For those tortured by PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms) and who fear they might go mad
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Here's a good article from National Institute of Health (U.S. government) on Kindling. That's what it sounds like to me, Dave9185. It's going to continue to get worse - if you believe the research. I found the progression to be similar for me.
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publicati...22-1/25-34.pdf
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publicati...22-1/25-34.pdf
Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by Dave9185 
Hey Dry,
I have been googling alcohol and paws specific to the soberrecovery forums and have gotten to page 10 of it, so I've pretty much read over a hundred discussions about PAWS on this website so far. What has frustrated me a lot is that not too many people mention the breathing thing. Since you mentioned it, I registered and wanted to reply to your question.
I'm mid 30s, 3 months sober. Have been binge drinking on weekends since my teens (FrI-Sat), have been drinking on Fri-Sun the past few years. The past year I have started to drink Fri-Mon, where Monday I took it ""easy" - only a six pack"" just to help me from feeling like crap. Started getting brain zaps as I'm falling asleep and spasms. Like my body won't let me sleep, as soon as I am a split second away from actually falling asleep, a feeling comes over my body like an electric current and I awake, toss and turn for half an hour, almost fall asleep and the zap hits me again. Got really worried about this, stopped drinking, the zaps went away after about 2 and half months. Stayed sober for 3 months, started drinking on weekends again (this would be around Feb 2020). Feb been sleeping okay... The pandemic shutdown hits, I'm home boozing for 3 weeks, beer and gin, straight, not a day off. I never drank 3 weeks straight in my life before. At the end of the 3rd week, I feel like crap, literally drinking just to feel better, head pounding, anxiety through the roof, blood pressure high!
I felt like crap for a week, but stopped drinking, felt better. Went out on the weekend, drank heavy Friday and Saturday. Sunday rolls around, anxiety through the roof... never felt this so bad! Took 2 weeks off from drinking, feel somewhat better, go out and drink again on the weekend. Did this for a few cycles of 2 weeks no booze, then a weekend binge.
June I started feeling lightheaded, high anxiety, went to citymd to check my blood pressure. CityMD takes BP and EKG, tells me I need to go to the ER because of palpitations and risk for heart attack (this is not good for my anxiety). Make it to the ER at which point my BP is 190, the highest I've seen mine before was 160. I am freaking out... in the ER, did chest X-ray, monitor my BP. They also take my blood. Doctors come back and tell me that I'm ok, my heart is fine, my blood tests are fine. So then why did CityMD tell me to go to the ER? I could of had a heart attack just because of them telling me that! I calmed down, went home. Went out the following weekend and drank Fri and Sat. Noticing the hangovers are getting worse and worse everytime I do my 2 week sober, drink for a weekend cycles. So about late June, I had my last drink. went to cardiologist to run tests, see what's up with me, he said everything is fine. In the meantime, I'm messed up, lightheaded most days, the brain zaps and spasms at bedtime came back. My anxiety is high, worried about my health, worried about the lightheadedness. Pretty much all the things you listed previously, I've experienced.
I don't have a history of panic attacks or high anxiety, but I started to get panic attacks and high anxiety. I have these breathing issues too. What I get is on and off, where sometimes during the day I notice I'm not breathing normally. What isn't normal? Well, I'm physically breathing normal, but I'm not feeling like I'm getting the oxygen that I normally get when I breath normal. (Feels like I need to take deeper breaths to get the same effect) Then I start to panic, start asking myself why am I not breathing normal? Sometimes in the mornings I wake up and get these short bursts of breathing issues, which I suspect is something to do with anxiety. I wake up with anxiety sometimes. Other times it happens during the day, without any real trigger. It's happened before to me at night too, but mostly it happens mid day. I kinda noticed that exercise helps with that. I ride my bicycle for an hour, it makes me feel better.
