LostLotus

I've never been prone to headaches, ever, not even in my worse hangover but here I am on day 5 and I think I've got a migraine. Lights are too bright, sounds are too loud, and I can't even think straight. I really hope that this is normal. I had actually thought that I had killed all the brain cells responsible for feeling a headache... WRONG!

On a good note, I was a good influence on my best friend yesterday. We are both musicians and like to jam (he on bass, me singing and on guitar), and since I wasn't drinking, he also didn't drink. At first he asked me where the beer was but I told him I didn't know and I wasn't drinking anyway so we both just had water (turns out the beer was right in front of us the whole time and I didn't even see it haha). That was the first time in 20 years that I've had a jam session without alcohol. And I'm really pleased that this time around my friends don't even ask me questions about my not drinking.

Now if the headache would just go away... has been 3 days now and it seems to be getting worse and I refuse to take anything because I'm trying to clean out my liver, not trade one liver damaging substance for another!!! Ugh.

p.s. Before anyone recommends water, I had about 4 liters of water yesterday (my habitual drinking crosses over to other beverages too) so I'm not dehydrated AT ALL

sweetnovember

It is very normal in the early weeks. The action that gave you that high aka relaxed feeling was due to a swelling of the blood vessels in your brain under the influence. You experienced it repeatedly. The body has to adjust.
Also, you are still getting rid of the ethanol in your body at day five.
Give your self time to heal. You may also feel tense in your neck since you are not relaxing with alcohol anymore. Try Ben gay and neck massages.
Congratulations on 5 days!

vivid-red

Well done!

I'm on day 6 today, I felt sh*tty for the first couple of days just getting over my hangover...been fine since.

You were probably drinking more than me so hang in there till your body adjusts.

LostLotus

Wow you're so right, I definitely have a bad neck ache too! I feel a bit better after lunch but my ears are still ringing like whoa... thanks for the advice though!

CarolD

Seems to me you are de toxing with symptoms I had too.
Hold on...you will settle down physically and mentally as long as
you stay sober

Relax and enjoy today....well done on your sober days..

LostLotus

Thanks!

I actually feel really great mentally, I feel wonderful (and a bit proud if I do admit) that I am still able to live my life exactly the same way I always did, just without the booze. But physically this headache is so horrible! I can hear my heart beating in my ears. Eating seems to have helped a little at least.

thisisme

Do you now drink diet soda more?

Just a quick note that I experienced extreme headaches in my first few weeks and found that it was aspartame(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy).
This stuff is crap and should never have gotten FDA/CFIA approval.

Drexo

I've had some headaches too the first period of sobriety. I took vitamines B/C every day, which seem to help a bit. Good to see you're feeling great mentally, that's a big plus. Keep it up.

LostLotus

No to the diet soda, never drink soda at all. Only water, herbal tea, milk, sometimes juice, and a little bit of coffee.

And yes to the vitamins, been taking a multi plus an extra B-complex and extra C throughout the day (this has been my routine for a long time, except don't take vitamins on the weekend).

The headache is much better now though, seems to have resolved itself thankfully!!!!

aussieblue

I had headaches for about 2 weeks straight when I first stopped drinking but they cleared up after that.

Reset

I had them too. They go away though. Tea and aspirin got me through it.

sherman23

I have a headache today on day 9, and an earache last night.....was wondering if it was the whole quitting thing, and sounds like it may be....I never have headaches..

sugarbear1

Sherman, you've been numbing your body for a while, now it's getting un-numbed.....

I think that maybe we get overloaded on stimuli in early recovery when we aren't numbing ourselves.....

Remember to eat right and make sure you drink water......heal well!!

It will calm down!!! Keep moving forward and keep staying stopped!

9 days is awesome!!!

Anoxi

I an in the same boat. I feel like my heads 100 lbs. But I always have headaches cuz I dobt drink enough water. Been getting better. Hang in there!!!