Babescake

on overall body bloating? I feel so swollen. Only sober 4 days, but I've never drank every day. Binge drinker for last 5 years, at most 4x a week so I figure I can't have that bad a digestive order yet. Never really gained much weight, but now I'm over my BMI and my body is fluctuating a ton for me (I'm a 35 yo female and I take weight really seriously). Drinking lots of water but clothes are tighter now than when actively drinking and eating like crap. I've always eaten horrible when drinking, but it seems lately I've just blown up. Anyone feel really bloated and then the water just goes out all at once and you are a lot lighter/clothes fit again? Weight is a big trigger from me and I don't want to be triggered to drink from depression about weight. Sorry so superficial but it is big for me.

Dee74

Have you considered seeing a Dr, Babescake?
It might be connected to drinking, it may not...They'd be able to tell you what the problem is for sure?

D

GMariee

Have you had weight loss surgery?

Babescake

No weight loss surgery and most wouldn't even consider me really overweight at all (maybe a couple lbs above my BMI at most). I just don't want to gain weight when stopping so wondering if it is normal to bloat for like a week or so and then the weight just drop off and clothes get looser.

And I'm not willing to go to the doctor right now. I'd like to give myself a few months to be sober and see if things improve. I have no other symptoms. I've never had withdrawal symptoms or any other horrible side-effects. Trying to stop early enough for that. But the weight thing is driving me crazy.

courage2

It's likely going to take a while for your body to get used to the change in diet (from lots to no alcohol LOL), plus probably your sleep patterns and maybe activity levels are different too. I'd give it some time. I got leaner after I quit, but it wasn't like change happens overnight.

fantail

I'm 32, female. My body acted really strangely with all things, including weight, for the first few months. But once it recovered from the shock my "do nothing" weight dropped by about 10 pounds. I'm not overweight so that's a huge difference, from the high end of the average BMI range down to the middle of the range. Which will probably mean that my regular exercise weight will be on the slender side of the spectrum, but I'll have to let you know on that as I just started exercising again!

Whether it's physical or emotional, try not to judge anything by the first three months of sobriety. Even if you didn't drink every day, your hormones and other chemicals will be doing really weird things for a little while. It's ok! Not only am I slimmer now, but the way the weight is distributed looks better. And I look healthier, too.

Soberwolf

Really helped me seeing a Dr in my first month of sobriety

madgirl

babescake I felt bloated too in the first week to two weeks. My stomach hurt, too. The bloat is leaving though - I've had people tell me my face has changed. Try not to obsess about the outside of you, and think more about how much good you're doing for the inside of you. What's inside will eventually show up on the outside - make sense?

I'm on day 41.

Anna

I think you are still in the very early days and my experience is that being patient is very important (and often hard for us addicts). Focus on staying sober and how you are feeling emotionally and hopefully your body will begin to change.