Needing answers???

[Rudy]

I am new here and hoping for some answers to what I am feeling. Abit about myself... I have enjoyed drinking since I can remember. Had alot of wake up calls that I shouldn't drink, as I never knew my limits in the past. The older I got, I learned my limits, which kept growing as my tolerance did. I am a binge drinker. I never came to terms with myself I had a problem until the start of this year... I could not go more than 3-5 days with out wanting to drink. I would drink up to 10 drinks a night, sometimes more, couple times a week. I did not believe I had a problem because I could last 5 days without one. I have resorted to hiding my bottles around the house and making up excuses to myself why I should buy more when I ran out. Three months ago a family member of mine passed away and I recieved other bad news regarding my health. I drank everynight for 2 weeks to deal with it. Withdrawl for me was hard when I cut back. I have now quit drinking for 3 weeks. I am very proud that I made it this far. The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th day were the hardest. I am glad to say that the cravings have gotten alot better. But, now I have all of these other symptoms that I am not sure what to make of. I always had anxiety and cranky after stopping for a couple of days. Three weeks in and this area has not improved much. I feel in awful moods and feel I have no control to set it straight. I go for walks, sometimes helps. How long before I can start to feel normal again with my moods? For the first week or 2 after stop drinking I bloat and retain alot of water. This has went down alot, but my sugar levels are all messed up. I eat alot of fruits and veggies. My body and mind are changing alot. I am still scattered brained thru out my day and have trouble concentrating. My sleep is also not so great. I wake up constantly thru out the night and never feel rested in the morning. I want more than ever to feel normal and healthy again, but wondering how long I will have to wait???

[bonita]

you know i dont have the answers...

im only 21 and am on day 5 of my quit myself...

your drinking pattern sounds a lot like mine!!

lets quit drinking together!!!!

the oldbies gave give you advice on the other stuff...if you're still online...join me in the shoutbox :)

this site is amazing by the way! i was here about a year ago and they helped me out a lot!! wish i would have stayed around but now im back!!

[Lil]

Rudy I am going on week 12 of sobriety. My first few weeks sound very similar to what you are going through now as far as anxiety and cranky. My moods were up and down and I have a lot of exhaustion. Just relax and let your body adjust. It sounds ike you are eating well and adding a multi-vitamin and drinking lots of water will help too. SLEEP when you can. My sleep was weird! It is much better now. Congratulations Rudy! Glad to see you here!

[TwinCity]

Hey Rudy,

Even if you have to wait forever for these to change, it will still be worth it.

Good news is that you don't have to wait forever :D

I found that it's best to not worry about it, your body will "normalize" in time. While you are waiting, find some new hobbies, exercise regularly, and treat yourself great.

A lot of people including myself find that taking epsom salt soaks, eating ice cream, and taking supplements like fish oil or flax--(if you don't eat fish), vitamin b12 (for your nervous system) and a once daily multivitamin. You sound like you are already eating healthy so I wouldn't worry about that.

Just do things that make you happy as often as possible. Get involved in your community, volunteer somewhere like the humane society, keep going on your walks.

You sound like you are doing great, just keep it up, and everything will fall into place in no time.

[bigsister987]

I think given time things will improve for you. Having said this, if you find the moods are not improving you may want to think about some form of counselling/therapy, or anti depressants. Chances are you have been medicating problems or difficult feelings with alcohol. A lot of people here have found anti-depressants a huge help. Perhaps get some medical advice.

[Rudy]

Thank you for the replies...
Not sure where the shoutbox is located, but I am definitely up for quitting drinking together. I need all the support I can get. My family does not know of my problem and my husband only knows to a certain extent. I am going to get the vitamin B today and hopes that helps with the stress, which I have alot of in my life. 4 kids under the age of 6 and a marriage that is on the rocks.
I slept alot better last night :))
Glad to have found this site and have people who can relate with me...

[Lia~~]

Hey Rudy!

You should start feeling better soon-- add some good protein to each meal. That will help stabilize your blood sugar. When you notice a surge of anxiety, try eating a tablespoon of peanut butter-- that raises blood sugar and keeps it stable for a bit. Supplementing with Super B complex vitamins helps with the mental acuity.

I am glad you are here--you may find it helpful to start a diary-- just go to diary thread on home page and start a new thread, naming it whatever you want your diary to be named.

The shoutbox is the chat on the top of the home page. Just hop in there and post (you will have to change your font color under user CP cause the default color is white and is practically invisible).

Welcome to a great place. :)

[dietcokeandcoffee]

Welcome Rudy!
Its all going to get better, just stick with it and each day will be brighter.

The ice cream thing is the best tip yet.

[Hoots]

The more days under your belt the more it will get easier but not to say that some days are a drag. Just don't drink today...

Stay strong,
Hoots

[pathtohealth]

Welcome Rudy!

I am so happy you found this site because it is a lifesaver.
I also have 4 children, but mine are between the ages of 8 and almost 22 now.
You deserve to be healthy and happy. Life is always better sober.

[Rudy]

Thanx again for the replies...Still have not had a drink. Coming up 30 days soon. I feel great, not a 100%, but definitely loving life alot more. Drinking really depressed me, but for some reason I did not see that. I am still scared that I will fall back into that ugly trap! I started out saying to myself that I would take the summer off and after I would drink in moderation now and again. NO!!!! AV talking. I have accepted I will never be able to drink in moderation as I enjoy the feeling I get with the first couple drinks and that is where it begins to be habit forming again. I will have to live with not drinking at all knowing the consequences. My husband has been saying I have changed, he doesn't know why, but I am more relaxed and not as moody... I have put on weight :( , but I figure it is better than being a drunk. I am being nice to myself and eating normally again. Something I didn't do while drinking. I would start drinking around 4pm, drink all night, sometimes until 4 am without eating at all. I could only imagine the damage I did to my body.
I am so glad to have my life back, and can't believe how much of it I wasted getting drunk and making stupid decisions in my life. Some I will have to live with for the rest of my life, but I focus on the positive and how much worse it could have been.
Thank you again for your support!

[Lil]

Rudy,
So glad you are here...I have been sober 88 days. I did have some weight gain. I just have to let that part go...we probably needed the nutrients! Hope to hear more from you...we are all here together!

[franacropan]

I feel in awful moods and feel I have no control to set it straight.

When I quit drinking I found that I upped my caffeine intake because I started having coffee and tea instead of alcohol. I made a determined effort to quit caffeine and found that my sleep and mood improved. On caffeine my mood used to be up and down throughout the day, which I now realise was caffeine related....you have the next tea or coffee to relieve the withdrawal from the last one.

[Rudy]

I know what you mean about the coffee and tea... I cut it out of my diet before I even stopped drinking. I would have a cup in the morning and by noon I was jittery and cranky. Without the coffee I no longer suffer from headaches. I just have to cut out sweetner, another bad culprit in my life. Tommorow is 30 days of no drinking!!! I must say I would have never made it this far if I didn't up my veggies and fruit when I would get a craving. Not to mention ice cream... The guilt I feel from indulging in ice cream twice a day is nothing like the guilt I had laying in a bed all day hungover:)

[greengirl32]

Above you said you've kept your drinking from your family and to a certain extent your husband. A lot of people here (including moi) have tried to hide how much or how often we drank, as well as other things like feelings or emotions. Perhaps when you are moody or cranky (if that's all it is, and not major depression) maybe you could reach out and talk to a friend or your husband. Ask for support, share a little of your struggle with someone else who is going through a tough time. Start your journal to express things you may have been covering up with alcohol, whether it's boredom, fear, lonliness, or whatever.