Like I mentioned before, I'm at the 3+ month mark. The lightheadedness was pretty constant the first couple of months. I would wake up, with coffee and cigarette and just dread what kind of day is in store for me, asking how long I can I take feeling this way! The first couple of months I would be afraid of leaving the house due to anxiety and lightheadedness (except for bike riding which actually helps with my anxiety). Also, my body sometimes feels tingly in my arms/wrists, and legs.
The last couple of weeks were actually great, I was able to go out and hang out with friends at the bar, not drinking, just catching up. I had 2 good weeks without anxiety, there was some lightheadedness during the day, but only short amount of time, and I feel like I'm really making progress. A month before I had to renew my license, and just a trip to the DMV was such a huge accomplishment for me! The breathing thing was also something that I stopped even thinking about. Now this week, well let's say since about 5 days ago, I've jumped back into the PAWS. Getting more lightheaded, feeling very sluggish, anxiety, sense of impending doom, that breathing thing... it's all back, 5 days of it straight, after I thought I was past it already! When I get this way, if I can, I just play video games. It takes my mind off of it. After about half an hour of playing, I notice, hey I'm not even thinking about the breathing thing, and it kind of goes away on it's own. That's why I think it might be anxiety related.
I don't know what is the cause of this breathing issue, I suspect anxiety related, or I think you mentioned CNS? I feel like it's getting better, but then it comes back again. Although I have it less often now than I did a month or two ago. I'm 3 months in, and I don't know how long I gotta deal with all this crap, but at 3 months I feel like it's better, even though I'm lightheaded right now, and have been back in bad PAWS for the last 5 days. Some people say that it peaks at 6 months! I pray that I already had my peak... I pray that the worst is behind me. I look back at the 1st month, 2nd month, 3rd month, there is progress. More days of clarity, less anxiety.
Anybody else have these breathing issues?
I have been googling alcohol and paws specific to the soberrecovery forums and have gotten to page 10 of it, so I've pretty much read over a hundred discussions about PAWS on this website so far. What has frustrated me a lot is that not too many people mention the breathing thing. Since you mentioned it, I registered and wanted to reply to your question.
I'm mid 30s, 3 months sober. Have been binge drinking on weekends since my teens (FrI-Sat), have been drinking on Fri-Sun the past few years. The past year I have started to drink Fri-Mon, where Monday I took it ""easy" - only a six pack"" just to help me from feeling like crap. Started getting brain zaps as I'm falling asleep and spasms. Like my body won't let me sleep, as soon as I am a split second away from actually falling asleep, a feeling comes over my body like an electric current and I awake, toss and turn for half an hour, almost fall asleep and the zap hits me again. Got really worried about this, stopped drinking, the zaps went away after about 2 and half months. Stayed sober for 3 months, started drinking on weekends again (this would be around Feb 2020). Feb been sleeping okay... The pandemic shutdown hits, I'm home boozing for 3 weeks, beer and gin, straight, not a day off. I never drank 3 weeks straight in my life before. At the end of the 3rd week, I feel like crap, literally drinking just to feel better, head pounding, anxiety through the roof, blood pressure high!
I felt like crap for a week, but stopped drinking, felt better. Went out on the weekend, drank heavy Friday and Saturday. Sunday rolls around, anxiety through the roof... never felt this so bad! Took 2 weeks off from drinking, feel somewhat better, go out and drink again on the weekend. Did this for a few cycles of 2 weeks no booze, then a weekend binge.
June I started feeling lightheaded, high anxiety, went to citymd to check my blood pressure. CityMD takes BP and EKG, tells me I need to go to the ER because of palpitations and risk for heart attack (this is not good for my anxiety). Make it to the ER at which point my BP is 190, the highest I've seen mine before was 160. I am freaking out... in the ER, did chest X-ray, monitor my BP. They also take my blood. Doctors come back and tell me that I'm ok, my heart is fine, my blood tests are fine. So then why did CityMD tell me to go to the ER? I could of had a heart attack just because of them telling me that! I calmed down, went home. Went out the following weekend and drank Fri and Sat. Noticing the hangovers are getting worse and worse everytime I do my 2 week sober, drink for a weekend cycles. So about late June, I had my last drink. went to cardiologist to run tests, see what's up with me, he said everything is fine. In the meantime, I'm messed up, lightheaded most days, the brain zaps and spasms at bedtime came back. My anxiety is high, worried about my health, worried about the lightheadedness. Pretty much all the things you listed previously, I've experienced.
