Exhausted76

Hello, this is a great site.I am new here

I am concerned because the doctors don't understand what's
happening with me ... here's what's going on

I quit drinking 28 days ago and at the same time stopped
eating sweets and sugars.The beers I drank (mostly belgiums
or imperial stouts) had loads of sugar in them

Now I am getting hypoglucemic symptoms.The panic attacks
decreased in the last few days but I still can't sleep without
a melatonin vitamin and even when I take it I sleep for less than
5 hours it seems like.The vitamin eliminates the panic attacks and tremors during my "trying to sleep" time.If I lay down thinking that maybe "tonight's the night" I'm actually going to sleep without the vitamin I start getting tremors and panic attacks as soon as I feel comfortable.My tongue is white (looks like there's fungus
on it) and my throat is sore.I read that it's candida (the doctor told
me it was just dry mouth.Also, as of last week my vision is blurry
which is another hypoglucemic symptom ...
Has anybody here experienced what is happening to me?
There are some articles online that explain everything that I'm going
through and say it can be corrected but I am scared to death.
Anyway, please respond to this post.I am so exhausted and trying
to be strong for my girlfriend but it's so hard.Thanks in advance!

Latte

I can't definitely answer any of your medical problems but if you are concerned please make an appointment.

I sometimes wondered if my doctor liked me sober? That first year was a real bear. LOL

Anna

If you're not getting the answers to your questions from your dr, maybe it's time to find another one.

I hope you feel better.

Exhausted76

Thanks for the response
I did.I even went to the hospital.They said that I am
not hypoglucemic after checking my blood

Has anyone here experienced tremors in their sleep for more than a month?
Or any of the other symptoms I mentioned?

Exhausted76

thank you ...I am not working right now so I had to rely on going to the free
clinic and went to the hospital when I felt faint one day

Dee74

Hi exhausted

None of us can answer your medical questions I'm afraid.

I know I was exhausted for at least the first month, although I lacked your other symptoms - tiredness and fatigue is very common.

I'd advise you to stop trying to diagnose yourself on Google tho - I know from experience it's very easy to terrify yourself like that, and that anxiety tends to make the situation worse....

If the free hospital is your only option I guess I'd keep presenting myself there when I feel unwell....I've had to try many different doctors too....

I'm sorry you feel unwell, at least, from your blood test, at least you know it's not hypoglycaemia.

D

Exhausted76

thanks for the response
I just want to see if others have been going through
similar symptoms basically.It would give me peace of mind
to know if someone went through something similar
because of stopping drinking sugary beers and sweets
at the same time.I am trying my best to hold on
and be strong through this but I can't afford to go
to the hospital again.The bill hasn't come yet but it's
going to be huge.They said I was fine and the free clinic too
I am improving a little every day and eating better, taking
vitamins that seem to be decreasing anxiety attacks.
The sleeping issue, fungus on tongue, sore throat
and blurry vision is really scary though
I know I need patience.I know, it's rough though.

Dee74

Just a thought: I cut all sweets/sugar out dead once and I totally shocked my system.
It took me a month or two to feel ok again.

I know now the best way to introduce change is gradually

D

Exhausted76

really?

Dee74

That was the advice I got from my Dr, yeah

D

Exhausted76

Yeah, it wasn't smart for me to kick the alcohol
cold turkey and also not eat the sweets anymore but I didn't realize it until I was having withdrawal symptoms for like maybe 16 days or something

anyway, I appreciate all your responses

ajangel

It feels as though my blood sugar drops frequently too. I eat a big scoop of peanut butter and I feel better. Try eating several small meals with proteins and carbs.

Exhausted76

thanks
that's what I've been doing for 2 weeks now

topspin

exhausted,
dang, you're the first person I've read that did cold turkey on booze and sucrose at the same time. Did the same thing myself.
For replacement, I was loading up on the grapefruit, oranges, grapes, cantalope. My body needed (still does) a ton of sugar to replace all that toxic processed sugar in Beer ,liquor, mixers, and all the rest.

Kicking sugar is no picnic, but worth it. It took about 6 weeks for my body to start settling down enough to get restful sleep. I was just starting to return to my natural weight (190) from 240 though, ....... that took about 5 months.

Hang in there; .....and eat more fruit !!!

topspin

I almost forgot. Didn't want you to get anything twisted. I'm a big believer in eating as much as ya want.
Replacing all those empty worthless carbs takes A LOT of real food !!!

Exhausted76

thanks topspin
did you have any of the symptoms I'm experiencing now?
Also, did stopping the alcohol make you a total insomniac
for 6 weeks?

Derrick41

Everyones recovery is different. My insomnia at first was due to the mental battle of addiction. Once I sorted out my head I started getting normal sleep again. What ever you do be strong and fight the demon. You can do it.

StPeteGrad

I know that the treatment center I went to and the one several of us hold AA meetings at serve meals that are very high in carbohydrates. I ate VERY well where I went. I know that I was an M&M junkie for about another 2 months - I should probably indulge more to help my mood. When I checked into treatment I was 155lbs (I'm 6'2") and when I left 11 days later I was 178lbs. I was 185 - good healthy weight for me - last week at the doctor. It sounds like you got the majority of your calories the same way I did - alcohol sugars. I am very susceptible to low blood sugar as well - it affects everything about my mood and sense of well-being. I have to be sure to eat a small breakfast and at least two good meals after that everyday or I'm hurtin' bad the next day. It will lead me to depression, which then leads me to lack of desire to eat, and so on.

I can tell you this, even while I was drinking, my blood sugar levels ruled my moods which is why I think alcohol was so attractive to me. There seems to be a fairly common theme in the halls of treatment and AA of hypoglycemia and taking care of it. There was an entire lecture on hypoglycemia when I was in treatment.

Like diabetes (hyperglycemia), there are a lot of good books out there that discuss types of foods and eating habits to manage it and stabilize it. Anyone who has kids knows how important this is. It's just ironic how we can forget that for ourselves as adults.

My dad has taught me a lot about eating to manage blood sugar as he is hypoglycemic as well. I wish I would have listened. Also, he has never drank alcohol in his life.

Wishing you peace and health.
-SPG

topspin

Initially, I was in such bad shape physically, it took a while for me to slowly get my activity level up. Riding a bike as hard as I could manage for 20 or 30 minutes ( had to start somewhere !?! ) along with some walking was about all I could do.

As the months went by, eventually my riding got stronger, and longer ....to 10 miles, then 15, then 22, etc. For some reason,in the past I've always slept like a deadman when I do physical exerting work, or working out. ....and, most importantly, was sober.

My thought was to try to work on getting the "physical" me strong enough (endurance-wise) to once again be able to do strenuous; or labor-intensive work.

It's almost antithetical to think about going for a speed walk (or whatever you can do) when you feel exhausted, ....but sometimes just getting the oxygen in your blood can help, ...and help with sleeping IMHO

I finally decided not to let the length of time I was sleeping worry me. Just tried to focus more on eating healthy , working out, and the sleep just eventually took care of itself. At 14 months, I can easily wake up with 5 hours and fall right back to sleep. No problem.

Those first weeks were crazy tough,because the whole sleep deprivation thing made me a little loopy sometimes. Liek I said, though. i finally just said "the hell with worrying about it" I was so grateful to be sober.

Still am

Hang tough man, ....it'll get better

Exhausted76

thanks so much for all the responses

you all made my day!