Opioids Post sober for 72 days very lethargic

[guidog]

For the most part I always started my pills each day at 5:00 pm. This always gave me plenty of energy until I was ready to go to sleep for the night. Nowadays being sober I make it through my work day, but when I get home it's not long after that I feel drained and ready for bed. Could I be getting depressed because I miss the 5:00 pm buzz? I take 60 mg of Cymbalta each day as an antidepressant and have so for quite a while. I am not lethargic during the work day. In the big scope of things 70 days sober is not very long but I am very proud to accomplish this. But this lack of energy after 5 pm must get better as I feel it's not good for relationship with my wife. She is very supportive of my quitting taking the pills. She takes no recreational drugs and never has in our 30 years of marriage. Anyway any suggestions on this after five dismal feeling? I take plenty of vitamins and have so since I quit the pills over 70 days back. I do not want to relapse just because of this. My cravings for hydrocodone hit each day after work, but I have it under control. Have not even come close to popping a pill yet. Any suggestion? Thank you.
G

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

It's going to take time to break the time of 5PM or in the evening as when you were taking pills.

Can you use this time instead to do other things like focus on work, read, exercise, or something else to improve yourself?

Have you talked to your wife about this? It's very good that you haven't taken any opiates in 72 days, and don't want to.

 

[guidog]

Hi Priest,
after 5 pm I watch a bit of news and read, but it's not long before I feel zapped of energy and head to bed. Looking back the after work hydrocodone gave me so much energy, and helped anxiety. But I was drinking on top of the pills and my wife says I would start to act drugged. So I am better off sober regardless. I must start exercising ASAP. I do know that would help immensely. Will try and start tomorrow. The weather has been terrible ever since I went sober, but it's finally getting better.
Thanks again for your help. I appreciate you.
G

 

[Fire&Water]

The "news" is 90% depressing...hopefully what you read counteracts it Day in day out clouds can weigh heavily.

Remember, its mostly in your head...

 

[guidog]

Hi Fire,

My wife tells me all the time to stop watching so much news. I think I will curtail the news and watch more Andy Griffith
Thanks for writing.
G

 

[tellmystory]

Same thing happened to me when I first got clean. I think that your symptoms are due to PAWS. The best thing you can do for yourself is exercise, it stimulates your pleasure hormones and will improve your energy and motivation. When I was in my second and third months of being clean, all I could do was walk on the treadmill and not for long, but eventually I could do more and I got to the point where running was a possibility. The running (at night) did wonders for my anxiety. Another thing you could do to improve your energy at night is to take a cool shower and drink some coffee. I'm caffeine sensitive, so I drink black tea instead. I find that the caffeine helps with the PAWS and it kept me going until I could go to bed at a more appropriate time. I know that caffeine is relatively bad for you, especially in the evening, but if you don't want to go to bed in the evening, it could help you. Keeping busy is essential and so I would also force myself to go to a meeting after a long day of work, so I would go for the 6pm-8pm meeting and stick around for fellowship. Obviously any kind of social activity is acceptable, the point here is to replace the time you were using with something productive and conducive to your sobriety.

It's clear that your most vulnerable time of day is after work, this means you need to get out of the house at that time, as much as you might not want to. Some opposite action would work here, that is, do the opposite of how you are feeling, i.e., I'm too tired to go out, but I need to act oppositely to that feeling and get to a meeting. Taking a cool shower right before you leave will help you feel more refreshed. Sometimes I would fall asleep during the meeting, but that's OK, my vulnerable time was after work as well, so I was better off being lethargic at group than at home where I might have the craving to "revitalize" myself with drugs.

Hope this helped.

 

[Wonka]

Your doing good like others have said it takes a while for your mind body and spirit to adjust to such a drastic change.......ive have situations where i was seeing shadow people from alcohol withdrawls....then camethe no energy.....time healed everything long as i stayed away from what i knew was killing me....

 

[guidog]

Tellmystory,
it was so nice of you to take the time and write me such a nice letter. It's good to know others have felt similiar to my experiences. I agree with everything you wrote. I think when I get home at five I will go for a walk. The weather here has been so bad, but it recently has changed for the better to allow for walks. I am 59 years old and no longer can run, but I am a good fast walker. I had tea this evening and that helped a lot. I will continue to use this forum as a substitute for going to meetings. I live in a small town and run an avtive business so I do not trust the NA meetings. The people here talk too much.
Thanks again for you great tips. I appreciate you so much.
G

 

[guidog]

Wonka,
Appreciate you writing. You are right regarding I need to be patient as it take a long time to make such huge changes. It's been 73 days or so with no hydrocodone. 20 plus years of taking was a long time.
I will continue to do my best.
Thanks,
G

 

[SickWithRA]

I agree with some of the above...a little exercise is good physically, but it also makes you feel happier and awake. I'm a big runner and I never feel quite like myself on my days off from running. Walking is great...maybe take your wife and pet (if you have a dog). This could become a great routine in the evening, you know? Something to look forward to after work.