I don't have a history of panic attacks or high anxiety, but I started to get panic attacks and high anxiety. I have these breathing issues too. What I get is on and off, where sometimes during the day I notice I'm not breathing normally. What isn't normal? Well, I'm physically breathing normal, but I'm not feeling like I'm getting the oxygen that I normally get when I breath normal. (Feels like I need to take deeper breaths to get the same effect) Then I start to panic, start asking myself why am I not breathing normal? Sometimes in the mornings I wake up and get these short bursts of breathing issues, which I suspect is something to do with anxiety. I wake up with anxiety sometimes. Other times it happens during the day, without any real trigger. It's happened before to me at night too, but mostly it happens mid day. I kinda noticed that exercise helps with that. I ride my bicycle for an hour, it makes me feel better.
Like I mentioned before, I'm at the 3+ month mark. The lightheadedness was pretty constant the first couple of months. I would wake up, with coffee and cigarette and just dread what kind of day is in store for me, asking how long I can I take feeling this way! The first couple of months I would be afraid of leaving the house due to anxiety and lightheadedness (except for bike riding which actually helps with my anxiety). Also, my body sometimes feels tingly in my arms/wrists, and legs.
The last couple of weeks were actually great, I was able to go out and hang out with friends at the bar, not drinking, just catching up. I had 2 good weeks without anxiety, there was some lightheadedness during the day, but only short amount of time, and I feel like I'm really making progress. A month before I had to renew my license, and just a trip to the DMV was such a huge accomplishment for me! The breathing thing was also something that I stopped even thinking about. Now this week, well let's say since about 5 days ago, I've jumped back into the PAWS. Getting more lightheaded, feeling very sluggish, anxiety, sense of impending doom, that breathing thing... it's all back, 5 days of it straight, after I thought I was past it already! When I get this way, if I can, I just play video games. It takes my mind off of it. After about half an hour of playing, I notice, hey I'm not even thinking about the breathing thing, and it kind of goes away on it's own. That's why I think it might be anxiety related.
I don't know what is the cause of this breathing issue, I suspect anxiety related, or I think you mentioned CNS? I feel like it's getting better, but then it comes back again. Although I have it less often now than I did a month or two ago. I'm 3 months in, and I don't know how long I gotta deal with all this crap, but at 3 months I feel like it's better, even though I'm lightheaded right now, and have been back in bad PAWS for the last 5 days. Some people say that it peaks at 6 months! I pray that I already had my peak... I pray that the worst is behind me. I look back at the 1st month, 2nd month, 3rd month, there is progress. More days of clarity, less anxiety.
Anybody else have these breathing issues?
Today I'm going through the ringer with the breathing thing again. I've literally read the posts on this site so many times that I have even adopted the word 'ringer' which one of the other posters used, in to my vocab. Seriously though, I am so happy to see that someone else has this issue as well because it is driving me insane. Well not happy, I would not wish this on anyone - as I find this symptom or whatever it is to be particularly cruel, but relieved I am not alone.
I've scoped the internet so many times trying to find answers to this and not much. It is so difficult to describe - for me breathing in is fine but I feel like I don't breathe out properly , like it is just not right. The irony and worrying thing for me is that this feeling occurred 11 months ago that led to my first ever extremely severe panic attack - and whilst I don't have it all the time - it does not feel like it has gone - and some days like today I have had it all day. So I'm really at a loss and feel like I have no options. Because it is this feeling that makes me anxious and gives me panic not the other way round. And when you try and explain all this to even loved ones you are really left with the impression that they think you are a spanner short of a tool box.
