Aa
Help! Percocet Withdrawal!!
Hey,
I have posted here a few times in the past because this is not the first time I have gone through this. It is my 3rd actually, however this may be the deepest I have been in....Looking to chat, learn some things, kill some time, and for HELP!!
Here's my situation......I have been using everyday for the past 3 1/2 to 4 months or so. I started off slow for the first month or so but for the last 2 months I have been taking over 100 mg per day. Sometimes I take perc 5's, perc 10's, vic 5's, i have had some perc 30s on days where my guy couldnt get anything but them. My main thing is that I think about it and I count the hours and stare at the clock!
Current situation.....I am 8.5 hours into this!! Ugh i know, that is NOTHING! I am having body aches, hot and cold flashes, and just feeling like crap. I know, i know, the worst part is AHEAD!
PLEASE HELP!!!!
THANKS,
JEFF
I have posted here a few times in the past because this is not the first time I have gone through this. It is my 3rd actually, however this may be the deepest I have been in....Looking to chat, learn some things, kill some time, and for HELP!!
Here's my situation......I have been using everyday for the past 3 1/2 to 4 months or so. I started off slow for the first month or so but for the last 2 months I have been taking over 100 mg per day. Sometimes I take perc 5's, perc 10's, vic 5's, i have had some perc 30s on days where my guy couldnt get anything but them. My main thing is that I think about it and I count the hours and stare at the clock!
Current situation.....I am 8.5 hours into this!! Ugh i know, that is NOTHING! I am having body aches, hot and cold flashes, and just feeling like crap. I know, i know, the worst part is AHEAD!
PLEASE HELP!!!!
THANKS,
JEFF
Thank you nurse, i truly needed that. I am absolutely flipping out right now. It has been 12 days and i feel completely fine except sleep. One night i will get 5 hours, and then ill get 2 hours like this past night. Right now I am so on edge and im honestly afraid to go to work. I have punched walls and thrown lamps. I can barely keep my eyes open yet i cannot ******* sleep. I honestly need this to end now or i am going to go back for a night just to get sleep. I havent slept in 2 god damn weeks. WHEN THE **** DOES THIS END?
Wow, I just got caught up with your thread, you are doing AMAZING Jeff, truly! Good for you!
Listen buddy, your MIND is your own worst enemy right now. Yes, the insomnia stinks, but you thinking obsessively about it is making it SO much worse. While I understand that your sleep is very interrupted, you're actually getting a good bit compared to most people detoxing. It's common for us to see people getting ZERO sleep for days. Talk about maddening?? While of course you feel tired and cruddy because the quantity AND quality of your sleep has suffered, keep in mind that humans can function quite well on a lot less sleep than they think. People get hung up thinking that 8-12 hours of sleep a night is required to feel okay, and while everyone requires something different, most people really don't need that much, and the human body will adapt to temporary situations where your sleep is affected. Just try to go with it. If you feel tired after work, lie down, read a book, watch TV, after taking a walk, but DON'T lie down EXPECTING to sleep, just resting your body is something, and if you're not setting your expectations so high, you will see more progress. If you look at the clock every 15 minutes in bed saying to yourself "why am I not sleeping?" or the ole...."If I fall asleep RIGHT now, I'll only get 3 hours of sleep!" That kind of thinking process is SUPER self defeating. Setting high expectations is great for running a marathon, but you're not doing that. You're taking a long leisurely walk...recovery. You're adding a lot of stress to yourself by being SO mentally preoccupied with the details and clock watching.
I stand by my original advice which is to TRY as hard as you can (and I know it's not easy) to stop focusing so much on everything. Stop the clock watching, and counting of hours. In the very least, start counting bigger intervals, like 8 hrs, 12 hrs. Heck, if I was counting hours, for ANY reason, I would be out of my mind! It adds to your anxiety and feeling that time is dragging.
You're back to work right? That's great, that in itself will help a LOT! You need to do whatever you can to keep yourself both physically and mentally distracted. The more you throw yourself into life and stop thinking about everything, the better you will feel. Take a walk in the evening, go to a park, go browsing in a favorite store, take on a project you've been putting off (cleaning out the ole' junk drawer or a closet)...those kinds of things. You ruminating about sleep is making you feel worse about it...you even said yourself that you now dread nighttime. The sleep WILL improve, like everyone has said....each day you are on the upswing, your body is normalizing. I personally wouldn't recommend taking the Tylenol PM. Like the others have said, that can actually make you feel worse, and at this point, again, it's a mental thing, you think you NEED a pill to help you sleep, when the reality is, it's probably not doing much at all.
