Patients who have stopped using opiates using the Coleman Method and gone through the withdrawal process often wonder why their energy levels are so low and ask about ways they might boost it.
Long-term opioid use can have life-threatening side effects that range far beyond the difficulty of withdrawal symptoms. Such long-term consequences include increased risk of cardiovascular complications, hyperalgesia, increased risk of infections, and even psychological and cognitive deficits. After extended use of opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin, Percocet®, Opana®, Dilaudid®, Vicodin®, etc., stopping is no easy matter. Neither is the first several weeks of detox and withdrawal. Cessation of these opioid medications leaves the brain with a deficit of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.
Not only is there a lack of dopamine to contend with, but many patients who have been using opioids for an extended time have not focused on other important aspects of their health. Eating, sleeping, and moving have often been compromised and impaired.
Getting Energy Back After Opioid Withdrawal
There are no magic pills or shortcuts, but people absolutely can restore their brains and bodies, leading to optimal energy levels. This healing process after opiate detox requires intention and compassion. It helps to have a solid plan.
My suggestion? Get a blank book and create a personalized Habit-Tracking plan. Incorporate these five items to start, adding other energy-enhancing goals to support the commitment to avoid relapse and remain drug-free. Below are five suggestions for boosting energy after opioid withdrawal:
1. Do Nothing. Relax After an Opioid Detox.
In the early days following a rapid opioid detox, patients routinely plague themselves with energy-draining thoughts such as:
- I had more energy on pills.
- I’ll never feel better.
- I can’t function like this.
- I always relapse, this detox process will be no different.
- I can’t bear the physical sensations.
- I can handle a lower dose of opiate-based medications.
The recovery community refers to such thoughts as Stinkin’ Thinkin’. Fighting or trying to resist or suppress these thoughts saps unnecessary energy.
In The Joy Diet, Martha Beck, Ph.D., talks about the importance of starting your day with "doing nothing."
"Doing nothing" means do nothing intentionally: Meditate, practice mindfulness, contemplative prayer, or do pranayama breathing exercises at a designated time for a certain duration every day.
Without the awareness of the patterns of thoughts that recur over and over again, it becomes all too easy to believe one’s own thoughts—even if an alternative thought might be as true—and bring peace rather than stress.
Remember, the brain has developed neural pathways reinforcing thoughts and behaviors supporting opioid use. The goal now is to create new pathways of thinking and action. This can only happen when we become quiet enough to notice the thoughts. A major key to a successful treatment is learning how to change these deeply rooted thoughts and behaviors.
Enormous amounts of energy can be harnessed by decreasing resistance while dialing up awareness to such repetitive, harmful thoughts.
This step is essential for learning that we are people who have thoughts, but we are not our thoughts. Any long-term recovery and rebuilding energy after opioid withdrawal requires the skill of separating ourselves from our thoughts and a positive focus on mental health.
UNDERSTANDING ACCELERATED OPIOID DETOX
2. Get (Good!) Sleep
Trouble sleeping may be the most frequent concern we hear from patients who have been treated at the Coleman Institute. According to the National Institutes of Health, over 75% of people suffering from an opioid use disorder have sleep problems. You just can’t overrate the importance of sleep in restoring energy levels, particularly after going through the process of stopping Percocet, Roxicodone, Oxycontin, etc. Although we offer medications to help with this in the short term following the detox process, creating habits that support sleep is key.
Many resources are available online detailing proper Sleep Hygiene.
Consistently mentioned tips to restore sleep include:
- Avoid caffeine. The energy-enhancing effects of caffeine are well known and may provide a temporary ‘buzz’, but this may come back to bite at bedtime. Some people are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine than others. Try weaning slowly for a week, then turn to caffeine-free beverages.
- Go Dark. When it’s time to sleep, turn off any gadget that makes light. The blue light that comes from our electronics interferes with “melatonin production and stimulates the alert centers in the brain as a survival benefit to keep us awake and aware in daylight.” Kelly Brogan, MD, A Mind of Your Own; page 186. Using a lightweight eye mask can be an incredibly helpful device if it is difficult to completely darken a room. Even people who insist they cannot tolerate wearing anything on their face may be pleasantly surprised at the effectiveness of an eye mask.
- The National Seep Foundation suggests limiting daytime naps to 30 minutes. Napping can’t replace inadequate nighttime sleep, but a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness, energy levels and performance.
- Exercise. As little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as walking or cycling, can improve nighttime sleep quality. Between 76-83% of individuals who engage in light to vigorous exercise daily report better sleep quality. Most people should avoid strenuous workouts close to bedtime, although the effect of intense nighttime exercise on sleep differs from person to person.
- Keep a consistent bedtime. Figure out a good 7-8 hour chunk of time for sleep that works with your life, and try to honor these hours…even on the weekends. Many smartphones have settings to remind you when bedtime is nearing, and when it’s time to rise and shine.
- Allow 3 hours between your last meal and bedtime; if you need a bedtime snack, Dr. Kelly Brogan, MD, author of A Mind of Your Own, suggests a handful of raw nuts.
3. Eat Well
Good eating habits have often been compromised in people who have been on long-term opioid-based pain medications such as Opana, Percocet, Dilaudid, and Vicodin. Many of these people also suffer from chronic constipation. They have likely forgotten the feeling of energy that comes with a healthy appetite and a healthy diet.
There are so many recommendations for the best diet out there, it can be mind-boggling. Vegan? Vegetarian? Pescatarian? Paleo? Mediterranean?
