Six weeks in and changes (this seems to be a recurring question)
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
Six weeks in and changes (this seems to be a recurring question)
Googling symptoms and stuff led me to this site a few years back when I admitted alcohol was becoming a problem, except that it already was a big problem.
Anyway, this is the longest quit I've had in a long, long time. Too long. Maybe eight years? My drinking waxed and waned but waxed tremendously over the last year and that's when the physical changes really set in. Problem was, I attributed many to age (i'm young-ish, but not too young), and most of the time, I didn't care, avoided the mirror and decided drinking was too precious to give up.
Eyes: clearer in about a week
Right side pain: Most gone in under a week, by the time I came out of the hospital
Gut: went down because at the end I was malnourished and when I began eating normally again, it swelled. I'm not happy about that, but I would rather have that and be at death's door.
Weight loss: can't say much about this because at the end, I was at death's door. Right before I was admitted, I had not eaten for five days. Sadly, people who didn't know were telling me I looked great (because of lost weight). I'm not a big person anyway, so those 10 to 15 pounds put me at a nearly ideal weight, as ideal as you can get after pregnancy (not immediately after). I did lose that bloated, horrible face. I see it in pictures now. I won't delete them because the difference is amazing.
Eyelids: they were all dry and looked scaly from dehydration. They are now hydrated.
BMs (TMI): It took almost a month for me to become regular and for the color to change from light yellow to normal. I knew the liver was okay (slightly elevated) since I was tested in the hospital. So, I just waited it out, but I'll be having follow up tests soon.
Anxiety: Gone. I worry by nature, but I'm ok.
Personality: I still tend to emulate a dry drunk. In other words, certain triggers or patterns of behavior that I got used to when drunk (like obsessing over things and fighting for a long time) have stuck and I'm trying to undo those.
Obsessive behaviors: Gone. I used to fixate in a maudlin way on certain songs, etc., and play them again and again or watch certain youtubes again adn again.
Weird things that I never dreamed were related to alcohol and I'm still trying to figure out what they were: For the last year, I have had a lot of raised bumps (small, brownish ones) on my feet tops and top of my hands (I know there's a name for those-part right below the wrist). I would remember spots like this on my grandmother's hands and figured it was hereditary and just came with age in my family. Other times, I was thinking it was cancer, but like many of us, I didn't need another thing to deal with, so I just told myself I would have to deal with the cancer. Nice reasoning there. This was on my bigger list to have checked when sobriety came. NOtice the passive voice. I was just waiting for it to come. It forced itself on me when I was hospitalized.
IN any case, after the hospital, I started making doctor appointments and made a note to ask about those spots. Then, over the course of a couple days, every single one disappeared. There are none left--flat ones and bumps, all are gone. It is very weird. Maybe it was a vitamin, magnesium, potassium, water deficiency? I had all of those problems going on when I got admitted.
Energy level: robust. I don't take naps anymore whereas at the end I was like a cat, drifting in and out of sleep all day and night. Even doing a dish or making a call or paying a bill was too much of chore. I'm surprised people in my family did not kill me. But don't worry, I'm dealing with a bunch of angry bees who won't really forgive what I did, even though it did not affect them the way they are saying it did. It's hard to explain, but many didn't notice and weren't even around. What can I say? Just gotta keep goin.
Anyway, my next goal is to continue working out and losing this gut. IT's not all alcohol induced. Some of it is age, pregnancy weight never lost. Feel free to ask questions.
Anyway, this is the longest quit I've had in a long, long time. Too long. Maybe eight years? My drinking waxed and waned but waxed tremendously over the last year and that's when the physical changes really set in. Problem was, I attributed many to age (i'm young-ish, but not too young), and most of the time, I didn't care, avoided the mirror and decided drinking was too precious to give up.
Eyes: clearer in about a week
Right side pain: Most gone in under a week, by the time I came out of the hospital
Gut: went down because at the end I was malnourished and when I began eating normally again, it swelled. I'm not happy about that, but I would rather have that and be at death's door.
Weight loss: can't say much about this because at the end, I was at death's door. Right before I was admitted, I had not eaten for five days. Sadly, people who didn't know were telling me I looked great (because of lost weight). I'm not a big person anyway, so those 10 to 15 pounds put me at a nearly ideal weight, as ideal as you can get after pregnancy (not immediately after). I did lose that bloated, horrible face. I see it in pictures now. I won't delete them because the difference is amazing.
