Softdrinks

Hi, I notice that my mental health springs back very quickly after quitting drinking. My physical health is always on a slow catch-up. It helps me to hear people stories on their physical health improvements, what was your problem and how long before it got better? Thanks

LumenandNyx

Well hello,

My drug of choice was alcohol and I all but went swimming in it.

Now that I'm sober, I find that I really miss living closer to the mountains (I grew up in the Rockies) so my exercise of choice has resulted in using the Elliptical at the gym. I rock that thing 4-5 days a week until sweat pours off me. I was an avid hiker and cyclist back in the day. My intention is to get back into both of those things on a very regular basis - just as soon as I move. I currently live in a college town and the foothills aren't within walking distance like they used to be. I also walk - all of the time.

I think that exerting oneself pretty regularly during sobriety can account for clearer thinking and a better sense of overall well-being. That's what it's done for me.

sortofhomecomin

Must say, for me personally it's the other way around, the physical health springs back quickly.

SnazzyDresser

Softdrinks, why don't you be more specific? Like what is the physical stuff that's not right and just how wrong is it? Also how long have you been sober?

I had crazy high blood pressure right before I quit, like literally in the 200s/150s area. When I first got sober and started taking the bp meds, they would get me into a more reasonable high area, say 140/90, but only has long as I stayed sober and took them every day. And I absolutely hated how they made me feel btw. And I started walking 30 minutes a day too. I'd say after 3 months of that I had reasonably good numbers most of the time, 125/75 territory. After 6 months of eating right, walking every day, watching my numbers closely, I was able to wean myself off the medicine altogether. But this was all business, zero tolerance for health foolishness. Like joining the army if the army would take a fat 50-something ex-drunk volunteer.

Softdrinks

I did have high blood pressure but after a month sober it's dropped to 117/69. I had liver pain but that is less slowly going. I do have pain's in my hamstrings and calf muscles. I also have blotchy palms and bloated stomach. I do feel better every day though which is good

ZIP

BP improvement for me, also. That was the first dramatic result I saw after quitting alcohol.
Within a couple of months all my blood work results had also improved. It''s truly stunning how the human body can take such abuse and begin to heal on its own.

MyLittleHorsie

It took reasonable time to recover. It's an ongoing process, I will be 3 years in October. I drank, smoked but had a quasi healthy diet.
Now I don't drink, quit smoking, eat a plant based diet and quit caffeine. I thought I felt good before
Your body heals in it's own time. I like to reference major surgery or illness, now imagine putting that kind of stress on your body for years, it will take time to bounce back. Same with mental and cognitive, I find I enjoy brain training games, of course lots of reading and taking the time to process emotions.

ant385

glad to hear your mental health springs back when you stop drinking. But just a caution to you this may not always be the case. You may have come across the term ‘kindling’ which causes harsher WD each time you quit. Don’t put yourself in that position like i and others on here have done. Let’s just say hell knows no bounds. I’m now 9 months sober and still have the pleasure of PAWS. But the good days are now just over 60% I would say. I’m now a qualified by experience psychiatrist .

i know you are currently sober so well done for that. My advice is to now stay the course and enjoy life

Dropsie

How are you doing SD?

MaximusD

I drank for 15+ years off and on and anytime I went to the doc all was fine. I say this, not as an excuse to keep drinking or to say that alcohol is not harmful, but to point out that for many people you can stop and probably not suffer any lasting affects physically. I feel like the worry of the health consequences keeps people from stopping ironically.

Softdrinks

Im happy which is the main thing, just lots of aches and pains, I’m under a lot of stress at the moment so I'm not certain if the pains are real or just stress. Thanks for asking