Is This "Normal"?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 20
Is This "Normal"?
Hi,
I know we have a different "normal", but I'm going through something a little weird and wanted to see if anyone has experienced this. I am six days sober today (my longest stretch in 12 years!!!), and I'm seriously committed to my sobriety for the first time ever.
I had a rough first few days, but have been doing okay physically. Today, however, I feel completely hungover and woozy as if I had been drinking all night last night. My head is throbbing, my stomach is a mess, it's hard to focus, etc. etc.
Is that really strange to start six days in?
Thanks and best to all!!!!
I know we have a different "normal", but I'm going through something a little weird and wanted to see if anyone has experienced this. I am six days sober today (my longest stretch in 12 years!!!), and I'm seriously committed to my sobriety for the first time ever.
I had a rough first few days, but have been doing okay physically. Today, however, I feel completely hungover and woozy as if I had been drinking all night last night. My head is throbbing, my stomach is a mess, it's hard to focus, etc. etc.
Is that really strange to start six days in?
Thanks and best to all!!!!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Europe
Posts: 445
Hi Jamesgirl
Congratulations on day 6
I experienced that a lot during the early days. I put mine down to dehydration as I wasn't replacing the alcohol with anything. It's possibly part of withdrawals though?
Keep at it and well done again on day 6!!
M
Congratulations on day 6
I experienced that a lot during the early days. I put mine down to dehydration as I wasn't replacing the alcohol with anything. It's possibly part of withdrawals though?
Keep at it and well done again on day 6!!
M
Guest
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 57
I agree with Miela, it could very well be dehydration. I sipped ice water and gaterade constantly during the first week that I quit drinking. Just in case though, you should probably get in to see your doctor so that she or he can evaluate you.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,146
Had that on the 8th day, could hardly make it to bed...felt like a bad flu. Was much better the following day.
I think it was due to drinking about once a week at that time (trying to control it). I'd missed my usual toot that weekend so my bod went into a light detox mode. Glad no one was around that afternoon, I'd probably have talked them into getting me a drink instead of going through a few hours of uncomfortable aches...I can be a big baby sometimes.
I think it was due to drinking about once a week at that time (trying to control it). I'd missed my usual toot that weekend so my bod went into a light detox mode. Glad no one was around that afternoon, I'd probably have talked them into getting me a drink instead of going through a few hours of uncomfortable aches...I can be a big baby sometimes.
Adventures In SpaceTime
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 5,827
Yeah, sounds very normal to me anyways. Back in my day (1981) we called them alcoholic flash-backs. My detox was rough and my experience was not just each day I got better than the last. Some days in my detox were worse then my first early days as my alcoholism was no longer being fed alcohol. Detoxing is such a personal experience really. Of course it all smooths out eventually.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 20
Thanks, all! It DEFINITELY feels like an alcohol flashback, lol! That is exactly how I was feeling! It has passed and I feel decent, just a nauseated headache now.
I have really been wrestling with the big lie tonight. You know the one -- "you can just have one little glass of wine" -- but I managed to stay away from the liquor store. I ran out and got something to eat earlier and looked at the 4-5 cars backed up in the liquor store drive through and reminded myself that I'm not being punished. I'm being good to myself and my kids.
I'm going to take some more Tylenol, walk the dog, watch TV and go to bed SOBER tonight and actually wake up instead of "come to" tomorrow.
I am so very thankful that you're here and that we're walking this road together!!! Thanks again for the replies!
I have really been wrestling with the big lie tonight. You know the one -- "you can just have one little glass of wine" -- but I managed to stay away from the liquor store. I ran out and got something to eat earlier and looked at the 4-5 cars backed up in the liquor store drive through and reminded myself that I'm not being punished. I'm being good to myself and my kids.
I'm going to take some more Tylenol, walk the dog, watch TV and go to bed SOBER tonight and actually wake up instead of "come to" tomorrow.
I am so very thankful that you're here and that we're walking this road together!!! Thanks again for the replies!
Adventures In SpaceTime
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 5,827
Originally Posted by jamesgirl 
I ran out and got something to eat earlier and looked at the 4-5 cars backed up in the liquor store drive through and reminded myself that I'm not being punished. I'm being good to myself and my kids.
I'm going to take some more Tylenol, walk the dog, watch TV and go to bed SOBER tonight and actually wake up instead of "come to" tomorrow.
I'm going to take some more Tylenol, walk the dog, watch TV and go to bed SOBER tonight and actually wake up instead of "come to" tomorrow.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London, England
Posts: 50
It's pretty normal. As someone else has said on this thread, it takes a while for the body to sort itself out after all the abuse.
I felt hungover in the morning for a good couple of weeks - although the sober "hangovers" were way better than the real thing. It got better after a couple of weeks, and after that I just felt tired all the time. I'd sleep really well but wake up feeling exhausted and that lasted a couple of months. I figured that it was my body just recovering and catching up with itself.
In all, I was about four months sober before I felt completely normal. But either way, even with the sober "hangovers" and tiredness, I felt a million times better than I had when drinking.
I wouldn't worry about it. i think it's just your body healing.
I felt hungover in the morning for a good couple of weeks - although the sober "hangovers" were way better than the real thing. It got better after a couple of weeks, and after that I just felt tired all the time. I'd sleep really well but wake up feeling exhausted and that lasted a couple of months. I figured that it was my body just recovering and catching up with itself.
