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Drinking to combat fatigue.

Old 02-17-2011, 02:03 PM
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Drinking to combat fatigue.

I am remembering one reason I drank - this one goes back 20 years at least.

To combat fatigue. Which is I believe tied to depression/brain cooties/hormones...I'm not talking about being a bit tired, but crashing, red-rimmed eyed, if I lie down I'll sleep for ten hours, foggy brain, exhausted, fatigue. It's been bad since I quit drinking almost a month ago.

Drinking woke me up, well until it made me pass out, that is.

I worked a short day today (am in a very physically active line of work), came home, a gray, damp afternoon....I've been cleaning and trying to keep moving instead of crashing on the bed. Probably the only reason I didn't crash was because I promised to give someone a ride to a meeting tonight and it's one I actually want to go to.

Hey wow, you want to know how therapeutic writing this stuff down is? I just figured out a major culprit! Sugar and carbs! Dummy me, I just made the connection...I have been inhaling sugary food since I quit drinking, like mass quantities, and I am fairly small and skinny and all that sugar is hitting me like a ton of big fat sugary bricks.

So...that's the ticket, right? Quit with the mountains of sugar and carbs and go back to eating right. Plus now that it's not elebenty-seven degrees below freezing in the morning and eventually they'll move the stupid clock back to its rightful position so I have more light in the morning, start taking the dogs for longer and better runs before work.

Sheesh, I started to ask a question (how to I quit feeling so freaking tired all the time) then figured out the answer, I think. Mainly, eat better.

I do take a multi plus extra vit D in winter, would extra B vites help? In addition to not eating like Jabba the Hutt, that is.

Sorry this isn't a very thought-provoking or weighty (ha, ha) post but I think this is something quite a few people deal with when getting sober. Also my brain is very sluggish right now, probably due to the half a pecan coffee cake I just ate for a mid-afternoon snack.
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Old 02-17-2011, 02:10 PM
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I recommend finding a good, well-rounded multi-vitamin as well as taking EFA's (essentially fatty acids). But yes, examine your diet thoroughly. A poor, unbalanced diet that is devoid of good nutrition will leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and well...pretty much crappy all around. Now, should you deprive yourself of all indulgent things? No. Everyone should be able to have a piece of cheesecake or whatever every now and then. The key is moderation.
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Old 02-17-2011, 02:36 PM
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B vitamins in the afternoon wake me up. Also, something with fiber in it for a snack around 1:00 or 2:00 feeds the brain. Omega 3 fish oil supplements are important if you don't eat fish.
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Old 02-17-2011, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Stevie1 View Post
I am remembering one reason I drank - this one goes back 20 years at least.

Sheesh, I started to ask a question (how to I quit feeling so freaking tired all the time) then figured out the answer, I think. Mainly, eat better.

I do take a multi plus extra vit D in winter, would extra B vites help? In addition to not eating like Jabba the Hutt, that is.

.
I have read that when we are drinking alcohol we lose the ability to absorb Vitamin B so many of us alcoholics are deficient in it. Good sources of Vitamin B are beef, eggs and seafood. Also, you might try avoiding caffeine. I could never give up coffee all together though! I still need my morning fix.
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Old 02-17-2011, 02:50 PM
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My usual diet is extremely good, I think...I don't eat a "typical American diet"...eat lots of the food I grew up with - middle eastern/Mediterranean, Indian, mostly vegetarian except quite a lot of fish. I dislike and never eat hamburgers, most deep fried food, soft drinks, hot dogs, a lot of highly processed food tastes chemically and fake to me. Especially since moving to the midwest I find I get teased by friends about my "weird" tastes LOL. (Midwesterners tend to be very unadventurous about food, by my standard.)

Actually one of the things I enjoyed doing while drinking was cooking; so my diet has not been as good as usual. I think eating more fish or taking fish oil is a good idea, I'll pick up some B-complex vites too. Worst I can do is just pee out the excess, right?

Will try doing that in the afternoon...if I don't have work or something to do, I get very sluggish around 3 pm. And I suck at naps, if I try napping I end up going into a deep sleep then feeling groggy for the rest of the day or evening.

I'm picking up a big can of Red Bull on the way to the meeting this evening. Caffeine and B vites, woo hoo.
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Old 02-17-2011, 03:01 PM
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Originally Posted by jerseytomato View Post
Also, you might try avoiding caffeine.
Nooooo!
Really, on the B vites? Huh.
I get pretty good eggs - free range ones from a 4-H kid.

