Maggi

For the first time in a while, I didn't drink today. Proud of myself and about to go to bed - even though I'm not the least bit tired. Quite jittery and AWAKE, actually. But I'm totally looking forward to the hangover free morning. I set my alarm for 8am, which is going to be quite a change from my recent 2pm waking time. Couple questions for everybody....

Firstly, I drink every night without fail, but I've drank way more than usual in the past week, even for me. And for the first time, I've noticed that my face has taken on a red, flushed looking quality....especially my nose and cheeks. Is this because of the drinking? I've always heard of the "red faced drunk", but I'm in my very early 20's and only been drinking at nights. Does that even matter? And will it go away? I look sunburned.

Also, I've developed major baggy eyes - something that was never an issue before. I've noticed my eyes are especially bad if I drink a lot the night before (which, sadly, is often). They have been slowly getting worse over the last 6 months or so. Will this get better if I stop drinking? People keep commenting, so my self esteem has really taken a dive. Has anybody else experienced this, and will it get better? How long does it take until I can see physical improvement? Everything about my drinking is bothering me, but this is an especially touchy issue since it's there all day, every day - everytime I see my reflection.

Thanks,

Maggie

Dee74

Hi Maggie

I've never had the red face thing but there's been several threads about it - I'm sure other folks will share their experiences, but I believe it gets better

I had the baggy eyes tho - I think that was inevitable with the life I was leading...they definitely do get better

D

penny74

Don't drink and you will different ( much better) in a few days/ a week.
Gets better every day.

Maggi

Hi there, KCB Thanks for the help (you too Dee and Penny). Current plan is to keep as much distance from alcohol as possible. I just can't be trusted, you know? I always find a way to justify my drinking, and it has to stop. Also, I'm going to try and wake up early, then workout all day to exhaust myself so I'll just fall asleep quickly at nights. My drinking started with not being able to sleep, so I think that's a main issue to deal with. I totally wore myself out today with two major workouts, but right now I am WIDE AWAKE. Going to go veg in front of the tv and see if that will help at all, I'll keep you posted. This probably will not help with the eyes, but the lack of alcohol is keeping me awake like nothing else. It reminds me of a rash that just wont stop itching.

spen71

I go a flushed pink colour while drinking and my eyes go really puffy and feel real heavy.

On the sleep side of things that will get better (well for me it does) after a few days. I believe some people have problems for longer. This is due to your brain suddendly becoming "alive" and overactive after so long subdued with booze.

Dee74

I gotta go with Keep here Maggie - I know the drive to feel well - I had it too - but too much exercise can be self defeating, if not downright dangerous.

Slow and steady wins the race in this case.
D

Maggi

LOL I should have clarified. This isn't a sudden change in normal behavior, I workout daily - along with my nightly drinking. Ugh. Also, I only drink in the evening, so I haven't really experienced any hellish and intense withdrawal - I just get a headache and feel "off" for a couple days. I'm not yet dependant - physically, anyway - but this is why I'm trying to squash this problem now. I'm definitely getting worse in my drinking. Except for one sober month and a couple days here and there, I have drank every single night for the last 4 years. It used to be one drink, but now it's about 5 or 6 very strong mixed or straight drinks - on the nights that I'm NOT "partying". I'm hungover almost every morning. The other real red flag is that sometimes I will drink until I pass out, without ever having felt drunk. I know mentally that I AM, but it's like I don't feel a thing. Then I wake up in the morning in hell - and it's like it wasn't even worth it. It's quite frustrating. I just wish I could sleep like normal people. I really feel that this wouldn't have intensified so quickly if I could. On the other hand, I guess it was better to come to the conclusion that I'm a problem drinker now, rather than later.

Thank you for the Serenity Prayer

Dee74

LOL ok.
Detox can be tricky sometimes, thats all - light exercise is great but too much stress on a recovering body can sometimes cause problems.

You sound like an old hand tho
D

nlogax

Oh, how I have hated that pale, swollen, almost childlike face in the mirror -- with its look of fear and incredulity at the terrifying scope of the hangover.

In my (limited) experience, it gets better after about a week of moderate workouts and plenty of fruit juice. Basically, workouts don't do you any good if you get smashed in the evening. (Meanwhile, since I'm on day three now and still looking like bad cubism, I'm going to do what I can and get a haircut.)

CarolD

Welcome......

Drink lots of water ...Gatorade is also good to flush out
alcohol....it's a toxic liquid.

firestorm090

The bags under my eyes were so bad I needed to put suspenders on them to keep them out of my mouth when I ate dinner, lol.

