Newpathway

I am 2 1/2 months sober from a 10 year habit of 1 + bottles of wine most nights. Also quit smoking that I did with drinking and stopped taking gravol every night (seems silly in hindsight but took it to prevent the spins after going to bed). I am fortunate to be off work for my healing so I can focus on getting better by only focusing on eating well, taking vitamins, exercising and sleep without the added stress and potential trigger of working.

I have been patient in giving myself the time I need to heal and live a simple, uncomplicated life for the time being. I've tried to accept how things need to be for awhile. But now at 2.5 months I still feel extremely lethargic although I feel much much better than I did the first 6 weeks. I am taking an antidepressant and my blood work is okay.

I feel like a lot of people feel better than I am now. Anyone else take months to get their 'sparkle' back?

P.S. on a side note....my hair had thinned out A LOT over the past few years and now it's starting to thicken up and grow back like crazy!!

Mountainmanbob

It was just the beginning - but

I felt like doing something at around the three to six month sober mark. I had done some real damage that last time out and needed a lot of time to rebuild the mind, body and soul.

Hang in there sober because it does just seem to get better and better and better.

Good food, exercise and the study of alcoholism helped much.

MM

PurpleKnight

10 years of abuse on the body is a tough ask to turn around in a few months, it took years for us to dig us into the hole we found ourselves, it's not unreasonable to expect some time to dig us out, surely?!!

Hang in there, you'll get there, keep pushing through!!

Hawks

around the 40 day mark.

I have taken "steps" to get where I am today ... I'd be lost without them.

I'm on day 84 by the way.

justinJustQuit

I feel amazing after about two weeks. As far as exercise, etc I hit it hard. I believe I replace my alcohol addiction with fitness (which can be a bad thing if it's insane) but I'll take this any day.

As far as going out and socializing and stuff like that, I am not there yet. I am 39 days sober. I wake up, work out incessantly, shower, go to work and head straight home.

This may seem sad, but it's how I was before alcohol.

Mountainmanbob

Could possibly be what some refer to as the pink cloud

MM

Tang

Also could be your age. Younger folks may recover physically quicker.

Pipping

It has taken me a year to feel any kind of normal. I smoked and drank heavily for the best part of 15 years and I also had a few major surgeries in the past 5. I am 40 years old. Even my worst day while sober was a million times better than being hungover and I don't regret it a bit. I felt great at 3 months but then at 6 and 9 months I felt terrible, really exhausted, forgetful and spaced out. I have just joined a gym and started a new job do things are looking up. Give it time and try not to worry.

Hevyn

Hi Newpath.

I definitely didn't get perky again until around 3-4 mos. I was exhausted from all that I'd put my body and brain through. I didn't sleep properly either in the beginning. I had the same experience you did with your hair - and for me, my nails. I think we're malnourished when we drink heavily. Glad you are healing and mending. You'll get there.

Newpathway

I'm so thankful for all your responses. It's comforting and reassuring to read your experiences are similar with being wiped out for an extended period but that things get progressively better. I'm even wondering about the connection between adrenal exhaustion and alcoholic recovery. As I move along on this path I learn that we have to figure a lot of the health and healing matters out for ourselves.

Soberwolf

I had to regain my physical strenght first and then for the first few weeks i took it easy after a month i started sorting my life out in every aspect

SereneEdition

Hi Newpath -

We had a similar drinking pattern & I am in my mid 30s. I felt slow till about month 5 or so.

It's actually a good sign that you're healing. Healing takes a lot of energy & it's likely that you haven't had solid sleep in 10 years!!!, which your body needs to take care of itself at a molecular level. So likely it's making up for it now.

Other periods marked with high growth also require more sleep (think babies, adolescence, pregnancy)

Keep up the good work!

Newpathway

Thanks! You make a lot of sense. I hadn't thought of the healing in terms of requiring energy and yes there wasn't a lot of rest in 10 years. Looking at it this way makes me feel much better.

Mcribb

It can take awhile. You may be depressed. I had to lower my expectations as well. I thought being sober ment automatic got girls and good times. Haha I had to work at being happy and energetic.

bigsombrero

Yep! Imagine if the Pharoes started complaining about the progress on the pyramids after 2.5 months...all we'd have is a small pile of rocks in the middle of nowhere! We alcoholics are impatient as heck and we want our rewards NOW - so I understand why you're asking. Just like losing weight, the progress can be slow and almost invisible if you measure it day by day. A watched pot never boils.

Don't worry. You'll get through it just fine, and your energy will come back. In the meantime, let yourself heal.

DoubleDragons

It was about 4 months for me. I remember being really disappointed at three months sober because many people told me that was the "magic mark" but for me it was more like 4 months.

I have a journal that I wrote getting sober and I look back and laugh at all of my whining about my body not "cooperating and being grateful" now that I was taking care of it. Wow! Talk about spoiled need for instant gratification! I had drank alcohol pretty regularly for 27 years! Even at over a year sober, I still see and feel improvements in my health happening on a regular basis . . . .

happyandfree

Took me about 6 months...now I'm at 8 months and I finally feel pretty good. In the beginning I was totally exhausted. ..it varies from person to person. And I drank for many decades so I had a lot of healing to do. Be kind to yourself and rest when you need to. You will get your sparkle back.

Justwokeup

I am at close to 80 days and discovered in addition to the SR website, one called whatmesober.com. They weren't selling anything and really gave a good review of what happens as time passes in the recovery process. Continued success!

paloverde

It took me 4 months. Give yourself some more time, it's worth it. I feel years younger that I did while drinking.

Gladiolus

I felt like you until I did a nutritional cleanse and it seemed to help reset my system and sent me in third gear.
Better than first gear but I never feel completely rested in the morning.
Years of poor sleeps takes a while to recover from...