grubby

I was just wondering, since i occasionally come across people who claim no withdrawal symptoms (w/ much higher drinking amounts and much longer drinking careers in comparison), if the overall health of the person in question factors in at all w/ regards to withdrawal.

Speaking personally, i was fairly in-shape and active right up until about late 2009 or so, i also had a job where i was on my feet most of the day which helped inadvertently. My weight was give or take about 12 pounds over what is "recommended", but very well within the normal range. I look at old pictures and i look way skinnier back then.

A little under 5 years later and with a LOT of boozing in between, especially 2013 and right up until i quit in early 2014, and i had ballooned up another 30-35 pounds over that 5 year period i guesstimate. I guess it was a combination of a number of things........ the jobs i held after 2009 were mostly sedentary, i had gotten lazy and stopped going to the gym, i had finished school, and of course - booze simply put me in a good mood and when i was buzzed "all bets were off" regarding how much i ate. My routine at home hasn't helped either, i haven't had much of a social life more recently so i also stay mostly sedentary at home - lots of time spent at the computer. Cheap malt beer, what i mainly drank, is also packed with sugar and carbs as i've come to learn after the fact.

When i finally quit, i was taken completely by surprise by the withdrawal symptoms. I barely slept at all for the first 2 weeks and it could be argued that the 3rd week was lousy as well. My blood pressure was through the roof week 1, i could tell even without any instruments or doctor simply because when i laid down i could "feel" it pounding away. Had minor hand shaking of the hands first week as well, but for me the insomnia was the real killer. I randomly stumbled upon SR during this time-period and learned what was happening to me. I was shocked that someone with such a short "drinking career" (in comparison to most) could experience such intense insomnia. For that matter, i had always held the belief that "only" people who abuse something for 10+ years can become addicted...... how wrong i was.

So anyways, here is the poll topic:

How was your "health" during your drinking career?

.....did you stay gym-active/toned/fit to counter-balance the negative side effects of the alcohol?

.....were you mostly a "couch potato" or football-watcher type?

.....did you fall somewhere in between?

I hope this discussion allows us to compare some notes, as i have a sneaking suspicion that people who claim experiencing no withdrawal after a career of heavy drinking are not telling the full story. This is not meant to include discussion of "hangovers" since i believe those are different and completely seperate from withdrawal, let's keep this on topic.

Stevie1

My most recent comprehensive check-up was summer 2013, and I am 56 and was drinking heavily and daily at the time. In my doctor's words at the time, "you should not be this healthy given your lifestyle." Apparently I have my family's cockroach-like robust health and immune system; we do not even get colds (I've had three colds since 1979, otherwise never, and I mean never, NEVER sick.)

Robust and near-perfect health even when drinking a fifth or the equivalent per day,

I weighed about 135 lbs at 14 years old and at 56, still weigh right about the same. Although my shape has changed sadly, LOL. But always have been skinny.

I have always been very physically active.

Apart from sweats/shakes and manageable nausea, I have never had alarming or scary detox symptoms.

grubby

Interesting, so it seems there does seem to be a connection.

I always knew there was something rather "fishy" surrounding claims of no withdrawal despite heavy drinking/long drinking careers, but i was never quite able to put my finger on it - always chalked it up to "luck" and genetics.

I'll be going to bed soon, but i look forward to checking up on this poll tomorrow morning over some coffee.

Carry on, carry on.........

Dee74

I had many many detoxes over 20 years.

I had some really bad withdrawals...but I had what I called my 'lucky' detoxes too where I had no appreciable ill effects whatsoever.
no appreciable difference in health or lifestyle 'tween the two.

One of the many examples of the capriciousness of Bacchus

D

ScottFromWI

I would argue that it really doesn't matter how anyone's withdrawals ( or lack thereof ) compares to mine or yours. Do some people lie about the severity of their withdraws? Absolutely....we are alcoholics so lying is an art form many of us have perfected, remember?

What does matter is recognizing our own addictins and being true about it to ourselves first and foremost.

Stevie1

I should add, I think: My father was the same - an extremely active and fit man despite drinking himself stupid almost every day of his adult life.

Until he died at age 64 of liver cancer, that is. Sixty-four is really young, these days. I don't mean to minimise the negative health effects of alcohol.

MelindaFlowers

My health was declining at the end. High enzymes, heart palpitations, inflamed liver, daily diarrhea, sharp pains in my back and stomach, and blood pressure was 180/something once during a panic attack AS the dr. took my blood pressure. I'll never forget what he said to me when he saw that. "Someone your age should NOT have blood pressure like this!" He was actually flustered. I think he was almost angry with me for how bad my health was. Also there was some disbelief and he warned me that I could have a stroke at that level.

Early 30's here. I believe I would have died within a few years if I continued drinking.

MelindaFlowers

Oh, I almost forgot to add: I gained 50 lbs in six years from drinking and hangover food every day. My Body mass index went from healthy to "obese."

I guess the 1,700 alcohol calories a day added up.

