Legacy

I am getting sick now more than I did before. My question is if the alcohol was killing off the illnesses I may have been catching? In the last year I've had the flu twice and another illness - none of which I got during my heavy drinking years. Trust me it's a great tradeoff, I was just curious.

countrygirl2014

I have thought this....and quickly decided it was the voice of addiction trying to rationalize my drinking.
Try apple cider vinegar. Google it. It seems to have worked so far this year for me. And it is a bad flu/cold/stomach bug season.

Jennifer

SoberLeigh

I agree with foolsgold; it is likely your AV giving it another shot to get you to pick up.

Even if the answer to your question was "yes", I would choose the temporary misery of flu over the horrors of liver failure, kidney failure, heart and esophageal damage that alcoholism can cause.

Congratulations on your sobriety, Legacy. Keep rocking it.

happyandfree

I've been sick ssignificantly less since I quit...knock on wood!

Soberwolf

Me too happy&free

Maybe book a Dr apt for bloodtests Legacy

Ambush1256

Alcohol will actually decrease your immunity system. I don't know how long you have been sober but your system may be in recovery mode and susceptible to illness. The first 6 months, that I was sober, I had all sorts of aches, pains and just not feeling well. Got so nervous, that at 6 months I saw my doctor and he sent me for a slew of specialist exams. Everything came back negative and shortly after that, I started feeling much better. Now, I'm almost at 1 year of sobriety and it seems that I'm too healthy. I could really use a day off from work, LOL. Sobriety is still the better choice.

Legacy

Thanks for the answers. It was not a plea to drink, I was just curious. I'll trade being sick a few times for the 300 hangovers per year I'm missing out on these days.

Soberwolf

Awesome Legacy

Anna

And, something that I noticed looking back, I probably did have the flu, colds, etc but paid no attention whatsoever to my health in those days. Maybe take it as a sign that you are beginning to pay attention to what your body is telling you and that's a good thing.

Legacy

Anna- good thought. I never thought of that. I probably just figured I was hung over. Except for the stomach flu, there is no mistaking that. What an awful experience.

Fly N Buy

When I was sick it was game on! Now I can really drink with impunity and others must feel sorry for me...... How sick is that?!?!? Drowned out that illness with the rum.

I will say in sobriety during last several months I had the flu - hadn't had it in many years. But the tradeoff for being sick is well worth it as it sounds like you'd agree!

Interesting question - do we pickle away the illness??? Doubtful my sober brain now tells me

Jupiters

I haven't had a cold/bug in months. I quit last May (had a few drinks on vacation in Nov)
I haven't been *sick* at all. Not one missed day of work or late.
I also drink copious amounts of tea. Green tea, white tea, rooibos.

SDH73

I've wondered if I did get sick when I was drinking but the terrible hangovers made every day feel like I was sick anyway. A little bit worse maybe didn't make much of a difference.

Johnston

I really doubt alcohol was fighting the illnesses. Most cold and flu germs make their way through the mucus membranes. Were you coating these with booze when you drank? I'd say you've just had a run of bad luck.

soberclover

I'm not sure if I'm sick more now or it is just the fact that now that I'm sober I have the ability to understand and feel that something isn't right. When I was drinking the signs of physical illness were all jobbled. I've been dealing with the flu despite having had a flu shot but I'm with you...I'd take this on over the drinking days!

Dee74

I agree with Anna - I just drank through the illnesses and injuries before.

D

anattaboy

Ditto. Self awareness brings aches, gurgles and well...awareness. Welcome to the side of the street where something CAN be done about it. I'm going to the Dr. again thurs. All my co-pays and scripts in 8 months have not added up to what I drank in 2 weeks $-wise. Good investment!

Aellyce

It might also be the factor of simply getting out and around more when sober. For those of us who drank home and isolated ourselves, it's less likely to catch infections inside our home with little human contact.

Wholesome

As a few other folks have mentioned I think I just never really noticed if I was sick.... Or just sicker than my daily hangovers. Waking up feeling good was an anomaly.

MelindaFlowers

I rarely got sick when I was drinking for whatever that's worth.

However I think that the hangovers may have just masked the sickness.