sounds like u r doing good for 26 days. Since u were on a fairly high dose of narcotics//it is possible ur knees were hurting then//altho narcs do not really alleviate pain directly/they block the signal to the brain so u just do not "care" so much
I sleep 6 hrs a night normally...some I know sleep 4 hrs and function..I need 6 but here and there I will sleep 8 or 9. How old r u? How many hrs did u sleep before?
For many, fatigue would be the really tough part at 26 days///fatigue can set in after or during physical wds//depression and loss of motivation....For me that was a hurdle to get over...I slept too much which can also be a problem.
Taking melatonin or valerian root 26 days later is not a horrible thing in my opinion//but we r all different. Many non-addicts use natural sleep aids like those//many use benadryl etc.
Have u seen a Dr about ur knees? If u r 22//knee pain might be odd///if u r 52//not so odd? Weight gain can cause knee pain as well
U were on a hefty dose of narcotics....give it some time....but get the knee pain checked out
do not worry too much about not having to take the sleep aids every night, give yourself time and it will come naturally. That way you are not increasing any anxiety you may have....i took valerian and melatonin too for some months...about 3 months because i really had problems with sleeping....i stopped the valerian and i kept taking the melatonin until i realised i was feeling much better and i tried this thing of sleeping "solo"...i had some broken nights but as i have told you as i was feeling better it was not a problem until i could sleep without them. Now if i am going through a bad patch i took sometimes the melatonin and it is ok for a couple of nights. With the age, this thing of sleeping is not the same anymore.
If you have any inflammation in your knees, the ibuprofen or advil is great for that!! & no it is most def not habit forming!! If it is not relieving the pain for you, try Hylands Restfull Legs!!! For me it has been an absolute miracle drug!!! It works within 20 min & lasts approx 4-5 hours!!! I wouldn't worry about the all natural OTC meds your taking to help you sleep at this time, IF EVER!!! You will eventually get to the point where you will no longer need them. But in the mean time, use them as needed!! The melatonin is a chemical that your body produces naturally anyway. Your basically helping your body jumpstart itself back to where you were before all the poison was running through your system!!! Good Luck to you & CONGRATS on your clean time!!! Thats awesome!! Keep us updated!!! God Bless!! :)