what were your PAWS symptoms like after 3 months?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 226
How were your PAWS (post acute withdrawel) after the 3 months plus mark?
Im 2 months 28 days currently.
Steel feel tired but not as bad as earlier on, anxiety is almost gone ,other than being anxious about and questioning why im tired.....doc sais sleep hygiene, which is a work in progress.
Groggy dizzy things prety much gone which is nice.
Im going well but I dont feel there yet. Maybe 75% of the way though.
Keen to hear your experience
Im 2 months 28 days currently.
Steel feel tired but not as bad as earlier on, anxiety is almost gone ,other than being anxious about and questioning why im tired.....doc sais sleep hygiene, which is a work in progress.
Groggy dizzy things prety much gone which is nice.
Im going well but I dont feel there yet. Maybe 75% of the way though.
Keen to hear your experience
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 1,476
7 months in for me now.
Sleep has come good, energy is good, moods stabilised a fair bit.
It is just time Justin.
Can't expect years of neglect to repair in a few weeks or months.
But of course we all think that is the case
Sleep has come good, energy is good, moods stabilised a fair bit.
It is just time Justin.
Can't expect years of neglect to repair in a few weeks or months.
But of course we all think that is the case
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Hi Justin, i dont remember hearing about paws directly in my early sobriety its only on here ive heard about paws D has a great link PAWS | Digital Dharma
i know the first 3-6 months were the hardest for me but with regular mtns group therapy seeing an outreach team it got better there were hard days but i had ppl i could visit & ppl i could phone in times of urges cravings etc
Congrats on your 2 months 28 days are you 90 days today justin ?
i know the first 3-6 months were the hardest for me but with regular mtns group therapy seeing an outreach team it got better there were hard days but i had ppl i could visit & ppl i could phone in times of urges cravings etc
Congrats on your 2 months 28 days are you 90 days today justin ?
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 226
Thankz wolf, yep 90 days today, and nevergoing back. It was a lot more scary and hard than what I expected, but the storms starting to blow out to sea and more blue sky is shining through.you were all right, you purple Dee and others, it does get better but doesnt feel like it when urdown n feelung ****. Thats where ive found this forum wonderful. Because we dont have to do this alone
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 638
I think at 3 months I started feeling more stable being sober, and I'd gotten pretty used to paws and could anticipate it easier. There was some randomness with the state of being and propably some kind of anxiety of the nerves. It does get better all the time.
Then at 6 months I think was another point where something was different.
Now at 20 months+ I can't recall when I've thought of booze the last time. If there still is paws, it is very mild and easy to pass undetected.
There definately was something about 3 months. There still were some hard times between months 3 to 9, so I guess it's better be prepared that paws might cause a few surprises down the road.
Then at 6 months I think was another point where something was different.
Now at 20 months+ I can't recall when I've thought of booze the last time. If there still is paws, it is very mild and easy to pass undetected.
There definately was something about 3 months. There still were some hard times between months 3 to 9, so I guess it's better be prepared that paws might cause a few surprises down the road.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by UnixBer 
I think at 3 months I started feeling more stable being sober, and I'd gotten pretty used to paws and could anticipate it easier. There was some randomness with the state of being and propably some kind of anxiety of the nerves. It does get better all the time.
Then at 6 months I think was another point where something was different.
Now at 20 months+ I can't recall when I've thought of booze the last time. If there still is paws, it is very mild and easy to pass undetected.
There definately was something about 3 months. There still were some hard times between months 3 to 9, so I guess it's better be prepared that paws might cause a few surprises down the road.
Then at 6 months I think was another point where something was different.
Now at 20 months+ I can't recall when I've thought of booze the last time. If there still is paws, it is very mild and easy to pass undetected.
There definately was something about 3 months. There still were some hard times between months 3 to 9, so I guess it's better be prepared that paws might cause a few surprises down the road.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,369
Congrats on 90 days Justin
The way I look at it is - I drank hard, for years - by rights my recovery should have been hard & for years too. But it wasn't.
When this is over you'll look back one day and marvel at how quickly things turned around Justin
D
The way I look at it is - I drank hard, for years - by rights my recovery should have been hard & for years too. But it wasn't.
When this is over you'll look back one day and marvel at how quickly things turned around Justin
D
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fingerlakes,NY
Posts: 4,536
Honestly I think I was so very ill at the end that whatever PAWS throws at me is unnoticeable because I feel so much better now. I do think healthy sleep habits are very important. I have anxiety at times but nowhere near the crippling attacks I had drinking.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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Same here, would you believe I felt so anxious and sick from drinking I have barely craved alcohol at all since quitying. No way am I going back to feeling like that.
Ur right, whilst I winge about paws, its better than where I left as a drunk father and partner
Ur right, whilst I winge about paws, its better than where I left as a drunk father and partner
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
Three months? Up and down moods. More up than down though. However, the downs were sometimes pretty surprising, like I might snap at someone.
Still some fleeting feelings of panic. Last maybe five minutes?
Low threshold for stress. Even small things stress me out. (Physical reaction, elevated heart rate, shallow breaths).
Still some phantom hangovers, like "whoa, WTF, did I drink last night? No!"
Some feelings of depression. Sometimes in a bit of disbelief that this is for real, this is permanent. No turning back. I don't want to turn back but it is still very new and a bit strange, but strange in a good way.
Sometimes feeling outside of my body, like I'm watching a movie of my life rather than living it. ( I had this EVERYDAY when I was drinking every night).
BUT, feeling a million times better in every single way than drinking. I will repeat:
Feeling a million times better in every single way than when I was drinking.
Still some fleeting feelings of panic. Last maybe five minutes?
