When will my body stop aching!
 

I'm 5 days sober. I've been putting this off forever because I knew that I would feel really crappy. My whole body aches and I'm bloated like a fattened pig. I've been taking vitamins and trying to eat right, but I ate bagels and butter last night and I feel gross. My body feels like it's literally sinking into the ground and I can't sleep right.

What are your experiences? When do you start feeling right? I'm going to the doctor today, is there some pill that will help with this?

Also, where do you make friends? All of my friends in my life have been drinkers. I moved to a new location and I don't have too many friends but one of them just wants to drink. Where can I find sober friends? All I know is to go have a beer. I used to play women's rugby but they drink so much all the time. I used to be fit, and that's my big motivator to stop drinking. Somehow in the past 2 years I went from 150 lbs to 230 lbs.

Thanks for sharing. I hate this!:c021:

Mate from the sounds of it you really shouldn't be detoxing without a doctor's supervision. Can you get to one today and be honest with him about how much you've been drinking/how you are feeling?


I made drinking friends because I drank all the time. There's lots of people who drink very little if at all, and you'll meet them by doing sober things. Have you a program to help with your sobriety?

edit: missed the doctor part! He should be able to help. Good luck

Hey Glyon, and welcome. I don't have much advice for you on when you'll start feeling better. I had trouble sleeping when I first stopped drinking, and I broke out in sweats a few times. But I was underweight, as I had substituted alcohol for food for quite a while. I began to eat a lot, but I needed to. Then I started exercising, and even when I don't want to do it, it makes me feel better. It's good that you're going to see you doctor. Tell the doctor the truth about what you're going through; don't be embarrassed about anything. Many, many people have gone through the same thing as you're going through right now.

Also, I've met some really cool people in AA. We've experienced many similar things, and you know they'll probably not drink when you're hanging out. Most of my friends know how much I drank and for how long, so they've actually been really supportive of me. They try not to drink when I'm around, but I have to tell them that it's OK and that I'm cool with other people drinking.

See, I look at it like this. I absolutely love Coca Cola. If I found out I had diabetes, I couldn't drink Coke any longer. I'd switch to something without sugar. And I wouldn't be upset if I went out to dinner and ordered an unsweet tea and my buddy got a Coke. It's not his fault I can't have a Coke, so why should he be penalized?

Well, I discovered that I'm an alcoholic. That means I can't drink alcohol. But when I hang out with my friends, I don't want them to change because of something I can't do; it's got nothing to do with them.

Welcome to our community, and I hope your doctor visit goes well and you have a great day!

I am on day 5 of no alcohol as well and you explained exactly how I feel rightnow, headache, no sleep, sooo bloiated, just nasty, but I know this is usually the turn around day so just hang in, try to stretch, walk, some exercise, and just keep telling yourself this is your body healing. Take care of your body right now and it will take care of you.
Now if your having major anxiety or anything really physical, I would see a Dr. there are things that can ease the symptoms, bu thtey are other things you can ger hooked on.

As far as making friends, I have been going to AA and I am allwoing myself to potentially be friends with those poeple. They are sober and almost as importantly to me, they are happy, they know what to do when I dont know what to do and would normally be drinking. Otherwise I have no idea, church maybe?

<3 Dream

Yep: it should get better right about day five. See the entire section devoted to withdrawal on this site: lots of good information there.

hi glyon! nice to meet you.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well and I hope the doctor helps. have you taken B vitamins? They helped me feel better but I know there is a wide range of what can happen, health wise, so the doctor knows best!

I'm in a very similar weight-gain boat related to drinking. I am happy to tell you I've lost about 15 pounds since I stopped drinking 41 days ago. I didn't really change much about my eating habits, either.

Friend wise, it sounds like others have good recommedations about AA and such. Maybe volunteering is another way to meet new people? I have been surprised to realize many people don't drink as much as I thought they did when I was drinking. I had plenty drinking-only friends, though, too, so I relate to that and I know it can be super difficult to meet people when you're not used to socializing sober . . . the community here helps a lot and I'm slowly making progress getting into my skin again . . . you will too!

Glyon, the first couple of weeks are difficult for everyone. My list of troublesome symptoms included disorientation, brain fog, insomnia, body aches, night sweats, low energy, emotional spikes, loss of appetite, etc., and compared to some others I haven't been heavily drinking for that long. It gets better one day at a time and while eating better, exercising, and drinking plenty of water will help, time and lots of patience were the only real solutions for me. There are no magic bullets for this.

Like the other have said, AA is a great place to meet people in recovery, make new friends, and receive support.

Welcome to SR :)

Everyone is different........

some are skipping within a few days..some a few weeks.

please see a doctor and get a qualified opinion.

id lay off the butter though...

First week really sucked (nausea, insomnia, thirst, and some other stuff I've forgotten), then next couple months were better but still didn't feel great. Now, almost 3 months later, am starting to feel more like myself again. It just takes time for your body to clean itself up after prolonged periods of chemical ingestion. Eating healthy and having lots of liquids probably won't hurt (but not a doctor).

I would also agree with what others have said - try to consult with a doc about best way to manage it.

I know it sucks, but it is worth it. Don't worry too much right now about how to make friends to reflect your changed lifestyle - that will fix itself in time. Right now, just focus on getting yourself healthy.:ghug3

Hey Glyon and fellow Wisconsinite! :a213: The Posts above reference some of the symptoms you've been dealing with so I won't go into that except to let you know almost everyone experiences sleep problems after they quit. If you were like me you didn't so much lay down and fall asleep as you were unconscious before your head hit the pillow. You will get there eventually so please hang in there.

You wrote you're in a new location so I'm not sure if that's new to Wisconsin or the Madison area. Drinking is a huge part of the culture through out the State, and especially in Mad Town....so that is what it is. Plenty of people that don't drink and plenty in recovery too You really seem like you could benefit from AA for a lot of reasons, please consider checking a meeting out.

Look forward to reading more after your Dr. appointment. Good luck!

Hi Glyon

Glad you're seeing a Dr :)

I'm not a member myself, but I've heard a recovery group, like AA or something, can be helpful for sober friends :)

You'll find many cyber friends here too - welcome to SR :)

D

EArly recovery can be a 'bumpy ride' for a while as your body and brain adjust to functioning without alcohol. It will get better, trust me, but you've got to do whatever is needed to keep you healthy.

Welcome to the SR family.:ghug3

Gee thanks guys. I went to the doctor and she's put me back on antidepressants which will help with the brain part I hope. I did try AA a couple times but it's not for me. I don't like the sharing part and being put on the spot. But I will try to get involved with other activities.

Hey, welcome and It'll get better. No worries with the weight right now. It wasn't killing me, the booze and drugs were. I went from 185 to 265. I'm now at 195 and have been that way for 2.5 years. It's the bones that hurt now, but thats just age. Keep on the path! I found a host of sober friends that love to have fun in AA. Look in the phone book and join us. We'll save you a seat.

Me too
 

My body aches lasted for several months, specifically my hands and feet. Then, they went away. It was the strangest thing, and the onset was about three weeks in. I would love a medical explanation. That and insomnia were about my only gripes. I still have the insomnia, but I have always been unable to wind down, which now I think was one of the reasons why I drank to excess.

Hi and welcome Europe72. No medical explanations from me - not a doctor :)

D