What to do about opiate cravings right after waking up??

[Sportsguy86]

Hi all,

Swim quit opiates cold turkey 7 days ago and feels great. Physical withdrawal is gone and he know he'll be fine and move on. He's basically able to do anything now and feel perfectly fine--it doesn't feel like his brain's been messed up too badly. He's guessing this is because his run with opiates was only less than a year, with only 3 months of everyday use. During this time he was doing on average about 80mg total per day of oxy--with days as high as 150 and low as 20. He also never snorted the oxy, only swallowed. I believe this is a big reason why he's not more pyschologically addicted because when you snort the brain ties the snorting and the high together more closely. He's also young and smart which has helped him realize how stupid he was being. Now only a week later, he feels like a totally new person (actually the one he was just a year ago before he ever touched an opiate).

That said, the only thing he has some trouble dealing with is waking up in the morning. This was his favorite time to take one because its generally the worst he feels during the day, the 15 minutes or so right after he wakes up. Achy, tired, agitated. This has always been the case, even before opiates. After he takes a shower and eats and gets going, he is fine. He used to love taking some oxy RIGHT after he woke up, before doing anything and it would make him feel amazing.

He's beginning to think alot of it is more than temporary discomfort causing the cravings. After you wake up, you've gone 8 hours without doing any logical thinking--and so when he first wakes up he really crave its--because youre somewhat detached for a few minutes of the logic of why you quit in the 1st place. Also, when he was hooked, this was his favorite time to do it because it was usually the longest he'd gone without it (8 hours). As the day goes on, and you start to feel good physically and begin thinking logically--you realize you dont need it at all and feel great.

Anyways, this isn't something he can't handle--as it usually passed within 15 minutes, but he'd like to know if anything has experienced the same thing--and how they dealt with it. Either way, he'll be fine--this really is very mild, but I'd like to make sure he's totally clean.

Thanks!!

[blackdb1]

Swim can realte to swiy 100%! Swim started using when he was 17 years old every now and then just when he couldn't find weed. Eventually he came to like it and his use became more than just once in a while, he was using 3 weeks out of the month. About a year and a half later he was using everyday. At this point swim knew his habit was getting out of control so decided to cease use of opiate drugs (oxy 99% of the time). He tried many times to quit but kept relapsing out of boredom AND what swiy state about enjoying the morning dose the most.
Swim always has felt like absolute shit in the morning! He is out of it, sluggish, still tired, etc. Swim always LOVED waking up and blowing 20mgs of OC. He always had to have it in the morning or he would use way higher doses because he missed the rush of euphoria bringing him out of that morning time grungy feeling.
Now swim had pretty bad cravings for a while after quitting successfully about 4 months ago. After a while he just didn't think about that morning dose. Swim always has a ciggarete first thing in the morning along with a pop. He kind of uses those 2 to do the same thing the oxys were doin for him. Anyways swim no longer has the cravings that were BAD at first after quitting but became almost invisible to swim. Now swim'll use every once in a while and though hes playing with fire he can cessate use when needed and encounters no problems being sober. He really had to learn to really enjoy life sober before he could use without falling right back in to the addiction!
Swim hopes this has helped swiy in some way!!! If swiy have anymore questions or would like some insight swim would be more than happy! PEACE

[Sportsguy86]

Thanks for the response! I'm glad someone else can relate. Unfortunately for swim, (or fortunately, lol) he doesn't smoke or really have any other habits and he's not trying to trade one addiction for another so thats out of the question. he's sure time will do the trick--and as of right now it is totally manageable. He honestly could care less if he had some right now.

He knows hes only 8 days in, and hes very aware of how little that is--but he's pretty proud of himself right now. He will go clean for sure til he graduates from college in mid-May--which will make one month. Then he will re-evaluate whether he can go with OCCASIONAL use, like yourself. He's leaning pretty strongly to not touching the stuff again because he know how quickly things can spiral back to where they were. He considers himself lucky for escaping, as many can't, and doesnt want to play with fire again. But then again, he'd be foolish to say today that he will never touch an opiate again. If he finds himself at a point in the future where he really believes he can use once in a while, he will consider it.

