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Terrible Symptoms -- HELP!!!!

Old 01-14-2009, 05:24 PM
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Terrible Symptoms -- HELP!!!!

Hello,

I have been a very frequent and heavy binger for about 5 years now. I landed myself in the hospital about 15 months ago on my birthday by drinking for 6 days in a row. During that time, I did not sleep much, vomitted a bunch, and on the 6th day I drank heavy for 24 hours straight. After I finally stopped, my heartbeat became very weird, i was very shaky, i had trouble speaking, i had tingling and numbness going through my whole body, i had extreme anxiety and panic, and i felt dizzy and terrified. I had to call 911 and go to the hospital. They didn't really do anything for me except blood work which came back normal. This event changed my body completely.
Ever since this episode, I have felt completely messed up (for the past 15 months). I continued to drink heavy (stupidly) and my daily symptoms for the past 15 months have included severe anxiety, bad paranoia (not about anything specific, just with being around people in general..not being able to look at people..it is the worst at places like malls), tingling through face/arms/legs, and intense feeling of lightning or energy flowing through my body (very uncomfortable), shakiness, real bad nightmares, i wake up multiple times through the night, my vision seems off because my environment seems to be wavering slightly...almost like a vertigo or dizzy sensation, my heartbeat is frequently very fast, i get twitches in my eye, jaw pain, dry mouth, amongst others. The worst symptoms are the lightning feeling through my body, the tingling/numbness, the anxiety, and the paranoia (because they cause the most discomfort and inconvenience in my daily life). Stressful situations or getting behind on sleep intensely magnifies all these symptoms.
So as you can see, I have been suffering A LOT on a daily basis for 15 months. Usually the worst is 2-3 days after a bender. I finally have decided that I am done with feeling this way and have resolved to stop drinking completely. However, it has been 14 days since I last drank and I still have all the symptoms...I am going to persevere but at this point I am really worried about permanent damage and wondering if I am going to feel like this forever. If anyone can relate to these symptoms (please be specific about which symptoms you get) and can give me an estimate about when they will go away...if ever...I would greatly appreciate it.
I am terrified that I may have peripheral neuropathy since the tingling in my legs and face is fairly constant. I have read online that that is permanent, irreversible nerve damage that can be caused by the toxic effects of alcohol. So what I ask of you all:
1. Has anyone experienced this whole host of symptoms? I know a lot of these are common withdrawal symptoms but please be specific if you have gotten them all comprehensively (or at least close)
2. Will these symptoms go away if I stay abstinent? How long do I have to wait? Will they go away completely with continued abstience or am I stuck with some of these symptoms for life?
3. Does anyone have experience with the tingling/numbness, heavy anxiety and paranoia, and the lightning feeling...and also has experience with stopping drinking and those symptoms persisting for some time? If so, how long did it take for them to go away? Did they ever go away completely?
4. I am very worried that I did permanent damage from that one heavy bender. I feel very foolish for continuing to binge for 15 months after that event (having a few more close calls in the meantime) but it is easy to ignore the problem (as you all know too well).
5. Will I ever be able to drink in very strict moderation way down the road (say in about a year?).
6. Are there any supplements or other advice you can give to get over the symptoms quicker?

Any other comments or advice would be greatly appreciated. I do not want my life quality to stay terribly degraded. I can't stand feeling these things on a daily basis.

Thanks for your help!!!!!!
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Old 01-14-2009, 05:40 PM
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Welcome, sorry I can not offer any advice, but you have found a good source of support. I do hope that you have seen your doctor re: your symptoms. I dont believe a person can drink in moderation after they have reached a certain point. Congratulations on 2 weeks, that is great!
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Old 01-14-2009, 06:00 PM
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Hello, Chris. Welcome to SR!


Please, please, PLEASE get yourself to a doctor pronto.




I am currently dealing with heart palpitations...the doctor doesn't know what's wrong, so I'm wearing a monitor. Chances are pretty good that I'm having this problem now because of drinking. I may very well have this for the rest of my life...I won't know more until another month or so.


The sooner you get a medical evaluation, the sooner you can receive any needed treatment. Besides, knowing what's going on can bring peace of mind. Please be honest about your drinking history when you go.

