that. For the gut issues, I'm pretty sure it's IBS or something similar, so I'm not too worried, it's only painful when I wake up in the morning and tends to fade in a 1/2 hour or so after I drink water, if it gets bad I'll see someone. Thanks for the reply! You seem to be quite active in helping people recover, it is appreciated.

 

[simco]

Hey Simco, yeah tell me about the cravings. Before I was too busy feeling bad to care, but the past two days my mind has been playing with me. Telling me to just use a little bit. I'm used to this voice that justifies shit now. I'm an ex-coke user and went thru horrific ambien withdrawals a few years ago. Anyways, thanks for the response and encouragement, it's much appreciated.

You totally have this. Keep us updated. Meanwhile, best luck.