TBH, I'd rather have all the other paws symptoms than wander round all day like I can't breathe properly and that is a big statement. Imagine you are used to dealing with normal hangovers and then one day you have an extreme panic attack so you decide to stop drinking completely and eleven months later you feel like you still can't breathe correctly. It really screws with your mind too - I smoke as well, so I get convinced I have COPD or like alcoholic lung disease. X-ray said no, ecg said no, holter monitor back in the palpitation days did not reveal much, blood tests fine except for chol which is 6.
What I would say after talking to a lot of different people is that they seem to think it will eventually go away and that we are probably just hypersensitive to everything that goes on inside us. But yeah I'm not convinced. It's just like with the pandemic, I keep reminding myself that the death rate for people under 40 who catch it is like 1 in 10,000...but I still think it would probably wipe me out considering the breathing issue. But literally the best support in the world is on this site...any every time I'm down I come here for salvation.. The fact that you are able to already drink coffee I think is a good thing. I could not actually drink coffee for the first 7 months without it ruining my day...so hopefully you'll heal a bit quicker than me. I sometimes even wonder if my whole episode started 11 months ago from nicotine poisoning and then got thrown in to paws...
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 213
It will pass dry cucumber. I think you are incredibly brave. I think most people on SR are. I think we all would like to have different symptoms rather than the ones we do have. Mine is sensitivity to stress and anxiety, others feel fatigued others have brain fog. They sound not too bad to me but I’m sure if you was to experience them they can be just as debilitating. I think ultimately recovery sucks. But it is a beautiful process at the same time. It was my therapist who told me that. She said you learn a lot about who you are as a person and when you come out the other side you will see life in a whole new way.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 21
Hey Dry,
Have you tried exercising or doing any other activity (such as I mentioned video games) to take your mind off of the breathing thing, or its not possible?
Someone else mentioned sleep apnea, is it possible you have some kind of obstruction going on?
I am not sure if I have that. I did have some serious dry mouth, like I've never experienced before while trying to fall asleep, and drinking water wouldn't help, would get dry after a few minutes again. The dry mouth went away, however the bedtime zaps and spasms have come back after about a month of not having them. It might be anxiety related again, I've had very high anxiety lately. I've also started eating big portions of ice cream before bed, which I'm going to cut out. I know sugar is bad for paws, but like I mentioned before, I felt really really good for 2 weeks about 3 weeks ago, so I though hey, maybe I'm done with PAWS. These 2 good weeks were me being at about 70 out of a 100.
Others mentioned kindling, I definitely kindled myself, but my main issue is that I've kindled myself into PAWS. Whatever the acute withdrawal kindling was, that must have already happened, as I'm 3+ months sober. Still dealing with the fogginess, and just feeling like crap.
Have you tried exercising or doing any other activity (such as I mentioned video games) to take your mind off of the breathing thing, or its not possible?
Someone else mentioned sleep apnea, is it possible you have some kind of obstruction going on?
I am not sure if I have that. I did have some serious dry mouth, like I've never experienced before while trying to fall asleep, and drinking water wouldn't help, would get dry after a few minutes again. The dry mouth went away, however the bedtime zaps and spasms have come back after about a month of not having them. It might be anxiety related again, I've had very high anxiety lately. I've also started eating big portions of ice cream before bed, which I'm going to cut out. I know sugar is bad for paws, but like I mentioned before, I felt really really good for 2 weeks about 3 weeks ago, so I though hey, maybe I'm done with PAWS. These 2 good weeks were me being at about 70 out of a 100.
Others mentioned kindling, I definitely kindled myself, but my main issue is that I've kindled myself into PAWS. Whatever the acute withdrawal kindling was, that must have already happened, as I'm 3+ months sober. Still dealing with the fogginess, and just feeling like crap.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 405
Think of PAWS as being similar to losing a lot of weight or getting out of heavy debt.