If you're going to use a sleep aid, try the Melatonin like others recommended. With that, you don't want to take too much. Actually, it works better in lower doses. The most optimal approach would be to allow your body to normalize itself with nothing, but that can be a little tough, just even mentally. Just try to keep the sleep aids to a minimum, try to stick to the more natural remedies (ie Melatonin) versus the OTC or Rx meds. Making your own endorphins is one of the best ways to help your sleep along...hence again the walk/exercise.
Just TRY to be patient with the process, as impossible as it feels. Remind yourself of everything you've overcome already!!! You'll overcome this too! And remember that no matter HOW frustrated you are with your lack of sleep, using is not an option. It's NOT going to fix this issue...in the end, it will make it 100 times worse, as you'll have to start over again. NO way! Can you imagine starting over on day one, HOUR one? I'm sure just the thought of that makes you ill! As it should. Keep that in mind, because you will be tempted. The addict mind will tell you that it would be SO easy just to take ONE pill, JUST to help you sleep. Don't buy it...it's the devil whispering in your ear.
I know you said you're not seeking out aftercare, you REALLY need to reconsider that IMO. It's a proven FACT that addicts fair MUCH better and enjoy MUCH longer term success when they are actively working on their addictions with some sort of aftercare. Addicts who do it alone or their way often chronically relapse.
Just as an example to put aftercare in better context for you, look at how much this site has helped you, right? You feel supported, not alone, and feel like people understand what you're going through, right? Look at all of the valuable info you've gotten? Sure, you could have searched yourself and educated yourself, but look how much easier it was to have the support and input of people who know their stuff, and especially the people who have gone through this before! Plus, you have a level of accountability to us.
That's ALL the same kind of benefits you would get from seeking out IN PERSON support, and that can come in the form of AA/NA meetings, church based support groups, private counseling etc. There are other recovery based groups in addition to AA and NA also. I cannot stress enough how important aftercare is. Getting clean is the easy part, believe it or not, and relapse is a BIG risk for every addict. Aftercare helps decrease the risk of relapse quite significantly. Please give it some thought. Addiction is not a battle meant to be fought alone.
I wish you the best and look forward to reading about your continued success. You're RIGHT at the cusp, ready to turn the corner to much more significant improvements all around. It WILL come, it just takes some time. How much time varies from person to person. The less you concentrate on the minutes ticking by, the faster those minutes will go! :0)
Hang in there and keep on truckin'!!! You're doing wonderfully!!! <3
Listen buddy, your MIND is your own worst enemy right now. Yes, the insomnia stinks, but you thinking obsessively about it is making it SO much worse. While I understand that your sleep is very interrupted, you're actually getting a good bit compared to most people detoxing. It's common for us to see people getting ZERO sleep for days. Talk about maddening?? While of course you feel tired and cruddy because the quantity AND quality of your sleep has suffered, keep in mind that humans can function quite well on a lot less sleep than they think. People get hung up thinking that 8-12 hours of sleep a night is required to feel okay, and while everyone requires something different, most people really don't need that much, and the human body will adapt to temporary situations where your sleep is affected. Just try to go with it. If you feel tired after work, lie down, read a book, watch TV, after taking a walk, but DON'T lie down EXPECTING to sleep, just resting your body is something, and if you're not setting your expectations so high, you will see more progress. If you look at the clock every 15 minutes in bed saying to yourself "why am I not sleeping?" or the ole...."If I fall asleep RIGHT now, I'll only get 3 hours of sleep!" That kind of thinking process is SUPER self defeating. Setting high expectations is great for running a marathon, but you're not doing that. You're taking a long leisurely walk...recovery. You're adding a lot of stress to yourself by being SO mentally preoccupied with the details and clock watching.
I stand by my original advice which is to TRY as hard as you can (and I know it's not easy) to stop focusing so much on everything. Stop the clock watching, and counting of hours. In the very least, start counting bigger intervals, like 8 hrs, 12 hrs. Heck, if I was counting hours, for ANY reason, I would be out of my mind! It adds to your anxiety and feeling that time is dragging.
