jh1

Well, just a little about me-27 started drinking hard bout the beginning of college around 19/20. Do the usual thing I guess which was binge thursday,friday,sat. Sober up sunday, monday -go to class get my work done then repeat. Since I graduated and have moved on doing a similar type schedule though the last few years i drink alone a lot. I've always been that guy who is fun to drink with to a point then I blackout-like I've always blacked out-just figured that was my thing-not a big puker-then somehow i stay up the latest often drinking through the night into the next day. I make a a goal to at least go to the gym 3/4 times a week (usually, can be inconsistent, depending on when i drink), so I usually stay away from drinking for about 4 days while doing that then ill fall into a 2/3 day binge.

just recently I binged by myself the whole time for 4 days Sat night to sometime early wednesday morning. not quite sure exactly when i stopped nor do i remember much of any of the time between besides a few here and there's. This is where I'm concerned. I've been reading up on my withdrawal symptoms and am worried. I experience the stuff like weird sleeping patterns/insomnia, lack of energy, some numbness and "tingling" throughout my body, random muscle convulsions in different places where it looks like theres like like something beating under certain areas, um, heart palpitations, and I finding myself taking lots of deep breathes with a lot of pressure in my mid back -like the area where the heart would be-feels like I always need to crack it. Usually after like a few days of the lessening of these symptoms im back to normal-going to the gym feeling pretty good. I do usually 15-20 minutes of pretty extreme cardio fitness after lifting weights when i go. Usually feel fine, tho see my pulse can get way up to about 180 sometimes , i do go very hard though cardio wise for shorter periods of time, pushing myself. I also think my normal resting pace is usually only around 48-55 which i know is very low.

just the combination of all these things and reading about things has given myself some very real and scary thoughts. From what ive experienced i think i might have some type of form of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Anyways I just wanted to see if anyone has been a victim of certain symptoms and just let people know I've really acknowledged my problem and want to do something about it. Im going to seriously look to stop drinking completely for awhile and see how i feel, and hopefully permanently after that. These symptoms have been around for quite some time obviously to different affects depending if i have just like a one night binger or it goes on for 2/3 days, and im tired of them and dont want to live like this anymore. thanks for listening.

CarolD

...Welcome to SR!

The very best thing you can do is have a medical check up
and be honest with your doctor about your drinking and symptoms.

Then you can know exactly what is going on with your body.

Glad your here with us...

CAPTAINZING2000

The alcoholic blackout is defined as a period of amnesia or memory loss that is caused when alcohol consumption levels prevent the formation of memories in the brain. The memory gap usually extends for many hours but can go on for several days. Interestingly, the person can act normally and carry on normal conversations during the period of blackout but will never remember anything that went on. Blackouts are sometimes referred to as alcohol poisoning by the medical community and are considered an early high-risk sign of alcoholism.

It is entirely possible for blackouts to occur after just a few drinks or even the first time a person drinks at all however, blackouts most generally occur in an alcoholic. Once the disease of alcoholism has become so severe that the person cannot function without drinking, and has lost complete control over sobriety, the blackouts take over. Blackouts are an indication of the severity of the alcoholism. In some cases, it can be the rise in the blood levels of alcohol and not the actual amount of alcohol itself that triggers the blackout. The presence of blackouts can definitely indicate severity of the alcoholism however; the absence of blackouts does not necessarily indicate that the person does not have a problem with alcohol.

There has been new evidence to show that blackouts can be connected to people with a previous head injury. In this case, the mere presence of alcohol can cause the blackout rather than the level of the alcohol.

The New Facts On What Causes The Alcoholic Blackout


Sounds like, my drinking behavior. It continued to get worse not better as my drinking progressed later on in life!

jh1

Well thanks for the greeting and info guys. Yea its pretty much expected ill blackout at least part of the night now days. And i do want to get a medical check up, its just been so long and I really don't have a primary physician.

