Trying to cross a bridge that doesn't exist is not serving you well.

There is one first priority and that's to stay sober. That is the only thing you can control right now. The rest is speculations.

Take deep breaths, listen to relaxing music, go for a walk. Spend time with your family, quality time.

Your body will react if you convince yourself of imaginary illnesses. Ex: if you repeat yourself you have a head hake, I bet you will eventually have one.

Leave the rest to god and your doctor.

Anxiety is so disabling. Why don't you call your doctors office, explain your concerns and see if they can squeeze you in earlier. Doctors get how bad anxiety is for us.

I look back several years ago when I had significant neurological problems, and the subsequent treatment was unpleasant, BUT I was completely terrified that I had ALS. I would call my Neuro (VIP at Hopkins) at weird hours for reassurance and he was always there for me. Doctors tends to like and care about people. :-). Lol, I remember explaining to him that I would wake up and I couldn't breath, as in, in my autonomic nerve system was being impacted. That is when I learned about panic attacks!

Try to relax. Dee has a signature that I have fallen back to for years in my life -- it is our family mantra: everything will be ok in the end, if it's not OK, it's not the end. Truer words....

That was the end of one sentence and the beginning of another.
I've made it clearer: :)

D

If you are in the United States, and it would make you feel better to see a doctor sooner, there are plenty of walk-in medical clinics around. Have you thought about one of those? They are usually open late, and you don't need an appointment.

as much as I wish I could relax about it, I am afraid that it probably won't. I do appreciate all the well wishes, I was just hoping to hear from some people that these symptoms are not always the worst

These symptoms are not always the worst.



I used to bruise easily, it was due to not eating enough of the right types of food. I know you said you are eating right, but it could be as simple as low iron. Please try to put your mind to work on some other thing right now, you're getting yourself very worked up.

It's common to experience heightened emotions when in early sobriety.

Can you call a friend? That always helps me.

I really wish that I will be able to drop the anxiety. Chances are I won't. But I do appreciate everyone trying to help me get there. Sometimes you find that people will look at the symptoms you're having and just say oh I had those two and everything was fine but I know its not that simple.

Itching is fairly common. So are bruises where you can't remember the cause.

I had many of them where I'd fallen or bumped something, but simply couldn't remember doing so.

Go to a walk in centre today.

The money you spend will be worth it for peace of mind luisalehz

Very true. In my town, all of our local pediatricians cover our center and allow adults in!

Yeah, you can't wish anxiety away. I agree. But you could consider some of the options suggested, like distractions, or alternative medical care. Be well, I am pulling for you.

When you are a drinker your blood is thinner. Ie. you will bruise easier. I am not a Dr. but I wouldn't worry too much.

Those symptoms were at their worse when I was malnourished. Make sure you are eating well, drink fluids with electrolytes in it, lots of water, sleep and your body will recover quickly.

Yes, you cannot go by google search... I drove myself crazy even as an MD going through pubmed articles when my daughter was sick. There was a differential list of 273 diseases with her specific symptoms... Some terrible, but most fully recover-able :). Don't stress yourself out.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it. I will hang in I hope.

My stepson has had symptoms much worse than what you describe, and he is just fine today.

Before going into the hospital the first time in 2008, my stepson:

• bled spontaneously from his face and bruised easily
• would get extraordinarily tired after walking just a brief distance
• ate so poorly that his body was scavenging protein from his own muscles to the point where his arms and legs were so skinny he looked like an anorexic
• he began to turn the color of dijon mustard
• his belly was greatly distended

In the hospital

• he had hallucinations during detox, became combative and had to be restrained
• they had to perform a procedure where they removed 1L of ascites (a type of fluid) from within his abdominal cavity
• his mustard color deepened

Months later his body was still so weak he developed a MRSA infection and was re-hospitalized.

I firmly believe you can and will get your health back, if you will stop abusing it and yourself. You are worth health and happiness.

Thanks Seren - thanks a lot.

I good reminder of where we can end up at if we keep drinking.
Thanks for this post

I had terrible itchiness!!! Nothing seemed to help. When I stopped drinking, the itching intensified and a rash appeared. I also googled and diagnosed myself with liver disease. Incidentally, my liver enzymes were slightly above normal. Well, today I had an appointment with a dermatologist and learned I have eczema. Quitting drinking was stressful for me and as a result the eczema and itching got worse. I also seemed to bruise easily, but I think it could be from the scratching.

PS: I have been sober over 10 weeks. I understand how nervous you are. I will be nervous too until I have a retest of my liver enzymes. Try to relax. The doc told me today that it can make the itching worse.

I've had horrible bruising, broken and spidery veins too. And itching. I drank massive amounts of alcohol every single night for twenty years with breaks only when I was pregnant with my two kids and when I stopped I did not have cirrhosis. Dr. Google will only make you more anxious the more you try to self diagnose. We all find what we want to find as some sort of punishment for the pain we have inflicted on our bodies. The bruising came because I was bumping into things without knowing it or remembering it. I also fell a lot. I am also prone to bruising easily even when I'm not drinking. Itching because I was dehydrated and the histamine reaction earlier mentioned.

Try to get into the doctor before your appointment. If you really are having trouble relaxing and coping I say go to the emergency room. Not only can they screen you but they can help if you are going through withdrawal. If you haven't detoxed before it is a mostly miserable and anxiety ridden process. Think about it this way. If it is nothing to be overly concerned about and you continue to drink the likelihood of developing cirrhosis or something else will increase. If it is something then drinking will only make it worse. Either way, drinking will not help one way or another other than to temporarily alleviate the anxiety of withdrawal. Go to the emergency room if it is bad. And stay away from googling your symptoms.

Yes you will most certainly die , that and paying taxes are a given, as to when , well thats more or less a variable , I had the itchy skin , really itchy, bruises no , but it took 12 days sober to not wake up with blood shot eyes, anyways. I would tell you to stop worrying but you wouldn't listen even if you wanted to , if you die tomorow sober then they can actually say you quit drinkinging , and your struggle will be over, if you live then the strugle of life continues , I've always been indifferent towards it but I doubt you share my ambivilance towards existance , I guess all you can do is prepare for the eventuallity that your going to be around for another 10-15 years and make the best of it and be a good role model / parent for your son