You're back to work right? That's great, that in itself will help a LOT! You need to do whatever you can to keep yourself both physically and mentally distracted. The more you throw yourself into life and stop thinking about everything, the better you will feel. Take a walk in the evening, go to a park, go browsing in a favorite store, take on a project you've been putting off (cleaning out the ole' junk drawer or a closet)...those kinds of things. You ruminating about sleep is making you feel worse about it...you even said yourself that you now dread nighttime. The sleep WILL improve, like everyone has said....each day you are on the upswing, your body is normalizing. I personally wouldn't recommend taking the Tylenol PM. Like the others have said, that can actually make you feel worse, and at this point, again, it's a mental thing, you think you NEED a pill to help you sleep, when the reality is, it's probably not doing much at all.
If you're going to use a sleep aid, try the Melatonin like others recommended. With that, you don't want to take too much. Actually, it works better in lower doses. The most optimal approach would be to allow your body to normalize itself with nothing, but that can be a little tough, just even mentally. Just try to keep the sleep aids to a minimum, try to stick to the more natural remedies (ie Melatonin) versus the OTC or Rx meds. Making your own endorphins is one of the best ways to help your sleep along...hence again the walk/exercise.
Just TRY to be patient with the process, as impossible as it feels. Remind yourself of everything you've overcome already!!! You'll overcome this too! And remember that no matter HOW frustrated you are with your lack of sleep, using is not an option. It's NOT going to fix this issue...in the end, it will make it 100 times worse, as you'll have to start over again. NO way! Can you imagine starting over on day one, HOUR one? I'm sure just the thought of that makes you ill! As it should. Keep that in mind, because you will be tempted. The addict mind will tell you that it would be SO easy just to take ONE pill, JUST to help you sleep. Don't buy it...it's the devil whispering in your ear.
I know you said you're not seeking out aftercare, you REALLY need to reconsider that IMO. It's a proven FACT that addicts fair MUCH better and enjoy MUCH longer term success when they are actively working on their addictions with some sort of aftercare. Addicts who do it alone or their way often chronically relapse.
Just as an example to put aftercare in better context for you, look at how much this site has helped you, right? You feel supported, not alone, and feel like people understand what you're going through, right? Look at all of the valuable info you've gotten? Sure, you could have searched yourself and educated yourself, but look how much easier it was to have the support and input of people who know their stuff, and especially the people who have gone through this before! Plus, you have a level of accountability to us.
That's ALL the same kind of benefits you would get from seeking out IN PERSON support, and that can come in the form of AA/NA meetings, church based support groups, private counseling etc. There are other recovery based groups in addition to AA and NA also. I cannot stress enough how important aftercare is. Getting clean is the easy part, believe it or not, and relapse is a BIG risk for every addict. Aftercare helps decrease the risk of relapse quite significantly. Please give it some thought. Addiction is not a battle meant to be fought alone.
I wish you the best and look forward to reading about your continued success. You're RIGHT at the cusp, ready to turn the corner to much more significant improvements all around. It WILL come, it just takes some time. How much time varies from person to person. The less you concentrate on the minutes ticking by, the faster those minutes will go! :0)
Hang in there and keep on truckin'!!! You're doing wonderfully!!! <3
Hi Jeff:
I was just reading a study done on people who try to taper off of opiates or do CT, and the number one reason for recidivism is due to the lack of sleep. It's the most hellish symptom you will have to face, and it's pure hell. Just know that, from everything I have read, it's worst for the first two weeks, and then gradually gets better for most people. It's usually the last thing to return. I've been dealing with it myself and I am STILL on 8mg of methadone. I plan to jump at 3, and I will be looking for your support.
PLEASE hang in there nap. It does gradually go away. I have had help with L-tyrosine as it calms your nervous system which is highly agitated right now with no comfort on board... not even what you naturally have bc your body quit doing that for you when you introduced it artificially. The insomnia peaks directly after full detoxification, meaning when the drug is actually out of your system, and stays pretty intense for another week, for most. You just have to weigh a couple weeks of your life, against the rest of your life, and it IS worth it.
