MahiMahi

Hi Everyone,

Well today is day 54 and after many failed attempts I'm hoping this one works. I have been a heavy drinker for 20 plus years, everything I did involved alcohol. In January I checked into a 5 day detox after a weekend of drinking and pills, "percs, benzos". The pills were for a neck injury, anxiety and have only been a part of the equation for a year or so. I have always like the way alcohol got me going "no fear". I also haved used smokeless tobacco for the stimulating affect since I was 13. I am lucky to have not harmed anyone while drinking and driving as well as no DUI's and my Dr. says I'm healthy according to the blood work.

As I said its day 54 and clean as I think someone can be, I even quit the Copenhagen snuff 3 weeks ago. My question is everyday I feel like I'm on benzos, no energy! I took up running after detox and have changed my diet and take "Vitamin Code" daily to replace what I might have lost in the many years of abuse.

Anyone else have a similar tired feeling 2 months after cleaning up?

Thanks,
MahiMahi

B27

Yep.
It's perfectly normal.

Alcohol effects every single cell in your body and it could take as much as a year for all the chemistry in your body and brain to normalize and start functioning at the proper levels again.

Hang in there!
This too shall pass and you've made a great start.

Horselover

I was definitely tired. Congratulations on the sober time. If low energy is the biggest complaint then you are doing well by the way. You've seen a doctor and that is great. Eating well and exercising too. Sounds like you are on the road to a better life for sure.

Welcome to SR by the way! Its a great site with a lot of wonderful and supportive people.

MahiMahi

Thanks B27 for the info, I will stay postitive think about your post tomorrow when I feel like a zombie. I have read many threads on this site and only found a couple of members that talked about feelings you might encounter after the 2 mounth period in recovery. I'm sure the info is here, I'm new and just havent found it yet.

Thanks again

MahiMahi

Hi Horselover,

Congrats on your sober life! Thanks for the support and great information.

I'm glad to be here, what an amazing site. I happened to stumble upon SR while surfing the web the other night. I do have other complaints, depression, anxiety ect. and I am hoping to overcome those issues without SSRI's as I have read how the pharma companies really dont know how they work? I plan on sticking with the exercise for now and will keep you posted on my recovery.

CarolD

Welcome to our recovery community....

By the end of 2 months of AA recovery
I felt back in balance physically and mentally.

I was following an eating plan for hypoglycemia
with my doctors agreement. found it in my
favorite "handbook" on alcoholism......
"Under The Influence" by Milam & Ketcham.

Well done on your sober time....
Try to be patient....you really are off to a good start

EllaBella

Hi, I am only 21 days in, but have lack of energy too. Recently went to Wales for a few days, and I guess the shock of no booze & fresh air, made me sleep most of the time... I too exercise, and although I wouldn't say that when I start I am pumping with energy, it does get better slightly every day. Stay strong, just focus on staying sober & the enrgy boost will finally find you

MahiMahi

Hi EllaBella,

Great job on your 21 days and thanks for the support

Yea the first 1/4mile is like my legs are dead but by the end of 1mile I am warmed up and feeling some energy. I am seeing a difference daily but not much of one. I still also have a slight shakiness in my hands, especially after exercise. I have never gone longer than 30days without a drink and had no idea it took so long to return to normal.

EllaBella

Maybe that's the thing, maybe your body is used getting it's fix after 30 days and perhaps you're going through the 'second stage' of the withdrawal, until now, after 30 days or less u gave your body the fix, so perhaps it's now completely confused, cause u r 'starving' it of the booze for so much longer. Just give urself some time, and focus on positives, as you say it's a tiny bit better with each day! That's already a success in itself! Congrats!

shaun00

2 very dangerous chemicals.......booze and benzo......especially together.

i sat with a freind years back while he detoxed from years of benzo and booze addiction..........and it wasnt pretty.

he too complained of the withdrawal going on for months....still trembling.
and always worn out.........it took a while but his body recovered..
he is 7 years clean and sober and does alot for NA in prisons.

if it was me id get some blood work done and have a honest chat with the doc.....

congratulations on your clean/sober time

Tazman53

Everyone is different, it took me a year before I would say my energy was back.... I also saw my thought processes keep improving for a year as well. I kept thinking "It can not get better and it kept getting better.