Suppose you have $10,000 worth of high interest credit card debt you decide you finally want to tackle. So you cut out all nonessential spending, live like a hermit, throw every last penny towards that debt. No streaming services, no movie rentals, no takeout meals, just complete spartan living so you can dig yourself out of the hole you're in.
Six months later you look at your statement and your balance is $5,000. "Why do I still have to live like a hermit? I've been doing everything right, haven't had any fun at all, this isn't fair." It's because even if you've been doing everything right your debt has still not been paid in full.
Believe me when I say I sympathize with people dealing with PAWS. I struggled mightily myself for nearly two years with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Until one day I was fine.
For those two years I was most definitely not being passive in my recovery. It's just that my debt had not been paid in full.
Suppose you have $10,000 worth of high interest credit card debt you decide you finally want to tackle. So you cut out all nonessential spending, live like a hermit, throw every last penny towards that debt. No streaming services, no movie rentals, no takeout meals, just complete spartan living so you can dig yourself out of the hole you're in.
Six months later you look at your statement and your balance is $5,000. "Why do I still have to live like a hermit? I've been doing everything right, haven't had any fun at all, this isn't fair." It's because even if you've been doing everything right your debt has still not been paid in full.
Believe me when I say I sympathize with people dealing with PAWS. I struggled mightily myself for nearly two years with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Until one day I was fine.
For those two years I was most definitely not being passive in my recovery. It's just that my debt had not been paid in full.
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,350
Originally Posted by ant385
It will pass dry cucumber. I think you are incredibly brave. I think most people on SR are. I think we all would like to have different symptoms rather than the ones we do have. Mine is sensitivity to stress and anxiety, others feel fatigued others have brain fog. They sound not too bad to me but I’m sure if you was to experience them they can be just as debilitating. I think ultimately recovery sucks. But it is a beautiful process at the same time. It was my therapist who told me that. She said you learn a lot about who you are as a person and when you come out the other side you will see life in a whole new way.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,748
Originally Posted by WeThinkNot
Think of PAWS as being similar to losing a lot of weight or getting out of heavy debt.
Suppose you have $10,000 worth of high interest credit card debt you decide you finally want to tackle. So you cut out all nonessential spending, live like a hermit, throw every last penny towards that debt. No streaming services, no movie rentals, no takeout meals, just complete spartan living so you can dig yourself out of the hole you're in.
Six months later you look at your statement and your balance is $5,000. "Why do I still have to live like a hermit? I've been doing everything right, haven't had any fun at all, this isn't fair." It's because even if you've been doing everything right your debt has still not been paid in full.
Believe me when I say I sympathize with people dealing with PAWS. I struggled mightily myself for nearly two years with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Until one day I was fine.
For those two years I was most definitely not being passive in my recovery. It's just that my debt had not been paid in full.
Suppose you have $10,000 worth of high interest credit card debt you decide you finally want to tackle. So you cut out all nonessential spending, live like a hermit, throw every last penny towards that debt. No streaming services, no movie rentals, no takeout meals, just complete spartan living so you can dig yourself out of the hole you're in.
Six months later you look at your statement and your balance is $5,000. "Why do I still have to live like a hermit? I've been doing everything right, haven't had any fun at all, this isn't fair." It's because even if you've been doing everything right your debt has still not been paid in full.
Believe me when I say I sympathize with people dealing with PAWS. I struggled mightily myself for nearly two years with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Until one day I was fine.