It is wonderful that you have two weeks of sobriety. Keep reading and posting!
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Old 01-14-2009, 06:05 PM
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Go see a doctor now! Be honest! Completely honest with the doctors! Tell them everything you have just told us. You life may well be in danger. If need be go to the ER. But please do it now.
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Old 01-14-2009, 06:49 PM
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See your doctor as soon as possible, but these all sound like anxiety and nervous system issues directly related to your alcohol abuse. I had similar symptoms to yours, but to a much lesser degree. I have had tachycardia in the past after binge drinking (a fast heartbeat, also called holiday heart syndrome). I have had severe anxiety, racing mind, and near panic attacks. I had tension headaches. I have had numbness and tingling in extremities on occasion. I had shaky hands. I still have twitches (neurologist described it as benign fasculation syndrome or BFS). For me, these symptoms were all due to the damage drinking has done to my nervous system. I have never heard of the lightning feeling, but it sounds like it could be a nervous system issue. Google it to see if someone else has it. Heart palpitations and even irregular heartbeats are many times related to anxiety as opposed to a heart problem. Paranoia and insomnia are anxiety symptoms. Social anxiety disorder is anxiety related.

The bad news is that for me it got worse before it got better. The first month of not drinking was terrible. I thought I had parkinsons or ALS or a brain tumor. But my neurologist and primary care physician ruled that out after blood tests, a CT scan, and reflex/weakness testing and said it was alcohol withdrawal. The good news is that after 3 months without drinking, all of those symptoms have gone away (other than occasional twitching, but it is better). There is a very good chance that if you can give up drinking for 2 or 3 months, that most or all of your symptoms will go away. It is amazing the body's ability to heal itself if you don't poison it anymore. So although you probably have done some damage, it is probably not too late if you stop drinking completely. I also thought I had permanent peripheral neuropathy, but my numbness and tingling went away. You will probably get back to close to normal eventually. But not in 2 weeks. Give it two months and see how you feel. I have read articles that say it takes a year or more to heal your body and mind from alcohol abuse. But don't have an occasional "bender." If you have a bender, that starts the clock back to day one.

There are plenty of threads on here and elsewhere about supplements and nutrition for alcohol abusers. Your body may be depleted of B vitamins and perhaps magnesium. A full blood test can figure that out. Your doctor can give you B vitamin shots if you are severely deficient. There are a lot of natural remedies for anxiety issues, such as meditation, deep breathing, exercise, muscle tension and relaxation, biofeedback, and acupuncture. I am even looking into some new age healing like chakra balancing to heal and balance my nervous system.

But do not take this as medical advice--this is just my experience. Keep in close contact with your doctor to get their advice. Tell him or her how much you have been drinking. Once you remove alcohol from the equation, any remaining issues can then be properly diagnosed and treated. Hopefully there are none left after a few months.
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Old 01-14-2009, 06:56 PM
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Welcome ...

Some of your symptoms might be explained by PAWs

Post Acute Withdrawl - Relapse Prevention Specialists - TLC The Living Center

Yes..I did have some of your symptoms when I quit.
After 2 months...they were gone..never returned
but...I never drank again either!

Why not keep a copy of your post and if you
are planning to have another drink...read it?
I did and it helps me stay sober...

Yes you do need a professional evaluation.
SR members are not allowed to give medical advice
we are not qualified to do so.

Good to know you've quit drinking.
The life you save is your own.

I hope you will continue to use SR
we have lots of supportive members ...

Last edited by CarolD; 01-14-2009 at 07:34 PM. Reason: Added Link
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Old 01-14-2009, 08:57 PM
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I had some peripheral neuropathy.. eye twitches, finger/hand twitches, muscle spasms in my legs. Anxiety, paranoia.. insomnia.

that has all disappeared completely over the past month of not drinking. I never want it back, and I will never drink again.

Please see a doctor.. your symptoms may not even be alcohol related. Bloodwork can only look at certain things. Have you ever had an MRI of your brain/spinal cord? EEGs? CT scans?