However you will have to pry my coffee from my cold, dead fingers. There is no way I'm giving up my morning coffee and I will not be talked out of that.
Shi! giving up alcohol is bad enough, but not coffee!
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Old 02-17-2011, 04:13 PM
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I recommend everyone check with their doctor before making any dietary or vitamin changes - what worked for someone else may not work for you.

Most of us feel fatigued initially, i think, but there may be many reasons for the fatigue too.

Best to check it out if you're concerned
D
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Old 02-17-2011, 04:39 PM
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Originally Posted by jerseytomato View Post
I have read that when we are drinking alcohol we lose the ability to absorb Vitamin B so many of us alcoholics are deficient in it. Good sources of Vitamin B are beef, eggs and seafood. Also, you might try avoiding caffeine. I could never give up coffee all together though! I still need my morning fix.
This is not medical advice, etc. This is just from my reading. The way I understand what I have read, you cannot absorb the full amount of Thiamine if there is alcohol in your intestines at the same time as the Thiamine. That as far as I know only applies to Thiaminw (vitamin b1). So if there is anyone out there still drinking, I would not discourage them from taking a B vitamin daily, especially with your breakfast or as far away from your alcohol intake as possible. Even if someone drinks all day, you don't absorb most of it, but some is better than none.
I don't drink anymore but I have found a Super B complex daily really helps for my anxiety. My mother is suffering from alcohol related dementia (found out she is still drinking) and refuses to take them. I wish she would as some of the damage can be reversible if you don't remain deficient in Thiamine
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Old 02-17-2011, 04:42 PM
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I take a good B supplement, 2500mg of vitamin D (my doc. rec. this amount as I am ahem, in menopause), calcium mag.., and zinc in the evening along with biotin...helps me sleep. i take my multi in the AM along with 6 cups of high octane...i buy everything from Procaps labs on line....they are all capsules, seem to dissolve better and don't upset my tummy...i also use SAM-e and St. Johns Wort....

i just posted this AM in the grats, that i found a decent sugar-free creamer to mix with the regular creamer to cut down on sugar and calories...if i am super slug...i do a small sugar-free Red Bull too.

Stevie your body had a lot of alcohol sugar before you quit too...but a sugar crash is common in the PM...try something like fruit for a steady glucose level....apple, banana.

morning exercise is my favorite choice too...today is the first day in over a month the dog and I got to go about a 1/2 mile.

I stop caffiene once i get to work or by noon time otherwise i will never get to sleep.
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Old 02-17-2011, 05:35 PM
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I remember when I thought alcohol improved my energy levels late in the day. I don't think that statement could be any farther from the truth. Most don't realize just how severe the effects of alcohol are on day to day life. Even if it gives you a moment of intertia, you will pay for it over the coming days. I quit drinking 54 days ago. Your energy levels will naturally increase as time passes. If you snoop around here, you will find that most say it takes a good 60-90 days for your body to find it's BALANCE again. This is the first time in 15 years I've gone any length of time without a drink. Hang in there. I'd start excercising 4-5 days a week, even if it only conists of a 15-20 minute walk. Eat fruits and veggies and feel free to snack and eat some sweets. Reward yourself for making a positive change in your life. You'll be feeling much better before you know it. I'd stay away from the energy drinks.
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Old 02-17-2011, 07:34 PM
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I was fatigued for the first couple months...now I am feeling better...more energy all the time.

Eating healthier and exercise are never a bad thing...especially if your body is in repair mode.

I don't remember alcohol ever giving me energy when I was tired...lol
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Old 02-17-2011, 07:50 PM
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Other than when I would call up the energy somehow to go out and hellraise when I was younger, I can remember a few times more recently getting pepped by having a drink when I got a late start. But then again, that was when I was staying up just to get at least 3 inside me anyway (like if I got through a night of not drinking at some event or dinner and got home late to resume my drinking routine). I mostly associate it with zapping out energy though.

I agree with the comments I spotted about energy not being there after quitting and that it takes time for it to come back. This is something that troubled me. It was a major change in routine, and I kept telling myself that this is what comes with it. I noticed it got better when I would increase my activity. A lot of times I have noticed that I look like I have been sleeping when I have NOT been, and it's not a fun feeling. It's in my nature to look for something wrong though too. Anyway, unless it is going to lead to dangerous extremes that you can't afford, I like the idea of pushing oneself to do more.
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