I know that with the way you're feeling, that drug is looking good atm, but don't allow your efforts thus far to be all in vain. You have to find some form of meditation or alternative means for coping through these next two weeks. It's just a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of your life. I know that the paradox of not being able to sleep, is that you're finally wide awake, but feeling like crap for every second. If you were awake and felt like doing anything, that wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, that's the way this goes. You've gone through this 3X right? You said it was worse each time, and I can relate. Each time I re-entered my addiction, it seemed to be 100X harder to get off. There are a LOT of reasons for that, but rather than going into them, I will just say that methadone has stolen so much of my life, and I wish I had a site like this when I was on vics and percs. I wish I would have been able to make a more informed decision coming from people who knew what it was like to go down that road. You do have it, and I want us both to be free!
I am thinking of you and hoping you are still staying strong my friend. I will need your support too. I didn't sleep much last night either... like 2.5 hours. Trust me, you do not want to graduate to something like Methadone bc that will be even more intense. The methadone model is indefinite maintenance, unfortunately. The sleep disturbances are much more pronounced. You're doing the right thing getting off now and reclaiming your life.
I wish I had better words to say, but know that I am pulling for you.
I was just reading a study done on people who try to taper off of opiates or do CT, and the number one reason for recidivism is due to the lack of sleep. It's the most hellish symptom you will have to face, and it's pure hell. Just know that, from everything I have read, it's worst for the first two weeks, and then gradually gets better for most people. It's usually the last thing to return. I've been dealing with it myself and I am STILL on 8mg of methadone. I plan to jump at 3, and I will be looking for your support.
PLEASE hang in there nap. It does gradually go away. I have had help with L-tyrosine as it calms your nervous system which is highly agitated right now with no comfort on board... not even what you naturally have bc your body quit doing that for you when you introduced it artificially. The insomnia peaks directly after full detoxification, meaning when the drug is actually out of your system, and stays pretty intense for another week, for most. You just have to weigh a couple weeks of your life, against the rest of your life, and it IS worth it.
I know that with the way you're feeling, that drug is looking good atm, but don't allow your efforts thus far to be all in vain. You have to find some form of meditation or alternative means for coping through these next two weeks. It's just a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of your life. I know that the paradox of not being able to sleep, is that you're finally wide awake, but feeling like crap for every second. If you were awake and felt like doing anything, that wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, that's the way this goes. You've gone through this 3X right? You said it was worse each time, and I can relate. Each time I re-entered my addiction, it seemed to be 100X harder to get off. There are a LOT of reasons for that, but rather than going into them, I will just say that methadone has stolen so much of my life, and I wish I had a site like this when I was on vics and percs. I wish I would have been able to make a more informed decision coming from people who knew what it was like to go down that road. You do have it, and I want us both to be free!
I am thinking of you and hoping you are still staying strong my friend. I will need your support too. I didn't sleep much last night either... like 2.5 hours. Trust me, you do not want to graduate to something like Methadone bc that will be even more intense. The methadone model is indefinite maintenance, unfortunately. The sleep disturbances are much more pronounced. You're doing the right thing getting off now and reclaiming your life.
I wish I had better words to say, but know that I am pulling for you.
I agree that clock watching is counter productive to your success. When I run on the treadmill, i often cover the clock with a towel and focus on a set point in the room. It's a sort of meditation or getting in the zone which allows time to melt away. I recommend loosing yourself in time instead (as much as you can), it's hard to look at a clock, and it can trigger you worse, bc it is very much like many of us have done when waiting for the dope man to call. You obsess over the clock, wondering how long it will be until you can get well again, and honestly it's torture.
I just wanted to comment on the idea of not giving credit to your source person. The thing is, that the people who truly care for us, will call us to be our best selves and they would not want to see us doing drugs. It could be the case, that a person who does love you is not in a good place themselves, in which case, you should cut that person out so you can focus on your own recovery. This is why I have had to cut even my mother out of my life. I know she loves me, but she's busy justifying her own drug use, so therefore she can't encourage me or add to my success. I liken it to two drowning people trying to cling to each other, and in the process dragging each other deeper into dangerous waters.
Hey Jeff did you get the melatonin, magnesium/ potassium tabs?
There is also valerian root comes in liquid helps with anxiety and relaxes you.
You can put that in sleepy time or kava tea. All these can sleep with promoting relaxation and sleep.