Eyelids: they were all dry and looked scaly from dehydration. They are now hydrated.
BMs (TMI): It took almost a month for me to become regular and for the color to change from light yellow to normal. I knew the liver was okay (slightly elevated) since I was tested in the hospital. So, I just waited it out, but I'll be having follow up tests soon.
Anxiety: Gone. I worry by nature, but I'm ok.
Personality: I still tend to emulate a dry drunk. In other words, certain triggers or patterns of behavior that I got used to when drunk (like obsessing over things and fighting for a long time) have stuck and I'm trying to undo those.
Obsessive behaviors: Gone. I used to fixate in a maudlin way on certain songs, etc., and play them again and again or watch certain youtubes again adn again.
Weird things that I never dreamed were related to alcohol and I'm still trying to figure out what they were: For the last year, I have had a lot of raised bumps (small, brownish ones) on my feet tops and top of my hands (I know there's a name for those-part right below the wrist). I would remember spots like this on my grandmother's hands and figured it was hereditary and just came with age in my family. Other times, I was thinking it was cancer, but like many of us, I didn't need another thing to deal with, so I just told myself I would have to deal with the cancer. Nice reasoning there. This was on my bigger list to have checked when sobriety came. NOtice the passive voice. I was just waiting for it to come. It forced itself on me when I was hospitalized.
IN any case, after the hospital, I started making doctor appointments and made a note to ask about those spots. Then, over the course of a couple days, every single one disappeared. There are none left--flat ones and bumps, all are gone. It is very weird. Maybe it was a vitamin, magnesium, potassium, water deficiency? I had all of those problems going on when I got admitted.
Energy level: robust. I don't take naps anymore whereas at the end I was like a cat, drifting in and out of sleep all day and night. Even doing a dish or making a call or paying a bill was too much of chore. I'm surprised people in my family did not kill me. But don't worry, I'm dealing with a bunch of angry bees who won't really forgive what I did, even though it did not affect them the way they are saying it did. It's hard to explain, but many didn't notice and weren't even around. What can I say? Just gotta keep goin.
Anyway, my next goal is to continue working out and losing this gut. IT's not all alcohol induced. Some of it is age, pregnancy weight never lost. Feel free to ask questions.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 3,615
Woohoo on six weeks!!
I guess just keep keeping on, staying sober and recovering are the best ways to help not only yourself but your family too. If you do steps, you will end up learning about resentment. We have resentments to address, but our family members do too. My partner was angry at me about things I didn't even remember.
I didn't remember them because I was blacked out at the time. Oops. It takes time for us to heal, it takes time for our loved ones to trust us again, and they have a lot of fear and hurt and anger to work through too.
I guess just keep keeping on, staying sober and recovering are the best ways to help not only yourself but your family too. If you do steps, you will end up learning about resentment. We have resentments to address, but our family members do too. My partner was angry at me about things I didn't even remember.
I didn't remember them because I was blacked out at the time. Oops. It takes time for us to heal, it takes time for our loved ones to trust us again, and they have a lot of fear and hurt and anger to work through too.
Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 562
I can relate to your story ....I think I had alcohol poisoning 5 weeks ago.......I was never so sick.....and it took a month for my digestive system to get in order and I slowly have begin another healthy diet w no alcohol but it took a whole month most of which I spent in bed babying myself. Thanks for the post.
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,086
Congratulations on 6 weeks!
I really appreciate you taking the time to share this. In very early sobriety I thought I'd never feel any different or better, so I know this will help other Newcomers. I don't have 6 weeks yet but I'm excited to keep improving :-)
I really appreciate you taking the time to share this. In very early sobriety I thought I'd never feel any different or better, so I know this will help other Newcomers. I don't have 6 weeks yet but I'm excited to keep improving :-)
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
What is side pain anyway? Not looking for a medical diagnosis. Just wondering. It was intermittent and definitely related to drinking, but it was never severe, YET. And, sometimes when I drank, it didn't show up--like when I was on my bender. In soome ways, I thought it related to nerves?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,870
A radiating pain between your side and your back is sometimes caused by your pancreas (an organ that can be quite affected by alcohol consumption). If you are experiencing that pain, a call to your doctor might be a good idea.
Congratulations on 6 weeks, gonna, and on all the positive changes you have seen thus far.
Sobriety gets better and better; enjoy it.
Congratulations on 6 weeks, gonna, and on all the positive changes you have seen thus far.
Sobriety gets better and better; enjoy it.
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