That Wikipedia article says PAWS could last decades. Well crap. I wonder what the correlation between the amount/duration one drank to the duration of PAWS is.

You know the more downsides that come pout about drinking, I think if I'd known all these things before my first drink I would have thought twice about taking it.

Side effects may include: decades of anxiety and depression (well and death of course)

I so wish I'd never started that affair with alcohol when I was young.

Hi Alpha...congrats on your sober time.

I'm at day 46 and definitely have had some ups and downs since around day 30. A few days where I've been super tired, slept all day...then I go to the other extreme and feel great. As others have said, see a doctor, but also, there's some full on mending going pin in our bodies...so I expect a bit of misfiring to happen.

Good luck...and best of all...you aren't alone!

You are making it Alpha. I didn't notice any paws until 4 months. I felt foggy and depressed for about the first 2 months. I felt better off and on because I wasn't having hangovers anymore. Month 3 was pretty good. At 4 months everything went haywire: sleeping problems, cognitive problems, obsessive thoughts, periods of mania then depression. Basically I can only describe it as what people with bipolar must feel. It came on slow for about a week then I had 2 really bad days then it leveled back off over the next week. About 6 weeks later I had another episode but it was much less severe. I started taking better care of myself and I think that helped. As bad as it sucks it is a really good thing. I think of it as your brain adjusting back to center. After it was over I started to be able to think like I did before. Before as in how I was 10 years ago when I cared about more than being able to drink.

Don't know if it was PAWS, but sugar cravings for me.

I agree. Had I know how devastating it can be, I wouldn't have done it.

About PAWS lasting decades... I think those are very rare cases. First there's the question if you get them in the first place. And then, them lasting for decades is the extreme. So the chances of that happening are very small. I drank heavily for years and am not concerned.

It's like withdrawal. It can kill, but that's very rare compared to the average withdrawal symptoms. Some people hardly get any.

I think that over-focusing on all the things that could happen creates unnecessary anxiety. And beware of the placebo effect. If you think that you might get certain symptoms, you might create them. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, be careful, aware and smart, but also have the attitude of "I'll see what happens. It'll probably be alright" . At least that's what works for me.

Ok Dee. You win. I went to the doctor. Was uncomfortably and brutally honest (to which she commended me on my strength). She did a myriad of blood work.

And now we wait....

PS - thanks for the push guys

XO AO

Don't get too down about it guys! The Wiki page ends with

"The condition gradually improves over a period of time which can range from six months to several years in more severe cases".

..if you get symptoms at all that is.

good for you AO. I had no intention of going to the doc butwent at 3 months sober and had bloods tested. Just telling him everything too felt verytherapeutic,so glad I went.

After 8 years sober I still have periods in my life where I have no motivation, feelings of extreme lethargy and times when my head is full of either nonsense or 'fog'. I'm not saying that any of it is particularly down to PAWS but it could be! The difference is recognising when it's 'normal' (even none drinkers/users have days where they don't feel right) and when it's extreme. Like others have said, the feelings do pass and at this stage, please don't worry too much about what the future holds. We all take a day at a time, and we can all ultimately cope with life much better without a drink, even though sometimes it doesn't feel like it. Thinking of you.

LOL I don't get kickbacks or finders fees....

I hope you win on this one AO :)

D

Good points all. Especially the concept of nothing to fear but fear itself. Worrying about anxiety is self defeating.

Ah, but you should good sir.


I do wonder how many lives you gently helped to save over the years...

Hey, I'm in acute withdrawal so it's klonopin for now. But, amino acids, B Vitamins, nutritionally dense foods, magnesium. Hope that helps, take care

Alpha , i am so happy for you . Im biting the bullet and not waiting any longer for my results ... Its DDAY. .....or is that DEEDAY. Great advice in this place, thats for sure.

Xx

I am really glad we are talking about PAWS and keeping it in the foreground. I think most people know about withdrawal and getting help if we need it then. But when you have a couple of weeks under your belt that is when things can get tricky.

Knowing that it isn't a straight line up and that there are going to be holding periods or even a few days here and there where you feel like you are going backwards helps me get through it.

AO, I am really glad you started this thread. I read that alcohol messes with our dopamine. Dopamine is related to motivation. Our brains CAN figure this out, we just have to be patient and give it time.

Great job on going to the doctor, alphaomega! You rock!

I had significant issues that really started to fade at eight to ten months.
But I was quitting alcohol, tobacco, opiates, benzos and weed at the same time.

Now I have very mild anxiety, and some memory issues, but NOTHING like it was.

Got my blood work back and apparently they are going to have to shoot me on Judgment Day. The liver isn't deader and everything else is in good shape. PHEW. Got a pass on that one. Thanks Dee and everyone who gently pushed me to find out that...

IT IS, INFACT, PAWS.

That I can live with.

Knowing I'm not going crazy (well, I probably am certifiable but no ones been able to 5150 me yet) and that this is a process and will just take time. That instant gratification is no longer an option and to stay the course no matter how much suck that brings with it.

And that there is no way around, there is only through.

I thought I had been "through" before. Therapized up and down and six ways till Sunday, evidently only works long term if you are willing to go at it sober.

I've bought stock in big girl panties in case anyone needs a pair.

Here we go.

I suppose I have a certain lack of dopamine. Just do what I must, no extra reserves of initiative or ability right now. If I tried real hard I might pass for a zombie outside at night...

From what I heard when our bodies are healing from some injury or sickness it does it in waves and not just a constant push. The body uses energy to heal itself, then rests, then uses more energy to heal, then rests, etc.

Maybe this explains why we sometimes feel strong and alert and then WHAM! our bodies start hammering at the problem when we have the strength and we feel like crap all of a sudden? Then we rest and the healing continues until the problem is healed. Maybe this is why PAWS starts to kick in when we're feeling stronger and have some energy to spare towards healing the brain?