ChancesAh

I’m really starting to struggle. I’m at work and feel like I’m desperately missing drink, but I’ve never drunk at work. I have no energy, feel hungry and keep falling asleep. ... but I’ve drunk a truckload of coffee and eaten heaps.
It feels like I’m on the verge of shutting down. Don’t know if this is normal or I’m about to collapse.
I’ve been exercising heaps and feel better for that, but I really think not drinking has made me feel worse – not better.

Mags1

Hi Chances, I'm pleased you posted. You can go through so many emotions when first stopping drinking and craving alcohol must be the biggest, or was for me.

I did indulge in ice cream or a chocolate bar. Hang in there, the cravings do go, eventually.

Evienne

Day 7, that's awesome! I'm almost there as well. Try to think of being at work as a blessing, since you can't go drinking there. Read some stories on here while on your break, if you can. To me, it's a good reminder of the reasons for quitting during these tough first days.

Like Mags, I do like my chocolate these days. And like you, I find myself loading up on coffee. But I am also drinking lots and lots of water. It makes me feel a lot better and fills my stomach while not weighing me down. Lots of people are kind of dehydrated when they don't know it.

Hang in there!

ubntubnt

Chances, your body is reacting to being deprived of the drug on which it has become dependent. Of course it will rebel and try to get you to feed it with the drug...thats why drugs are drugs. After your body realises that you are not going to poison it again it will begin the journey of repairing and coping in a world without your drugs, i.e. alcohol. Just stay off the booze and allow nature to take its course. If you drink then you will be back to square one and have to go through all this again, only next time it will be worse...because your body now knows you will cave in to the bad feeling....so it will make you pay worse next time! Eat, drink, stretch, yell, cry....whatever you have to do. Just don't drink.

Dave36

Give it another week and I promise it'll be a little better. It's gonna be hard for a few months but it does get a little tiny bit better every day. It's baby steps in the beginning

advbike

Yes, the first 10 days or so you're fighting the physical craving. It will get better.

ubntubnt

I wonder if the eating heaps....assuming its a fair bit more than you used to while drinking....is overloading your system and making you sleepy?

JanieJ

Give it some time, Chances. Your body will take some time to recover from the effects of alcohol.

Be careful of that "think I'm worse, not better". That could lead you back to drinking quite easily, my friend. Don't give in to the cravings.


Hang in there.

MelindaFlowers

There were times during the first few weeks where I literally paced around the house like a crazy person. A few times I would wolf down candy at an insane rate ( like I could have choked). There were moments where I literally though I might go insane. The worst was when my computer crashed at two weeks sober.

As hard as it is to believe, it does pass. What kept me on track this time? I knew I'd have to go through all that crap again if I drank again.

Btw: in all actuality, the insane moments probably lasted about 15 minutes but man they were a huge B.

Keep pushing through.

Soberwolf

Well done on day 7

Have you thought about a check up with doc ?

Stay strong

ChancesAh

If only it was easy....& yes went to the Doctor a few days ago and have medications.
Thanks all. Day 8

Nofearnobeer

Chances...I quit Nov 13th , between then and now, i have fought what i thought was the flu , extreme exhaustion , chronic headaches and for some reason nosebleeds...up till last week , I had tremendously strange Vertigo episodes...My Dr. smiled and said "Good , your making progress"...Hang in there , if you have vac time , take a few days to do nothing....Work though it and in no time at all , it'll be behind you...

FreeOwl

hang in there... this is all normal.

bear down and recognize that it's OK to feel this way and that it won't last forever.

Don't give in.... before you know it you'll be over the hump and into a new, better stage of sobriety.

Anna

I'm glad you've been to see the dr and good for you for getting to Day 8.

Soberwolf

Well done on seeing the doc & day 8 Chancesah

keep up the good work

jryan19982

Everyone gets different withdrawal symptoms... you are on day 7 when likely they are at their peak or very close to it... Just hang tough for a few more days and I think things will get better.

I got very frustrated with my recovery time thinking I should be getting better every day since I am not drinking anymore and putting my body through that. But your body needs time to adjust and its saying "Man what the heck- why am I not getting booze, I know how I am going to handle booze, but how can I handle not getting booze?" Your body is changing- for the good- it just may not feel GOOD at the moment...

Dee74

Hi Chances Ah - early recovery is really hard - it's really vital you use the support you have. Check in here, read and post as much as you need to

Things will get better - none of us would be here if they didn't

D

PurpleKnight

The body is going to take time to adjust, it took me years of drinking to get me to the point of Sobriety, and the body can't simply repair and heal those years in the matter of a week, it's going to take a lot more time.

Hang in there!! It will get better!!

ChancesAh

How did you deal with the fatigue.... it's killing me.
In the last 6 months I've gone from running, weights, bicycling - 5 days a week exercise to can't be stuffed doing anything and falling asleep in the middle of the day. In the last 2 days I've drunk a fortnights coffee, eaten more including carbs and sugar. (A bag of lollies was a slight help) but otherwise it's shutting me down.

Are there any supplements, vitamins or tricks you discovered for combating this or improving energy levels?

Soberwolf

Its day 8 Chances and your body is going through changes and having that much caffine isnt good it just delays the already tired that is there

I would cut down on the caffine give the body a few weeks to adjust & regulate & rest

if your still having problems book an apt with a doc to rule out anything