Keep moving forward you are doing awesome.
Congratulations.
There is also valerian root comes in liquid helps with anxiety and relaxes you.
You can put that in sleepy time or kava tea. All these can sleep with promoting relaxation and sleep.
Keep moving forward you are doing awesome.
Congratulations.
hey nap366 congrats on your 9 days i just read your thread you rock man keep it up sorry about the sleep it ***** I'm just starting out AGAIN its people like you that keep me going keep up the most awesome work
Hang on friend. You are almost to the light at the end of thetunnel. Fight. This is not easy but so worth it. You will sleep again. It takes time for body to heal. Its not like at a certain point it all goes away. Its a process. Just experience whatever your body gives you and know it gets better every day. Hang tough.
It's been 9 days. Slept 2.5 hours tonight. AHHHHH WTF. It's 5:15am right now. Been up since 1:20am. Losing hope fast....
It's 4:15. Slept 2 hours. I'm going literally insane. I need to do soemthing about this. I cannot get through another day without sleep. I'm going crazy.
Hi Jeff
You should be so proud of how far you've come. I'm at the end of day 4, horrible, and yes I agree I hate that I still think and crave pills, regardless of my STRONGER desire to quit! I've been working through this too, and sadly I'm a social worker, working with adolescents, and a I too need to perform. I take Tylenol pm and embarrassed to admit 1/2 a Xanax (I don't care for them though it's helpful to sleep, yet as an addict I'm uncertain if it's the right thing to do). Either way I completely relate, yet remember as everyone says there is a light at the end of this, clarity. I'm struggling to believe that, yet hopeful to feel like "just me again". Stay strong!
You should be so proud of how far you've come. I'm at the end of day 4, horrible, and yes I agree I hate that I still think and crave pills, regardless of my STRONGER desire to quit! I've been working through this too, and sadly I'm a social worker, working with adolescents, and a I too need to perform. I take Tylenol pm and embarrassed to admit 1/2 a Xanax (I don't care for them though it's helpful to sleep, yet as an addict I'm uncertain if it's the right thing to do). Either way I completely relate, yet remember as everyone says there is a light at the end of this, clarity. I'm struggling to believe that, yet hopeful to feel like "just me again". Stay strong!
Hey Evolver....I am a teacher so I am walking around all day at work. I havent exercised yet, but I am willing to give it a shot. I am over 5.5 days into this and i am at the point where i say "the withdrawal symptoms are gone" but then once in a while my knees or back will hurt so im not clear yet!
The big thing keeping me from going back is the MONEY and also when i have those "cravings" i say, "I NEVER want to going through those withdrawal feelings again so i will NOT get any pills".
I just wish I could sleep. I know I'm obsessing over it but I am about to take a clonidine and then a hot shower and lay in bed. I really hope i can atleast get 4 hours tonight. I am not going to take tylenol PMs tonight.
Thanks again for coming by!!
On to day 6 tomorrow! Hope it's better than day 5. I think I am going to have some beers tomorrow night to celebrate.
The big thing keeping me from going back is the MONEY and also when i have those "cravings" i say, "I NEVER want to going through those withdrawal feelings again so i will NOT get any pills".
I just wish I could sleep. I know I'm obsessing over it but I am about to take a clonidine and then a hot shower and lay in bed. I really hope i can atleast get 4 hours tonight. I am not going to take tylenol PMs tonight.
Thanks again for coming by!!
On to day 6 tomorrow! Hope it's better than day 5. I think I am going to have some beers tomorrow night to celebrate.
Oh man! Jeff, it's so good to hear you like this. I'm relieved that you pushed on through that rough patch. A Massive Hi Five to you on 'the subsidence' of your acute symptoms & on '128 hrs. & counting'! One more day of work & then you'll have the whole weekend. Are you feeling up to exercising at all? It'll help jump start the old endorphins;)
Hey, you wouldn't be an addict if you didn't have cravings. The question is: What are you going to do differently this time to make this stick. (I know, it's a tough one :)))
Great Work!
Hey, you wouldn't be an addict if you didn't have cravings. The question is: What are you going to do differently this time to make this stick. (I know, it's a tough one :)))
Great Work!
Thank you EVERYONE!! I am sitting here at close to 5 and a half days!