For those two years I was most definitely not being passive in my recovery. It's just that my debt had not been paid in full.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 21
I recently got the results of my ultrasound, and my doctor called me in to tell me that I have a slightly enlarged and slightly fatty liver. No medication was prescribed, just that I should watch my diet, cutting out alcohol wasn't specifically stated, however I assume that goes without question. The ultrasound happened about a month ago, and my last drink was over 3 months ago. 3 months ago was also the time that I had blood tests taken and the doctor said that they were perfect, so I was shocked when I heard my liver is fat and enlarged. I looked over my results specifically the liver related blood work, and the numbers are in the middle of the normal range, they are not even elevated. Right now I'm reading all I can about what to do with regards to reversing my liver issue. At first I was relieved that the doctor didn't tell me that I had cirrhosis, however after the initial burst of happiness, I'm now concerned about how far I took my alcoholism. Yes, I'm glad I stopped drinking, but I'm still going through PAWS, where I get high anxiety for no reason throughout the day, and I feel lightheaded on and off throughout the day. I had 2 good weeks about 3 weeks ago, but this past week I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and fogginess. It actually all started back when the doctor called me on Thursday, and scheduled an appt for the following Monday. That weekend, I had loads of anxiety, and thinking the worst. That anxiety seems to have triggered my fogginess, and it's been pretty consistent since then. I actually had a nice clear head for one day yesterday, but today I became foggy again. This PAWS is no joke. Anyway, I'm going to take my diet seriously, and start eating healthier, and continue to ride my bike for an hour a day, 5-6 times a week until it gets too cold. Today I almost crashed into two other bikers during two separate instances because they didn't know the proper direction of the bike lane, (they were in the wrong lane, as the arrows are painted on the floor, very big arrows, and they are yelling at me as if I'm the ahole). I just rode home sad about my paws, my fatty liver, and the fact that there are so many unaware people everywhere.
I also find it funny, my friend who drinks everyday, has been drinking every day for over a decade seems to have developed gout. He takes medication for it, however he also still drinks. His doctor told him that he should quit drinking, that he has slight liver damage. To me, slight liver damage means I need to change my lifestyle. My friend however told me, "yea my doc says I have slight liver damage, no big deal." It's like how are some people so calm about these things, and I on the other hand get all bent out of shape about it...
Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts, please share.
I also find it funny, my friend who drinks everyday, has been drinking every day for over a decade seems to have developed gout. He takes medication for it, however he also still drinks. His doctor told him that he should quit drinking, that he has slight liver damage. To me, slight liver damage means I need to change my lifestyle. My friend however told me, "yea my doc says I have slight liver damage, no big deal." It's like how are some people so calm about these things, and I on the other hand get all bent out of shape about it...
Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts, please share.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 67
Hi Dave,
So basically eleven months ago when all this started I got told my body was in crisis mode. I had an enlarged liver as well and a stage 2 fatty liver. I remember the first month after stopping vividly, I was scared that my liver had been wrecked for life. Little did I know at the time that the liver would heal and that paws was round the corner. The liver is the only organ in the body that can completely repair itself. About two months later my liver enzymes were much better and about two months after that my liver was luckily perfect with no fat. So the problem I had caused from alcohol was completely better...or so I thought. Throughout these four months it did not really matter what I ate, I still lost weight. This to me proved just how many calories turn in to fat in the liver.
I bit the bullet and played squash last night and felt an incredible high and pretty good afterwards. That's nearly 11 months from quitting booze...so like I said previously it seems you are progressing more quickly than me. Today however I am shaky and have a cracking headache due to emotional distress between the mother of my child and mother. I realize that many of the really stressful moments in my life that I could not handle were just numbed very effectively by abusing alcohol.
I can't wait to one day feel normal again. Not momentarily normal. Just normal...normally. And that will happen for you too. Someone on here said 'you walk 500 miles in to the woods, and you have to walk 500 back out.' I think that is fairly accurate.
So basically eleven months ago when all this started I got told my body was in crisis mode. I had an enlarged liver as well and a stage 2 fatty liver. I remember the first month after stopping vividly, I was scared that my liver had been wrecked for life. Little did I know at the time that the liver would heal and that paws was round the corner. The liver is the only organ in the body that can completely repair itself. About two months later my liver enzymes were much better and about two months after that my liver was luckily perfect with no fat. So the problem I had caused from alcohol was completely better...or so I thought. Throughout these four months it did not really matter what I ate, I still lost weight. This to me proved just how many calories turn in to fat in the liver.
