Is this normal? General Questions of Alcohol recovery
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Is this normal? General Questions of Alcohol recovery
Hello,
I am new to recovery. I have not had a drink since June 22nd. I guess the best way to do this would be to describe my timeline of symptoms to see if others have gone through similar experiences.
I stopped drinking completely on June 8th after going on a bender for a month and waking up that morning in my own vomit. That same day was like any other day with a hangover except about 8 hours after I stopped drinking I was at the store and felt as if i was about to pass out. I got really hot, my hands were sweating and I literally just felt like I was going to die. For the next couple of days I could not sleep at all, and just felt like I had the flu. After about a week the lightheartedness and everything went away and I felt fine again for a few days. Three days after feeling fine again I started drinking but only a couple of beers for two days. Then I started to experience what I can best describe as brain fog ever since then.
Basically I have had full on brain fog since June 22nd and it does not seem like it wants to go away anytime soon. My current to date symptoms include Brain fog, Vision problems (ever since the brain fog came on its like a cloud is over my head and I cant see things as well as I used to be able.. I need to get closer to see/read them). On top of this sometimes in the mornings I will see my thumb shaking as little bit when I am on my phone. THE WORST THING i have done this entire time is look online at all of the possibilities. I am thinking that it is Post Acute Withdrawal that is hitting me but am not completely sure.
While going through Acute withdrawal i did not experience Hallucinations or Seizures.
I should also probably add that I am young 22, I have been drinking for a year, and the only time it got out of hand was the last month before I stopped drinking (i am a binge drinker). I do not crave Alcohol, i just want this to be over with and feel normal again.
I have been to the doctor:
Got a CT scan
Chest X-Ray
EKG
Blood Pressure
Heart Rate
Blood Work (B complex is fine, No Lyme Disease)
Everything else seems to be fine other than the brain fog which accompanies great anxiety when it gets really bad, but the anxiety is only caused by the brain fog not the other way around.
Just want to know if others have experienced this and if it is normal...
Thanks.
I am new to recovery. I have not had a drink since June 22nd. I guess the best way to do this would be to describe my timeline of symptoms to see if others have gone through similar experiences.
I stopped drinking completely on June 8th after going on a bender for a month and waking up that morning in my own vomit. That same day was like any other day with a hangover except about 8 hours after I stopped drinking I was at the store and felt as if i was about to pass out. I got really hot, my hands were sweating and I literally just felt like I was going to die. For the next couple of days I could not sleep at all, and just felt like I had the flu. After about a week the lightheartedness and everything went away and I felt fine again for a few days. Three days after feeling fine again I started drinking but only a couple of beers for two days. Then I started to experience what I can best describe as brain fog ever since then.
Basically I have had full on brain fog since June 22nd and it does not seem like it wants to go away anytime soon. My current to date symptoms include Brain fog, Vision problems (ever since the brain fog came on its like a cloud is over my head and I cant see things as well as I used to be able.. I need to get closer to see/read them). On top of this sometimes in the mornings I will see my thumb shaking as little bit when I am on my phone. THE WORST THING i have done this entire time is look online at all of the possibilities. I am thinking that it is Post Acute Withdrawal that is hitting me but am not completely sure.
While going through Acute withdrawal i did not experience Hallucinations or Seizures.
I should also probably add that I am young 22, I have been drinking for a year, and the only time it got out of hand was the last month before I stopped drinking (i am a binge drinker). I do not crave Alcohol, i just want this to be over with and feel normal again.
I have been to the doctor:
Got a CT scan
Chest X-Ray
EKG
Blood Pressure
Heart Rate
Blood Work (B complex is fine, No Lyme Disease)
Everything else seems to be fine other than the brain fog which accompanies great anxiety when it gets really bad, but the anxiety is only caused by the brain fog not the other way around.
Just want to know if others have experienced this and if it is normal...
Thanks.
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Welcome Frana, glad you're here with us and sober!!
Good for you on getting the doc involved - comforting to have them onboard on letting us know what's going on physiologically.
The body is amazing in it's ability to rejuvenate the longer we stay away from poison/alcohol.
Good for you on getting the doc involved - comforting to have them onboard on letting us know what's going on physiologically.
The body is amazing in it's ability to rejuvenate the longer we stay away from poison/alcohol.
Guest
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 397
Hello Frana. First, congrats on not drinking for a week. I'm no doctor, but the symptoms do sound like alcohol withdrawal. It's a good thing you went to the doctor, but I'm wondering if you really told him all about your drinking. He could answer your question much better.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Work with a doctor to look into any specific medical concerns you may have.....
Congrats on your sobriety. Keep on that train and you will find that your health, mental state, clarity, emotional well being and life will all improve!
Congrats on your sobriety. Keep on that train and you will find that your health, mental state, clarity, emotional well being and life will all improve!
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,569
Welcome Frana - I'm glad you're here. 
I had many withdrawal symptoms in the early months. I was exhausted and disoriented. Everything got better. Give yourself chance to heal from all you've been through. It's good you've been checked out by a doctor.