Alcoholics cannot successfully drink moderately. If they could.. well.. none of us would be here right?
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Old 01-14-2009, 09:26 PM
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Get as much medical help you can. In time your problems should improve if you stay away from alcohol. So that answers one of the other questions....Alcohol is out, now and tomorrow, and so on.......
You can do it!! Just don't quit trying......Try a twelve step group f2f and see how you take to it.....
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Old 01-14-2009, 10:43 PM
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This is all good advise. I have experienced very much of the same withdrawal symptoms as you - not quite to the same degree.

That lighting feeling you describe relates to something that I regarded as a monster twitch. One where almost my whole body would shake for a split second like my electrical system skipped a beat.

Most of the physical symptoms seem to go away after a couple weeks of being sober. However, I was never a 24 hour day drinker *I have never really done that*. But, I did get drunk almost every night to various degrees for numerous years.

Phsycological affects such as anxiety, depression, etc. appear to me that I have to be sober for longer to improve. I too have heard it can take a year for the body/mind to rewire itself. Good nutrition is very important. Even if you have a healthy diet, while being a drunk, the alcohol inhibits your body from absorbing key nutrients.
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Old 01-15-2009, 01:26 AM
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I would suggest you print your post out and take it to show the doctor. It is very detailed, and sometimes when explaining things verbally you miss aspects. Congratulations on your 14 days.
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Old 01-15-2009, 03:05 AM
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Hey bud,
Honestly reading this post reminded me almost exactly of when I came here a little more than a month ago. Here is the thread I had at the time because it has a lot of advice for someone that is going thru almsot the exact same symptoms i felt.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ling-time.html

For me I had gone on like a 4/5 day big binger where I didnt remember much and was drinking alone and was very lucky that I didn't kill myself by falling down stairs or some other crazy thing that happens when people get so close to the body just shutting down cuz there's so much poison in it. That really woke me up and I ended up going to the hospital after like the 3/4th day because I was having episodes where I really thought i was going to faint. The tingling/numbness/electricity shooting feelings I all had and they are very annoying and make you think they'll never go away. Up to that point I had withdrawals many times but never worried too much because the tingling and other symptoms would go away after a day or two. Well, I ended up getting a bunch of tests like ekg, chest x-ray, etc. and everything came back okay. I continued tho to have these weird dizziness and faintness feeling for a week after and finally started getting some energy and normal feelings back. The thing that scared me almost the most was the constant tightness in my chest and breathing where I had to take a lot of deep breaths because of tightness in my chest area-i really thought i had done permanent damage to my heart. Luckily things have worked out so far and am 36 days sober now...it often takes experiences like this to wake us the hell up!

As for the feelings-I'm a little different situation because after you went to the hospital with a ton of the similar symptoms i had you drank more for the next 15 months so obviously I think your symptoms will probably take longer to go away, but withdrawals affect everyone differently, and I think yours and my symptoms are so close because probably the way we drank-which would be going really hard for quite a few days in a row, then maybe not for a few days then repeat. Positive thing tho-continue pushing on it will pass and go get some more tests just in case like an ekg, chest x-ray because it does give you a calming feeling when things come back fine, and its just a good idea. You sound like you really do want to stop for fear of your life, health, etc. And if you look at it closer like i did there's so many other reasons to....save money, no more lies to close people, more productive, happier, optimistic, not a threat to others safety, and a TON more.

