Notices

Lethargy

Old 05-17-2011, 11:42 AM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
eaglette's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 362
Lethargy

Day 3 of complete sobriety, day 42 of not smoking pot. Also learning how to get past codependency. I really want to improve myself and focus on me, but I have been feeling extremely lethargic and just want to sleep and be in bed all day. I thought that quitting smoking would give me a lot of energy--and I do get WAVES of it in spurts from time to time--but most of the time I feel exhausted even when I have not done a thing. Has anyone else experienced this, and how long does it generally last?
eaglette is offline  
Old 05-17-2011, 03:28 PM
  # 2 (permalink)  
FT
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Hi eaglette,

I like to research stuff, and I have figured out most of the withdrawal symptoms for opiates (others may not align here) in terms of why they are happening on a physiologic basis.

I have NOT been able to figure out why complete and total exhaustion should accompany withdrawal. The only clue I have ever stumbled upon is something that an addiction medicine physician told me about danger signs for someone who is likely to become addicted. One of the major ones according to him is when drugs like opiates make the person energetic instead of sleepy, somnolent, mellowed out, lethargic, whatever. "Normal" people get sleepy and tired with opiates. Potential addicts get a rush of energy. That was me.

Armed with that information, I can only guess what causes the lethargy. A lot of opiate and other drugs will cause "rebound" effects when you stop them. In other words, now that the dopamine receptor sites are "empty", they cry to be filled, by causing symptoms that are the opposite of the "desirable" effects. So instead of euphoria, you have depression, instead of having constipation, you get diarrhea, instead of being pain free, you get pain. Maybe it is the same with the lethargy thing. The lethargy from opiate withdrawal lasted several WEEKS for me, and even at 5 months off, I still haven't regained my energy 100%. I hope that is to come.

So, I don't know if my thoughts help, because they are unscientific. The lethargy was one of the worst withdrawal effects for me, because I just don't have time to lay around. I had to get back to work quickly, but the first week I could barely crawl to the bathroom.

I took a brisk marina walk in the sun with my husband today. I remember those walks last year on opiates. The only way I could manage them was to pop several oxys a few minutes beforehand, and they would only last maybe an hour before I needed more. Not sustainable, that.

Anyone else have thoughts?

FT
FT is offline  
Old 05-18-2011, 04:25 AM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 242
I can only say that opiates also gave me a boost of energy as well. I remember the last time (before my 5 months clean this year) I was drug-free in 2010 for Jan-March and started back again on codeine. My normal dose before quitting was 3 30 mg tabs at a time 3 times a day and I only took 2 since it had been 3 months. I remember my heart racing once the drug took affect and a burst of energy. In fact, it scared me a bit and it took me about a month to need the 3 at a time again to achieve a similar effect. Of course, after being back on a few months, I just needed to dose to feel "normal". I also planned my dosing back then on my activities. Needed that dose to go to the grocery store, get up and go to work in the a.m., prepare a holiday meal, go visit family or friends, etc.
Every time I have quit in the past, I am lethargic. Just getting out the bed and putting on my clothes is a chore. I don't want to do all the things I just listed and my addict mind tell me I cannot get through any of it w/o the drug. It always takes a few weeks to a month to feel better. I can say that after 5 months this time, I do have my normal energy level back. Just took a week's vacation to New England this month and really enjoyed myself w/o drugs.
FT may have something here on the effect of opiates on some of us. I can also tell you that I have taken a few Xanax in my time and feel absolutely nothing and that drug is like no drug at all to me - does not make me sleepy and does not make me high. I read on SR everyday that some people have a serious problem with Xanax, expecially withdrawal. I think we are all wired differently and different drugs affect us all differently, but I am no expert . . just personal experience.
TheReader is offline  
Old 05-18-2011, 05:57 PM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Member
 
Tool311's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Eastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 62
Coming from a guy who is not a doctor, but i have a BS in biochemistry and also alot of research on this specific topic because i can relate...

Opiates don't actually target the source of the pain like OTC pain killers. They target the dopamine receptors in the brain. The body naturally produces signals to activate these dopamine receptors to make you feel happy and balanced. What opiates do, especially if you're abusing them, is intensify the signals sent to these dopamine receptors greatly. That's why no pain is felt because your brain is sending signals that you're feeling good. So after time, since you're pumping in these signals to your brain, the body stops naturally generating these signals to the dopamine receptors because it does not need to.

So stopping opiates causes a "shock" into the brain because the brain has been accustomed to not sending these signals to the dopamine receptors. When this happens, you feel less happy (hence the anxiety and post w/d depression). Depression and feeling lethargic go hand in hand. It will subside in time. Last time I withdrew I was tired for a good 3 or 4 weeks or so, but not getting sleep, ironic.

Don't dwell too much on it. No one ever died from a lack of sleep. When your body is tired you'll sleep.

Best of luck to you and hope this helps
Tool311 is offline  
Old 05-18-2011, 06:49 PM
  # 5 (permalink)  
FT
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
That is very helpful information!

So my rants talking about how our bodies have to relearn how to produce the good stuff, like endorphins to feel naturally well, is pretty close. I've read some studies using rats where the rats lost their natural ability to produce dopamine when they were forced into opiate addiction, demonstrating agitated behavior and disturbed sleep patterns when they were then forced to withdraw. Interesting.
FT is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:31 AM.