Sprich- i have clonidine and have been taking that at night. It usually puts me out but i wake up 1.5 - 2 hours later and then boom im up all night. I am just hopeful that by Sunday night/Monday morning I will be in a better place sleep wise. I feel great otherwise. All of my withdrawal symptoms have subsided other than the sleep.
Evolver- I agree completely with you about how long i was abusing. I thought about that the last few nights. I said, "Jeff you can't expect to just be able to sleep immediately after using perc/vic for 4 straight months. It is going to take atleast minimum a week to get things back to normal."
Thank you for writing, EVERYONE!
Im not going to lie, there are moments in the day where i do crave taking a pill but i do my best to distract myself and keep pushing forward. I love being "normal" AND saving money!!!
Talk soon! 128 hours and counting!!
Sprich- i have clonidine and have been taking that at night. It usually puts me out but i wake up 1.5 - 2 hours later and then boom im up all night. I am just hopeful that by Sunday night/Monday morning I will be in a better place sleep wise. I feel great otherwise. All of my withdrawal symptoms have subsided other than the sleep.
Evolver- I agree completely with you about how long i was abusing. I thought about that the last few nights. I said, "Jeff you can't expect to just be able to sleep immediately after using perc/vic for 4 straight months. It is going to take atleast minimum a week to get things back to normal."
Thank you for writing, EVERYONE!
Im not going to lie, there are moments in the day where i do crave taking a pill but i do my best to distract myself and keep pushing forward. I love being "normal" AND saving money!!!
Talk soon! 128 hours and counting!!
Hi Jeff,
If your doctor knows about all this, I would definitely see if you can get in. If you can't tell your doctor, then perhaps you can just tell them you're having severe insomnia.
If the natural remedies don't work for you, see if you can get a short-term, low-dose prescription for something to help you sleep. There are meds like Seroquel, Trazedone,Clonidine, etc., that are non-addictive and certainly better than Xanan, etc. There are a lot of people in recovery whose doc's prescribe these meds, as they are deemed sleep restoration aids.
I have been following your detox, and felt really worried when I read your last post. I, personally, think that it is WAY better to get a prescription for something to help you get some sleep then it is to relapse and go through all of this again.
You are doing SO well, and are very inspiring.
If your doctor knows about all this, I would definitely see if you can get in. If you can't tell your doctor, then perhaps you can just tell them you're having severe insomnia.
If the natural remedies don't work for you, see if you can get a short-term, low-dose prescription for something to help you sleep. There are meds like Seroquel, Trazedone,Clonidine, etc., that are non-addictive and certainly better than Xanan, etc. There are a lot of people in recovery whose doc's prescribe these meds, as they are deemed sleep restoration aids.
I have been following your detox, and felt really worried when I read your last post. I, personally, think that it is WAY better to get a prescription for something to help you get some sleep then it is to relapse and go through all of this again.
You are doing SO well, and are very inspiring.
Morning to you :)
Well Done on 5 Days & big Respect to you for hanging in there!! Jugglin makes some good points, particularly about the fact that there is no 'magical' number of days or hours where things suddenly resolve. Rather, it comes gradually by degrees when you least expect it. That's why having a precise expectation of when you will feel 100% or sleep through the night can make it so much harder & actually exacerbate the situation. I also think the natural sleep aids mentioned in the various posts above might help ease the situation a bit at this point. (The cleaner you are -- the more time that passes -- the more effective these remedies will become.) Cal/Mag/Potassium, lemon Balm, GABA, Liquid Plant-based Melatonin, do help.
Probably the best thing you can do is to just roll with it. Like ariley13 said, obsessing reinforces the sleeplessness. Stay as busy & active as possible & I promise that the sleep will come sooner or later.
I know that it must seem like you've been going through this forever but you have to think about how long your habits were cumulatively. (Not just the last one as they tend to compound & do damage.) I mean, it takes us a lot longer than 5 days to get addicted in the first place. So, if you look at it that way. A week to 30 days isn't that unreasonable a price to 'clean the slate' & press the 'reset' button for a whole new you & chance for a better life is it?