Honestly stay with it, it gets a lot better...personally the last 36 days I got really into weights and its another really good way to stay away from drinking because you see the physical changes and energy levels going up and you don't want to ruin it by going back to drinking. Just a suggestion, been one of the saviors for me. Whatever works for you tho, there's tons of ways to get it done, whether it be finding other activities, joining a AA group, sponsors, etc. The hard thing gets when you feel better and as time goes by you forget the pain and horrible symptoms and getting that drink sounds better and better, but I keep reminding myself of how close i was to hurting myself and others permanently or even dying. Your thread brought me back. You can do it and chances are you will start feeling better sooner than later, but it takes awhile. Like Ralph said , who helped me out too, get a multivitamin with B in it because it did help me with the shakes and things. Your blood pressure is also probably very high right now, comes with the over use of alcohol, and causes tightness in chest-most of the other things are because your nervous system and circulation is whack right now. I mean think about all the poison we put in our bodies obviously there's going to be some nasty things that go on. Also, listen to everyone and don't be afraid to see a doctor or hospital...because withdrawing is crazy-at least hopefully u have someone around. Your just gonna have to wait it out, I saw it as a super long intense hangover that really only time can heal. I really hope everything is okay for you and your pain goes away soon. I'm just here to reassure you that I had a lot of the same symptoms, and so did others. Keep staying away from the drink my friend and good things will happen!
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Old 01-15-2009, 05:33 AM
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1. Has anyone experienced this whole host of symptoms? I know a lot of these are common withdrawal symptoms but please be specific if you have gotten them all comprehensively (or at least close) Some of them, but not all.
2. Will these symptoms go away if I stay abstinent? How long do I have to wait? Will they go away completely with continued abstience or am I stuck with some of these symptoms for life? I would suggest seeinig a doctor who specializes in alcoholism, all of the results of my drinking have either gone or are vastly improved after over 2 years sobriety.
3. Does anyone have experience with the tingling/numbness, heavy anxiety and paranoia, and the lightning feeling...and also has experience with stopping drinking and those symptoms persisting for some time? If so, how long did it take for them to go away? Did they ever go away completely?I would suggest seeinig a doctor who specializes in alcoholism, all of the results of my drinking have either gone or are vastly improved after over 2 years sobriety. I did experience all of those.
4. I am very worried that I did permanent damage from that one heavy bender. I feel very foolish for continuing to binge for 15 months after that event (having a few more close calls in the meantime) but it is easy to ignore the problem (as you all know too well).
5. Will I ever be able to drink in very strict moderation way down the road (say in about a year?). I am an alcoholic, there is no such thing as moderate drinking for me, thanks to the program and fellowship of AA I can honstly say that I could care less if I ever have another drink.
6. Are there any supplements or other advice you can give to get over the symptoms quicker?I would go see a doctor, I can tell you that a well balanced diet, a muli-vitamin, a B-Complex vitamin, & exrcise will help with your physical recovery.
.
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Old 01-15-2009, 06:52 AM
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Thanks so much Ralph and jh1 for relating so closely to my symptoms....I was really starting to feel hopeless. It is a terrible feeling to think that these symptoms might be permanent...no one wants to live with that suffering for their whole life.

Here is a question: Do you guys think that the 2-3 month estimate you provided applies to me since I kept binging for 15 months after my hospitalization? I am worried that I really delayed my recovery time and increased the severity of my symptoms based on the fact that I kept pushing it and withdrawing on a weekly basis for 15 months.

Also, Ralph, that's great to hear that you were worried about permanent peripheral neuropathy as well but that it went away...I have been real concerned about that lately. I don't understand why I still have heavy tingling in my lower legs, and minor tingling through face/arms/feet after 2 weeks of being sober. The eye twitch has been going on for about 2 months. Regarding the symptoms, they are magnified about 100 times if I am in a very stressful situation. I had to present something to a group at work yesterday and my whole body was tingling. My mouth got dry, it was very hard to even speak, and panic was just racing through my mind nonstop. It took a ton of willpower to not run out of the room.

I am sick of letting a chemical do these terrible things to me. All your advice and comments are very inspirational. It is great to be able to relate. Is there any other advice that people have for me regarding long-term symptoms persisting? I have been reading up on GABA levels in the brain and I am worried that my GABA is going to be permanently out of whack for the future. Since GABA suppresses excitatory and anxiety responses in the brain, I am worried that I will not be as capable of doing this as a normal person. I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder before I even had my first drink in life so I am worried that these underlying disorders are going to be excacerbated by what I have done to my brain with alcohol. I have read on other forums that some people experience extreme anxiety after an extended period of abstinences (even several months). Is this something I should be concered about?
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Old 01-15-2009, 07:29 AM
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One thing I learned in my last year of drinking is that if you binge you will be in constant withdrawal until you stop. I had a lot of similar symptoms as you but also not as severe. Still today I can't feel my left pinky finger. It's useable, but numb. All the other symptoms went away in about 6 - 8 weeks. But then, if you binge again, they will all come racing back.

