ParisTexas

Hello. I'm new here so thought I'd say hello. And I have a problem.

I gave up alcohol just over a year ago. My problem is that my brain has been foggy ever since. Other symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are still present too. But it's mostly brain fog and fatigue. I've had an MRI. There is no evidence of any brain damage. But I still feel there's something wrong. Could I still be suffering from alcohol withdrawal after all this time? It doesn't seem fair. I'm meant to feel better and I don't. I feel much worse. And have naughty thoughts about relapsing. A drink always sparked me up. I have to say, I'm tempted. The truth is that the only thing stopping me is that alcohol makes you fat (and I've also lost more than 50 pounds - so I don't want to put that back on).

Please help.

Thanks.

PT

Dee74

Welcome PT

It may be PAWS
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) — Why we don’t get better immediately) Digital Dharma

but...I'm no MD - what do your Doctors say?

D

thirtybubba

Hi, welcome to SR

Sounds to me (not really an expert, just read a lot in here) like PAWS... I'm sure someone will be by with the weblink... or you could google it. I have seen a couple other people mention it lasted over a year.

But, since I don't know anything about being sober a year, I thought I'd just say hi and wait for those who know more than me...

Stay around some, there's lots of support here for staying sober.
TB

ParisTexas

Dee74,

Thanks for responding so quickly. I'm afraid my doctor is okay for coughs and colds but just nods to stuff like rape, alcoholism and says it will get better. WTF, right?

So basically, I've been doing this on my own. My marriage is falling apart because my husband used to control me with alcohol. Also now I'm sober, I'm not remotely attracted to him. All my "friends" are alcoholics. My mother is off playing the happy widow with new men following my father's death. Lot's of stuff going on. But yeah, no support group as such. In short, all the people in my life are toxic and enabled my alcohol abuse for years.

I've followed the nutritional program & take additional vitamins esp B1 and I also tried B12 injections. Doesn't seem to make much difference. And, as the article indicates, the symptoms should have peaked well before now. Things should be getting better. They aren't. All my blood work is fine. CT scans, MRIs, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, etc indicate my organs are fine. I should be in the olympic games. I feel awful.

Isn't all this stuff a bummer? Anyhoo, sorry for raining on your parade.

luv
PT

ParisTexas

Thanks for the kind words, ThirtyBubba. Is that you in the picture? So cute! I have three burmese cats. I can see them getting up to all sorts of mischief when I'm out of the house. :-)

Luv,
PT

augustwest

Have you tried AA? I go to NA, and have found that it really helps. I'm in early sobriety right now, but have had long periods of it before, and it was my involvement in my program that led to my feeling better. Simple abstinence was almost as painful as my using. The fellowship and changes that began occuring by working a program really brought some perspective and peace to my life. Meditation also helps me greatly.

May you find relief, stability, and happiness.

keithj

A lot of people will point to PAWS like it's some inevitable, expected occurrence that everyone has to go through. Not in my experience. The difference for me, and for a lot of people I see, is between just not drinking and being recovered from that hopeless condition.

It's not just limited to those in AA. Ask any one of the people that are no longer plagued by the symptoms of alcoholism, those who have found some real freedom from it. Almost without exception, some pretty vast changes in their outlook on life and their reaction to it has taken place. Not to mention the dedication and hard work to get there.

A popular AA speaker made the observation that for hard drinkers and non-alkies, the days get better when they stop drinking. There's a lot of benefit mentally, physically, and socially to not being drunk all the time. But for those real alcoholics, whose only solution has been to just not drink, the days generally get worse. They are still suffering from the ISM of alcoholism. Some real fundamental change is required to recover from that.

Not drinking never did much for me long term. I was happy and felt strong for a while, and then life started sucking. I was irritable and bored. Little things got under my skin. After a while, sober didn't seem all that fun, and a drink started looking good. I've come to observe that it's a very common pattern for those that have chunks of abstinance in between drinks. It's kind of sad, really, that many never hear the message that there is way more to it than not drinking.

True recovery is very different beast. I didn't know what it was until I experienced it. Life took on new meaning, and I was comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my life. I had no idea how miserable I was until I wasn't miserable any more. I guess there's no way of convincing someone just how wonderful that can be, because I see many who are content to wallow in that grey twilight of not drinking and not being recovered.

Untoxicated

First of all congrats on being sober for a year AND doing it with all that crap in your life.

Do you exercise? I've found exercise to be nature's cure to most anything (depression, memory issues, fatigue, etc.)

ParisTexas

Thanks Keith. I have no doubt it is a long and complex process and that everyone is different. I guess for me, I've never felt worse physically - and I'm comparing it to a life that starts with getting up, throwing up and going to work. Mentally and emotionally though, I felt okay fine drunk. Basically, I was anaethetising myself to feel that way. So now I feel physically a wreck and emotionally and mentally totally on a limb. Now, I'm no doctor but this doesn't sound like things are better than when I was perpetually drunk. I should feel better physically. I get that the emotional and mental stuff takes longer but after 12 months of no alcohol, physically I should be better. And I'm not.

Sorry for complaining. But this is very frustrating for me and isolating. Very isolating.

Kind regards
PT