how long to feel normal
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MD
Posts: 58
how long to feel normal
Sorry for the whining i'm about to do...
So I finally quit drinking and i'm 4 days without alcohol. It was kind of a wake up call when I started to have withdrawal when I quit because I never thought that I drank seriously enough to have that happen to me. So anyways I went to my doctor blood pressure was pretty high, nausea, shaking, headache, and very very anxious. He gave me enough valium to last me three days and wanted me to come back. I just went back and he won't give me anymore valium he says he doesn't want to replace the alcohol with this but i'm still not ok my blood pressure is still really high even with the medication, i still have a headache and the valium wears off too quickly and i feel very anxious. He gave me naltrexone which I now realize that I can't take because I"m starting my job as a nurse soon and at the physical and drug test they will ask what i'm taking and i can't tell them that I have an alcohol problem, and paxil which will take 2 weeks to work and if i still feel like this i'm going to drink before then. What it comes down to is that I don't like feeling sober and I can't handle it especially with this anxiety. How long did it take you to feel normal??? I just don't know what to do I can't deal with this and he won't help me. He just said to go to 2 or 3 aa meetings a day which I already do go to 1 or 2.
So I finally quit drinking and i'm 4 days without alcohol. It was kind of a wake up call when I started to have withdrawal when I quit because I never thought that I drank seriously enough to have that happen to me. So anyways I went to my doctor blood pressure was pretty high, nausea, shaking, headache, and very very anxious. He gave me enough valium to last me three days and wanted me to come back. I just went back and he won't give me anymore valium he says he doesn't want to replace the alcohol with this but i'm still not ok my blood pressure is still really high even with the medication, i still have a headache and the valium wears off too quickly and i feel very anxious. He gave me naltrexone which I now realize that I can't take because I"m starting my job as a nurse soon and at the physical and drug test they will ask what i'm taking and i can't tell them that I have an alcohol problem, and paxil which will take 2 weeks to work and if i still feel like this i'm going to drink before then. What it comes down to is that I don't like feeling sober and I can't handle it especially with this anxiety. How long did it take you to feel normal??? I just don't know what to do I can't deal with this and he won't help me. He just said to go to 2 or 3 aa meetings a day which I already do go to 1 or 2.
Awaiting Email Confirmation
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,942
Go to meetings.
Do service work, GET INVOLVED.
Get a sponsor.
Start the 12 steps.
LIVE the program.
I mentioned in another thread here that the promises the program has to offer came true when I started keeping the promises I made to the program.
You'll get out of your recovery what you put into it. It's not all about the alcohol.
Keep coming back.
Do service work, GET INVOLVED.
Get a sponsor.
Start the 12 steps.
LIVE the program.
I mentioned in another thread here that the promises the program has to offer came true when I started keeping the promises I made to the program.
You'll get out of your recovery what you put into it. It's not all about the alcohol.
Keep coming back.
Awaiting Email Confirmation
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 482
hang in there Em - as hard as it is to go through imagine having to go through it again (and again and again like me).
I can't give you any advice - I'm on day 3 myself, but hang around here and keep posting.
If you're worried that your doctor isn't doing the best thing by you get a second opinion.
I can't give you any advice - I'm on day 3 myself, but hang around here and keep posting.
If you're worried that your doctor isn't doing the best thing by you get a second opinion.
problem with authority
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 870
Congratulations on your time and your willingness. I can relate to having withdrawal symptoms even though "I didn't drink that much."
Two things that helped me in very early sobriety (11 months as of today):
1. Recognizing that I was accustomed to controlling exactly how I felt at any moment through alcohol and/or other drugs and compulsive behaviors, and knowing that sobriety would entail my not doing that any more. That urge to "shake the etch a' sketch" on my emotions would no longer work for me.
2. All the physical - and mental - symptoms of early and long-term withdrawal were signs that my body was healing. Sort of like a scab...it itches! (And it takes 90 days to grow a new brain cell, so the brain is no different in needing to heal.) But giving in to the urge to drink would only mean I would repeat this experience and go backwards. I needed to develop a backbone.