Congrats on your time sober, keep it up, it does get better. It will get better then you have ever freamed!

Fluffhead72

I have been tired for the past 3 weeks. I figured it was partially the cold from which I was suffering and partially the freedom from booze.

That being said, falling into bed exhausted at night and being able to fall asleep and having dreams every night (instead of just being passed out) and waking up and hopping out of bed is a fantastic feeling and I am absolutely relishing the experience.

littlefish

I will try to avoid giving medical advice, I think this can be classified as information. Alcohol does a number on our livers and our brains. If we are chronic daily drinkers, as I was, our livers adjust to that by using alcohol to create energy. That is why alcoholics often suffer from malnutrition while they are active: alcohol literally takes the place of food.
I recall getting that surge of energy after my first drink(s) of the day - I avoided breakfast and often lunch. But, I had energy from alcohol.
The brain also goes through some major changes on a constant diet of alcohol: the brain compensates for the constant feed of a major depressant of the central nervous system, (alcohol) by creating it's own endorphins and similar substances that keep us "up".

Your liver and brain can go through a long period of readjusting after being deprived of alcohol, and that can certainly affect your energy levels, especially since alcohol was such an energy provider.

MahiMahi

Hi CarolD, Trucker, Tazman53, Fluffhead72 and Littlefish,

Thanks for all of the great info and support. Im sure I would be feeling much better by now if I would have not added the pain pills and benzos into the equation. Man that was stupid!

The valium seemed to intensify the "buzz" from the alcohol and helped in not having such a bad hangover the next day.

Now that my head is getting clearer, I am realizing how lucky I am to still be alive and cannot wait till I feel normal again.

This Sunday will be 8 weeks of hell, but I sure feel much better than week 1.

Zencat

Oh yea at first detoxing off the chemical cocktails of drugs was sheer hell ...for weeks on end. Yet as I got some clean time, I had a renewed sense of rejuvenation and commitment to live a drug free life 'no matter what'. No doubt its tough at first but the rewards sure out weigh all the pain that I went through at the beginning of my new life.

Good going on taking your life in a brand new direction of healthy living.

coffeenut

Keep on, keepin' on! Welcome to SR....you're doing Great!

MahiMahi

Hi Zencat

Thanks for the support, its people like you that make this time in my life much easier. Many many thanks.............

The chemical cocktail detox mentally and physically is pure hell. I well never forget this feeling of living like a zombie. But your right everyday is a small improvement over the day before.

SomeCallMeTim

20 years of abuse can't be fixed in less than 60 days. Give it time.

wichitalineman

Hello MahiMahi,

First, welcome to SR! I am on day 76. I hear you on the 2 months 'drag'. Well, it's been a little bit touch and go, but mostly go. The first few weeks I actually had a huge energy blast - sounds crazy, I know... I think it was more psychosomatic, as I was just, like, SO PUMPED UP to be FINALLY not drinking every bleepin' moment of the day. I've actually been training for a marathon and my energy for training went way, way up when I quit - probably also had something to do with it. Then, my running partner had to cancel next month's marathon event, and the training effectively ended... and now I am feeling a little less peppy this week.

But anyway, I hear what you are saying. Regardless of physical exercise, cherry fizzy drinks consumed, and coffee limits reached and breached, my energy levels has been a bit touch and go over the last 3 weeks. I think it's normal and the body is just getting used to the lack of alcohol being pumped thru it. Overall I have felt tenfold better, obviously, but yeah, the energy level at 2 months can be tricky. Or such is my experience, at any rate.

Congrats on 54 days, that is tremendous! Keep on truckin'!

MahiMahi

Thanks coffeenut for the support, one day at a time.

I have become to realize that but my personality says different, minutes seem like days! Thanks Tim

I was a nervous wreck the first month, it felt like I was on an IV cafeine drip 24/7, well that passed and the drugged feeling set in. I have been running approx. 1 mile a day and hope to one day run a marathon, that would be awesome. Thanks for the support and good luck in your running adventures and congrats on your 76 days.......