Peggato

Hello,

I found this thread about an hour ago and joined. I have been binge drinking for 30 years and today I decided that I need to quit for my health (my MCV, MCH and cholesterol are elevated (according to my doctor these are indicators of alcohol abuse) She is requesting that I go for Liver function tests next week and I'm petrified that i have already damaged my liver.

Last night was my last drink and I am now 14 hours sober and I'm thinking now about withdrawal. I have no shakes, no headaches, no sweating, no tremors. I'm drinking plenty of fluids and keeping myself hydrated. I just put chicken in the oven because I feel hungry and I will eat. I checked my Blood presssure and it's fine. I have no one to turn to except my dog, lol He's been sitting beside me all day, loyal companion that he is.

I am beating myself up today because of my lifelong abuse. I sincerely plan to stay sober, one minute, one hour and one day at a time. I hope that it's not too late health wise and that I will get better and begin to feel healthy and happy again. That is my goal and the only thing that is keeping me going right now.

Any helpful suggestions for the next 24 to 48 hours as I know this will be the toughest part of the acute physical withdrawal. Then I'll have to deal with the psychological withdrawal which I hear is extremely hard as well.

Thanks for any help that any of you can provide. . . I'm looking forward to hearing from some of you to help me get through this.

mildytired

Hang tough, I've only just begun to the road to recovery, but am finally getting over the withdrawals I feel. The psychological ones I know will take much more time. Use SR anytime you please, there are amazing supporting people here. I have found it a tremendous help to post here and not let my thoughts get the better of what I know is most important, my health. It is never too late! One day at a time.

Peggato

Thank you for replying, I'm scared but I am doing THIS!! I will be checking in often to see if there are any other posts and God Bless you for answering me and providing me with some much needed words of encouragement.

SheWanders

Hey Peggato! New here too. Sounds like you're already practicing self care which I find helps me emotionally as well as physically. When I am alone I come on here and read. This site is a Godsend. I find anxiety to be the toughest part of withdrawal for me. Did your doctor address this? It tends to be the worst in the first few days.

Dee74

Welcome Peggato

You'll find a lot of support here

You seem to be doing all the right things to me for the first few days...glad you feel ok but please don't hesitate to see your Dr tho if you feel at all concerned.

D

mecanix

Hey Peggato,
As time goes on it gets easier and better. I found long cool showers helped with the sweats and something to do, and clean bed-clothes encouraged me to sleep and have a haven to look forwards too at the end of the day rather than passing out drunk on the sofa with a tatty blanket .

Bestwishes, M

freshstart57

Hi, Peggato, welcome to the team here at SR. Of course the idea of learning how to live without alcohol is terrifying, more so I think than almost any other change we face.

You are looking after your physical needs and this is great. Maybe today you can start to be gentle with yourself and your emotional needs too. Believe in yourself, you are a good person with strengths and skills that have never been tested or used.

We have all been where you are and doing our darnedest to show you that if we can do it, you can too. Keep posting here, there is a lot of support here waiting just for you.

Peggato

Hi SheWanders, Dee and Mecanix,

Thanks for posting. . . I am reading through other posts and I am finding them very supportive.

I am anxious, but I've always had anxiety issues, all my life in fact. I will definitely call my doctor if I feel it is getting out of hand.

Mechanix, it's funny that you should mention clean bed clothes, I stripped my bed today and washed and hung out the sheets, my spread is billowing in the wind right now and should be dry in an hour or so for me to put on top of my nice white, bleached sheets. I am hoping my clean bed provides me with some comfort tonight. I just walked the dog up the street and back and then I went to the store to get some fresh milk for my tea. So I plan to hunker down and ride this out.

Thanks everyone!! Has anyone had health issues related to their drinking? Such as mine? If so did you labs and health improve with time and if so how long does it take to feel "better". I am hoping that my health will improve that is my bigggest fear right now that I have done major damage and it may be too late, it's strange how my doctors words and my abnormal labs hit me so hard today. Maybe that is rock bottom?????

Peace to all and may God watch over us all as we recover.

Dee74

I can only speak from the standpoint of anxiety - but yes it got better over time...much better

Hang in there Peggato

D

freshstart57

We all get to pick our own turnaround spot, and sooner is always better than the alternative. Having your Doctor tell you to quit this drinking foolishness right now is a great adjunct to what you already know about your drinking because it will help you in your resolve. In fact, Dr.'s orders are the most effective quit drinking method going.