I bit the bullet and played squash last night and felt an incredible high and pretty good afterwards. That's nearly 11 months from quitting booze...so like I said previously it seems you are progressing more quickly than me. Today however I am shaky and have a cracking headache due to emotional distress between the mother of my child and mother. I realize that many of the really stressful moments in my life that I could not handle were just numbed very effectively by abusing alcohol.
I can't wait to one day feel normal again. Not momentarily normal. Just normal...normally. And that will happen for you too. Someone on here said 'you walk 500 miles in to the woods, and you have to walk 500 back out.' I think that is fairly accurate.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by ant385
How you feeling now dry? Any better? Well done on going squash. That is one sport I am absolutely useless at!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 213
One of the worst symptoms of PAWS is the feeling you will never heal. It seems quite obvious to me though that you are. 5 good days in a row shows that your brain is gradually getting there. Remember the chemicals in your brain are fluctuating hence the peaks of happiness and then the troughs of symptoms. It will steady itself. And also don’t look at the good days like well I’m only having 5 or 6 good days so next will be only 6 or 7 hopefully. Then 8. Then 9 etc etc. I don’t think recovery is like that in my experience I went from having only 5 or so good days then 6 or 7 bad days to almost 2 months good days with maybe a handful of ok days overnight. It’s because I think the fluctuating glutamate gaba is far less pronounced. I handle things so much better now. Still not 100% but I feel like I’m healing. You will get there too. But don’t try and guess how recovered you are as you are probably more recovered than you realise.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 21
Dry,
Like I mentioned before, I had a pretty good 3 weeks in a row about a month and a half ago, went out to see my friends at a local bar/restaurant, and had a good time, no panic attacks or anything. On my way home I was so happy that I could go out and just be normal and enjoy a night out. Then the doctor's phone call made my anxiety shoot up, and I started getting foggy again, nervous, bedtime spasms came back. The anxiety went away about a week after the doctor's visit, but the brain fog persisted. I've been getting better these last couple of days, managed to go out visit friends last night, and today I'm feeling better than I have felt in weeks. Haven't had the breathing issue in a few weeks either. But just the fact that I had those 3 good weeks before the doctor called, lets me know that my body can still have good days.
If you had 5 good days, then you can have more good days in the future. I get specific anxiety, where I worry about a certain set of things. Sometimes I write on a piece of paper the thing that I worry about, and I write out all the reasons why I worry, and then I try to be logical and write out all the reasons why I shouldn't worry. That helps sometimes. When my anxiety spikes again, I take out the paper, and just remind myself that I have good reasons to just calm down.
Also think about how you got to where you had 5 good days, and think about how you started feeling like crap again. Maybe there are certain things that you could either do, or avoid, in order to mitigate whatever is going on. In my instance, I've cut out sugar recently, that might be one part that is making me feel better.
Like I mentioned before, I had a pretty good 3 weeks in a row about a month and a half ago, went out to see my friends at a local bar/restaurant, and had a good time, no panic attacks or anything. On my way home I was so happy that I could go out and just be normal and enjoy a night out. Then the doctor's phone call made my anxiety shoot up, and I started getting foggy again, nervous, bedtime spasms came back. The anxiety went away about a week after the doctor's visit, but the brain fog persisted. I've been getting better these last couple of days, managed to go out visit friends last night, and today I'm feeling better than I have felt in weeks. Haven't had the breathing issue in a few weeks either. But just the fact that I had those 3 good weeks before the doctor called, lets me know that my body can still have good days.
If you had 5 good days, then you can have more good days in the future. I get specific anxiety, where I worry about a certain set of things. Sometimes I write on a piece of paper the thing that I worry about, and I write out all the reasons why I worry, and then I try to be logical and write out all the reasons why I shouldn't worry. That helps sometimes. When my anxiety spikes again, I take out the paper, and just remind myself that I have good reasons to just calm down.