You CAN do this Jeff. Keep telling yourself that you're stronger than you know in every second of every moment. One second at a time. Don't psych yourself out. Remember, you're on an emotional/mental roller coaster right now & the anxiety & sleeplessness you're experiencing are very chemical in nature. It would be a real drag to have to do it all again -- or even worse -- to not do it all. (Take it from me, these kicks don't get any easier -- just the opposite.) You've put so much work in & are really coming down that slope now. Please, give yourself a chance! Hang in there. You deserve it!!
Well Done on 5 Days & big Respect to you for hanging in there!! Jugglin makes some good points, particularly about the fact that there is no 'magical' number of days or hours where things suddenly resolve. Rather, it comes gradually by degrees when you least expect it. That's why having a precise expectation of when you will feel 100% or sleep through the night can make it so much harder & actually exacerbate the situation. I also think the natural sleep aids mentioned in the various posts above might help ease the situation a bit at this point. (The cleaner you are -- the more time that passes -- the more effective these remedies will become.) Cal/Mag/Potassium, lemon Balm, GABA, Liquid Plant-based Melatonin, do help.
Probably the best thing you can do is to just roll with it. Like ariley13 said, obsessing reinforces the sleeplessness. Stay as busy & active as possible & I promise that the sleep will come sooner or later.
I know that it must seem like you've been going through this forever but you have to think about how long your habits were cumulatively. (Not just the last one as they tend to compound & do damage.) I mean, it takes us a lot longer than 5 days to get addicted in the first place. So, if you look at it that way. A week to 30 days isn't that unreasonable a price to 'clean the slate' & press the 'reset' button for a whole new you & chance for a better life is it?
You CAN do this Jeff. Keep telling yourself that you're stronger than you know in every second of every moment. One second at a time. Don't psych yourself out. Remember, you're on an emotional/mental roller coaster right now & the anxiety & sleeplessness you're experiencing are very chemical in nature. It would be a real drag to have to do it all again -- or even worse -- to not do it all. (Take it from me, these kicks don't get any easier -- just the opposite.) You've put so much work in & are really coming down that slope now. Please, give yourself a chance! Hang in there. You deserve it!!
I'm so sorry u r struggling with sleep. It is the worst feeling ever. Everybody has already given u all the advice I would have given as well. Like Ang stated, the stress about it turns into anxiety about not being able to sleep and then the cycle perpetuates. You will get thru this. There is no magical number of hours/days that sleep comes back as it differs for everybody It took me about a week to get a decent amount of sleep and then it slowly got better. Keep pushing thru. Read, meditate, breathe. I use a magnesium supplement called Natural Calm...mix 1/2 teaspoon with water and it helps with rls as well as sleep. Just don't overuse or u may have bathroom issues. Best of luck in ur search for sleep. Congrats to you on ur hard fought clean time! You can do this!
Everyone is different but it seems from reading on here that usually it's around the 5-7 day mark that people start getting a little sleep. Then it gradually comes back a little at a time. I'm not really the person to ask, because I suffer from chronic insomnia. Always have. Some people sleep the entire time they are detoxing. It just depends on the person. Sorry that I don't have a better answer for you. I know it's hard, but please try not to stress yourself over this too much.(I know, almost impossible not to.) It will just make it so you have even less chance of sleeping. Sleep is going to come back and probably very soon. You are doing a great job. Hang on!
Thanks guys,
I seriously cant stand it!! I threw my TV remote and was so mad. I am shaking right now becuase i am so tired. Nobody has ANY clue ABOUT how long this takes to come back? A week? Months? ??/?
I seriously cant stand it!! I threw my TV remote and was so mad. I am shaking right now becuase i am so tired. Nobody has ANY clue ABOUT how long this takes to come back? A week? Months? ??/?
Hi Jeff...
3 am is the witching hour for me...I have a little time in, and I still wake up at 3am. I can't fight it, I just flip and flop in bed, so either I read until I get back to sleep, or I just get up! Lack of sleep won't kill me, but using will...that's what I keep telling myself. Keep forging ahead, you can DO this!!
3 am is the witching hour for me...I have a little time in, and I still wake up at 3am. I can't fight it, I just flip and flop in bed, so either I read until I get back to sleep, or I just get up! Lack of sleep won't kill me, but using will...that's what I keep telling myself. Keep forging ahead, you can DO this!!