We don't give medical advice here, but I think this is okay....when you go for blood tests make sure they look at your electrolytes. That's what I had to get back in order for me to really start feeling better. You have to force yourself to eat and tons and tons of water and Gatorade or Pedialyte.
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Old 01-15-2009, 07:36 AM
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Congrats on being sober for two weeks! As for someday being able to drink in moderation, I don't think that's possible for an alcoholic. Every time I relapsed I was trying to drink moderately and failed miserably.

Please see a doctor and have a complete physical. Be honest with the doctor about your drinking. And just don't pick up that first drink!

:ghug3
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Old 01-15-2009, 07:40 AM
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Chris

If you had anxiety disorders before you were drinking, it's likely you were self medicating with alcohol. Don't so much worry about whether the alcohol and subsequent withdrawal will or will not make it worse. Just don't drink and get yourself some medical help and treat your anxiety properly. Perhaps even some of the symptoms you are having,... the tingling, twitching, etc... will improve when you properly address your anxiety. If you are serious about staying sober, getting treatment ASAP is vital to your recovery.

You should begin to feel much better.

Good Luck - We are all pullin' for ya!!!

Mark
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Old 01-15-2009, 05:21 PM
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Here is a list of anxiety symptoms I found on an anxiety website. It describes the electric zap/jolt feeling. Instead of worrying about how long the symptoms will last or whether they are permanent, go see your doctor to rule out something more serious. We can all tell you that if anxiety is the problem, the symptoms will get better after a few months of not drinking.

Common anxiety symptoms include:
Body (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the body in general):

* Allergy problems, increase in allergies (number, sensitivity, reactions, lengthier reactions)
Back pain, stiffness, tension, pressure, soreness, spasms, immobility in the back or back muscles
* Blanching (looking pale, loss of color in the face or skin)
* Blushing, turning red, flushed face, flushed skin, blushing, red face or skin
* Body jolts, body zaps, electric jolt feeling in body, intense body tremor or “body shake”
* Body temperature increase or decrease, change in body temperature
* Burning skin, itchy, “crawly,” prickly or other skin sensations, skin sensitivity, numbness on the skin
* Burning skin sensation on the face, neck, ears, scalp, or shoulders
* Chest pain, chest tightness
* Choking
* Chronic Fatigue, exhaustion, super tired, worn out
* Clumsiness, feeling clumsy, co-ordination problems with the limbs or body
* Cold chills, feeling cold
* Craving sugar, sweets, chocolate, usual craving for sugar and sweets
* Difficulty speaking, moving mouth, talking, co-ordination problems with the mouth or tongue
* Dizziness, feeling lightheaded
* Dizzy, feeling dizzy
* Electric shock feeling, body zaps
* Excess of energy, you feel you can’t relax
* Falling sensation, feel like your are falling or dropping even though you aren't
* Feel like you are going to pass out or faint
* Feeling cold or chilled
* Feel wrong, different, foreign, odd, or strange
* Flu-like symptoms, general malaise, feel ill, like you are coming down with a flu
* Flushed face, red face, flushed skin
* Head Zaps
* Heart palpitations, racing heart
* Hyperactivity, excess energy, nervous energy
* Increased or decreased sex drive
* Infection - increased infections, persistent infection
* Muscles that vibrate, jitter, tremor, or shake when used
* Muscle twitching
* Nausea
* Nausea vomiting
* Neck, back, shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness
* Night sweats, waking up in a sweat, profusely sweating at night
* No energy, feeling lethargic, tired
* Numbness
* Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
* Numbness and tingling, and other skin sensations on hands, feet, face, head, or any other places on the body
* Persistent muscle tension, stiffness
* Pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard
* Pulsing or throbbing muscles. Pulsing or throbbing sensation.
* Rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage
* Sexual Dysfunction, sexual uninterest
* Shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head, or face
* Shooting pains in the face
* Shooting pains in the scalp or head
* Skipped heart beats
* Sore or tight scalp or back of the neck
* Startle easily
* Sweating, uncontrollable profuse sweating
* The floor feels like it is moving either down or up for no reason
* Tightness in the ribs or rib cage area, may also feel like a tight band around the ribs or rib cage area.
* Tingling sensations, anywhere on the body, including the hands, feet, legs, arms, head, mouth, chest, groin area
* Trembling or shaking
* Twitching
* Unsteadiness, dizziness, feeling dizzy or lightheaded
* Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom (similar to urinary tract or prostate infection symptoms)
* Warm spells
* Weak - feel weak, weakness, low energy, light, soft, like you may faint
* Weak legs, arms, or muscles
* Weight loss, weight gain

