ReneeS

I'm on day 18th of abstinence and luckily have not had too many physical withdrawal discomforts (except insomnia the first 4 nites). The past few days, though, I've been in a bad mood and feeling irritable (of course, I have a high stress job which involves listening to peoples' problems, which doesn't help!) Also, the past two weeks I've had a voracious appetite. Luckily, I haven't gained any weight because I work out daily and am no longer consuming alcohol calories. While I was a daily drinker, I ate healthy, took vitamins, and made it to the gym 3-4 times a week (which basically kept me "pasted" together and in denial). Now, I'm still eating healthy stuff, but also more salty snacks and chocolate cake! I might as well wear a feed bag around my neck! I'm exercising every day now, which makes me feel good for a while, but tired by the end of the day, which I think is also contributing to the irritability. Anyone else experience these things during the first weeks of abstinence? When does it all level out?

fluer

Balance? Such a difficult concept for an addict! LOL! It is hard to live life without your main pain management tool(drinking). There is so much in you now rsisng to the surface. I am proud of you and happy for you and the new journey you are now on! It's a bumpy ride,but this time there is going to pay offs and you are actually going to move forward in your life!

You are juggling so much right now, that if you can, I would just try and relax and be where you are at everyday. This is soooo hard I think. But if one hour I am hungry and want some chips..great,if the next 5 hrs. I am not hungry at all..great. One week I may eat all healthy and organic stuff, and the next week I am too exhausted ,and eat mostly fast food. My diet tends to reflect my emotional state of mind, and for me I have found it more beneficial to just let myself chill out in this area. I am working SO hard on so many things in my life that this is not a main priority for me. And actually have found that it can become a major distraction/hinderance to focusing on things I really care about changing.

Do I want to be healthy? YES! Do I want my body to reflect good care and balance? YES! But the truth is emotionally and spiritually I have been sick for awhile, and although I hate it..sometimes my body now reflects a more honest image of how I really feel. I would rather let that be true now and live in whats true then force something that inevitably is false. So for now I am not at my peak physical condition, but I keep my eye on the prize, and rest in the knowledge that someday soon I will be. Someday soon my body will reflect how beautiful,and wonderful,and healthy I feel inside!

Much love to you Renee. Don't beat yourself up. Rest in where you are,it will all come together in the end.

Peter

I had a problem with my appetite during those first weeks too. I had terrible cravings for sugar.

..... maybe the irritability has something to do with a low blood sugar level....I dunno..

CarolD

Welcome...and well done on your new sobriety...

Here is a link...check it out please

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

I was physically and mentally back in balance by 2/3 months.
I had very few symptoms of PAWS...and I think the fact
I used the eating plan + supplements recommended in
"Under The Influence" was the reason.

...I also made drastic changes in my lifestyle.
I quit my stressful job I broke off with my still drinking lover
I stopped going to toxic places ..no .hanging out with drinkers.

I re-connected with God and I committed myself to the
lifestyle I desperately desired. I began AA.

Please keep posting with us...Yes! you too can win over alcohol.

problemchild

I can relate to the bad moods, mine seemed to come a little later than yours though, as far as hunger yes it has increased, but i drink so much spicy v8 i cannot eat alot. I am a v8alholic now...

Take care,
John

Iggy1966

Man, isn't that truth? If you're lifting weights 4 days a week and doing cardio 6, then there's no way that 8 beers and 4 shots EVERY SINGLE DAY in a span of 2 hours can be bad for you, is there?

I know what you mean, I'm only on Day 4 and I'm freaking starving to death 24/7, eating like hell. Still, I'm trying to deal with one issue at a time, and at least with this one I don't run any risk of hurting any innocent bystanders or winding up in jail...and I still like myself fat better than drunk, hah...

flutter

lol.. this reminds me about when I drank often and ate healthy and worked out all the time. how the hell hypocritical was THAT mess? silly alky brain...

TryingSoHard

Oh heck yes. The first two months, I think, I was a cranky b*tch who ate almost everything in sight. And, ironically, that was when I quit going to the gym 4x a week, too. No wonder I've gained almost 10 lbs. I too was doing the work-out-a-lot-and-go-home-and-drink thing. I sunk into a big, huge funk right before I quit drinking and it spilled over into the first couple months of my sobriety and I tend to eat bad stuff when I'm depressed.

At almost 4 months sober I'll say that both the irritability and overeating have gotten BETTER but are both still present. I started going back to the gym last week and I'm making a more conscious effort to control my snacking. The irritability will just have to be last on my list. LOL

soidog

Since I have been sober I have been eating a TON as well. I think part of this has to do with emotionally compensating for not drinking (which may be "bad"). But I know for a fact that a lot of it has to do with my new physical self too. When I was drinking (and I drank every night) my stomach was constantly irritated and I simply could not eat a lot even if I wanted to. Now that my stomach lining is no longer irritated, and all that poison that was inside me has left, I can eat like a machine.

I really don't see any harm in eating a lot unless it becomes a physical health issue for you. So long as you are exercising and burning off those calories, its all good. Don't let the self-image demons torture you either.

livingsober

I ate like a madman for the first few weeks of sobriety. My body, I'm sure, was malnourished after having subsisted on empty calories for years. I bet your appetite will level off eventually on its own. If it does not and you feel it would be more healthy to eat less, then you can tackle your eating habits when the time is right for you to do so. Like Fluer said, rest in where you are, it will all come together in the end. In the beginning, though I am not a nutritionist, I think it's best to heed Iggy's advice and just tackle one thing at a time. And don't let the self-image demons torture you, like soidog says. Well, I'm just repeating what others have already shared... good points!

ReneeS

Thanks for all the support!
CarolD, I don't think irritability and increased appetite qualifies for PAWS, and I don't want to worry about the potentially bad things that COULD happen to me after a few weeks of abstinence. Right now I want to concentrate on the good things--like waking up with a clear head, and being able to work out at the gym without feeling shaky afterwards!
Since I haven't gained any weight so far, I think I'll take the advice of those who say I shouldn't worry too much about it and cut myself some slack. I think that after I hit the 4 week mark, I'll try to reduce the food intake, and controlling the irritability will be a good spiritual exercise! I guess this is a process, and I shouldn't be impatient that after 19 days I'm not perfect yet!

CarolD

I'm glad you are finding SR beneficial.
Sobriety rocks!

sfgirl

For the first 6 weeks I had crazy sugar cravings. I might have eaten ice cream every day. And I am someone who would any day of the week pass up dessert for french fries. I never eat sweets normally. I ate so much more. But I didn't really worry about it and just ate what my body craved. But....good news...I probably have lost about 15 pounds or so in the last four months of sobriety without even trying. The cravings subsided and my appetite got back to normal. I always feel like I'm eating a lot but I still seem to keep losing. I don't even really exercise. If I had started that it might have been body overload. So, honestly, I wouldn't worry about it. I always thought that an ice cream was better than going out and boozing for the night and ultimately it was less calories and probably more "healthy" too. And it ends, naturally. Just give it some more time. I wouldn't worry about it.