SummerBee

So, I am on day nine and doing surprisingly ok. I think I have "talked" myself into not drinking and so far, no cravings. Towards the end, the physical cravings stopped altogether and I was left with what I can only describe as the need to drink from "habit" if that makes any sense.

Once I sat and thought this through I realised that it was the triggers that made me want to fill myself with poison every night and not physical needing any more (very bizarre). So I ignored the trigger times and set my mind to not drink. So far, so good.

I wanted to ask though, about headaches. When I stopped I made the decision not to fill up on sugary rubbish that wouldnt really make me feel any better. This last few days I have had a head pain along the left side if my head and over my left eye. Was wondering if anyone else has experienced this after giving up all the sugar, especially in the amount of white wine I was consuming on a daily basis. I have read that sugar reduction can result in your body craving as well.

Summerbee

Yogini1603

I can't give medical advice and would always advise to speak to your doctor, even if it's just to put your mind at ease, but yes I had headaches. They were horrid for the first week, went away, then came back for odd days up until about 2 weeks ago. I'm just over 40 days sober and they're gone now.

I drink a lot of water and ate as well as I could, even with the sweets I was eating up until recently haha!

SummerBee

Thanks Yogini i appreciate your response. Dont think they are bad enough to need a Dr. Sounds like its just another one of those things we need to deal with. I'm not into the sweets thing, but have been eating fruit and veg and drinking lots of water both tap and sparkling with lime. I feel absolutely great apart from the head pain.

Skin and hair are noticebly improved but best of all I feel fully awake and clear headed. The day is so much easier to face and the added bonus, cash in my purse instead of the wine store till !

It really is true what people on SR say..... You can't describe how good it feels to be sober.

Yogini1603

The skin improvement is crazy. I didn't notice any improvement till someone in recovery said I looked like a new woman compared to the week before! Amazing how fast our bodies can heal when we take care of them.

SummerBee

I know, I was getting some quite worriesome upper abdomen discomfort which has all gone, thankfully. It begs the question....
Why didnt I do this years ago ? The best thing for me is most definitely my relationship with my teenage daughter. She wants to be with me during the evenings now. Before, she used to come into the lounge, look at my huge glass of wine, frown and then disappear up to her room. I feel like a complete **** for that and the guilt kills me but now its like we have a totally new connection and I am loving every minute of it.

Yogini1603

Exactly! I had the abdomen pain too and that disappeared after around 5 days I think. I got checked over by the doctor and was told that I needed to stop drinking (which I already knew) and that I was doing the right thing by getting sober (can't imagine a doctor saying it was the wrong thing to do though!) and it's actually been a really good part of my recovery, remembering that ache and being scared of it, and the fact that I'm now okay. It messed everything up though, my digestion, skin, hair, mental state...I'm only 28 so I'm glad I stopped now rather than letting it get worse!

That's so great about your daughter :-) It's so worthwhile!

SummerBee

I had this scary thing......put your right hand on your upper tummy with your little finger just touching the top of your belly button. So that soft area just below your ribs, mine felt kind of hard, still does a bit, but not so much so. I felt nauseus as well, scared me a lot.
Anyway, at 28 you have a great opportunity to have a healthy life moving forward. At 55, I reall need to work at it now !! Wishing you success.

Yogini1603

The human body is a weird and wonderful thing! You might find it helpful to go and get a full check up at the doctors. I was really anxious about all my aches and pains and having checks done and being told that it was okay and that things would improve with time as long as I took care of myself, really put my mind at ease. I worry a lot so it was good to hear!

August252015

Good job on quitting drinking!

Our bodies eventually rebel against serious amounts of alcohol- our livers, pancreases, hearts, even skin...none of it are meant to be abused with what is basically poison. I drank heavily through my 30s and yes, I am quite a testament to how the body can heal (short version is I was given a year, 18 mo to live if I didn't stop- that was 275 days ago so just over 9 months). Everything in my body has benefited- from clean liver tests to people also telling me I have never looked better. Quitting, and turning 40 healthy is the absolute best thing I have done.

Keep going- there will be ups and downs to how you feel but I can promise you that from where I sit, it is all better sober. We also learn (in part through honesty with good dr(s)) how to take care of ourselves, through medicine and/or diet and other good self-care.

Happy Thanksgiving!

PurpleKnight

Day 9 is fantastic Summerbee!! Keep pushing through!!