johnrambo

I'm 3 and 1/2 months into sobriety now and all my blood work and MRIs have come up clean, doctors can't find anything.

My muscle fatigue has gotten so bad my arm will shake if I lift something heavy. Same with my legs, if I stand on one foot the other leg seems so weak it shakes. It comes and goes at random times in random places. I'm also getting awkward nerve sensations in random areas, a lot of that is probably hypoglycemia but my question for the vets here is - did any of you experience the muscle fatigue to the extent which I've described here? The neurologist says I'm good but still trying to see if PAWS can be held responsible here.

What do you all think?

FT

Hi Johnrambo,

There are a few things that come to mind right away with muscle fatigue. The first one is dehydration and electrolyte imbalance -- you probably aren't sweating from withdrawals anymore, but when you were, an electrolyte imbalance wouldn't have been surprising. A lot of people in recovery weren't taking care of their nutrition very well while using, so you may be paying that price now. So -- lots of fluids, soups, juices, fresh fruits and vegetables, to put back some of the stuff you were depleted of while using.

The other one is deconditioning. In the same way that a lot of us weren't eating the right way before detoxing, many of us didn't work out the way we used to before using. Your muscle mass depletes even if you can't see it, but when you start using the muscles again, you will note you don't have the same strength you did before. Your muscles will fatigue easier, and you may find yourself sweating to do stuff you breezed through before.

There is a tendency to try to get back too much too soon. Give yourself a few weeks to build back up gradually, adding time, weight and resistance to your workout in gradually increasing increments. And pay attention to the electrolytes -- potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, etc. A balanced workout drink is not a bad idea, but you can make your own if you look on line.

Those may not be the answers for you, but they were my first thoughts.

FT

Nightsd

I have recently come to realize that energy is mostly mental. When I'm doing an activity that's going to result in getting drugs, my strength seems to double and my energy shoots up. I think a lot of energy is related to motivation. If I really want something my energy seems to just appear. If you're completely unmotivated (which has happened to me after quitting H) your energy will be gone until you find something you want to do like you used to want to use drugs.

johnrambo

Well my diet is tip top and the doctor just checked me for vitamin deficiencies.

I'm more worried about whether or not this is normal for this time in sobriety because if it is I know the recovery process will run it's course and it will get better because I'm otherwise healthy. Did you guys experience this? Not so much the energy level but actual muscle weakness and fatigue.

FT

Just so you know, vitamin deficiencies can't easily be tested for by the doctor's office. Sure, you can check for deficiencies that exist TODAY, but there is no easy way to tell whether you WERE vitamin deficient in the past. The closest you can come is a hair sample that can check mostly for mineral deficiencies, and you can check for signs of past vitamin deficiency.

So, don't be too reassured by the diagnostic capabilities of "modern medicine".

A naturopath is actually better at checking for signs of nutritional deficiency that any allopathic doctor, at least most of them.

I don't mean to sound cynical, but a doctor checkup is better at testing for disease than it is at checking wellness. Your blood electrolyte levels are pretty much the same thing -- you may not be deficient at the time of your blood draw, but you may have been seriously deficient during your drug use.

Weakness and fatigue are relative, depending on the animal. Weakness and fatigue relative to someone else of your age and general health and gender is not normal, but as I've said, past depletions may have come back to bite you now. It's not really worth getting an electromyelogram just to check your neuromuscular status unless you are worried about a degenerative disease. Just start increasing your workouts and see how you do.

I'm glad you are generally healthy, though. That means you have a good basis for regaining your optimal fitness once again.

FT

Nightsd

Opiate use can cover up a lot of health problems. I knew two different addicts who used because it gave them energy. When they quit that energy never came back. They both got tested and found out they had thyroid issues.

Opiates commonly cover up health problems. I knew a heroin user who died from HIV-related toxoplasmosis. His heroin use covered up a lot of the bad symptoms until it was too late. I also heard of a guy that took painkillers for headaches. Then one day everyone thought he had OD'd after a really bad headache. Turned out he had an anyeurism and he was using painkillers to cover up the pain.

So I would suggest you go through this with your doctor and find out if this could be a standalone disease. Many people use opiates with classical "addict" seeking behaviors, but once their health problems are fixed they're able to quit easily.

