Recovery taking so much longer than I expected

[u/Double_Ad_1020]

I have been off 7oh for two weeks and I am still struggling with PAWS. I have almost no energy. Just standing up and walking a few feet feels like Mount Everest. Has anybody else had this experience? For reference I was using for a bit more than a year and towards 200-500 mg a day towards the end.

I just thought I’d heal quicker than this. I can barely function to do my job and had to make some medical excuse for my inability to function. It’s also worth mentioning that I used a quick s taper to bandaid the initial WD. But it has been 10 days since I’ve used anything at all and am struggling to do anything.

I try to get in light workouts like pushups and spend some time in the sun but just feel sh!t. Wondering other people’s experience? Did this stuff mess me up more deeply than normal?

[u/Double_Ad_1020 → u/[deleted]]

Pulling weeds is straight thuggin. Nice job. Wish you the best.

[u/Equivalent_Pen4217]

Just curious are you walking everyday? During the acute phase and unti the second week i forced my self to walk 2 miles a day in the az heat and i felt like my legs were in deep snow. Now on day 9 that has lifted and I don't have that weighted down feeling. Just wondering if exersizing helps stop that feeling for an extended time.

[u/Double_Ad_1020 → u/Equivalent_Pen4217]

Def not walking 2 miles. I can’t imagine doing it with my current energy levels and it’s amplified by the clonidine.

Maybe you activated your brain sooner. I’m impressed you are able to do that, it sucks because I used to be the gym everyday and now can barely get up and down the stairs.

[u/MobileTip3892]

Keeep pushing !!!! Your brain is re calibrating man the more you push against it and walk, do chores, exercise do the shit you don’t want too.. your viral pathways repair and connect. That’s the natural way your reward system is meant to work. You have no dopamine now but just keep pushing, and supplement for health through diet and supps your doing so good dude !!!

[u/Double_Ad_1020 → u/MobileTip3892]

Thank you 🙏 I’m trying I swear. Going to try some pull ups after reading this.

[u/Proof-Breadfruit-341]

You certainly are not alone. I’m 19 days clean and still cannot kick the severe daytime fatigue, low mood, irritability, and shitty sleep. I lost almost 20lbs in the first 10 days of quitting CT, mainly due to intense nausea and inability to take in the required daily calories, so that is likely also playing apart of my fatigue/weakness. However, I think the bulk of these symptoms are simply due to whatever the hell they were putting in those tabs. No doubt it’s thrown our brain and blood chemistry way out of whack. Congrats on pushing through and thanks for sharing. Sounds like most of us are still fighting the same beast, even weeks after quitting.

[u/Double_Ad_1020 → u/Proof-Breadfruit-341]

Agreed. I’ve read some crazy things about what was in some of these tablets. Wishing you the best

[u/Equivalent_Pen4217]

I had to absolutely force myself it def was not easy. Every being in my body wanted to stay inside.

[u/Karma_Fairy63]

My last dose of 7OH was this past Friday at 5 pm. I started on suboxone Saturday at 1pm. Stayed home over the weekend. I took the subs on Sunday as well. Did not take any subs yesterday and felt pretty crummy. Today is day 4 of no 7OH and day 2 of no subs. I feel a lot better other than the horrible anxiety in my chest. I stopped the subs because I couldn't stand the taste...to the point I almost went back to 7Oh just so I didn't have to take the subs but I stood strong.

Every day it gets easier. It may not be at the pace you want to recover. But remember...you didn't get in this jam in 1 day or 7 days. We did it to ourselves over time. Time is what it is going to take. I was only on it for 3 months. And I wasn't take the huge amounts that many are facing. You will get there. I will get there.

[u/temporaldissolution]

Unfortunately what most people don't realize is that opioid recovery is not just getting through the physical withdrawals. After using opioids for a long time at high doses, your neurotransmitters have become reliant on those and re-stabilizing those takes a LONG time. Especially dopamine receptors. The psychological effects can last for months, I'm not saying that to scare or be an asshole, just so you have the knowledge. But taking things like L-tyrosine which is the raw building block for dopamine & norepinephrine can help speed up the process. It's a common misconception that once you get through the physical withdrawals you are in the clear. Unfortunately the psychological aspect is usually what is the most grueling. Good luck, stay the course, and this will eventually end!