In all, I was about four months sober before I felt completely normal. But either way, even with the sober "hangovers" and tiredness, I felt a million times better than I had when drinking.
I wouldn't worry about it. i think it's just your body healing.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 132
I'm on day 4 and experiencing similar. Yesterday, I was talking to my husband, telling him about some insignificant event that happened at the grocery store, and he reminded me that I had just told him that story about an hour ago. I had absolutely no memory of it - like I blacked out for a period of time?
Then, last night I was driving a very familiar route home and my mind just went blank. I ended up on some road that I didn't even know existed. I'm not sure how I got from point A to point B.
Don't mean to highjack your thread, OP, just wanted you to know that I still feel foggy-brained and hungover. I'm counting that what everyone is saying is true, it will go away, eventually.
Then, last night I was driving a very familiar route home and my mind just went blank. I ended up on some road that I didn't even know existed. I'm not sure how I got from point A to point B.
Don't mean to highjack your thread, OP, just wanted you to know that I still feel foggy-brained and hungover. I'm counting that what everyone is saying is true, it will go away, eventually.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2
Hi all, Im new here, but couldnt help butt in. Im 32 days sober today - god willing, and I just wanted to say that I still feel absolutely grotty 
This is my 2nd longest AF stretch. Usually I can only ever go 2 days, before picking up again, and those 2 days are incredibly sparce. The longest I ever went, was 3 months around 4 years ago, so to be where I am today, is a near miracle for me.
I'm feeling very hard done by tho, as I feel so under the weather. I'm SO tired - even tho I am sleeping. I'm waking like I have the worst ever hangover. I never got hangovers in my drinking !! ..and my skin and hair look dreadful ! So I'm feeling pretty discouraged, and am in danger of all those thought's jumping into my head - like 'why bother' and 'why am I doing this when I feel so shite ?' . Reading posts like these help remind me, that I have abused my body so heavily, and for so long, its not gonna reverse this damage overnight. I also remember when I got those 3 months sobriorty, that I white knuckled every day of the first 2 months feeling so much worse than I ever did drinking, but it DID get better. The 3rd month was so much easier, and I really did start to feel better. ....then, wait for it... I drank again. This thing is so powerfull, and I have to remember that I must stay focussed, for I have an illness that want's me dead. It's do or die for me.
Take care, and remember to be kind to yourself.
It's just one day at a time.
xxx
This is my 2nd longest AF stretch. Usually I can only ever go 2 days, before picking up again, and those 2 days are incredibly sparce. The longest I ever went, was 3 months around 4 years ago, so to be where I am today, is a near miracle for me. I'm feeling very hard done by tho, as I feel so under the weather. I'm SO tired - even tho I am sleeping. I'm waking like I have the worst ever hangover. I never got hangovers in my drinking !! ..and my skin and hair look dreadful ! So I'm feeling pretty discouraged, and am in danger of all those thought's jumping into my head - like 'why bother' and 'why am I doing this when I feel so shite ?' . Reading posts like these help remind me, that I have abused my body so heavily, and for so long, its not gonna reverse this damage overnight. I also remember when I got those 3 months sobriorty, that I white knuckled every day of the first 2 months feeling so much worse than I ever did drinking, but it DID get better. The 3rd month was so much easier, and I really did start to feel better. ....then, wait for it... I drank again. This thing is so powerfull, and I have to remember that I must stay focussed, for I have an illness that want's me dead. It's do or die for me.
Take care, and remember to be kind to yourself.
It's just one day at a time.
xxx
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London, England
Posts: 50
Keep at in Stepintime. 32 days sober is a great achievement, and I know it's taken some effort. Don't talk yourself out of this huge favour that you are doing yourself. I know you feel grotty now, but it will get better.
I was much the same as you for the first couple of months - really tired all the time, almost woozy with it sometimes and I looked tired and haggard. My skin broke out. I certainly didn't look any better than I did when I was drinking in those early days.
But then it passed. Around the 3 month mark, I noticed that I would have the odd day when I felt really energetic, and then those days started to become more frequent. I started noticing a improvement in my appearance - my skin cleared, my skintone was more even, my eyes looked brighter and my eyebags disappeared. I dropped about 10lbs in weight. People started to comment on how "well" I was looking. These days, I look several years younger than I did in my drinking days, and I definitely feel younger.
Stay strong. It's gets way better with the passing of time, and an improved appearance and more energy are only scratching the surface of how good it gets.
I was much the same as you for the first couple of months - really tired all the time, almost woozy with it sometimes and I looked tired and haggard. My skin broke out. I certainly didn't look any better than I did when I was drinking in those early days.
But then it passed. Around the 3 month mark, I noticed that I would have the odd day when I felt really energetic, and then those days started to become more frequent. I started noticing a improvement in my appearance - my skin cleared, my skintone was more even, my eyes looked brighter and my eyebags disappeared. I dropped about 10lbs in weight. People started to comment on how "well" I was looking. These days, I look several years younger than I did in my drinking days, and I definitely feel younger.
Stay strong. It's gets way better with the passing of time, and an improved appearance and more energy are only scratching the surface of how good it gets.
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