FT

Thanks Nightsd,

I really should have just suggested he go back to his doctor and complain about the weakness and fatigue. I wouldn't take normal blood tests or anything like that as good enough to ignore those symptoms.

Ft

Nightsd

When I was using opiates for years, I quit eating. I dunno why but my hunger drive is naturally low and opiates made it much worse, nonexistent.

When I quit a month ago, my doc ordered some blood tests and discovered I had a severe vitamin B12 deficiency, which put me into a bipolar state. So I have personal experience with this as well. I advise anyone who was abusing opiates for over a year get tested for blood problems. They are not uncommon.

johnrambo

I agree with you. I've been there several times explaining to them that something doesn't feel right. I've been to different doctors and had an EKG, spinal tap and MRI. All of my tests come back clean. The last time I went he started asking me for my psychiatrist's records so obviously he's done listening to me. But I don't see any reason to go back anyway, I've had every test come back clean so I'm thinking at this point it may just be something that doesn't have a real explanation like fibromyalgia or something that doesn't really have a real solution or test for. I just thought maybe it was normal withdrawal and so I thought I'd ask you guys if I could attribute it to PAWS, just a thought.

Nightsd

It could also be mental. I know my EXTREME lethargy following my detox for weeks was caused by depression and lack of motivation. When I found new motivation to do stuff, when I WANTED to do something, I was much less fatigued. I mean I was so tired I could barely get out of bed for weeks, and it was all mental.

djensen

I am only 3 days in but my muscle fatige is exactly what you are describing. I get blood tests done every 3 months and all is good, aside from my underactive thyroid that I am on meds for. I am hoping that this will go away naturally for both of us and I think that our "feel good" chemicals are not naturally being produced yet, that might have something to do with it or I could be totally wrong, just reaching.

johnrambo

Yea, I was reading a lot about CFS and hypoglycemia, both of which alcoholics and druggies are prime candidates for. I think one of those two or both could be the culprit in my case. Plus I'm pretty sure just being a druggie could cause these symptoms. And like you were saying, it could just be our brains aren't working right yet, I mean it does sound neurological so I wouldn't doubt symptoms could be this strong. I sure am glad I got all the big, bad and ugly stuff ruled out. I'd be a basket case right now if I hadn't.

oxyious

Mine was bad and VERY annoying.. it was almost like RLS.... It didn't matter how much I stretched my legs-- it felt almost orgasmic stretching my limbs, but the same "tired, restless, fatigue" came back within minutes.

I got some relief by doing couch/chair exercises. I didn't have the energy to go run a mile (I have bad knees, I couldn't even jog a mile slowly if I wanted to), but I found relief by doing the "bike" on my couch. (putting a pillow under my rear end and moving my legs like I'm cycling". I know it sounds stupid if your legs are exhausted, but it honestly helps. There are a LOT of mini-excercises you can do from bed or in a chair, look em up-- they certainly can't hurt ou to move your limbs around and get some circulation going. UNLESS the Doctor told you not to move around, then you need to consult him/her.

Again, it brought me relief, but we are two different ppl.

Zencat

I was wobbly in the mussels for three weeks after coming off junk. I had a demanding manual labor job at the time...so that didn't help.

Plenty of liquids, vitamins and supplements, as I always did anyhow, may have helped. I guess I just had to work through it to get payed and that attitude helped too.

djensen

My aches are a little better today, Day 4, but still just overall achy. They dont HURT like they did the first few days but if I dont move around every once and a while I get really stiff and achy.

Hang in there everyone!!!

oxyious

Hey Rambo, are you feeling any better yet? I remember my bout with the fatigued/restless legs but thank goodness, it didn't last too long. I hope yours is the same and clears up soon. I keep waiting to go into withdrawals from my stint in the hospital, but I've been off them for six days, so I think a dodged a bullet. (Wasn't on anything long enough). But don't think it didn't bring back the cravings which I had under control before the MRSA.

Nightsd

Like most other people I had restless leg syndrome to the EXTREME when in acute withdrawals. All I did was KICK AND KICK AND KICK, even when I tried (and failed miserably for DAYS) to sleep.

I also recently developed restless legs/limbs. However what I had was called "akasthisia" and it was a bad reaction to an SSRI I was prescribed.

johnrambo

It seems to be getting a little better, thanks. I think diet and exercise my have a lot to do with it (I know, DUH)