coopde2

Hello Carol... I am brand new to the site and have read many of the posts it this thread as it seems appropriate... the beginnings. I found this site looking for information about withdrawl. I have been drinking beer everyday for at least 18 years... perhaps 3 stints of abstenance within the entire period lasting at most 3 days. Over the last 10 years my drinking went from about 12 beers a day to 16... i smoke incesently whilst drinking I work from home... it is a perfect set up!!. Recently I really wanted to stop... the waste of time money, the guilt, stupidity, depression, embarasment, risk of DUI and childrens aid, the fact that everyone smells it on you, the health concerns... (my liver when last checked over 4 years ago was twice the size of normal - and I have... still do likely if not worse... elevated enzyme counts... like someone with hepititis!) I do not want to do it any more.. Starting Saturday morning I stopped... Was shaking, sweating a little especially when I ate... by evening I was OK... easily irratated and wanted be left alone... but ok.
Other accounts of what people have experienced... your own included don't make sense to me.... I believe I kind of out did everyone in terms of volume... not to many people have as much time to drink all day everyday!! and yet... currently I feel normal... A little bored - restless - not knowing what to with myself... I also seem to smell funny... sort of sugary sweat but not in a pleasent way.
Could it be that the worst is yet to come? Could it be that it was because I was drinking beer exclusively... (if I ever drank the yard stuff id get really hammered... perhaps becuase i was already full of beer... ?)
Sorry to be so verbose... but lastly.... I have lost 5 pounds in two days!!!! I was at my ideal weight Saturday morning... I go to the gym 4 times a week.... I notice I have lost strength as well.... Please let me know what you make of this - other people have suggested that you wind up retaining water and thus should be gaining wieght?
Thanks for your time... I am glad to have found this site!

TTOSBT

Welcome Coopde!
Everyone's withdrawals are different, consider yourself blessed. I drank every day as well, for years. For the most part, I only drank wine. I detoxed cold turkey and felt similar to you. I was anxious, nauseated slightly, etc., but no shakes, etc.
I lost quite a bit of weight the first year. Lots of empty calories that I was no longer consuming!
But there is a lot more to this recovery thing than detoxing. What is your plan to ensure that you don't drink today? I dove into a program of recovery (AA) right away because I did not want to drink again. I suggest you make a plan for yourself.
Oh and I have never regretted making the decision to quit, life is SO much better today!

Anna

You can always check with your dr if you have questions about the safety of your detox.

I'm glad you found us and that you have decided to stop drinking. You'll find lots of support here. And, know that you never have to go through this again.

dasha

Coopde2 i wish you luck with your resolve, first day off for me! feelin that weary groggy
way, no sweat, doubt there will be much sleep though!! pity ive not got a tv on the
ceiling keepin busy non stop cups of tea wit brown sugar hmmmm.

coopde2

Hello... thanks for the feed back. when you lost wieght did you loose muscle too? I thought that alcholol damaged your body's ability to build muscle? Really i guess it is way to early to really know how I will react - just thought I'd ask others! About the detox biz... I am alittle aprehensive that I got off so easy given the amount and duration of the abuse! Would you think there is any chance that the **** will hit the fan in a few days? I would think not... but what do i know!
About AA... I went years ago and think that it is not for everyone... not for me. I only went to 4 meetings but found that i never wanted to drink more in my life than when i was at those meetings. I am one of those people who doesn't really accept help easily... My dad was the same way. I know this can be seen as a cop out... IE... if you say you need help then you really have a problem - and I certainly do not want to offend anyone... I believe everyone should do what works for them.
For now I will see how this goes. For the first time... I really do not want to drink... Knowing this the urges to do so are really hard to understand. I live in Quebec Canada where you can buy beer at a grocery store... I was going to by a box of beer yesterday (day 3)... thinking... I'll just have 2-3 a day!LOL... It occured to me... "i have more will power than this - Have some respect for yourself - and you know what will happen!" I didn't buy any. Yesterday when i woke up I was pleased that I was not going to open a beer! BTW... What would your guess be on how long realistically it takes before beer is not top of mind? One of the problem i have with AA... they reccomend you stay away from drinking buddies, bars etc... yet why would you want to remind yourself be hanging out with a bunch of alchoholics? Please explain!
Thanks Again... I hope I get more feed back like yours... questions are welcome... I guess if I have a plan for now it is to keep busy and keep my mind off the issue and eat a lot!... When ever I feel over haunted I will use this chat service!! Thanks Again!

FBL

Welcome, coopde2! I was exclusively a beer drinker for nearly 30 years, the past 10 years or so I put back 12-18 beers per day, EVERY DAY, with even more on the weekends.

After a trip to the emergency room to deal with anxiety and dehydration, my detox was fairly smooth, just a little bit of shakes and sweats. The cravings were pretty intense for the first few months...but now, almost 7 months later, I'm feeling better than I have in about 20 years! I've saved a couple of thousand dollars and dropped nearly 20 pounds. Actually, the positive improvements are almost too many to mention and it keeps getting better each and every day.