Any opinions on that?? Is it really stupid after a while off to try to use occasionally--or is that just the 1st step in ending up where you once were?

[blackdb1]

Long time since swims been on the forum!!! Swisportsguy swim personally can indulge in opiates every once in a while now, but this took him a very long time to be able to do without spiraling right back into addiction!!! The main thing that made him able to do so was finally being able to enjoy sober life... This was an impossible thing at first as swim HATED being sober and thought of drugs and only drugs... Swims thought process was something like "swim needs a job, ya swim'll go look for a job today, swim needs opiates to go look for a job,,, damnit!!!" Something similar to this at least. haha

In time swim gained enjoyment in sobriety and became able to truly use ONCE IN A WHILE. Everytime swim would think "one time isn't going to throw swim back into full-blown addiction" but was just making excuses to use the drugs he truly missed greatly. Swim hopes hes giving swiy an idea of what to look for in swiyourself to analyze swiyour own addictions downs and thought processes on it...

Swim is actually hoping to obtain some oxycodone today as he hasn't had any in sometime... Probably around 2 months ago was the last time he was "high" on oxycodone. Swim will use 5 or 10mgs on occasion for pain and truly doesn't use to get recreational effects. Swim will have to be very cautious as to not think "wow this is great I can take some tommorrow and the next day without becoming addicted again" as this is the thought proccess that has always gotten him back into addiction!!!

Swim wishes swiy great success on swiyour road to happy sobriety and knows that since he did it ANYONE can do it!!! All swimmers have a great day and succeed in at least one goal for the day!!! later

[Ididnotinhale]

Hi Sports Guy,
Swim is really impressed about his recovery and how ballsy and quickly he has done it. Swim might suggest that swiy uses caffeine in the morning, like a cup of coffee, redbull...etc. Even though this is trading addictions, swim has never had any trouble getting off caffeine especially compared to opiates. Caffeine isn't dangerous and it's a lot better than relapse. Most importantly, make sure you cut off all ties swiy has with anyone who can get oxy or is a dealer, this is probably one of the biggest dealers. If swiy has a horrible craving and has nobody to call he should be safe till the craving subsides.
hope that helps and good luck

[oggy]

Sports Guy, your young and you must love sports. Try having your red bull very first thing then go on a 15 minute morning workout. Swim has a elliptical trainer/cross trainer and that gets Swim motivated in the mornings. And you will find it takes drugs off your mind. Plus makes you very healthy, they say you burn most of the fat at that time wile preserving muscle.

Al-tho Swim had been addicted to methadone for 6-7 months and heroin before that, then before that oxy's, DHC, codeine. Ended up with a 2 n a half year opiate addiction trying to block out mental thoughts. Swim is now 8 days and 16:00 hours clean and feels 60%. They say methadone takes a few more weeks that's all. In one full month Swim will be 100% almost 1/3rd through it.

You've done well, you just need another fix in the morning and working out gives you an intense rush of euphoria. Best of luck, stay clean

oggy added 19 Minutes and 55 Seconds later...

Originally Posted by Sportsguy86

Any opinions on that?? Is it really stupid after a while off to try to use occasionally--or is that just the 1st step in ending up where you once were?

Swims believe is once an addict, always can be an addict again. So this idea to use occasionally will end up, hmm that was good can't wait for the next time. Now you've given in, you've aloud yourself to do it once, why not again? Never done me any harm. Is this kinda not how your addiction started of in the very first place? See where Swims going with this.

Take an apple or some piece of fruit or snack to bed. Munch this as soon as you wake, then either jump in the shower and waken up or do 15 minutes exercise then shower. You'll feel great.