melki

It's 34 days today and I'm hell on wheels. I really dislike myself in this state and want to take control. Moody doesn't begin to describe this state. My irritation is through the roof, I feel like crying and screaming all the time. My kids are ducking for cover and it's horrible! I'm pretty sure my cycle plays a major role in it. Ladies, how do you deal with bad cases of PMS? I worked out, I'm keeping busy with chores. But mood swings are still horrendous. At least I'm not drinking... That's honestly the only thing I have going for me now. Otherwise, I'm a miserable moody bitch.

melki

This past weekend was the first tough round of cravings for me. Fight with husband, other pressures. The urge of cutting off the nose to spare the face was very strong. I'll show them! Luckily, I can at least recognize it now and stay somewhat on top of it... Hopefully handling it with more grace will come next.

doggonecarl

Congrats on 34 days sober. Great achievement.

That said, early recovery is a roller coaster of emotions. But that doesn't mean you have to take your family on the ride. What would tell an unruly child? Please control yourself?

I think that advice applies here.

FeelingGreat

Hi Melki, you deserve a lot of credit for sticking it out through the mood swings, but I agree that not drinking isn't enough on its own.
I think a doctor's visit might be in order. If it is hormones all over the place there are simple treatments that can help. If not hormones there may be some other health issue that the alcohol was masking.

biminiblue

When I first stopped drinking my emotions were so overwhelming that I thought I'd jump out of my skin.

I felt so scattered and unable to cope with pretty much everything.

At about two and a half months I got this image in my mind of all these puzzle pieces floating out in air and they were gradually being pulled in closer and absorbed into my shoulders and head (I KNOW IT'S WEIRD? OK?) I feel like it was my psyche reintegrating and my brain building new pathways. I had those feelings for a while - weeks at least.

Every day gets better - you're at a very tough point. Great job in recognizing it and moving through it. It's going to be much better soon. Hang in there. You'll be so glad you did. ((hug & chocolate))

melki

I'm trying to control myself. The emotions during this time are just so dang strong! I'm crying and crying and crying, this is ridiculous.

trachemys

Hey, Melki
(1 of 2)

melki

biminiblue, FeelingGreat, doggonecarl, thank you so much, your responses are really helping.

trachemys

(2 of 2)

biminiblue

Melki, I sat in an AA meeting one day and could. not. stop. crying.

I thought I was losing my mind. No one else was crying. I couldn't stop, seriously. Not just tears running down my cheeks, but boohoo ugly face crying.

I kept saying (during that period of time), "I'm just so raw."

It will pass. ((more chocolate))

melki

NEAT!

Thank you.

melki

trachemys, haha Thank you for that!

You all are wonderful, thank you. It really helped me to take this break and vent. Back to my family. And to chocolate. biminiblue, thank you for reminding me. I felt so spiteful I didn't want to give chocolate (or ice-cream! trachemys!) a try.

soberclover

Crying and being a mess is TOTALLY ok! It's totally necessary to feel the feelings. You are feeling what it is like to deal with sobriety and PMS. You will figure it out over time as you learn more about yourself and what helps during stressful times. Be gentle with yourself, be careful about too much caffeine. Crying is sooooo ok! I think it is awesome that you are reaching out for help!!

getright15

Man o' man have I been there as well. It's for sure a roller coaster ride of feelings. I too deal with depression and anxiety which I take meds for as well. Drinking and taking those pills along with being diabetic are such a bad combination. Depression/Anxiety and drinking make it alllll worse. One hour you're cool next hour you're stressed next hour you're crying next hour you're drinking. BS cycle. 7 Days now for me since I had a drink. This time last week I was in the detention center waiting to see the judge so I could leave for my DUI.

Rant away...I do

silentrun

Double whammy!! Exercise helped and so did some music. After a year I ended up going into the doctor and got put on celexa for a few months. I wish I had insisted on something sooner. He finally prescribed me something because I had been complaining about anger issues several visits in a row.

EndGameNYC

.

soberjuly

well...the week I quit alcohol, I also did a lot of juicing. On about the 6th day of abstinence I got my period (male folk may want to quit reading at this point...lol)...OMG it was light and lasted maybe 3 days. For a long time, well as long I drank, it was horribly heavy, 5-6 days and I was like Linda Blair in the Exorcist. I think my head did rotate 360 degrees.

ok, now, I looked into it because another thing that happened with juicing is I wasn't all congested and stuffed up. My sinuses cleared. And I have no allergies so it wasn't connected to anything like that.

So I looked into it and everything I ate that week, my first week without booze, was alkaline. Everything I used to eat and drink was mainly acidic.

I hope this isn't construed as medical advice...this is dietary advice.

Anyhow, if you Google Alkaline/Acidic you can find lists of what each is. Apparently, an acidic diet grows mucus (mucus producing). Disease can only live and breed in a body full of mucus. I know, gross.

A typical modern Western diet is very acidic. More so if you drink alcohol.

If you try to eat more alkaline things you might find your periods get better, mood gets better, everything gets better. Life gets better. Your head quits spinning around. Your kids/husband are less scared of you and etc.

I don't know, just thought I'd throw it out there because I had horrific PMS until the week I quit alcohol and drank tons of veggie juice.

And BTW, the terms are deceiving because lemons are one of the most alkaline things you can consume but you'd just naturally think they were acidic. It has to do with how they affect the blood I guess.

Anyhow, my 2 cents!

PurpleKnight

34 Days is fantastic!!

melki

Men, turn away!

You have been warned. Ok, so it was definitely PMS, enhanced by too much sugar & caffeine. My apologies for TMI but it was so real for me, like a flood of intense emotions from out of nowhere. I am normally not like that. I've had mood swings before but the intensity of these took me by surprise. Then again I would usually pacify myself with a bottle before.

soberclover, your post helped a lot. I knew it but it helped seeing it again. Love your signature, btw.

soberjuly, this is very interesting, thank you! I looked it up. I am normally very mindful of what I eat but this month indulged too much in carbs, sweets, ice cream and sodas, which are not usually a part of my diet. That probably added to the intensity of mood swings. Last month I marched under the flag "anything goes as long as I don't drink", this month I plan to start leveling off. I will be mindful of the cycle and the diet!

Thank you again everyone for being here. Once I posted it stopped me in my tracks. It's a HUGE help. I also started thinking about things I wouldn't point out on my own. Thank you!!!