Involuntary Stoppage
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: minnesota
Posts: 1
Involuntary Stoppage
I am 45 and drank for 20 years. I stopped for one whole year about 10 years ago. That was a good year!
Thinking back, for me drinking has never been very much fun or pleasurable. It's just something I did. Especially recently, it felt like an obligation and this is solo, sneaky drinking, not with other people. I hated buying the booze and sneaking it around and even drinking it. It felt warm and good for a brief moment maybe after a couple of drinks but other than that it just sucked.
Anyway, I've had bouts of gut pain after drinking. Once a few months ago I went sailing after a night of drinking and got really dehydrated and aggravated something in my gut (I was windsurfing and the harness grabs right around your kidneys).
After a day of intense pain, it subsided, but would creep back gradually from time to time after drinking a lot (always the next day). Then between Thanksgiving and Christmas the pain came to stay. I cut way back, no more vodka (that stuff not so good), just beer. But too much beer. The pain kept coming back. I reduced to just weekend drinking... no dice. Over the Christmas holidays I drank very little (for me) and the pain got worse. So after that I went cold turkey. The pain leveled off but never went away. I think it could be pancreatitis. Toward the end of my drinking, any alcohol at all seemed to trigger more pain.
Anyway, I went to the doctor today and he scheduled a CT scan and a "GI" test. So we shall see what's up. But after a month of no drinking I am not really missing it yet. OK, sometimes a little maybe. But the point is I don't think I can drink alcohol anymore at all. My body apparently has reached its limit.
I never was never much of a moderate drinker or pleasure drinker. It was mostly drinking to get drunk. So I guess I'm done. Good riddance I suppose. Now if I could just get rid of this pain!
Thinking back, for me drinking has never been very much fun or pleasurable. It's just something I did. Especially recently, it felt like an obligation and this is solo, sneaky drinking, not with other people. I hated buying the booze and sneaking it around and even drinking it. It felt warm and good for a brief moment maybe after a couple of drinks but other than that it just sucked.
Anyway, I've had bouts of gut pain after drinking. Once a few months ago I went sailing after a night of drinking and got really dehydrated and aggravated something in my gut (I was windsurfing and the harness grabs right around your kidneys).
After a day of intense pain, it subsided, but would creep back gradually from time to time after drinking a lot (always the next day). Then between Thanksgiving and Christmas the pain came to stay. I cut way back, no more vodka (that stuff not so good), just beer. But too much beer. The pain kept coming back. I reduced to just weekend drinking... no dice. Over the Christmas holidays I drank very little (for me) and the pain got worse. So after that I went cold turkey. The pain leveled off but never went away. I think it could be pancreatitis. Toward the end of my drinking, any alcohol at all seemed to trigger more pain.
Anyway, I went to the doctor today and he scheduled a CT scan and a "GI" test. So we shall see what's up. But after a month of no drinking I am not really missing it yet. OK, sometimes a little maybe. But the point is I don't think I can drink alcohol anymore at all. My body apparently has reached its limit.
I never was never much of a moderate drinker or pleasure drinker. It was mostly drinking to get drunk. So I guess I'm done. Good riddance I suppose. Now if I could just get rid of this pain!
I'm here to learn!
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: I'm on it!
Posts: 2,038
Welcome to SR!
Try not to self-diagnose, since it's only going to make you feel more anxious about your health. The one sure thing you can know right now is that not drinking is the best thing you will be able to do for whatever ails you, so I think you're on the right track.
I don't want to get your hopes up, but the human body is a pretty remarkable thing. I've seen people put their bodies through absolute hell and come out with relatively little lasting effect. But you're doing the right things, going to the doc and getting everything checked out.
I'm guessing that as you continue in your sobriety you'll come to appreciate the positive effect that not drinking has on not only your physical health but also your emotional health. My life is so much more manageable now that I'm sober.
Try not to self-diagnose, since it's only going to make you feel more anxious about your health. The one sure thing you can know right now is that not drinking is the best thing you will be able to do for whatever ails you, so I think you're on the right track.
I don't want to get your hopes up, but the human body is a pretty remarkable thing. I've seen people put their bodies through absolute hell and come out with relatively little lasting effect. But you're doing the right things, going to the doc and getting everything checked out.
I'm guessing that as you continue in your sobriety you'll come to appreciate the positive effect that not drinking has on not only your physical health but also your emotional health. My life is so much more manageable now that I'm sober.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 205
I hear you on the obligation deal. After awhile, I know for a fact I wasn't even craving a drink but I'd sneak off and buy it anyway. Then you have one, doesn't go down very good, plow another back and keep going until drunk. Then WHAM waking up hungover for another half assed day of productivity feeling like crap.
How the hell was that worth it?
Your post just made me realize more reasons not to drink
How the hell was that worth it?
Your post just made me realize more reasons not to drink
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,451
Welcome, Rowdy! I hope the test results come back clear. If so, brace yourself for an irrational desire to celebrate by drinking again. It sounds like you have plenty of reasons to quit that have nothing to do with physical pain. You'll find a lot of proof here that life really is better without the drink! 
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,921
Welcome to SR and I'm glad you've already seen a doctor.
Quitting drinking is a great goal but trying to break a 20 year habit is difficult. I've found that I needed to make changes in myself, my attitudes and behaviors, in order to stay sober. Quitting drinking by itself wasn't quite enough.
Quitting drinking is a great goal but trying to break a 20 year habit is difficult. I've found that I needed to make changes in myself, my attitudes and behaviors, in order to stay sober. Quitting drinking by itself wasn't quite enough.
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