Hope the next day is a better one.
-M
Two things that helped me in very early sobriety (11 months as of today):
1. Recognizing that I was accustomed to controlling exactly how I felt at any moment through alcohol and/or other drugs and compulsive behaviors, and knowing that sobriety would entail my not doing that any more. That urge to "shake the etch a' sketch" on my emotions would no longer work for me.
2. All the physical - and mental - symptoms of early and long-term withdrawal were signs that my body was healing. Sort of like a scab...it itches! (And it takes 90 days to grow a new brain cell, so the brain is no different in needing to heal.) But giving in to the urge to drink would only mean I would repeat this experience and go backwards. I needed to develop a backbone.
Hope the next day is a better one.
-M
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,733
My last bender really strung me out for about 4-5 days. I felt horrible. My hangovers always start with gut wrenching anxiety. My 3rd day sober my hands were shaking and I didn't want to look or talk to anyone still. I thought, I can't work like this! Day 6 and I started feeling so much better. Very little anxiety. I'm only 16 days sober and I feel good physcially. My neck isn't hurting as much and I have little to no anxiety around people. I'm perky and bubbly, everyone is noticing the change in me. Espeically co-workers. I feel like me again if you know what I mean. If you're at day 4, you might be surprised at how different you'll feel tomorrow and the next day.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Good to know your doctor is being caucious.
If he considered your BP to be dangerous
he would have said so.
Try to relax. You are most likely going to see
a lot of improvement by day 6 or so.
...You too can win over alcohol.
If he considered your BP to be dangerous
he would have said so.
Try to relax. You are most likely going to see
a lot of improvement by day 6 or so.
...You too can win over alcohol.
To Thine Own Self Be True
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 1,946
Yoy CAN do this and I was going to say a week. It was about a week before I could start lifting my head up and look around. Take care of yourself, drink a lot of water, start taking daily vitamins, eat well and get enough sleep. When you can't sleep, read the Big Book. That was my lifeline for the first 2 weeks. It does get better if you just don't pick up, just for today :ghug3
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Em, physically and mentally every one is different, tons of different factors. For most folks the physical portions worst parts are over with in 4-7 days. There are some long term things for some folks, look at the stickies at the top of the boards for "PAWS"
The real hard part is the mental part, for me mentally I was in a fog for over a month, it got better day by day, but the fog really did not begin to lift for over a month. I slowly saw mental improvements for over a year.
The worst part of the mental deal was the obsession for a drink, early on what helped the most was the following things:
1. Meetings, lot of meetings.
2. Calling at least 3 people in the fellowship, even if it was for nothing more then to say hello. (I quickly discovered that the people I was calling were glad I called because I was helping them to stay sober as well as myself)
3. Getting a temporary sponsor and talking to him every day.
4. HALT.... I made sure I did not let myself stay Hungry, I avoided Anger at all cost, I worked hard at not being Lonely, and made sure I got as much rest as I could to avoid being Tired.
5. Prayer, especially the serenity prayer.
The above got me through the first 2 months, then I started to get really squirrely, a drink kept seeming like a really good idea. Well the old timers in the meetings kept saying that when I was ready for the pain to stop and to really start getting better to work the steps with my sponsor. Well I got a new sponsor because my temporary one although a great guy and a lot of help traveled a lot on business and we got to work on the steps.
In working the steps I found releif from so many things in my life and the obsession to drink was lifted, I became free!!!! Free of the obsession for alcohol, and free from myself, I became a part of the world and a part of the solution.
Keep in mind that none of us reached the way we got over night, it took time! We can not expect to get better over night either because we simply stopped drinking, getting better takes work and it takes time......... time takes time!
Be patient, it will get better with time, just deal with it today, this hour, this minute if need be. Just commit to not drinking today, focus on today and not drinking, tomorrow is never here so why worry about it.