Vent Jeff! Get it out! I understand how frustrated you are. I have been up since 3 after going to bed finally at 1. 2 broken hours of sleep. I'm not even going thru detox! I know how frustrating it is, but I assure you it will balance out. It just takes a little more time to resolve than the other stuff does.It sounds like you are doing all of the right stuff trying to relax. Sometimes, no matter what you do, sleep just won't come. Try to vent and get everything out now. Keeping the frustration bottled up will only make you stress more when it comes time to sleep tonight. It becomes a vicious cycle of anxiety feeding into inability to sleep and round and round. I'm here if you want to talk, or even yell at someone! ;) (I can tell you too, that when you feel like you can't take another night, another minute of no sleep...that's usually when sleep comes. Something's gotta give my friend!)
I'm so PISSED and FRUSTRATED right now. I got 1.5 hours of sleep tonight!!! It's 4:30 in the morning and I can't sleep!! I'm starting to go crazy! I'm a teacher and need to sleep in order to perform. This is AWFUL!! IVE TRIED EVEEYTHING. MUSIC BREATHING NOTHING WORKS. IM GONNA GO CRAZY!!!! When does this end!!???? I need answers or I need something to just give me 1 night of good sleep. UGHHHHH
Hi Jeff,
How was work? Congrats on 4.33 (approximately:)) Days!! Have you considered taking any of natural remedies we mentioned above? Seriously, there's a lot of combined experience here. So, you might want to consider it. I think Spider's idea re: breathing exercises is great. (I do them myself.) You also might try to find a meditation, breathing exercise or 'nature sounds' vid on yt to help you drift off. I find the sound of rain vids help to make my sleep less broken.
Do you have anyone around you to help support you through all this? Non-judgmental sober friends or family? It's pretty important for us to start to set up ways not to use again because it's really not about the physical addiction. It's emotional/mental &/or stress-related w/ us addicts. If this weren't the case & it was just a question of kicking, no one would relapse. Believe it or not, the acute w/d's will not be your biggest challenge. Staying clean will be. You've had other habits so you know this to be true. Many here (including myself) can testify to the fact that the more habits you have, the more time you let pass & the older you get, the harder & longer the w/d's become & the more damage you incur to your life & those you care for. I don't usually mention what lies ahead when people are still going through the acutes but I want you to have a fighting chance this time & your response to spike2654 concerned me. You're young & if you put a good strong plan into place, you've got every chance of living a life of contentment & self-respect. I know you've got a heck of a lot on your plate right now & are exhausted but it's something to think about, my friend ;))
I know...I know. Hard work all around!! You're doing sooo well & the next days or two should hopefully resolve that RLS. Glad to hear that you're really considering dropping the OTC's (let your neural system heal!)
Let's make this one stick!! Congrats again, Jeff & please let us know how're you're doing tonight. There's Light Ahead!! :))
How was work? Congrats on 4.33 (approximately:)) Days!! Have you considered taking any of natural remedies we mentioned above? Seriously, there's a lot of combined experience here. So, you might want to consider it. I think Spider's idea re: breathing exercises is great. (I do them myself.) You also might try to find a meditation, breathing exercise or 'nature sounds' vid on yt to help you drift off. I find the sound of rain vids help to make my sleep less broken.
Do you have anyone around you to help support you through all this? Non-judgmental sober friends or family? It's pretty important for us to start to set up ways not to use again because it's really not about the physical addiction. It's emotional/mental &/or stress-related w/ us addicts. If this weren't the case & it was just a question of kicking, no one would relapse. Believe it or not, the acute w/d's will not be your biggest challenge. Staying clean will be. You've had other habits so you know this to be true. Many here (including myself) can testify to the fact that the more habits you have, the more time you let pass & the older you get, the harder & longer the w/d's become & the more damage you incur to your life & those you care for. I don't usually mention what lies ahead when people are still going through the acutes but I want you to have a fighting chance this time & your response to spike2654 concerned me. You're young & if you put a good strong plan into place, you've got every chance of living a life of contentment & self-respect. I know you've got a heck of a lot on your plate right now & are exhausted but it's something to think about, my friend ;))
I know...I know. Hard work all around!! You're doing sooo well & the next days or two should hopefully resolve that RLS. Glad to hear that you're really considering dropping the OTC's (let your neural system heal!)
Let's make this one stick!! Congrats again, Jeff & please let us know how're you're doing tonight. There's Light Ahead!! :))
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