I guess for me the toughest days which should come in like 3 days from now is usually when withdrawal symptoms are gone and i have energy and have gone to work out a few days in a row and feel good again-then you know what happens next. But yea I need to get checked one of these days, this heart pressure, deep breathing after binging and my heart bpm do scare me. But this week coming up I'm going to really put forth my best effort and just try to see if i can make 10 days then go from there-haven't done 10 days sober in a long long time. 3/4 is usually my magic number of sober days.

CAPTAINZING2000

Hope, you try an aa meeting !!

CarolD

The problem with de toxing by yourself is that's it not
predictible ...even when You have done so before.

Please read the top sticky post here and note
that not everyone had the same experience.

Do keep posting with us...many of us have been
in your situation and we are now sober...

doorknob

Blackouts are scary. And I black out a lot quicker these day. Just one good reason not to drink!

jh1

thanks-lots of good stuff in that sticky. I definitely identify with those symptoms as i have a few now, and have felt them before after the crazy bingers like i did recently. The insomnia is weird-just feel like i couldnt sleep if i tried-of course shaking, tingles in hands/feet. This is actually one of the worst come downs ive had in recent memory. the chest tightness i guess is scariest now-still gotta take deep breaths now and then to feel somewhat comfy. Otherwise, i drove around fine earlier, am drinking and holding down food. Ill see how i feel tomorrow im really hoping this chest tightness goes away, usually does.

CarolD

Ok...don't hesitate to call 911 or get to an ER
if your de tox goes haywire.

Are you alone?
Might be a good idea to have someone come over tonight.
Ideally...with a car and medical knowledge...

My dear friend John helped me.
He had been to a treatment center
and so knew more than I did about withdrawal.

Heck! my cat knew more. than I...
It never drank alcohol.

Good to know your keeping food and water down.
The more water...the better.

jh1

yea i live alone-i have my parents within 5-10 minutes though and woulnt hesitate to call 911 at all if something started going really haywire. I find i dont really want to go to sleep because im scared something might happen when im asleep-tonight will prob be another long night. oh well i can deal with sleep deprivation. thanks again for support

HideorSeek

Please take care of yourself. We care about you. Welcome to a worldwide circle of friends!

CarolD

I'm glad you are going to do 911 and that your parents are near...
just in case....

Here are some tips about sleeping

Insomnia? 41 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep - Insomnia treatment, cures

but with de toxing a factor...they may not be useful.
I never like to sleep..I've not tried them.

One of the best things about joining us....
you can find information and support 24/7

We also have a Chat room ..check that too.
There will probably be members hanging out
after the meeting is over.

Keep posting...and Yes! you too can win over alcohol.

ralph9898

You should go see your doctor asap. Be honest about your drinking and ask to have a comprehensive blood test performed. Most likely there is nothing seriously wrong with you--but your nervous system is probably way out of wack from your drinking pattern. I quit regular weekend-night binge drinking about 2 1/2 months ago because of similar symptoms to yours. I went to my primary doctor and a neurologist and told them about my weekend drinking and my symptoms. I had the random twitches I believe you are speaking of. It looks like there is a little heartbeat under your skin in random areas around your body at random times. My neurologist described it as benign fasculation syndrome. He said it is not related to drinking, but I am not so sure. BFS is definitely related to anxiety and stress, as well as a hyperactive nervous system. Heavy drinking and then stopping causes your nervous system to become hyperexcited when you are not drinking. This causes many anxiety related symptoms. Heart palpitations are many times due to anxiety. Numbness in your extremeties could be a sign of peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage caused by too much alcohol consumption. You need to quit drinking (with your doctor's supervision). Your body is telling you to! This is your chance before something serious happens to you.

My blood test came back in range for all tests that were done. So the doctor and neurologist both said all of my symptoms are anxiety related. I got tension headaches starting about a week and a half after stopping drinking (which continued for about 2 weeks or so), and felt extremely anxious (like I was going to have a panic attack) up to a month after quitting. I had a slight tremor in both hands for about a month after quitting. I also had occasional heart palpitations up to a month or so after quitting.