Chest (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the chest area):

* Chest pain or discomfort
* Concern about the heart
* Feel like you have to force yourself to breath
* Find it hard to breath, feeling smothered, shortness of breath
* Frequent yawning to try and catch your breath
* Heart Palpitations – beating hard or too fast, rapid heartbeat
* Heart - Irregular heart rhythms, flutters or ‘skipped’ beats, tickle in the chest that makes you cough
* Pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard
* Rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage

Emotions (see mood) (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with emotions, mood, and feelings)
Fears (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with fear):

* A heightened fear of what people think of you
* Afraid of being trapped in a place with no exits
* Constant feeling of being overwhelmed.
* Fear of being in public
* Fear of dying
* Fear of losing control
* Fear of impending doom
* Fear of making mistakes or making a fool of yourself to others
* Fear of passing out
* Fear that you are losing your mind
* Fears about irrational things, objects, circumstances, or situations
* Fears of going crazy, of dying, of impending doom, of normal things, unusual feelings and emotions, unusually frightening thoughts or feelings
* Heightened self awareness, or self-consciousness
* Need to find nearest washrooms before you can feel comfortable
* Need to seat near exits

Head (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the head):

* Burning, itchy, tight scalp
* Dizziness
* Dizzy
* Dizziness or light-headedness
* Frequent headaches, migraine headaches
* Feeling like there is a tight band around your head, pressure, tightness
* Head, neck or shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness
* Head zaps, head tremors
* Giddiness
* Numbness
* Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
* Shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head, or face
* Shooting pains in the face
* Shooting pains in the scalp or head
* When you close your eyes you feel like are beginning to, or will, float upwards
* Sore jaw that feels like a tooth ache
* TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint) - clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth

Hearing (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with hearing):

* Reduced hearing, frequent or intermittent reduced hearing or deafness in one or both ears
* Low rumbling sounds
* Ringing in the ears, noises in the ears, noises in the head
* Pulsing in the ears, throbbing sound in the ear(s)

Mind (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the mind and thinking):

* Afraid of everything
* Altered state of reality, consciousness, or universe feeling
* Deja Vu, a feeling like you've done or experienced something before
* Depersonalization
* Derealization
* Desensitization
* Difficulty thinking, speaking, forming thoughts, following conversations
* Disorientation
* Fear of going crazy
* Fear of losing control
* Fear of impending doom
* Feelings of unreality
* Frequent feeling of being overwhelmed, or that there is just too much to handle or do
* Having difficulty concentrating
* Nightmares, bad dreams
* Obsession about sensations or getting better
* Repetitive thinking or incessant ‘mind chatter’
* Spaced out feelings, feeling spaced out
* "Stuck" thoughts; thoughts, mental images, concepts, songs, or melodies that "stick" in your mind and replay over and over again.
* Trapped in your mind feeling
* Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear
* You often feel you are carrying the world on your shoulders

Mood / Emotions (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with mood, emotions, and feelings):

* Always feeling angry and lack of patience
* Depersonalization
* Depression
* Dramatic mood swings (emotional flipping)
* Emotionally blunted, flat, or numb
* Emotional "flipping" (dramatic mood swings)
* Emotions feel wrong
* Everything is scary, frightening
* Feeling down in the dumps
* Feeling like things are unreal or dreamlike
* Frequently being on edge or 'grouchy'
* Frequently feel like crying for no apparent reason
* Have no feelings about things you used to
* Not feeling like yourself, detached from loved ones, emotionally numb
* Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear
* You feel like you are under pressure all the time

Mouth/Stomach (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the mouth and stomach):