I had many withdrawal symptoms in the early months. I was exhausted and disoriented. Everything got better. Give yourself chance to heal from all you've been through. It's good you've been checked out by a doctor.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,784
Early recovery can be a bumpy ride for a while. The body and brain are learning to function normally again and it takes some time.
If you are still feeling badly, please see your doctor again.
Welcome to the family!
If you are still feeling badly, please see your doctor again.
Welcome to the family!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,445
Hi Frana
I'm familiar with all those symptoms - and brain fog is very common - but things really did get better like Hevyn said.
We hammered our minds and bodies for a long time - you yourself a little time to recuperate
Glad you've joined us - welcome
D
I'm familiar with all those symptoms - and brain fog is very common - but things really did get better like Hevyn said.
We hammered our minds and bodies for a long time - you yourself a little time to recuperate
Glad you've joined us - welcome
D
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: DFW area, Texas
Posts: 521
Congrats on the sobriety! That is a big accomplishment. Your symptoms sounded like mine...brain fog, dizziness, vision issues, bad anxiety (for me). I did a lot of research and talked to my doc and decided in my case it was post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). It can hang on for a while as your brain chemistry returns to normal but gets steadily better.
Hang in there!
Hang in there!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Hey everyone!
Thanks for the quick replies.
I did tell my doctor the amount I was drinking and have been working with him. I saw him again last week.
I don't specifically have medical concerns other than this I am very health, workout every other day etc.
Just concerned and frightening that it is taking so long to feel normal again, when I did this to feel better not worse.
Thanks for the quick replies.
I did tell my doctor the amount I was drinking and have been working with him. I saw him again last week.
I don't specifically have medical concerns other than this I am very health, workout every other day etc.
Just concerned and frightening that it is taking so long to feel normal again, when I did this to feel better not worse.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Originally Posted by SereneEdition 
Hi Frana -
Yes, this can be a normal part of early sobriety. Sounds like you've had it thoroughly checked out. Have you been upfront with your doctor about your drinking?
Yes, this can be a normal part of early sobriety. Sounds like you've had it thoroughly checked out. Have you been upfront with your doctor about your drinking?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Originally Posted by Rio97
Hello Frana. First, congrats on not drinking for a week. I'm no doctor, but the symptoms do sound like alcohol withdrawal. It's a good thing you went to the doctor, but I'm wondering if you really told him all about your drinking. He could answer your question much better.
I'm probably just freaking myself out more because I've never felt like this and never thought it would happen.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
I was a daily binge drinker for about eight years, every single day same amount and my brain and central nervous system was out of whack for almost a year. I will add though, I felt better during that year than I did while I was drinking.
I had the brain fog, bouts of joy, bouts of depression, but I knew one thing for certain: drinking wouldn't help the symptoms I was having (PAWS). I'll admit, during that year I wasn't sure if I would ever feel totally normal again but I just trusted what people on here said that it would get better.
I'm at 13 months now and can pretty much say I feel like someone who never drank.
Please don't find my timeline discouraging. Other people on here apparently feel like a million bucks a week after stopping. It's totally different for everyone.
I believe my body and brain took it so hard because I there were literally NO breaks from drinking for about six years. No breaks longer than 24 hours when I was too hungover to drink. Well, once I did 10 days in 2010. You say your blood work was all good which is awesome. Mine was not.
All I can say is it continually gets better with sobriety. And it will continually get worse with continued drinking.
I had the brain fog, bouts of joy, bouts of depression, but I knew one thing for certain: drinking wouldn't help the symptoms I was having (PAWS). I'll admit, during that year I wasn't sure if I would ever feel totally normal again but I just trusted what people on here said that it would get better.
I'm at 13 months now and can pretty much say I feel like someone who never drank.
Please don't find my timeline discouraging. Other people on here apparently feel like a million bucks a week after stopping. It's totally different for everyone.
I believe my body and brain took it so hard because I there were literally NO breaks from drinking for about six years. No breaks longer than 24 hours when I was too hungover to drink. Well, once I did 10 days in 2010. You say your blood work was all good which is awesome. Mine was not.
All I can say is it continually gets better with sobriety. And it will continually get worse with continued drinking.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Hi Frana, I would listen to what posters above have mentioned, collectively they have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. I just have one question, do you or have you taken prescription medication? And if so, has it changed recently? Good job on your healthy lifestyle and not drinking.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Originally Posted by thomas11
Hi Frana, I would listen to what posters above have mentioned, collectively they have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. I just have one question, do you or have you taken prescription medication? And if so, has it changed recently? Good job on your healthy lifestyle and not drinking.
I do not take any prescription medication and I do not misuse any either.
The only thing I take are multivitamins and my doctor told me to take coenzyme10q to hopefully get my brain back faster.
Why do you ask?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Originally Posted by Frana5272
Hi Thomas,
I do not take any prescription medication and I do not misuse any either.
The only thing I take are multivitamins and my doctor told me to take coenzyme10q to hopefully get my brain back faster.
Why do you ask?
I do not take any prescription medication and I do not misuse any either.
The only thing I take are multivitamins and my doctor told me to take coenzyme10q to hopefully get my brain back faster.
Why do you ask?
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