Also think about how you got to where you had 5 good days, and think about how you started feeling like crap again. Maybe there are certain things that you could either do, or avoid, in order to mitigate whatever is going on. In my instance, I've cut out sugar recently, that might be one part that is making me feel better.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 12
Hi there,
Been ploughing through this thread and its all very interesting.
I am 4 weeks sober now and dealing with a lot of what I am reading here. It was maybe my 4th withdrawal, after drinking 10-15 pints a day for 5 weeks. In the past I have always bounced back so quickly, but not this time.
Currently I have anxiety, brain fog, general fatigue, some cramps (that seem to be lessening) and and trouble sleeping.
I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago and was diagnosed with fatty liver. I have stopped drinking, taking all my supplements and eating as clean and healthy as I can.
I guess my question is can PAWS hit straight away after initial withdrawals?
Thanks so much
Been ploughing through this thread and its all very interesting.
I am 4 weeks sober now and dealing with a lot of what I am reading here. It was maybe my 4th withdrawal, after drinking 10-15 pints a day for 5 weeks. In the past I have always bounced back so quickly, but not this time.
Currently I have anxiety, brain fog, general fatigue, some cramps (that seem to be lessening) and and trouble sleeping.
I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago and was diagnosed with fatty liver. I have stopped drinking, taking all my supplements and eating as clean and healthy as I can.
I guess my question is can PAWS hit straight away after initial withdrawals?
Thanks so much
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 213
welcome to the forum
‘I guess my question is can PAWS hit straight away after initial withdrawals?’
absolutely!
. And again you sound like a classic kindling case. Worsening withdrawals with each attempt to quit. Sobriety is the only cure. I am the same. So when you feel well again and you will be feeling well again make sure you don’t take it for granted and think it’s ok to drink again.
‘I guess my question is can PAWS hit straight away after initial withdrawals?’
absolutely!
. And again you sound like a classic kindling case. Worsening withdrawals with each attempt to quit. Sobriety is the only cure. I am the same. So when you feel well again and you will be feeling well again make sure you don’t take it for granted and think it’s ok to drink again.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by ant385
welcome to the forum
‘I guess my question is can PAWS hit straight away after initial withdrawals?’
absolutely!. And again you sound like a classic kindling case. Worsening withdrawals with each attempt to quit. Sobriety is the only cure. I am the same. So when you feel well again and you will be feeling well again make sure you don’t take it for granted and think it’s ok to drink again.
‘I guess my question is can PAWS hit straight away after initial withdrawals?’
absolutely!
. And again you sound like a classic kindling case. Worsening withdrawals with each attempt to quit. Sobriety is the only cure. I am the same. So when you feel well again and you will be feeling well again make sure you don’t take it for granted and think it’s ok to drink again.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 213
Originally Posted by drycucumber77
Hi Ant! Regarding withdrawal I am still a little confused with one thing - say you have been drinking pretty heavily for ten years once a week - then are you continuallly withdrawing for the other six days every week? What I mean is that would equate to well over withdrawing 500 times ...before stopping. Eleven months in and still very meh often!!!
But anyway if you drink heavily for 2-4 days each week heavily and then take 3 days off, like I did (about 20 units in a single binge on Usually thu, fri sat sun ) I think that there is every chance you will cause changes to your brain chemistry after a while. You then enter withdrawal. You may then abstain a while. But then you relapse and start drinking... maybe even moderately. But I think because the brain recognises alcohol so well it thinks to itself hey look who’s back.... I can start downregulating these receptors again and then boom you back into withdrawal before you know it. I am not sure why kindling causes withdrawals to be worse. It is considered a phenomenon. But I do reckon once you gone through PAWS you are extremely sensitive to going through it again if you start drinking again.
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