* A ‘tinny’, ‘metallic’ or ‘ammonia’, or unusual smell or taste
* Aerophagia (swallowing too much air, stomach distention, belching)
* Choking
* Constant craving for sugar or sweets
* Constipation
* Diarrhea
* Difficulty swallowing
* Difficulty talking, pronouncing certain letters or sounds, mouth feels like it isn't moving right, slurred speech
* Dry mouth
* Feeling like you can’t swallow properly or that something will get caught in your throat
* Feeling like your tongue is swollen
* Frequent upset stomach, bloating, gaseous
* IBS
* Lack of appetite or taste
* Lump in the throat, tight throat, something stuck in your throat
* Mouth muscles twitching/jumping
* Nausea
* Nausea vomiting
* Nausea or abdominal stress
* Numbness
* Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
* The thought of eating makes you nauseous
* Tight throat, lump in throat
* Tongue symptoms - Tingly, “stretched,” numb, frozen, itchy, “crawly,” burning, twitching, “jumpy,” aching, sore, or swollen tongue (when it isn’t).
* Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom
* Vomiting

Skin (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with the skin):

* Burning skin sensations, skin sensitivity
* Numbness
* Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
* Skin problems, infections, rashes

Sleep (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with sleep):

* Difficulty falling or staying asleep
* Frequent bad, bizarre, or crazy dreams
* Hearing sounds in your head that jolt you awake
* Insomnia, or waking up ill in the middle of the night
* Jolting awake
* Waking up in a panic attack
* You feel worse in the mornings

Sight (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with sight):

* Distorted, foggy, or blurred vision
* Dry, watery or itchy eyes
* Eye tricks, seeing things our of the corner of your eye that isn’t there, stars, flashes
* Eyes sensitive to light
* Spots in the vision
* Flashing lights when eyes are closed
* Your depth perception feels wrong

Touch (anxiety symptoms commonly associated with touch):

* Burning skin sensations, skin sensitivity
* Feeling cold or chilled
* Numbness
* Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
* Pain
* Tingling, pins and needles feelings
ralph9898 is offline  
Old 01-15-2009, 06:22 PM
  # 18 (permalink)  
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
 
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We also have an Anxiety Disorder Forum....

Anxiety Disorders - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

You might want to check that too Chris
as you were diagnosed before your drinking.

. I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder before I even had my first drink in life so I am worried that these underlying disorders are going to be excacerbated by what I have done to my brain with alcohol. I have read on other forums that some people experience extreme anxiety after an extended period of abstinences (even several months). Is this something I should be concered about?
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Old 01-16-2009, 12:59 AM
  # 19 (permalink)  
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Hi Chris, I just want to say that you don't have to beat yourself up about the last fifteen months. Ok, you got something wrong but then donsn't everyone sometimes!

More importantly is the last fifteen days when you most definately got something right! That's infinately harder to do

As for your symptoms I can only empathise as that is what drew me to read your post: I too am nearly two weeks out and struggling to understand why I don't feel better.

All the best
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Old 01-16-2009, 03:21 PM
  # 20 (permalink)  
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Well illuminated, from what I have seen from responses to my post, as well as responses I have gotten on other forums, it looks like 2-3 months is the magic number before we start feeling mostly normal again. Then, after 1 year, we get rid of extra little baggage that we had from drinking (both physical and psychological). Let's hope, for both of our sakes, that we have no permanent damage or lasting symptoms. I am glad that I am making the decision to quit at age 25 before something serious or terrible happened.

Here is an inspirational quote that I read by my favorite philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, recently (paraphrased):

"Comfort of alcohol
To imagine that there is a benefit in escaping our troubles, once in a while with a alcoholic drink or two, is to misunderstand Nietzscheian analysis of relation between happiness and pain. Happiness does not come from escaping trouble, it comes from cultivating them, turning them to your advantage. Nietzche did not want anyone to drown in worries, instead he said our worries are pointers to the things that need attension."


We need to face whatever we are hiding with our drinking. Masking it doesn't do us any good. We don't need to an altered state of mind to enjoy life. We get sucked into this illusion and then look where we end up. I wouldn't wish what I went through on anyone. I am just glad to know that hopefully these symptoms should subside within 2-3 months...
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