Good luck, the sober life awaiting you is all worth it!

coopde2

Thanks for the feed back!! About the wieght I want to gain not lose!!! The seven month plan is real relief... others talk about going to AA for the rest of thier lives... I think the constant reminder would drive me to drink... no offence to AA members... just I have been there years back and it really wasn't for me... to each thier own!

coopde2

Sorry... one more thing... you mention the hospital... if its not to intrusive... what happened thier? How much damage did you do yourself... IE liver function, bladder, kidneys... I hear that once you have chirosis it is irreversable... but I also hear that you liver can rebuild it's self... do you know anything about this kind of thing? Thanks again

4ever

Welcome Coopde2...you have found a great place for support. I wish you all the best!

TTOSBT

No, but I was working out 4 times a week.

no idea but you are way to early in this sobriety thing to be able to determine anything about your body. Don't worry about this for now. to be honest, I do not know either. What I know is my experience. But I was sober probably 60 days before I learned how dangerous it was to detox cold turkey. I had NO idea you could die from alcohol withdrawal! Scary stuff. My advice would be to go visit your doctor and let them know what you are doing and ask for their expert advice.
do not judge AA based on that experience. Maybe it is not for you, but I don't think you know that After all, you were obviously not ready yet when you attended those 4 meetings. I was so scared that i was going to drink again that I was 100% willing to take suggestions from others that were managing to stay sober one day at a time AND were happy as well! this is true of almost every alcoholic I know. But refusing help, has been the death of more than one alcoholic. So I just suggest that you keep an open mind about everything
Yes, take it one day at a time and know that there is help out there if you find you need it. I live in Southern California. We can buy alcohol anywhere, even drive thru liquor stores..oy vey! For me? Alcohol was a VERY large part of my life, it was on my mind constantly for at least the first 45-60 days. And, honestly, it was only when I started working the 12 steps that the obsession was lifted. Well, and I begged for the obsession to be lifted ahhh, first of all, that is not exactly right. The Big Book says "So our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason for being there. That includes bars, nightclubs, dances, receptions, weddings, even plain ordinary whoopee parties. To a person who has had experience with an alcoholic, this may seem like tempting Providence, but it isn't. You will note that we made an important qualification. Therefore, ask yourself on each occasion, "Have I any good social, business, or personal reason for going to this place? Or am I expecting to steal a little vicarious pleasure from the atmosphere of such
places?" If you answer these questions satisfactorily, you need have no apprehension. Go or stay away, whichever seems best. But be sure you are on solid spiritual ground before you start and that your motive in going is thoroughly good. Do not think of what you will get out of the occasion. Think of what you can bring to it. But if you are shaky, you had better work with another alcoholic instead!" (Page 101).

If the meetings I attend are focused on the solution and not just rehashing drunk-a-logs, I find that hey do not make me want to drink but rather, help to reinforce why I do not want to.

Take care of yourself. Do not allow yourself to become too hungry, angry, lonely or tired. These can trigger our desire to drink. And for today, just do not drink, no matter what!!

Fubarcdn

Welcome to SR Coop.
Congrats on your decision to give it up.
I am quitting with just the help of SR and it seems to be working for me.
When I quit last year I made a list of the good and the bad of not drinking and as long as the good outweighs the bad I will not drink.
I can't say much about the lack of symptoms and the weight loss.
If you are just back to the gym it might explain it to a degree.
If you continue to drop weight it might be a good idea to see a doctor.
The urge to drink will definitely subside as you progress.
Good luck in your quest.

smacked

Welcome.. My only advice would be to see your doctor, be perfectly honest about what you drank, and get checked to be sure everything is ok. I wasn't a beer drinker, but drank vodka all day every day, when I wasn't passed out. I didn't experience any withdrawal symptoms, other folks might have died from it. I did see my doctor for guidance, and had all my bloodwork done etc..

Glad you're here!

Richard54

Yeah see your doctor if you have any concerns.

I was mainly a beer drinker like you. I could easily bang off a 24 pack all day long.

It's no way to live man...

With my (many) detoxes I've found after 4 days I was pretty much over the physical side (shakes heaving etc).
But see your doctor.

Welcome to SR...!

coopde2

"no way to live man" understatement of the past two decades of my life... wife and kid gone, 10 year relationship over... not cause I was an ass... just that all i cared about was my beer, cigs and money (need that for those) and perhaps my garage! I was never a drunk... just an a self centered destructing alcoholic.
I spent the last few hours reading up on liver damage.... unless one has cirrosis... it can all heal... aren't are bodies that we've pissing and shitting for so long remarkable things!
Does anyone have any knowledge on how to speed liver recovery? IE vitaman B, Milk Thistle, egg yolks, ? As well... if anyone wants to learn about liver function etc.... check out ~Liver Cirrhosis and http//emedicine.medscape.com/article/170539-overview
Thanks for all the support!

FBL

My trip to the emergency room was all about severe anxiety and dehyradation, all of my blood work came back normal.

I have heard that the human liver has amazing restorative properties, as long as you quit drinking completely If you're worried, get the tests done, it's the only way to know for sure.

dasha

Why you americans so overdly forward with your peeing and pooing,Ahhhhh, some things
we brits leave to the imagination, i wish you well though freind in your resolve, life can
throw so many things at you!! im a struggler like you with the pride thing!! i aint goin
to no AA meet to humiliate myself in public!!! though i know this aint so, but jus now
still i dont go

Dee74

Hi coopde2

I agree with the general consensus here - looking up stuff on the 'net is fine to try and educate yourself...but if you want a definitive diagnosis of your health and real advice a medical professional is the way to go

Welcome to SR
D