Lots of water helps clear up the complexion and sleep will ease the bags in time.

nlogax

Also, I used to think I wasn't "physically dependant" until one day I was. (Not being physically dependant is an excellent excuse to keep drinking. When I started having the shakes, I changed the excuse to "at least my liver is still ok" -- but I never actually had the liver checked out, so that may have been a white lie.)

Then, one day, I read a book about biology and found out that the brain is a physical thing. And big chunks of my physical brain certainly want to drink. In fact, I'm convinced that you could open up the head of any addict and find an unusually thick nerve, probably in some region linked with emotion and reward, twitching with the electricity of craving.

The point of this digression being: The boundary between physical and psychological addiction is a blurry one. Keep that in mind.

JosetteCollins

I, too, go to the gym frequently, and did so on most days even after drinking a lot the nite before. Sometimes I felt ok, but sometimes the exercise made me feel more tired and irritable. Both alcohol and exercise dehydrate the body, so the combination isn't always so great.

When I need help to sleep, I use the herbal supplement Valerian Root (which is also available in the Celestial "Sleepy Time Extra" tea, though in a very low concentration). Other people find Benadryl helpful. At any rate, I've learned that I feel 100% better sober on 3 hours of sleep than I felt on 9 hours of drunk sleep. Over the past month of abstinence, my sleep is deeper and more restful than anything I experienced when I drank to pass out.

least

It takes a little time to start looking and feeling better but it will happen as long as you don't drink. Congrats on the start of a better sober life. It is so rewarding living sober. I love waking up feeling good and eager to get on with the day.

Fandy

Welcome Maggi;

I had a very red swollen face from retaining fluid and elevated BP. If you are drinking nightly and have progressed from 1 drink to 5-6 you are going down the same road i did. unable to lose weight no matter how much you work out? my fasting blood glucose creeping up steadily to the pre-diabetic range...HTN, higher resting HR?

I'm going to bump up the older Physical Vanity thread so you may wish to read it. it has a lot of postings about how people looked and felt after stopping.

I can tell you that after 6 months of sobriety (not 100% successful), there is a drastic positive change in my face...I took pictures at weekly intervals and even I can see it...along with my cheekbones.

Anna

Welcome Maggi,

I'm glad you are here looking for support.

I found that balance was the key to my recovery.

Maggi

Thanks guys. Man last night was rough. I felt so wired and jittery. Finally fell asleep around 4, woke back up at 7, and then fell asleep again until about 11:30. I actually didn't crave too much last night (which was such a welcome surprise) but I think that had to do with constantly reading this site. This forum makes SUCH a difference. I love it! I definitely feel off today. I'm sluggish, and my head feels....thick.

Hi Fandy, my weight isn't an issue (yet), but my BP sure is. I recently couldn't have my dental work done due to my elevated BP. Because of my age and weight....the dentist definitely had a raised eyebrow. It was such an awful experience. However I understand that if I continue this way, that will be the least of my problems.

Hopefully I can stick to leading a better lifestyle. I eat well (when I'm not drinking), workout, and generally take really good care of myself. Then 8pm hits and I ruin everything. Then I wake up and feel like hell - both physically and mentally.

Will take a look at the Physical Vanity site. What a perfect title.

Fandy

I think your possible HTN is something you might want to check with your PC doc. to see if you need some meds in the interim. i would think the redness in your face is related to that. if you work out regularly and are NOT overweight, your BP should not be an issue. the fact that it prevented you from having dental work raises a question about WHY.

in the last 6 months my BP meds have been reduced by 50% and my resting HR is now running in the 70s where before it was at 94-99 laying down.

being jittery and lack of sleep is the way lots of people feel at first...your body is used to the alcohol. i often think that my chronic insomnia helped me to drink more and more, but the alcohol made my sleeping properly, naturally, harder and more impossible.

Kmber2010

Welcome Maggi!! Glad you are here. There is much support and info available.

I had physical issues related to the days of my drinking and I looked pretty....ummm....rough so to speak.

Hard to really describe but abusing alcohol will definitely takes it toll..... internally and then externally. Its a progressive thing that sneaks up on us before we realize.

I am night and day physically to what I was when I drank and my health has drastically improved once I stopped the daily boozing.

Looking forward to the journey

Charmie

hi maggi and welcome to sr,glad you have decided on a better life for yourself!
over the years i tried everything to combat my "drinking problem"
eating better,taking exercise,to name but a couple.
i always went back to booze though,always,every time after a period of abstinence.
i think when KCB asked what your plan was she was maybe meaning a recovery plan?
have you given any thought to this?
after my first few days of detoxing i found that i was shattered,both physically and mentally.
i needed a lot of rest when i quit,and many folk told me to take it easy.
which i still try and do today.
welcome again.