After 2 1/2 months without a drink, I feel a million times better. I have been practicing meditation and deep breathing to relax my nervous system. I exercise more and eat healtier. I no longer have any heart palpitations. The serious anxiety and headaches are gone. My life is much better. I think clearer and am much calmer. But I still have the twitches/fasculations. I went to the aboutbfs website to learn more about them. They are annoying, but are apparently not harmful.

jh1

ralph thats a very helpful post and im going to plan on going to see a physician on monday-even tho i dont have one i go to regularly and haven't been to one in forever. My last visits have all been to the hospital because of dumb things ive done blacked out like cut the back of my head open, chin open, etc. Yea, ha, it's time to call this little thing i called fun the last 7/8 years what it is- a very powerful substance that can ruin peoples lives. And for me alcohol was never a mask of a deeper down problem it was just merely the product of the environment and people i was around from 18 on and my inability to know my limits ever-and then it turns into using any excuse to abuse more and more times and amounts. Scary thing is I really believe this little problem can grab ahold of anyone-as it has most of my friends-mostly to lesser extents-but it still has.

CarolD

Ralph...
Welcome to SR and our Alcoholism Forum.
Good to know you have quit drinking...

When I did...I was back in balance mentally and physically
by the end of my 2nd month of AA recovery.

I was following an eating plan + supplements found in
"Under The Influence" by Milam & Ketcham..
I consider that contributed to my quick rebound.

Good to see a new member...

CarolD

JH...
I see you are off line.
Hope all is going smoothly with you.

jh1

Im here, just had some dinner. Still having the deep breaths, back pain, etc and quite delirious from no sleep. I was thinking most everyone of my friends we get together to drink heavily. Im gonna get really bored when weeks go by of nothing to do. And living alone isn't a good thing but i know my vices when im alone. I always tend to go rent movies and then hit the bottles throughout the night...and then of course into the next day almost always. So, i think a big part this first stretch is just gonna be stayin away from any rentals, as weird as that sounds. And hopefully ill look to find AA because i know this is not going to be easy.

jh1

thanks phal , i gotta get over that dang hump. Good work on 8 days-ill be stoked if i can make that-im going to make it, gonna take work , but i gotta.

ralph9898

Thank you JH1 and Carol. This site helped me quit. Reading the stories of what alcohol can do to people combined with my physical symptoms scared me straight. Before those, I thought drinking 8-10 drinks every Friday and Saturday night was normal. I didn't really know how bad alcohol was. Like you said JH, nearly all of my friends do it. The thing you don't see is that some of them may be experiencing the same issues you are, but they don't tell you. You only see them when they are having fun.

Carol, I also changed my nutrition. I have been juicing carrots/celery/cucumbers/apples and drinking it every other night. I have been taking various supplements, including magnesium and vitamin B complex. I have been trying to eat more natural food and less processed/fast food. I also have been going to church and praying. I have turned this into a challenge/goal, and that has helped. I think the combination of quitting drinking, the nutrition change, the prayer, the meditation and deep breathing, and reading sites like this one have made me so much healthier and less anxious.

JH1, you can do this, but it sounds like you might need some help in stopping your drinking. You also need to be prepared for your anxiety symptoms to increase over the next month or so. Like I said, I felt at times like I was going to have a panic attack. I also had pretty bad headaches and my hands were shaky. The twitches got worse. Everything got worse after about a week of not drinking for me. It will not be easy. You need to find alternative ways to relax if and when the anxiety kicks in (meditation, yoga, deep breathing, weight lifting, muscle tension/relaxation, biofeedback, etc.) But if you can make it through the first month or so, it will get better. And I can tell you I feel amazing now.

CarolD

Ralph...

About 20 years ago I too decided to juice.
So I bought. one....mid price range...from a well known source.
When I found that I was to soak everthing .. skins on...
in some unknown "cleaning" powder that was included
I returned the unused juicer

Curious if that is still the recommended way to juice?
Soaking for hours before cutting up the veggies/fruits?
As I am now a Type 2 diabetic...I would ... of course
check with my doctor before beginning .

I did not intend to but since Ralph
mentioned juiceing...