Okay, I'm on day 14 and things are going pretty good. I have a question though. It seems like I can't stop thinking about all this. I'm not craving pills but I can't seem to just watch a movie or read a book because my mind always races. I'm constantly thinking about everything I need to do and I can't seem to get my mind straight. My attention span is shot. Does this go away at some point? I would love for just a minute to go by where I'm not analyzing everything. Thanks.
Shelly
Shelly, just saw your post........
Wow, Do I hear you on that one. Even when I have done a major taper on suboxone, I have the exact same symptom. It is like the world is going on around me but I am not in it. (does that make sense?)
A couple years back I went cold turkey of a good run of oxy, and I had the exact same feelings, but Good thing is when detoxing off.............Immediate release oxy or Hydrocodone (short acting opiates). It will feel extreme and unbearable for a few days but it gets better SO much faster. I promise you that. Even with the longer acting opiates, You can do it, I know how damned hard it is though, It sucks no doubt, but the reward is going to be HUGE for you.
Every day you notice small improvements and before you know it, You have made huge strides.
Right now, dont worry about anything but you and what you want for your life. Your housework will wait, I promise you that. If you have to put off some things, DO. Rest that tired body of yours. It is recooping as we speak.
Really when you think of how long so many of us used, how quickly our body is able to begin bouncing back, now that is a miracle.
Hang on Tight Sweetie, Your going to make it. I feel like such a hypocrite giving advice now, while I am still on sub, but I am just telling you what I experienced, hoping in some small way it helps.
Keep posting
Big Hugs.
Wow, Do I hear you on that one. Even when I have done a major taper on suboxone, I have the exact same symptom. It is like the world is going on around me but I am not in it. (does that make sense?)
A couple years back I went cold turkey of a good run of oxy, and I had the exact same feelings, but Good thing is when detoxing off.............Immediate release oxy or Hydrocodone (short acting opiates). It will feel extreme and unbearable for a few days but it gets better SO much faster. I promise you that. Even with the longer acting opiates, You can do it, I know how damned hard it is though, It sucks no doubt, but the reward is going to be HUGE for you.
Every day you notice small improvements and before you know it, You have made huge strides.
Right now, dont worry about anything but you and what you want for your life. Your housework will wait, I promise you that. If you have to put off some things, DO. Rest that tired body of yours. It is recooping as we speak.
Really when you think of how long so many of us used, how quickly our body is able to begin bouncing back, now that is a miracle.
Hang on Tight Sweetie, Your going to make it. I feel like such a hypocrite giving advice now, while I am still on sub, but I am just telling you what I experienced, hoping in some small way it helps.
Keep posting
Big Hugs.
Shelly, I know you are farther along than me. I have not experienced what you describe, but I want to share a couple things that I think have helped me.
One, has been exercise, I know you don't feel like it. I don't either, but sometimes I think " you have to give energy to get energy" and it may help with what you are experiencing. I always feel better after some kind of work out, but, it has to be one where I sweat some.
Another thing that helped was a holistic massage. it was not the typical rubdown, more a gentle tugging, pressing etc. - she aligned some vertabrae, my hips, worked on some nerve endings, and released some toxins. She said there was more work to be done, but there was no pressurefrom ( I know after the week I had there was probably a lot of work to be done). You might do a search for someone like that in your area.
I am thinking about you and your meeting tomorrow. Please let me know how it goes. Gracie
One, has been exercise, I know you don't feel like it. I don't either, but sometimes I think " you have to give energy to get energy" and it may help with what you are experiencing. I always feel better after some kind of work out, but, it has to be one where I sweat some.
Another thing that helped was a holistic massage. it was not the typical rubdown, more a gentle tugging, pressing etc. - she aligned some vertabrae, my hips, worked on some nerve endings, and released some toxins. She said there was more work to be done, but there was no pressurefrom ( I know after the week I had there was probably a lot of work to be done). You might do a search for someone like that in your area.
I am thinking about you and your meeting tomorrow. Please let me know how it goes. Gracie
Thanks Java and Gracie. I agree with you about the exercise, Gracie. For the past 4 days I have been walking on my treadmill in the morning. It does feel good, not only for my mind but also my body. In the past 2 years I put on about 30 pounds and am now working to take it off. Probably the reason I am having trouble concentrating is because I also stopped taking xanax when I stopped taking pain pills. Although I only took about 1mg of xanax a day, I think I am suffering some w/d from that as well.
I'll let you know how my meeting goes tomorrow. Have you been to another one yet? We'll have to share how it goes. It's good having someone who's about at the same place as I am. Take care.
Shelly
I'll let you know how my meeting goes tomorrow. Have you been to another one yet? We'll have to share how it goes. It's good having someone who's about at the same place as I am. Take care.
