butterflies5

I was just wondering if anyone has done a cleanse while early in recovery? I started this 30 day program a few months ago but stopped because I figured I was wasting the expensive products since I was still drinking. I did feel great the 5 days I did it. I'm on day 8 of no drinks, so far only noticible problem is lack of energy. The cleanse really helped with this before. Thanks for your thoughts!

doggonecarl

Congrats on 8 days.

I haven't done a cleanse, nor do I know what it is. Could you elaborate?

As for being tired early in recovery, not unusual. Are you having problems sleeping?

butterflies5

A cleanse pretty much flushes your body of toxins. There are multiple different products out there. Many are all natural and lots of vitamins.

I'm horrible at distinguishing what I'm ever tired from. I honestly can't remember a time since having kids that I haven't been tired!

DisplacedGRITS

I haven't had any experience doing a cleanse but cleaning up my diet, drinking a lot of water, drinking some V8 or Gatorade, walking/moderate exercise, cutting out sodas and taking a good multivitamin really perked me up. Taking the occasional nap when my body asked for it also helped.

Tuitiefruitie

I did a 16 day candida cleanse. The brand was Aquaflora Candida High Potency 9. Took a 50 billion count acidophilus with it. It's an overgrowth of yeast in your body from sugar. The woman at the health food store said a lot of alcoholics have it. Most people do that eat a lot of sugar, breads and yeast. You drink a cap full in the am and pm. Absolutely no taste and not alcohol based. I felt much better. My daughter did it too. She doesn't drink, but she said she felt better.

Dee74

I think we go through enough mental and physical turmoil in early recovery.
I've seen folks crash and burn because they took on too much at once too soon.

Personally? I'd lay off for a while.

D

kittycat3

Butterflies, hi!! I think you have a great idea but I agree with Dee on holding off on a cleanse until you are stronger in your recovery. I have done a cleanse in the past and I recommend it! But it's not for the faint of heart and you should definitely not be starving your body when it just needs to get used to a no-alcohol diet.
In fact I think your cleanse would be more detoxing if you waited on it now that I think about it. Today your body needs all the energy it can get to heal from the alcohol damage, and only when that is complete could your energy be dedicated to detoxing. That makes sense to me. Congrats!!!!

OCDDan

I was taking mega-vitamins and they were giving me crazy bizzare nightmares. A massage releases a lot of toxins in your muscles, i wonder if that would be benificial?

DisplacedGRITS

A massage is never a bad idea! I got a massage a few days ago and my masseuse actually commented that she could tell that i drink a lot of water and complimented me on it. I'm a big believer on staying hydrated. You'd be amazed at how many people walk around dehydrated and don't even know it.

Threshold

This is my messed up brain and how it has operated in the past.

I decide do make a change. I happen to get hooked on "rituals"...and use them as a distraction from addressing the real situation and feeling and working through it.

So, I've done cleanses...and while there is nothing wrong with them, when they didn't bring about the miracle I'd hoped for..I'd fall into my "it's hopeless, nothing works" routine.

It's starting to dawn on me, after 4+ decades, that while all those healthy things are great and what I should be doing, my mind needs me to address some things that aren't going to be cleansed out of me by a box of herbals, a massage, a fast, a spiritual ritual etc. No quick fix.

I have had to actually put aside my tendency to hide behind rituals, miracle cures, etc in order to get myself to get honest and deal with my real issues.

That's just me. I found that I couldn't honestly differentiate from doing something that is actually purposeful or doing some "magical thinking". So I had draw a line.

It's amazing, since I've done that, how often I catch myself slipping back into "ritual" mode. Making promises to myself, feeling a creeping inner terror and telling myself "well, I'll do this or that" and it'll go away...rather than be willing to feel the terror and work through it.

One of my rituals was pills and booze, I have a whole host of others...some just as stupid, others that have the convenient appearance of doing something worthwhile. It's my inner motivations to NOT feel something, that's the issue.

Until I become willing to "feel" life I will never be free.

that is my experience with cleansing.