BackToSquareOne

I'd like to get some opinions on something I've been wondering. Do you think that its possible for a person to be in a state of constant alcohol withdrawal. The reason I'm bringing this up is because I'vbe discovered that even though most of the physical withdrawal symptoms subside in 3 to 5 days the Paws symptoms (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) can last many months after the initial withdrawal period.

In the past I was mostly a binge drinker but I also drank smaller amounts whenever the opportunity presented itself, nights, weekends, whenever I could get away with it. During those decades I was always plagued with constant anxiety, depression and insomnia. In a sense I was never really sober long enough to really get over the PAWS part of withdrawal. During that period I never stopped to think that all of those symptoms were related to alcohol abuse, neither did the doctors. I was just prescribed anti-depressents, benzo's and sleep aids which were only marginally effective.

I have now been sober since August and to my suprise all of those symptoms (anxiety, depression and insomnia) have greatly subsided or completely disappeared. Ironically when I initally stopped drinking those symptoms actually got worse and then slowely began to subside until they were almost gone at the 2 month mark. This makes me wonder how many people are out there dealing with the same problems that just never stop to think about the PAWS side of the equation.

Latte

I binge drank when I was younger (21ish) and quit for a few months while I was in boot camp for the Coast Guard. Looking back, I felt amazing during that time. I could run, think more clearly, sleep really soundly (that was probably helped by all the excersise I got during Boot Camp), but seriously I felt great. I drank on and off when I got to my first duty station and ended up doing some things that I wasn't really proud of. When I met and married my husband I stopped drinking for long periods of time (once because I wanted to lose weight) and during the times I was pregnant. Looking back, those were some of the best times. Basically, looking back, the times I felt the best were the times I didn't drink. I did suffer from PAWS, but I didn't understand what it was back then.

I am so greatful today that I do understand and that I am clean and sober. It's a freeing feeling.

Tommyh

I went thru it too,but then we didn`t have a name for it.
I believe 90% of Alcoholics around here never heard of it.
I went to a meeting 2 weeks ago and several newcomers said that had this or that,and it reminded me of PAWS.I mentioned it to them.they looked surprised.First time they had ever heard of it.

glad to see you are getting better....

lisa t

i too suffered from all of the above...didn't know there was a name for it at the time.....i also went to the dr when i was drinking for anti-depressants and sleeping pills...great combo....lucky to be alive...anyway...when i quit drinking i realized that i wasn't really depressed...the depression was induced by the alcoholism...glad i got sober and found that out!!
gratefully recovering!!! one day at a time!!
Lisa

Texasblind

I recommend Carols sticky about PAWS. Helped me alot, because I get the withdrawal symptoms about every two months and I'm coming up on a year sober.

It gets easier every time though. I haven't woke up from a dead sleep convinced I had been drinking in a while. I still sweat all night and hallucinate on occasion. Although, I think my hallucinations are really just very vivid dreams.

CarolD

Somewhere I read that alcoholics should get re checked by their
doctor after 6 months of abstinance. It's then possible to get an
accurate picture oof whatever mental and physical
harm our drinking did.
I think it's on . on the PAWS link Tex mentioned.


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

Yes...I too was unaware of PAWS until I came on line.
I was already over 3 years sober by then.

My primary problem from my alcoholism was situational depression.
It started to lift within a few weeks...vanished by 2 months.
No med's used and it's never returned...

I don't have an aswer to your question....ask your doctor...
and mention PAWS.

stillsober27

It is important to keep in mind sometimes we are experiencing things physically they my not be alcohol related. I remember after being about 4 and a half months sober I felt so exhausted that I couldn't even get out of bed. It turns out I was mostly just not getting the right nutrition. After continually taking b complex, multi vitamin, and some other supplements I started to feel much better.

ralph9898

I have had the exact same experience as you. I would drink heavily on most Fri and Sat nights, and then effectively go through a mini withdrawal on Mon-Thurs (but I would sometimes drink 2 or 3 glasses of wine on one of those weekday nights to take the edge off). But those mini withdrawals were nothing compared to the withdrawal when I stopped completely, which peaked for me around 3 weeks after stopping, and which started to subside after a month. I went to a doctor I was so worried, b/c I had never experienced that type of anxiety. I am now at almost 4 months, and all of the physical withdrawal symptoms and severe anxiety are gone. I feel much better physically and mentally.

