Rough Day and Looking for Advice
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
Rough Day and Looking for Advice
So this morning started normal. I got up, went for a 6 mile run and then to the office. I ran 8 miles yesterday because my gym is moving over the weekend and won't have access.
When I got home my left arm was sore and kinda tingly (fingers too). I made the mistake of googling symptoms. I had a small lunch and tried to chill but I couldn't. My anxiety got the best of me so I went to urgent care. They did some neck x-rays and said I may have a little vertebrae pinching but it could/should go away without treatment.
I felt pretty good about that. My wife and I decided to do takeout from Qdoba. I did a massive burrito. When leaving I thought "I'll do a 6 pack for the football game tonight and then when the gym reopens Monday I'm all in on training and will quit drinking for good." So I bought a mix n' match 6 pack and went home.
I ate my burrito and was digesting watching the game. I got an email saying that I had to be in work early so that saved me from drinking. Then out of nowhere I got super dizzy. This had happened the last time I drank and one other time due to stress.
I've had a stress EKG and heart echo in August so I know it's not my heart. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Today is 43 days sober for me.
When I got home my left arm was sore and kinda tingly (fingers too). I made the mistake of googling symptoms. I had a small lunch and tried to chill but I couldn't. My anxiety got the best of me so I went to urgent care. They did some neck x-rays and said I may have a little vertebrae pinching but it could/should go away without treatment.
I felt pretty good about that. My wife and I decided to do takeout from Qdoba. I did a massive burrito. When leaving I thought "I'll do a 6 pack for the football game tonight and then when the gym reopens Monday I'm all in on training and will quit drinking for good." So I bought a mix n' match 6 pack and went home.
I ate my burrito and was digesting watching the game. I got an email saying that I had to be in work early so that saved me from drinking. Then out of nowhere I got super dizzy. This had happened the last time I drank and one other time due to stress.
I've had a stress EKG and heart echo in August so I know it's not my heart. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Today is 43 days sober for me.
I suffered from some pretty intense health anxiety, and could literally manufacture/manifest physical symptoms at times when I really obsessed about certain things. Headaches became brain tumors. Forgetting someone's name became Alzheimer's. Dizzy spells became strokes. And Dr. Google helped me all the way along :-)
Obviously having real physical symptoms checked is the right thing to do, bit don't underestimate the power of your own mind. Have you ever spoken to anyone about the possibility of anxiety?
Obviously having real physical symptoms checked is the right thing to do, bit don't underestimate the power of your own mind. Have you ever spoken to anyone about the possibility of anxiety?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
I definitely have anxiety and was also diagnosed with OCD. I drank for 5 years bc when I quit smoking cigs/weed my anxiety spiked and I didn't know I had the OCD component and alcohol "helped." Now I'm trying to get this all straightened out. Health anxiety is/was definitely a component.
Congrats on 43 days sober! To improve your life, and thereby your sobriety, do two things: practice gratitude every day and practice kindness every day.
Those two things turned me around and profoundly changed my attitude and perspective.
Those two things turned me around and profoundly changed my attitude and perspective.
I suffer from nerve problems a lot.
I have cerebral palsy which means I'm a little twisted up body wise (probably mentally too lol) and the older I get the more I have joints and nerves rubbing on stuff.
I get the tingly almost numb arm feeling too - I got a diagnosis much like yours - no answers for you tho I'm afraid.
Drinking will do nothing for anything and make you worry and obsess more - dump the 6 pack man
D
I have cerebral palsy which means I'm a little twisted up body wise (probably mentally too lol) and the older I get the more I have joints and nerves rubbing on stuff.
I get the tingly almost numb arm feeling too - I got a diagnosis much like yours - no answers for you tho I'm afraid.
Drinking will do nothing for anything and make you worry and obsess more - dump the 6 pack man
D
My only experience of tingling is as a precursor to a visual migraine. Starts in the ends of my fingers and works its way up. Then later my vision will go askew, sometimes followed with nausia and dizziness. Migraine relief and sleep are the only things that get rid of those for me. Those bad boys can be triggered by anxiety as well.
Anyway - best bet is to get checked over by the doc again.
Hope you're feeling better now anyway.
BB
Anyway - best bet is to get checked over by the doc again.
Hope you're feeling better now anyway.
BB
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
I called my doctor and he wasn't concerned since I've had a recent physical, blood work and EKG.
I took the pills I was given when I went to to ER a month or so ago with similar symptoms. I can't tell if they work or kick in after the dizzy spell is over.
Wondering if it could still possibly be my body adjusting to no alcohol but in my mind doesn't seem possible at 6 weeks.
I took the pills I was given when I went to to ER a month or so ago with similar symptoms. I can't tell if they work or kick in after the dizzy spell is over.
Wondering if it could still possibly be my body adjusting to no alcohol but in my mind doesn't seem possible at 6 weeks.
I was in a s#it load of trouble physically, when I got sober. However, even after all my test results improved and I was on medication to help repair my body, my health related anxiety was total hell at times. I also have anxiety, ptsd, and OCD.
