beauty/health question

[ink2]

okay i know this is going to sound trite in comparison to some of the other issues that alcoholic/addicted women have to deal with, but i would like to know from thoses "sisters" who have long-term sobriety (actually...the most i've ever gone is three days...so anything longer than that seems like "long-term" to me...) how their health has improved? my face looks so tired, dark circles under my eyes all the time...spare tire around my stomach/hips.

i would love to hear some feedback on this - to get inspired. i guess i'm worried that -at 36 years of age - the damage from 17 years of drinking and smoking is all done.

day three and still swimming.

kathryn

[splendra]

Hey I have been sober for 19 years!! I feel better than I did when I was 30 people think I am younger than my 36 year old sister and I am 50 she still uses too.but after I quit I drinking I did every health and beauty thing I could find to do that was natural and I could do on my own. I paid close attention to my diet avoiding sugar knowing that that sugar could cause me to relaps and eating as much fresh vegies and fruit as I could. It really helped myself esteem to do things that made me look and feel better...

[ink2]

it's weird...i've only got three days of not drinking and smoking under my belt, but i already feel healthier...i'm finding it easier to breathe and i don't look as haggard as i usually do.

heavy heavy binge drinking for the last 17 years; what do you think - is my liver shot? this question has me terrified, and i don't even want to check with my doctor on it. i did have my blood pressure checked and it is fine. whew!

i should probably be more concerned about the health of my internal organs - but i would like to get some of my youth back...feel like i wasted it, and that makes me sad. : (

[thanx2methodone]

Hi Ink!!
I have been clean of a brutal 5 years heroin addiction for 4 months now and I/everyone else just can't believe how my looks have changed!!(It's kindda funny you asked about this, cause my sis and i were talking about it the other night!)
I never really knew how "run down" i looked until now. My face was sunken in, my skin was pale and yellow, and at 5'6 i was 114 pounds.
In the past couple months everyone has noticed a change in my appearence. I have been told 3 x in the last week, that i look healthy, and that my skin just glows! (And these people didn't even knowthat i use to use). I have also put on 30 pounds in 4 months, which I don't know if i am too happy about.lol. But i guess it just comes with being healthy!!
I really don't believe that it matters how long you have abused something for, your health will always improve once you stop. Maybe there are some things that you just can't fix, well at least you wont be causing them to get worse!!

CONGRATS ON YOUR 3 DAYS!!!(and yes...that it a long time in 'addict time"!!)

Stay Strong!!! and you will notice your body changing/thanking you soon enough!!!

[clancy!]

Ink,

every day you dont drink and dont take a cigarette your lungs and liver gain a little ground. These are probably the worse two drugs for both your health and your looks. Right this moment your lungs are starting to repair themselves, and im sure your liver is enjoying the rest. Dont worry to much hon, as long as you are not displaying signs of jaundice (looking yellow, esp in the whites of your eyes) then I shouldnt think you have TOO much to worry about, but get that check up, and put your mind at rest.

I worry about my liver too although opium is my drug, and i dont drink or smoke.I was recommended(by an addiction dr) tincture of milk thisle to support my liver, you can buy it in health food shops here i guess where you are too.

Youth is a state of mind!! get in the fresh aid, eat lots of fresh raw foods, cycle, dance, walk the dog. Ive found doing Yoga a godsend, it teachs you alot more than funny positions! It really helps you too learn to breathe properly which is the first building block of life. Once you know how to breathe you can control your mind a little better. As well as tightening everything up and making you stronger!

But I would say get yourself a clean bill of health first. No point worrying what might or might not be, find out what IS. Then you have a place to start from, and you and your dr can work together on any issues you may have. Well done on thee days clean, that is just fantastic!!!

big supportive hugs xxx

[ink2]

i do have a doctor who has been very supportive of me through the roller coaster ride of my addiction; it's so important - if i felt i was being judged i would never go.

maybe best bet is to make a new year's resolution to make an appointment in the new year...i would like to out some sober days behind me first...to get a little more confidence.

(and can i tell you...it is day three...moving on into the evening...and now all i can think about is getting a drink. like the catastrophe that was my bottom three days ago - the end of my money, waking up in a scary place - it's like i can't even remember it....this is a crazy crazy thing to go through. i'm going to take a bubble bath.)

[bubblze30]

we nerver seem to pay attention while using and when we do our perception is usually distorted with drugs that when we finally put the drug doiwn and see clearly we think we look horrible but over time we tend to look better the longer we are clean. The truth of it all is we are aging we just never saw clear to it before as we were to high to care. Enjoy getting older sober don't beat yourself up just age gracefully.

[tobstah]

when I got sober, 5 months ago, i looked like utter crap. I mean.. yeah ok I was thin, but I had no idea that my skin tone was so bad! I woud put on coverup on my dark circles but they were always there.. and blush to add a pinch of life to my face! *(but it just didnt look right since i was so pale/yellow)

now I have gained 30 pounds (just like you t2m!) but i FEEL so much better, and I receive like 5 times the compliments...

but this isnt the most important.. the most important is the inside.. i suggest you go get your liver checked, as scary as it may be, it'll rest your consience and if there is something wrong well at least you'll know and thats half the battle!

<3