Low threshold for stress. Even small things stress me out. (Physical reaction, elevated heart rate, shallow breaths).
Still some phantom hangovers, like "whoa, WTF, did I drink last night? No!"
Some feelings of depression. Sometimes in a bit of disbelief that this is for real, this is permanent. No turning back. I don't want to turn back but it is still very new and a bit strange, but strange in a good way.
Sometimes feeling outside of my body, like I'm watching a movie of my life rather than living it. ( I had this EVERYDAY when I was drinking every night).
BUT, feeling a million times better in every single way than drinking. I will repeat:
Feeling a million times better in every single way than when I was drinking.
Recognising my AV
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: South West of England
Posts: 218
Hello MrJustin - Congratulations on getting this far - I think both at of us are at a similar stage in our journeys so I can't answer your question about how long it takes for PAWS to subside but I'm going to waffle on about my experience anyway!
I'd never heard of PAWS until I found this forum and it certainly helps put a label on some of the feelings I've had since my last drink nearly 3 months ago......... the poor short term memory, the unexplained mood swings, the inability to find the right word (a bit awkward at times especially when it's an everyday word like 'dog' or 'chair'. I've taken to overuse the term 'whatsit' of late!) the tiredness, the irritability and lack of concentration......etc.
Initially I wanted to know the reason for every small change in the way I felt but now I'm trying to accept that life just throws ups and downs, good and not so good feelings at you constantly.
I used to have a quick fix to any unpleasant symptoms - oblivion, now I have to learn to accept them and go with them
For me, the symptoms I feel that are the result of my not drinking alcohol (PAWS if you like) may subside or may be with me forever, I don't know yet.
What I do know is that these symptoms, while inconvenient, are infinitely preferable to the vile, debilitating, symptoms I experienced during my drinking career. So whatever label these symptoms carry, I'm going to enjoy them because they're a result of my choice to enjoy a sober life
Nearly 3 months, mate! Who'd have thought it!!!!
I'd never heard of PAWS until I found this forum and it certainly helps put a label on some of the feelings I've had since my last drink nearly 3 months ago......... the poor short term memory, the unexplained mood swings, the inability to find the right word (a bit awkward at times especially when it's an everyday word like 'dog' or 'chair'. I've taken to overuse the term 'whatsit' of late!) the tiredness, the irritability and lack of concentration......etc.
Initially I wanted to know the reason for every small change in the way I felt but now I'm trying to accept that life just throws ups and downs, good and not so good feelings at you constantly.
I used to have a quick fix to any unpleasant symptoms - oblivion, now I have to learn to accept them and go with them
For me, the symptoms I feel that are the result of my not drinking alcohol (PAWS if you like) may subside or may be with me forever, I don't know yet.
What I do know is that these symptoms, while inconvenient, are infinitely preferable to the vile, debilitating, symptoms I experienced during my drinking career. So whatever label these symptoms carry, I'm going to enjoy them because they're a result of my choice to enjoy a sober life
Nearly 3 months, mate! Who'd have thought it!!!!
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Join Date: Jun 2012
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Melinda and Hendrix spot on could relate to everything you just said. I too am working on accepting my symptoms as a badge of my sobriety. The tirednesd, headaches outside looking in that you mentioned and maybee a little light headed ferling now and then come and go. But much better than when I quit. The really scary feeling really out of it and groggy dizzy feeling has left over the last couple of weeks. Hendrix we should pm talk guitar sometime mate. I have a seagull accoustic.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: london
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hi mrjustin ,
at 3 months i had the odd craving still , not as reguarly as when i first stopped . I knew what to expect though and i knew how to deal with them it was just boring having to wait for them to go ..
I had to be wary of how much caffeene i was taking in with tea, coffee and cola , sugary stuff can also make me dehydrated and headachey … have some water ..
Have you had your eyes tested recently ? sometimes our vision changes on getting sober .
My memory was all over the shop for maybe the first year or so .. a proper Mr Magoo .
Sounds like your doing great , keep on
m
at 3 months i had the odd craving still , not as reguarly as when i first stopped . I knew what to expect though and i knew how to deal with them it was just boring having to wait for them to go ..
I had to be wary of how much caffeene i was taking in with tea, coffee and cola , sugary stuff can also make me dehydrated and headachey … have some water ..
Have you had your eyes tested recently ? sometimes our vision changes on getting sober .
My memory was all over the shop for maybe the first year or so .. a proper Mr Magoo .
Sounds like your doing great , keep on
m
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 346
Oh the anxiety! Thankfully, that's nearly all gone now. Except when it comes to the anxiety over my lack of anxiety...
I am rounding the bend into month four and have to say Hendrix and Melinda have pretty much hit the nail on the head for me.
I feel like a real person everyday now. Not all day everyday but everyday, which is awesome. It is frustrating when mid conversation I get sucked into my head, but hey, what are you going to do. The mood swings have died down a lot and at least and I know I am being unreasonable before I act on them, mostly.
Even as a kid my short term memory wasn't great so that is only a bit annoying. It's also at its worst when I am in a hurry or felling pressure.
I drank so long and hard I don't have any clue how much I feel like a normal person yet.
I am rounding the bend into month four and have to say Hendrix and Melinda have pretty much hit the nail on the head for me.
I feel like a real person everyday now. Not all day everyday but everyday, which is awesome. It is frustrating when mid conversation I get sucked into my head, but hey, what are you going to do. The mood swings have died down a lot and at least and I know I am being unreasonable before I act on them, mostly.
Even as a kid my short term memory wasn't great so that is only a bit annoying. It's also at its worst when I am in a hurry or felling pressure.
I drank so long and hard I don't have any clue how much I feel like a normal person yet.
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