I had anxiety attacks that would mimic heart attacks. I could convince myself in an afternoon I had something else. My anxiety could mimic almost any symptom I got obsessed with. It was awful.
I visited the dr. a lot. I hated it. The people here can tell you I complained about it a lot. I also got therapy. A lot of that too.
Most of my early sobriety was going through the motions of doing the right thing even when my head told me not to. It's really hard to put into words. I didn't trust my judgement anymore because all that ever got me was wasted.
So I just put one foot in front of the other until time took care of a lot of the intensity of the emotions.
It gets a lot easier. The cravings start to go away and your brain won't be going a million miles a minute and you start to get comfortable in your own skin again. It just takes time.
I had anxiety attacks that would mimic heart attacks. I could convince myself in an afternoon I had something else. My anxiety could mimic almost any symptom I got obsessed with. It was awful.
I visited the dr. a lot. I hated it. The people here can tell you I complained about it a lot. I also got therapy. A lot of that too.
Most of my early sobriety was going through the motions of doing the right thing even when my head told me not to. It's really hard to put into words. I didn't trust my judgement anymore because all that ever got me was wasted.
So I just put one foot in front of the other until time took care of a lot of the intensity of the emotions.
It gets a lot easier. The cravings start to go away and your brain won't be going a million miles a minute and you start to get comfortable in your own skin again. It just takes time.
Thinking about it one of the things I DID go to the docs for in the first couple of months of being sober (must have been because we moved to a different city at about 3 months) was dizzy spells. I don't suppose I'd have mentioned much about alcohol in the past, although I probably made a point of saying I was NOT drinking nowadays - the BB brand of selective honesty. They told me it sounded like high anxiety and to use breathing exercises to help it pass quicker (in the nose, out of the mouth slowly) - and actually despite me thinking I'd been truly fobbed off, that did make a difference and although dizziness came at times until I started working on my recovery properly, at least it passed quicker and I didn't get myself in a paddy thinking that I was dying (which I did at the start). When people said that alcoholism is three-fold, (physical, mental and spiritual, it took me a LONG time to appreciate the implication of that).
Hope you get to the bottom of the cause of your dizziness. BB
Hope you get to the bottom of the cause of your dizziness. BB
An overwhelming compulsion...
Not something I've experienced myself, although I do remember one Saturday morning on an, son I thought, innocent trip to the library being overtaken by an overwhelming compulsion. Way beyond my self will, to drink and immediately went and bought four cans of super strength lager, went home and chug a lugged them straight down..
Which blew the remainder of the day out of the water, leaving my original good intentions in tatters...
There are no room for god intentions in recovery from alcoholism, like there are no half measures, in drinking alcohol 'takes no prisoners' you cannot, from mine and others experience, negotiate and, like learning spirituality, only you can do it No one else can, albeit as on SR, they can share their experience, strength and hope...
Which blew the remainder of the day out of the water, leaving my original good intentions in tatters...
There are no room for god intentions in recovery from alcoholism, like there are no half measures, in drinking alcohol 'takes no prisoners' you cannot, from mine and others experience, negotiate and, like learning spirituality, only you can do it No one else can, albeit as on SR, they can share their experience, strength and hope...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
Not something I've experienced myself, although I do remember one Saturday morning on an, son I thought, innocent trip to the library being overtaken by an overwhelming compulsion. Way beyond my self will, to drink and immediately went and bought four cans of super strength lager, went home and chug a lugged them straight down..
Which blew the remainder of the day out of the water, leaving my original good intentions in tatters...
There are no room for god intentions in recovery from alcoholism, like there are no half measures, in drinking alcohol 'takes no prisoners' you cannot, from mine and others experience, negotiate and, like learning spirituality, only you can do it No one else can, albeit as on SR, they can share their experience, strength and hope...
Which blew the remainder of the day out of the water, leaving my original good intentions in tatters...
There are no room for god intentions in recovery from alcoholism, like there are no half measures, in drinking alcohol 'takes no prisoners' you cannot, from mine and others experience, negotiate and, like learning spirituality, only you can do it No one else can, albeit as on SR, they can share their experience, strength and hope...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
I was in a s#it load of trouble physically, when I got sober. However, even after all my test results improved and I was on medication to help repair my body, my health related anxiety was total hell at times. I also have anxiety, ptsd, and OCD.
I had anxiety attacks that would mimic heart attacks. I could convince myself in an afternoon I had something else. My anxiety could mimic almost any symptom I got obsessed with. It was awful.
I visited the dr. a lot. I hated it. The people here can tell you I complained about it a lot. I also got therapy. A lot of that too.
Most of my early sobriety was going through the motions of doing the right thing even when my head told me not to. It's really hard to put into words. I didn't trust my judgement anymore because all that ever got me was wasted.
So I just put one foot in front of the other until time took care of a lot of the intensity of the emotions.
It gets a lot easier. The cravings start to go away and your brain won't be going a million miles a minute and you start to get comfortable in your own skin again. It just takes time.