The real hard part is the mental part, for me mentally I was in a fog for over a month, it got better day by day, but the fog really did not begin to lift for over a month. I slowly saw mental improvements for over a year.
The worst part of the mental deal was the obsession for a drink, early on what helped the most was the following things:
1. Meetings, lot of meetings.
2. Calling at least 3 people in the fellowship, even if it was for nothing more then to say hello. (I quickly discovered that the people I was calling were glad I called because I was helping them to stay sober as well as myself)
3. Getting a temporary sponsor and talking to him every day.
4. HALT.... I made sure I did not let myself stay Hungry, I avoided Anger at all cost, I worked hard at not being Lonely, and made sure I got as much rest as I could to avoid being Tired.
5. Prayer, especially the serenity prayer.
The above got me through the first 2 months, then I started to get really squirrely, a drink kept seeming like a really good idea. Well the old timers in the meetings kept saying that when I was ready for the pain to stop and to really start getting better to work the steps with my sponsor. Well I got a new sponsor because my temporary one although a great guy and a lot of help traveled a lot on business and we got to work on the steps.
In working the steps I found releif from so many things in my life and the obsession to drink was lifted, I became free!!!! Free of the obsession for alcohol, and free from myself, I became a part of the world and a part of the solution.
Keep in mind that none of us reached the way we got over night, it took time! We can not expect to get better over night either because we simply stopped drinking, getting better takes work and it takes time......... time takes time!
Be patient, it will get better with time, just deal with it today, this hour, this minute if need be. Just commit to not drinking today, focus on today and not drinking, tomorrow is never here so why worry about it.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MD
Posts: 58
Thanks for all the advice. The night that I wrote this I drank again, I just started panicking and thinking how much I missed drinking and then stayed up all night doing it then. Last night I got the same feeling so I just made myself go to sleep.
I do have a temporary sponsor and when I told her that I drank that night she said well you should I have called me. I said well it was 2 am and she told that is an emergency call me at anytime it doesn't matter.
I have started going to more meetings and different ones. I had just been going to the same place that has three everyday but other meetings have been really good too.
I'm just so worried i'm starting my job in a month as a nurse so I need to be ok and I can't even go 4 days..
I do have a temporary sponsor and when I told her that I drank that night she said well you should I have called me. I said well it was 2 am and she told that is an emergency call me at anytime it doesn't matter.
I have started going to more meetings and different ones. I had just been going to the same place that has three everyday but other meetings have been really good too.
I'm just so worried i'm starting my job in a month as a nurse so I need to be ok and I can't even go 4 days..
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
I'm just so worried i'm starting my job in a month as a nurse so I need to be ok and I can't even go 4 days
You have a good sponsor, and I can assure you that any one else that you are now calling would be much happier for you to call them at 3 in the morning, then they would be for you to call them the next day and tell them "I drank last night because I did not want to call you to late."
AA works because it is one alcoholic helping another..... if someone called you at 3 in the moring and said they were going to drink if they could not talk to someone what would you do?
Would you get mad at them and hang up or would you talk to them knowing that the next time it may be you calling them?
Keep in mind that the people in AA have been where you are at right now, one of the reasons they have stayed sober is because someone else was willing to help them.
When I give some one my phone number I let them know they can call me any time day or night.
ever closer...
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 361
Em, Can you go to inpatient detox/rehab? I am almost 4 months sober and am a nurse. I have been an RN for 17 years and for all i knew it just didn't help me. I still drank alcoholically and still was unable to seek medical help to detox. Looking back now I wish I had been more open with everyone but still i don't know if I would have been strong enought to go to rehab. That sounds crazy but so is this disease. You must just surender and accept the facts no matter how tough they are.
As I just told someone else...keep visiting reading and posting here, go to AA and read lots of books about addiction.
As I just told someone else...keep visiting reading and posting here, go to AA and read lots of books about addiction.
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