ralph9898

Although I am not a doctor, my own experience and reading this board has convinced me that drinking alcohol on a regular basis is the major contributing cause of depression and anxiety for many people, even if you are not an alcoholic. If a patient goes to a doctor complaining of anxiety and depression, the docs first question should be "how much and how often do you drink." But unfortunately I don't think most doctors ask this question, and people who go to their doctor for anxiety aren't up front about their drinking habits.

Alcohol needs a much stronger warning label on it. It currently says that it "may" cause health problems. It freaking causes brain damage! I didn't know that until recently. I only thought it affected your liver. I didn't know that my feelings of anxiety and depression were alcohol related until I stopped. No one tells you that. I guess I should have known.

flutter

Read through this list of medical issues alcohol can cause... it's no wonder that it takes us a LONG time to heal. This was taken from the book "How to Quit Drinking Without AA", the chapter is called "Are the Benefits Worth the Problems?":

fatty liver
hepatitis
cancer of the liver or gallbladder
cirrhosis
pancreatitis
cancer of the pancreas or spleen
ulcers
esophagitis
cancer of the esophagus
gastritis
inflammations of the intestines (colitis, Crohn's disease)
cancer of the intestines (seems the big C is a running theme!)
chronic bladder infections
cancer of the bladder
kidney failure
hypoglycemia
diabetes
bronchitis
pneumonia
lung cancer
hypertension
mycardiopathy
congestive heart failure
anemia
osteoporosis
gout
myopathies (muscle diseases)
eye inflammation
lateral nystagmus (jerking movements of eyes)
male impotence
frequent urinary tract infections
inflammation of the uterus
malnutrition
neuritis
toxic amblyopia (dimness of vision)
beriberi (vitamin b1 disorder)
pellagra (caused by vitamin b3 deficiency)
scurvy (caused by vitamin c deficiency)
neuropathies
convulsive disorders
degenerative nerve disorders
Wernicke's syndrome (mental disorder)
Korsakoff's syndrome or alcohol amnesiac disorder


That's the short list of medical diagnoses common in alcoholics, and came from a checklist to share with your doctor as he/she is diagnosing any illnesses caused by alcohol.

Scary stuff, and of course that doesn't include all the millions of other behavioral, mental health, relationship, employment etc.. issues.

oh, forgot to add death, but that's not really a diagnosis I guess.

ralph9898

If I knew that alcohol caused cancer, I don't know that I would have ever started drinking. Thank goodness for this board and for the Internet, which allowed me to learn how dangerous alcohol actually is. The stuff is literally poison!

MLVC2009

YEP!!!!!

I have not been alcohol free for more than a fortnight for the past year (weekend binger here) and the past few days i am sure i am suffering PAWS... freaking horrible anxiety and feel like i am 'losing it' at times... i am feeling better tonight but sure, i have been reading up about PAWS and i am really freaked out that it seems alcohol can mess your brain up permanently... yet another reason to stay off the booze.

I am glad i found this place.

yeahgr8

Hi It's pretty obvious to me, well now anyway thank ****, that because the body has been relying on booze for fuel for so long that once that fuel is taken away it takes time to mend to be able to get back to using foods for fuel. Also as alcohol has so little nutritional value most if not all alcoholics are malnourished to some extent when they stop drinking and need to get some sort of good diet going asap in order to get the body back onto an even keel. The massive cravings we have all felt at some point is actually not us being completely weak willed and all the psychological **** that is associated with alcoholism but our bodies craving the fuel that it needs to operate and to function 'normally' for that day. This can go on for months or even years, depending on how quickly the body gets back to normal and how long the alcoholic has been drinking.

CarolD

MLVC2009 ...
Welcome to SR and our Alcoholism Forum

Thanks for sharing with us...hope you will stay with us.

CarolD

Y.....I following the eating plan + supplements
in "Under The Influence" for about 6 months
with good results.

Please take a look I remember you have the book.