I had anxiety attacks that would mimic heart attacks. I could convince myself in an afternoon I had something else. My anxiety could mimic almost any symptom I got obsessed with. It was awful.
I visited the dr. a lot. I hated it. The people here can tell you I complained about it a lot. I also got therapy. A lot of that too.
Most of my early sobriety was going through the motions of doing the right thing even when my head told me not to. It's really hard to put into words. I didn't trust my judgement anymore because all that ever got me was wasted.
So I just put one foot in front of the other until time took care of a lot of the intensity of the emotions.
It gets a lot easier. The cravings start to go away and your brain won't be going a million miles a minute and you start to get comfortable in your own skin again. It just takes time.
I also have a 4 month old son now and learning to deal with that stress plus the not drinking plus the OCD and plus adjusting to a new marriage with the baby is overwhelming at times.
I'm contemplating trying Lexapro that I was prescribed but scared of side effects.
It took a long time before the sobriety thing stuck, but I was always trying.
For me, most of this is for my family. My daughter didn't ask for any of this so it's my responsibility to make sure she's not scarred from it.
I hate to sound cliche' but Oprah once said "When you know better, you do better." So as a father, I have to do whatever it takes. Painful and messy as it is and was, just persevere.
If the Lexipro is too scary, try something else. I was on an anti-anxiety for the first 6 months I was sober. There are sooooo many out there now. Just make sure they don't give you any class benzos. Those are very dangerous for people in recovery.
The OCD stuff was really hard to treat. There isn't any meds that work for it like good ol' fashioned CBT therapy. Cognitive Behavior Therapy. When I got into that; when I was in rehab, I made a lot of progress very quickly. A lot of it for me was I didn't understand most of what I was feeling. Getting to talk about it in therapy helped, tons.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
I hate to sound cliche' but Oprah once said "When you know better, you do better."
If the Lexipro is too scary, try something else. I was on an anti-anxiety for the first 6 months I was sober. There are sooooo many out
The OCD stuff was really hard to treat. There isn't any meds that work for it like good ol' fashioned CBT therapy. Cognitive Behavior Therapy. When I got into that; when I was in rehab, I made a lot of progress very quickly. A lot of it for me was I didn't understand most of what I was feeling. Getting to talk about it in therapy helped, tons.
If the Lexipro is too scary, try something else. I was on an anti-anxiety for the first 6 months I was sober. There are sooooo many out
The OCD stuff was really hard to treat. There isn't any meds that work for it like good ol' fashioned CBT therapy. Cognitive Behavior Therapy. When I got into that; when I was in rehab, I made a lot of progress very quickly. A lot of it for me was I didn't understand most of what I was feeling. Getting to talk about it in therapy helped, tons.
So this morning started normal. I got up, went for a 6 mile run and then to the office. I ran 8 miles yesterday because my gym is moving over the weekend and won't have access.
When I got home my left arm was sore and kinda tingly (fingers too). I made the mistake of googling symptoms. I had a small lunch and tried to chill but I couldn't. My anxiety got the best of me so I went to urgent care. They did some neck x-rays and said I may have a little vertebrae pinching but it could/should go away without treatment.
I felt pretty good about that. My wife and I decided to do takeout from Qdoba. I did a massive burrito. When leaving I thought "I'll do a 6 pack for the football game tonight and then when the gym reopens Monday I'm all in on training and will quit drinking for good." So I bought a mix n' match 6 pack and went home.
I ate my burrito and was digesting watching the game. I got an email saying that I had to be in work early so that saved me from drinking. Then out of nowhere I got super dizzy. This had happened the last time I drank and one other time due to stress.
I've had a stress EKG and heart echo in August so I know it's not my heart. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Today is 43 days sober for me.
When I got home my left arm was sore and kinda tingly (fingers too). I made the mistake of googling symptoms. I had a small lunch and tried to chill but I couldn't. My anxiety got the best of me so I went to urgent care. They did some neck x-rays and said I may have a little vertebrae pinching but it could/should go away without treatment.
I felt pretty good about that. My wife and I decided to do takeout from Qdoba. I did a massive burrito. When leaving I thought "I'll do a 6 pack for the football game tonight and then when the gym reopens Monday I'm all in on training and will quit drinking for good." So I bought a mix n' match 6 pack and went home.
I ate my burrito and was digesting watching the game. I got an email saying that I had to be in work early so that saved me from drinking. Then out of nowhere I got super dizzy. This had happened the last time I drank and one other time due to stress.
I've had a stress EKG and heart echo in August so I know it's not my heart. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Today is 43 days sober for me.
Getting and staying sober is huge! It has to be the top focus over everything, at least in the beginning. I would moderate the exercise more and put more focus into your recovery at least for the first year of sobriety.
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 74
I ran 3 marathons last year but my running dipped and my drinking soared March-July 6th. I may have jumped in a little too hard. Going to increase the mileage a little slower going forward. I have a new appreciation of being fit. Can lose it quick but takes awhile to regain.
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