Shelly
Shelly, have you been to meetings? If you have the mean's, try talking to a psychiatrist(and not one who wants to get you on xanax or something. I''m on day 12 myself, I drink a lot of soy milk to keep my energy up, (silk vanilla.) Think about the stuff you loved doing before you were on drugs, if you dont want to do it, do it anyway....you may find you want to do it after all. For me my breakthrough was on Wednesday night with video games. When I went cold turkey off vicodin for 4 days I felt like s***. The next 4 I got slowly better, and on day 11 I decided to get into my hobby(gaming.) and actually did enjoy it. I'm also looking forward to my first softball game with some friends of mine.
If you get the craving, call a friend, call N/A. And most of all, do what you loved doing before this demon controlled you. Force yourself and you may find a rekindling of your beloved hobbies before you know it. If you ever want to talk email me you can contact me at chris38@aol.com or chris38@yahoo.com. Feel free to IM me on either one. We are with you, you are not alone. Oh and yes, excercising is a great way to release endorphins, which will reduce the craving significantly. Take care and god bless. - Chris
If you get the craving, call a friend, call N/A. And most of all, do what you loved doing before this demon controlled you. Force yourself and you may find a rekindling of your beloved hobbies before you know it. If you ever want to talk email me you can contact me at chris38@aol.com or chris38@yahoo.com. Feel free to IM me on either one. We are with you, you are not alone. Oh and yes, excercising is a great way to release endorphins, which will reduce the craving significantly. Take care and god bless. - Chris
Shelly,
Having "mind chatter" or being unable to control racing thoughts was one of the reasons I loved drugs so much in the first place. They shut my brain down when I couldn't.
I've learned other ways to quiet my mind now. Digging through the issues in therapy helps. Meditation and yoga are incredibly helpful. I've got some life stress right now and practicing yoga daily is my way of staying sane. There are links at the top of this page, "Holistic Approaches," for online resources.
Love,
Gina
Having "mind chatter" or being unable to control racing thoughts was one of the reasons I loved drugs so much in the first place. They shut my brain down when I couldn't.
I've learned other ways to quiet my mind now. Digging through the issues in therapy helps. Meditation and yoga are incredibly helpful. I've got some life stress right now and practicing yoga daily is my way of staying sane. There are links at the top of this page, "Holistic Approaches," for online resources.
Love,
Gina
Shelly, I don't know about xanax ( I was able to avoid that one ), I think Gina is right about yoga ( actually, the advice she has given me on everything has been invaluable ). I am going to take a yoga class tonight. I will tell you if it helps.
If not yoga, try meditation. I know there are some web sites that have meditation guides you can use. I don't know how to just add a link so that you can just click, I will have to give you the URL. I will look it up and write it on a new post.
I am right now struggling with just doing everyday tasks without opiates. Everything, going to the grocery store, doing a kickbox class, just everything reminds me of the pills, because, I had to take them for all these activities. Even seeing a FedX truck is a trigger. I guess I have "to write a new history."
I will be thinking of you this evening knowing you are at your meeting - what Tim posted helped me. He said " Find the similarities, not the differences".
Love, Gracie
If not yoga, try meditation. I know there are some web sites that have meditation guides you can use. I don't know how to just add a link so that you can just click, I will have to give you the URL. I will look it up and write it on a new post.
I am right now struggling with just doing everyday tasks without opiates. Everything, going to the grocery store, doing a kickbox class, just everything reminds me of the pills, because, I had to take them for all these activities. Even seeing a FedX truck is a trigger. I guess I have "to write a new history."
I will be thinking of you this evening knowing you are at your meeting - what Tim posted helped me. He said " Find the similarities, not the differences".
Love, Gracie
Admittedly it has been a long while since I detoxed. The thing I remember doing was just walking and walking. I walked constantly. Now granted I was in jail. So there wasn't much to do but walk. And unlike you guys I had absolutely no chance of scoring but I still had tons of anxiety. It was like my mind was turning on again. My best advice is walk and talk. Or post. You are doing so good Shelly I hesitate to post sometimes because I don't know if I have much to add but I have seen your struggles and watched you transform. Keep on keepin on. You are being such a success!
Love,
Jane
Love,
Jane
Hi Shelly...
I too suffer sometimes from the endless committee talking in my head...I have learned to ask God in my morning prayers to help quiet the voices and Alcoholics Anonymous has taught me that I'm not alone, most of us suffer from the chatter and they've also taught me many tools to help....A couple of them are when it's starts to get loud in my head, I need to write in a journal, because then I'm only focusing on one thing...another thing, get into gratitude and focus on the miracles around you right Now, in the moment...Prayer & mediatation are huge in helping and when all else fails, I call another alkie/addict and talk about what's going on in my head and get out of myself....