Your health will improve of course, day by day, both mentally and physically. Don't doubt this or your ability to quit for a second, Peggato. You will be fine.

Hevyn

Welcome, Peggato! Congratulations on making this important, life-saving decision. Yes, it's hard when we're older & have relied on alcohol for years. I, too, suffer from anxiety issues - and thought getting numb was an answer. Huge mistake. Over the years, it only made me far more self-conscious and anxious than I already was.

I'm so glad you found us. When I joined here I'd been drinking more than 30 yrs. I felt so isolated and alone with the problem, since no one else in my life or my family had drinking issues. It'll feel a bit odd in the beginning, when you think of turning to it out of habit - but overall you'll enjoy being free from it's clutches. At least that's the way I felt. You aren't alone - you have us to help you through it. So happy you're here.

2granddaughters

Hello Peggato:

I suggest you Google and read AA's "The Doctors Opinion", "How It Works" and "The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous". See if you can identify with what they are saying.

All the best.

Bob R

sissy07

Peggato,

Welcome to SR! I hope your withdrawals aren't too bad....but if they get too bad, call your doctor or go to the ER. Withdrawals can be dangerous.

That being said, best wishes to you. Post and read a lot here. SR has been invaluable to me. Take care.

Kza

keep posting and let us know how you are doing

john44

It's never really "too late" to quit, without abusing alcohol your health will improve. I have many serious health problems, have abused my body terribly but am progressing nicely after 38 days sober.

Sasha4

I don't know about long lasting health problems but it sure is peaceful in my head now that I have stopped. For 23 and a half hours a day I used worry if that twinge is my liver or is that pain acute pancreatitis? Is it me or does my finger feel numb? Is that a symptom of alcohol abuse? Then googling horror stories because I dare not go the doctors. No way to live!

In terms of living without booze, for me, after a while I don't find it difficult but just different.

But it's good different.

Mornings rock........most of the time. No more headaches, gasping thirst, anxiety.
More productive - get more jobs done, have more interests, more energy. At first i had to keep busy. Now I don't know where I found the time to drink so much!
Boring? No way. Laying in bed hungover, thinking what happened last night, sweating, paranoid, sick, tired, reeking of booze, mouth like the bottom of a bird cage. That was really boring.
Me - I don't think I am a hottie by no means. However, I have lost weight, looked so much less bloated, take more pride in my appearance and I smile a LOT more.

Keep going my friend. xxxx

Peggato

Wow! Hearing from all of you is like a big hug~~ Thank you everyone, I can't express enough how much your support is encouraging me. I am dreading tonight, sleep is going to be tough, but I am going to lie down and try to get some rest. I ate dinner, small piece of chicken and a tiny bit of pasta, not a lot but definitely enough to keep up my strength. Drinking my water and will have tea in the morning~~~ I am planning to take the dog for another short walk, two walks today. . . that is more walking than I have done in about 2 years. If I can keep this up maybe I will lose some weight which wouldn't be a bad thing since I am about 20lbs overweight. I definitely am craving the alcohol. But not as bad as i thought. I am keeping myself busy. Beer was my weapon of choice, never could tolerate the "hard stuff". By now, on a typical Saturday night, I would be at least on my 3rd or 4th beer with many more to go. It's weird I feel like a friend is not here, is that too weird, because alcohol wasn't my friend. . . but that is how i feel??? being sober on a Saturday is weird to me as this was my big drinking day along with Friday and then on Sunday I would wind down with just a "few". I can't remember the last Saturday i was sober.

artsoul

Welcome Peggato!

Glad you've decided to join us! This is a great place to hang out on your first Saturday night sober! I think we all felt like alcohol was our best friend and couldn't imagine going without it, but that's part of the insanity of this disease.

It really does get better......

Hevyn

Yes, I definitely felt like something was missing in the beginning. I had thought of alcohol as a comforter - but our friend sure turned on us in the end.

least

Welcome! I'd say you're doing well for early in recovery. Get medical help if needed and take good care of yourself. For my recovery I used an addiction counselor and this site and I've been sober over two years now. If I can do it, anyone can!