Appetite return as part of recovery

[CurioAndTheCat]

For the past three days I haven't been able to eat much more than a granola bar. But right now, as I type, I'm wolfing down Wendy's nuggets and fries. Oh, man, is it nice.

Has anyone else found this to be a sign of recovery? A healthy appetite? Any experiences with recovering from substance abuse or alcoholism and how it affects appetite? I was always one of those I-don't-like-to-eat-when-I-drink people...

[reed]

yeah appetite does return. when i started drinking constantly i weighed 185, when i checked into rehab, i weighed 150. needless to say, i had no appetite when i drank 24/7. when i got outtah ''hab after 28dayz i weighed 170.....so yeah you will be eating, your body doesn't hafta process booze all the time so it is lookin for food i think.

[51anna]

This is good and keep working at eating well.

[CurioAndTheCat]

I'm not sure if it was the switch-over from being saturated with alcohol or just the anxiety and guilt I felt for putting my loved ones through all the crap I did. I'm eating better now, but I feel like my stomach has shrunk. I can't eat nearly as much. I had Singapore rice noodles last night, and when I was absolutely stuffed it looked like I hadn't even touched them. Ah, well. Maybe this'll help me get rid of this lil' beer gut, haha.

[reed]

no you are right bout your stomach being shrunk. give it some time. eat three meals a day, one early in the morning at like 7 or eight (even if its just cereal and fruit), lunch and dinner. stick to an eating plan so the empty sack (your stomach) will expand. and then enjoy your new found energy! this is what is done in rehab.....the most important meal is that first one early in the morning...you'll be surprised how hungry you will get by 12.

[CurioAndTheCat]

{{{reed}}}

makes me wish i didn't work 2nd shift. i had mcdonalds for brunch about four hours ago, and i'm famished. can't wait to go home and eat the rest of those rice noodles from last night, muaha.

yay for eating! haha

[Marius]

When I was drinking I rarely ate, had no appetite, I would only eat half a sandwich at best. A week or so after stopping I started to get my appetite back and it was a great feeling.

[coming_clean]

I'm still an addict, who struggles with a few days sober and a few days not sober per week..

When i'm not sober I hardly eat, when I'm sober I eat a lot. Maybe to compensate??

[CurioAndTheCat]

Seems to be a trend, heh. I finally finished an entire Whopper value meal last night (with an order of cheese sticks, on top of that). Needless to say, my girlfriend was quite happy (she's never happier than when she sees me eating.. I keep telling her she's gonna make me fat). Let's hope this sticks!

[beckybeagle]

I am going though same problem. I have been a nibbler as far as I remember, but once I have a meal, I eat like a person who starved for monthsd. LOL
most of time, until I feel sick. But it's getting better. I have to come up with meal plan that works for me. If problem persists, I will go see a psychiatrist or psychologist. Hanging in there.

[reed]

flash fried halibut...grrrmmhhh

[ogunquit]

Hi:

I'm doing the same thing, eating. It's funny that when your drinking, you don't want to eat to loose the buzz your creating. For me, it's sweets. I'm having a love affair with strawberry licorice!!

Why do we replace one with another? Now the next hurdle is losing weight. First, it was the beer weight, that didn't go too quick, (28 days today). Oh well, One day at a time.

Thanks.

[reed]

when i was drinking constantly i just wasn't hungry, it had nothing to do about maintaining my buzz. I dropped probably forty pounds in over 2 and a half years just by drinking. quite the unhealthy diet, probably killed my stomach a bit (i already know about the liver).