FLBeachGuy

Greetings,

I know everyone is different and their healing timeline is different. I have read up on PAWS and some of the psychological and emotional healing when one has started abstinence from alcohol.

I haven't been able to find any timeline for general physical healing, such as organ repair.

Does anyone have any resources on the timeline for our bodies healing?

Be Kind to Yourself,
FLBG

Twinings

This is just my experience....my stomach issues usually clear up after about a week and a half and so do the pains in the kidneys and liver area. My liver pains tend to get worse in early sobriety then get better and I have a dull ache for a good few weeks on and off.

I'm not a doctor but I'm fairly sure a healthy liver takes 6 weeks to regenerate. An abused liver will take longer. I have all my levels checked fairly regularly with blood tests and I advise others to do the same.

When I am sober, I am super healthy and do everything I can to help my body out. Lots of natural foods like broccoli, tomatoes, spirulina, flaxseeds and milk thistle all help the liver a long...plus plenty of green tea! Fatty foods will also hinder your liver health.

Mountainmanbob

you will never get this question answered perfectly
because
everyone is different in their recovery and healing time
some heal fast and complete
others at times suffer permanent damage from the abuse done to themselves
best to see a doctor for an full evaluation
then
follow his or her advice and start taking good care on yourself

there are three areas of healing needed
body - soul - mind
daily work on all three is a good idea

Mountainman

MattyBoy

The timeline for organ repair varies hugely. For me, my liver readings were back to normal within two weeks but that's because I'm young had prior to my last two week binge I'd had 5 months sober. Some people have liver damage that may reverse with abstinence but will never fully recover, others have cirrhosis which means they could be looking at liver failure within 10-15 years. If you haven't done permenent damage then your organs should be well on the way to recovery within 6-12 months or so. But hey, I'm no doctor, I'm just going by what the doctor in the hospital told me when I was being detoxes about the alcoholics he'd seen and they physical recovery they'd made...

ClearMind

For myself personally, I've seen physical, emotional, and mental results pretty quick (within a few weeks). The important thing is to understand that it's not instant, it will take time to heal ourselves in these categories, especially since many of us have spent years consuming poison.

alphaomega

I'm at two plus months continuous, 4.5 months with two 1 day slips. And I can tell you, that I know for a fact my body is still healing from decades of alcohol abuse.

While I am not in active detox (first few weeks) I can intuitively sense that all of my organs are in a mild state of shock. I think when they have become accustomed to processing poison on a daily basis, and working on overdrive 24/7, it takes a while to repair that permanently.

How long ? I wish I knew. But I would gather it will be a year of slow and steady winning the race.

FLBeachGuy

Thank you all for your great replies.

What type of tests of you think I should have run, or have you had done?

Thepatman

Your doctor will know what test to run if you are honest about your past with him.

Raufoss

Your MD can tell you what tests are needed. A simple blood draw is probably enough for most (to include liver enzymes, etc.) but listen to your doctor.

h24k

Like some of the others have said--everyone is different. I have had my liver & kidney's checked via a blood draw. Oh, I had a kidney ultrasound too. Those tests came back normal, BUT, I had an echocardiogram done because I was feeling irregular heartbeats and fluttering in my chest. That revealed that I have two leaky heart valves. I am absolutely certain it is due to the drinking. My cardiologist says they will heal over time if I take care of myself. They're minor leaks but if I continue to drink they will continue to get worse.

newman23

I've been drinking for 7 years. I've had more sober days since August then any point in my drinking career. I have definitely still struggled at points since then, and have had days where I drank but continued on trying to be sober, but have had more sober days then I ever had in my drinking career.

The intense heartburn seems to have cleared(especially when I first wake up. My chest isn't burning with fury due to the combination of alcohol and junk food like tons of slim jims and fast food). My complexion seems to get clearer and less red. My blood pressure has gone down to very close to healthy. My weight has gone down.

I was very scared too because my liver enzymes were pretty elevated(my AST and ALT levels). They were in the 200s in May. I just had a blood test done today, and my ALT is 31(normal is 0-50 in my lab) and AST is 23(normal range also 0-50). All the other numbers and values continue to be normal. Because I am a hypochondriac and in need of reassurance, I am having an ultrasound done(at my request) on my liver to check for cirrhosis and scarring.

As many above have mentioned, you can get better but the time does vary. I don't know about you, but my drinking has gotten me to the point that, after a night of drinking, I get anxiety over what I am doing to my health. It's nice to be sober, try to eat healthy and exercise, and have that anxiety diminish or lower. Hope you get better as well

FLBeachGuy

I was drinking daily for 3 years. I'd work remotely and start drinking "my ladies" (16 oz beers) before noon, until going to bed. I wouldn't get smashed, but occasionally would black out and not remember what I said to my loved one. Thankfully I was not a nasty or mean drunk, but was sloppy and did say some ugly things. The main thing is I just was not present, was agitated all the time, depressed, etc, etc.

I'm looking at the blood work I had done in June, which was right near the peak of my drinking. I think I had stopped a month before the test.


My AST was 16 and my ALT was 20. My MCB and MCH were very high, typical of alcohol addiction I read.

For some reason my cholestoral was very high. Does anyone know how this ties in with drinking?

Be Kind to Yourselves.

jazzfish

This is sort fo like asking how long it takes to recover from a car accident. I don't know. Are they still breathing? Is the head still attached?

Damage is caused both by the quantity of drinking and the length of time one has been drinking.

Drinking can greatly raise triglyceride levels which will affect your cholesterol and lead to heart disease. Alcoholics are prime candidates for developing diabetes as well. My triglycerides levels plummet when I stop drinking.

In the first month. I notice my complexion clears up, my circulation is better, and the inflammation in my belly is gone. I don't have the bloated feeling. However, except for cholesterol, I don't get any blood tests. I just try to live healthy.

h24k

FLBeachGuy, My cholesterol levels are unusually a bit high, too. My cardiologist told me to take niacin to get it under control. My primary doctor told me I can also supplement with a fish oil pill to raise my good cholesterol and "balance" it all out.

FLBeachGuy

Thanks h24k, You must have really strong resolve now to stop. How are you doing with stopping drinking?