Cascabel

My health has always been good. I have always been active and fit and have had an outdoors life-style. I weigh the same today as I did when I left the Army. I didn't drink at all from age 40 to age 72. After starting again - it seemed like a good idea at the time - my consumption averaged about a bottle of red wine per day and a bit more on occasion. I have never drunk to blackout and never had any physical withdrawal issues when trying to quit. For me, quitting is more a process of breaking a bad habit than it is trying to overcome an addiction. From what I have read here, I'm really lucky in that regard.

JT0626

Before I started drinking I was fit & healthy. I used to go to the gym 5 days a week & workout for about 2 hours. My food intake was healthy as well. Then in 2008 I started dating my husband & that's when I started drinking with him. From 2008 to now I have gained 70lbs. Yikes!!!!

The first time I quit drinking was when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, that was in August 2010. I quit cold turkey. I don't remember whether I had any withdrawals, being pregnant has its own set of symptoms so it was hard to tell. I did lose a lot of weight while I was pregnant, I think not drinking alcohol & going back to healthy eating habits did the trick. I had a very healthy pregnancy & my doctor was pleased at the fact that I did not gain crazy weight since I was already overweight. When I gave birth to my daughter, 2 weeks later I was weighing 28lbs LESS than I did when I found out I was pregnant.

Of course the weight came back on after I started drinking again in late 2011, months after I had my daughter. Now that we're talking about symptoms & reading other people's posts I have been experiencing some minor withdrawals. So far I have gotten night time head aches, restless sleep, & feeling sluggish. Hopefully these shall pass too.

I have been drinking since late 2008.

Climber122

At the end I was overweight, but way more devastating that that was my mental and spiritual condition: I was in the grips of an anxiety disorder with regular, intense panic attacks and depression that made me want to die. After getting into AA and working a program of recovery, in about 2-2.5 years my body slowly healed and the panic subsided then left. I found a new interest in fitness and got my weight to a healthy level, then cut out most junk food and candy. Members of my home group also tell me I was one of the angriest people they had seen come in to the rooms in a while, which I don't recall but take their word on! Anger is pretty much gone but I still have to cope with that as it is a character defect that pops up from time to time. But the body - it is amazing how given the chance to heal the mind and body can recover.

Jipsee

Coming Clean. Unbelievably for someone drinking off and on for 30 years (more on than off) I have the night sweats, shaking and horrible hangover only if I drink over a bottle of wine. The sadistic, sick, self-loathing, disgusting part of this disease is that I have hep C and cannot/should not drink EVER. Diagnosed 15 years ago and my disease has not progressed at all, unbelievably. I run, strength train, eat mostly healthy, drink lots of water, herbal teas, nutriblasts etc. I also take supplements to support the liver and kidneys (INSANITY). I am a 54 year old, woman. So, being a QUITTER is imperative to me living. Prayers and encouragement will always be welcome. I really have to go to work now, for reals!!!

anattaboy

Some die from 5 yrs. heavy drinking. Others come through relatively healthy after 40. Withdrawals have many variables. I reduced a lot before quitting and took a lot of vitamins, minerals and only had some sketchy sleep for a few nights. Genetics? Maybe some. I did not vote in this poll because the option of "typical alcoholic slow decline" was not offered. In the end I felt like death and just tapering made me fell much better so I had some motivation there. Most of my drinking life I felt strong like bull (booze talking).

phoebe64

I did not identify as alcoholic at the time, but my weight soared very quickly when I met my husband and we went out all the time to eat and to bars. It was a combination of dining and drink.

Soberpotamus

I didn't have any health complications that I'm aware of anyway. I was a binge drinker mostly, from early 20's until mid 30's. There were a few years from ages 29-33 or so where I drank nearly daily because of a relationship with another alcoholic. I certainly don't blame him, but being around a constant supply of alcohol (he was a daily drinker) didn't help me any. And since I was a binge drinker, I experienced withdrawal all the time. I just thought of it as a hangover. Oddly, I rarely got sick. I still don't get sick. I think it's partly genetics. My great grandfather was a drinker and lived to be 90+ and was healthy as a horse. They had a garden and raised honeybees, so we always had a supply of local honey - maybe that helped? Who knows? My grandfather (his son) was also a drinker until he quit cold turkey at age 40. He is still alive and doing well in his 80's.

least

What suffered the most was my mental health. I was an emotional basket case toward the end of my drinking.

SoberBike

Terrible...blood pressure through the roof, found out I have a slightly enlarged heart because of it, extremely bloated face and body, overweight by 40lbs, anxiety and body aches. So there are many positive changes health wise that have happened since I quit drinking.

Dollyangel17

Aside from being considerably overweight and slightly elevated blood pressure, I was relatively healthy...especially considering I was up to about a pint of brandy a day with 3-4 glasses of red thrown in there.

I also didn't really have any withdrawal to speak of. Except for some minor bathroom issues...no detox symptoms. Guess I was pretty lucky!!

Moving forward I have lost all the weight I put on due to drinking, and my BP is back to my low/normal range:-)

Considering I was a heavy drinker for about 4-5 years...yes, I was very lucky!

bunnezjp

In the beginning I was pretty fit and active. Gradually declined, I lost a ton of weight, and my muscles wasted. In the end, my liver failed to 8%. Now its healing, I'm pretty fit and active again.

Bunnez