meadow04

" I am trying to quit drinking due to a pain in my liver area and high enzyme levels. I am having a hard time though because there is this voice in my head that says I'm only 30 and I have only been drinking heavily for about 3 1/2 yrs. Can I really have done that much damage in such a short amount of time. I drink every night and sometimes I am starting during the day. I'm scared and confused but I do know that I do really need to quit. Any thoughts? " :praying

CarolD

Yes...it's possible that alcohol has done damage
that's why checking your doctor is wise.

What is your new plan for sobriety?

Obviously...what you have been doing
is simply not working for you.

TTOSBT

Hi meadow!
I relapsed at 29 and it took me 10 years to get sober again.
In my opinion, health or not, this would be the perfect time for you to quit!
Don't lose your 30's to alcohol like I did. Cause now I am just trying to convince myself that 40;s are the new 30's,
Sweetheart, you are not that young and sobriety is the most wonderful freedom. Getting through the day with a drink is so empowering. I am woman, hear me roar, lol.
Be scared of drinking, not quitting!
Have you thought about joining a fellowship to get some support?
I attend AA and working the steps has made all the difference to me.
We are here for you, keep posting.
And WELCOME!!!!

maloneshawn32

Hi Meadow,

Quitting is very hard but now that you know you have health problems that might be caused from drinking now is the time to act. I had constant stomach problems related to drinking as well as extremely high blood pressure and was getting over weight and out of shape. And being involved in special operations for the Navy I was setting a pretty poor example for my guys. Not to mention my health problems could have caused an early death leaving my wife to raise are twins by herself.

Since I quit I have dropped my blood pressure to normal levels, have no stomach problems, no anxiety issues and have dropped 25lbs. and I feel great. It was hard for me at the beginning but seeing the damage I was causing myself and the people around me made me more determined than ever to get myself right. AA is a great resource and if that isn't your thing there are a bunch of other options. But you have to go in order to reap the benefits. You can kick this right in the a@$ but you have to act and act soon.

If you ever need someone to talk with or to write for support PM me and I will send you my e-mail address. I will help with whatever you need. For now start looking in your area for support groups and get the help you and your loved ones deserve. I wish you all the best and I am always here for you.

Shawn

SAMJ1972

Hi Meadow,

I am 36 and was hospitalized for pancreatitis about a year ago, due to drinking heavily for several years. It came on suddenly and scared me to death...and if I didn't finally find the courage to stop drinking, it would probably happen again and again until it killed me.

Just a few years of heavy drinking can absolutely harm your health....you're not too young to die from alcohol but you're definitely young enough to catch yourself in time and enjoy life to the fullest WITHOUT alcohol!

Good luck!

lizw

Hey

I got sober just prior to my 21st brithday and am now 30 (nearly 31).
I turn 10 years clean and sober this past July.

If there is one thing I have learnt in my time it is that my head will always have an excuse/reason as to why I shouldn't stop drinking. Just like it will always have an excuse on why it should start again.

But it never says to me, gee Liz you know the only reason you drunk was because you're an alcoholic. I get that kind of logic at AA meetings, from my HP and fellow recovering alkies.

:ghug

SelfSeeking

I just turned 27, 4 days sober. It took a few months after this story to be ready to quit, but what brought me to that point was an episode of frequent vomiting, extreme gastric upset, and upper right quadrant pain and tenderness following a truly severe binge. It wasn't a hangover. I was too frightened to go to the hospital and just waited for it to pass, and after 2 days it did, so I don't know for sure what it was; but I think it might have been pancreatitis. My drinking had "only" been frequent for 1 year, although I had a history of binging. I was 26.

Believe the tests, it can get that bad. But it's good that you know! Now you get a chance to treat your body right and start feeling healthy again.

debs4321

Dont you think you life is worth more than what the alcohol is giving you?

I know for me, and the health problems that came from my alcohol and other outside issues caused, made me take a good hard look at what I was doing to myself.

Of course it took me a few years more research before i finally decided. But, the damage is done. I know since I've gotten sober and even with the health issues at hand. I know my life is more precious to me now.

I have a wonderful family to live for, friends, and I owe to them to continue on my journey and to stay mindful of my health.

I have a disease (alcoholism) far more powerful than I could ever imagine.

If you dont do it for anyone else, do it for yourself.

TCF355

Yes, you can really do that much damage, and you should be scared, because the effects of alcohol abuse on your body can be fatal. Some bodies will be able to take more abuse than others. The good news is that the human body is unparalleled in its ability to heal, so the damage you have caused may not yet be irreversible. When I was checked into the hospital the day after my sobriety date, my liver was showing some pretty clear signs of damage from alcohol. Miraculously, four weeks later when I checked out, things were pretty much back to normal.

If you really do want to stop drinking, my advice to you would be to abandon this plan to "try to quit drinking" and get yourself into a program where you will have a better chance of success. If you are an alcoholic, quitting drinking will be no easy task even with the best support and resources, so no point in trying to go it alone as you will more than likely fail while your health continues to deteriorate.

Good luck!

TejasBrad

I whole heartedly agree with TCF355. My life was full of vain attempts to
"quit". I had no problem quitting, it's the staying stopped I could not pull
off. My experience is, that left to my own devices I will continue to drink
no matter the concequences. In AA I found a group of people who were
just like me and had found a way to stop and stay stopped through the
12 steps as outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. I was able
to find my truth, based on my own experience that I was alcoholic. I had
the symptoms of alcoholism. I now have the life I always dreamed and
more than I could imagine.

My prayers are with you.