Although all of these diets differ in some way, there seems to be agreement about a few things:
- Avoid processed food as much as possible. These are foods that generally come in a box or a package and have a long list of ingredients. If a product has a shelf life that allows food to stay intact long after it’s made, that’s probably a great thing for the food manufacturer, but not a great thing for the body. Especially a body that has just gone through the opiate detox and withdrawal process. Why put more toxins in?
- Eat food that looks as much like it did when it came out of the ground or dropped off a tree. Think about it—our bodies are not so different now than when we first evolved. But the foods that are so readily available for consumption often look nothing like the original fruit, grain, vegetable or nut that was its origin.
- As the science of nutrition continues to evolve, it seems the trend continues to go back to basics. Healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, avocados, certain types of fish, are believed to be heart-healthy and non-inflammatory. As much as possible, stick to these fats.
- Watch out for hidden sugars. Sugar causes a quick insulin release from the pancreas, which can then drop blood sugar so low that energy levels plummet. This low energy causes people to eat more sugary products to try to restore their energy, and a vicious cycle ensues.
4. Fight Low-Energy Levels After Opioid Withdrawal With Exercise
Patients getting off Percocet®, Dilaudid®, Opana®, etc. are "returning to their bodies." Without these opioid-based medications, they may be intimidated by physical sensations they haven’t felt for some time, and be guarded about making any moves that could potentially cause pain.
While it is important to clear any vigorous exercise program with a medical professional, it is also true there may be nothing that generates more energy after an opioid detox than moving one’s body.
Start slowly. Gentle stretching and walking are one of the best formulas out there. The majority of our patients who have been treated with opioids such as long-term morphine are stunned at the minimal discomfort they experience when the meds are gone and they start to move again.
Not only do people benefit physically from moving, but psychologically as well. Both walking and being out in nature have been shown to reduce depression and improve mental health. Mild aerobics can create natural endorphins which can aid in improved moods, heightened energy levels, and more restful sleep. Increased feelings of wellness play an important role in preventing the return to substance use.
Another great option to help move the body is yoga and meditation. It’s a wonderful addition to an established recovery process. Yoga means to yoke, which means to connect the body and mind. The things we do with our minds affect the body and vice versa. There are lots of varieties of yoga and meditation so finding which one resonates is key. The goal is to allow your brain to take a break, and subsequently your body. Sobriety is an evolutionary process, and yoga and meditation can help you continue to strengthen your ongoing recovery from opioids.
5. Track Progress After Opioid Withdrawal
Patients who come to the Coleman Institute in our Richmond, VA, office or in one of our regional clinics around the nation to get off fentanyl, Roxicodone®, Oxycontin®, or other opioids typically have scheduled follow-up appointments every one to two months. Therefore, it is easy for us to see the progress patients have made in restoring energy levels, sleep, relationships, and mood.
One of the most beneficial practices for our patients is to keep a journal. A brief—or lengthy—daily entry is a powerful motivator as people see the progress they are steadily making. There is nothing as satisfying as reading back on the first low-energy, foggy days post-detox, and realizing how far one has come.
Use the front pages of the journal for your Habit-Tracking, as noted earlier, and the following pages to document the journey itself.
Realistically, it will likely take the body several weeks to begin to rebuild dopamine after detoxing from opioids. These first few weeks are a great opportunity to start to incorporate energy-building life-long practices. The first step, of course, is to get off opiate-based pain medications.
6. Opioid Detox and Withdrawal Timeline
The sensations of opiate withdrawal symptoms can be extremely challenging. It can be helpful to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel waiting for you. The timeline for withdrawal can vary based on the types of substances formerly being used. Opioid withdrawal symptoms typically begin 8 to 48 hours after the last use and can last 4 to 20 days. It’s important to note that different different types of opioids commonly have different withdrawal timelines. There are ways to ease the process including eating a healthy diet and exercise.What is the Safest Way to Detox From Opioids
For those looking to detox off of opioids, the most effective approach is usually to enlist the help of addiction specialists, like those at the Coleman Institute, to remove opioids from the brain in the fastest, most comfortable way possible, followed by Naltrexone Therapy to reduce cravings and help patients succeed in their long-term recovery.
Our Accelerated Opioid Detox uses the Coleman Method to deliver a positive experience for those suffering from Opioid Use Disorder. Here is a synopsis of how the Coleman Method works:
Day 1: We will ask you to stop using the drugs about 6:00 pm the night before your first appointment. This means you will arrive for your appointment on day one already in mild withdrawal. We give you a tiny dose of naltrexone and then a customized set of comfort medications to address symptoms that may start to emerge.
Intermediate Days: The second day of the rapid detox is similar to the first in that you continue to receive another tiny dose of naltrexone and comfort medications throughout the day, adjusting dosages as necessary.
Final Day: The remaining opioids are gently removed from your brain, typically over 6 to 8 hours, while you relax in a comfortable bed in our office. Then we administer long-acting Naltrexone, and you can return home knowing that all of the opioids have been removed from your brain.
With the right preparation, anyone facing dependency or addiction can find the path to recovery from opioid addiction through a safe outpatient detox program and by implementing proven methods to get their energy back after opioid withdrawal. With over 8,500 patients treated using the Coleman Method, you can feel confident that our process and protocols are well-refined to give you the best possible detox experience and help you launch your recovery journey.
The Coleman Institute is dedicated to making this process safe, gentle, and effective. We’ve been the leaders in Medication-Assisted Treatment using the opiate blocker, Naltrexone, for Opioid Use Disorder for over 20 years. Contact our team of addiction specialists with your questions and take back your life today.
Joan R. Shepherd, FNP