I remember (quite awhile ago now) when I ct'd of of xanax, I was foggy for a good 1-2 months at times...I was only on 1 mg a day so that could be part of it too....Be patient, you're body is trying to heal and you are doing a great job!
Hope your meeting goes well tonight...You and Gracie are such an inspiration and watching you two work together is such an enjoyment....For me, it's that simple, one addict helping another to stay sober one day at a time....
xoxo
Stacey
I too suffer sometimes from the endless committee talking in my head...I have learned to ask God in my morning prayers to help quiet the voices and Alcoholics Anonymous has taught me that I'm not alone, most of us suffer from the chatter and they've also taught me many tools to help....A couple of them are when it's starts to get loud in my head, I need to write in a journal, because then I'm only focusing on one thing...another thing, get into gratitude and focus on the miracles around you right Now, in the moment...Prayer & mediatation are huge in helping and when all else fails, I call another alkie/addict and talk about what's going on in my head and get out of myself....
I remember (quite awhile ago now) when I ct'd of of xanax, I was foggy for a good 1-2 months at times...I was only on 1 mg a day so that could be part of it too....Be patient, you're body is trying to heal and you are doing a great job!
Hope your meeting goes well tonight...You and Gracie are such an inspiration and watching you two work together is such an enjoyment....For me, it's that simple, one addict helping another to stay sober one day at a time....
xoxo
Stacey
shelly
when i get those symptoms you describe, it is definately anxiety, i have an anxiety disorder combined with panic too,
my problem: i know how to diffuse it, but i haven't practiced it enough to make it work,i am supposed to do breathing exercises but i am so frozen in fear i cant concentrate for the breathing exercises and for the panic part, i'm still too afraid.
so what happens to me is all those symptoms you described get so bad for me that i cant function, so i have to call my sub doctor and he prescribes a short term benzo. i know benzo's and sub are a dangerous cocktail and i never knew that last nov when i had a panic attack so bad i thought i would die and i took the benzo as directed.
i am under the care of a sub doctor so as i look back on how he prescribed me a benzo while on sub you would think it would be fine and i trusted him, but if you read my other threads on how i was mistreated by the medical profession because i am an addict, i have begun to lose faith in something i once trusted.
i am not a doctor shelly but it does sound like anxiety to me and breathing exercises are a good start and there must be other remedies out there i am sure someone could help you with. God bless and hang in there jewels
when i get those symptoms you describe, it is definately anxiety, i have an anxiety disorder combined with panic too,
my problem: i know how to diffuse it, but i haven't practiced it enough to make it work,i am supposed to do breathing exercises but i am so frozen in fear i cant concentrate for the breathing exercises and for the panic part, i'm still too afraid.
so what happens to me is all those symptoms you described get so bad for me that i cant function, so i have to call my sub doctor and he prescribes a short term benzo. i know benzo's and sub are a dangerous cocktail and i never knew that last nov when i had a panic attack so bad i thought i would die and i took the benzo as directed.
i am under the care of a sub doctor so as i look back on how he prescribed me a benzo while on sub you would think it would be fine and i trusted him, but if you read my other threads on how i was mistreated by the medical profession because i am an addict, i have begun to lose faith in something i once trusted.
i am not a doctor shelly but it does sound like anxiety to me and breathing exercises are a good start and there must be other remedies out there i am sure someone could help you with. God bless and hang in there jewels
You all just made some great points, and I know this post is not mine, I am going to write down a few of these.
Triggers suck, but I think if I had something to keep my mind occupied it would pass surely. They say a craving lasts something like 3 mins is it, after initial physical withdrawal. Surely to god, I can find something positive to do as well during those times, dropping on sub.
Walking was a great one, that helped me TONS...........I still walk most every day, unless the weather is bad, I can leave with no energy and come back rearing to go.
and Chris.............doing the things you love...........YES. We seem to forget those things, I sure did. Just now getting my feet wet with them again, and while there is still anxiety, I do enjoy it.
and Yoga.............great idea.
Writing these down..............Thanks to everyone.
Shelly-Keep your head up girl, your going to make it.
Triggers suck, but I think if I had something to keep my mind occupied it would pass surely. They say a craving lasts something like 3 mins is it, after initial physical withdrawal. Surely to god, I can find something positive to do as well during those times, dropping on sub.
Walking was a great one, that helped me TONS...........I still walk most every day, unless the weather is bad, I can leave with no energy and come back rearing to go.
and Chris.............doing the things you love...........YES. We seem to forget those things, I sure did. Just now getting my feet wet with them again, and while there is still anxiety, I do enjoy it.
and Yoga.............great idea.
Writing these down..............Thanks to everyone.
Shelly-Keep your head up girl, your going to make it.