Sober hangovers??
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 173
Sober hangovers??
Hi everyone. The title says what I feel like - a lot of mornings including right now. Like i have woken with a hangover without alcohol. Its not every morning but quite a few of them.
I found this site the same weekend I decided to stop drinking and the advice i have found hear either directly or read about has helped me remain sober now 65 days!! (can't believe it really). I am soooo...ooo grateful as i dont have any other support other than here.
But...a lot of the time I wake up incredibly groggy, sometimes with headache, feeling lethargic, and sometimes with a bad taste in my mouth. I have been to the Gp and he hasn't found anything 'wrong' (-although I didn't tell him about the alcohol problem - too ashamed) and anyway don't intend starting drinking again. I am already sleeping not too badly now (didn't the first few weeks) so don't think it's that...
Do any of you recognise this feeling - a bit like a hangover? I had an awful lot of 'illnesses' the first few weeks of abstinence...bronchitus, then the cold, sore throats, aches and pains and generally yucky. Thankfully all have all passed. My biggest fairly consistent concerns have been low feelings and facing the isolation and loneliness I have...that i can already see alcohol made worse...which I am trying to both 'feel' and slowly do something about using some of the good advice I receive and read about here.
But I have this feeling a lot of mornings of real difficulty waking...as described above... Would really appreciate hearing others' experience/thoughts?
I found this site the same weekend I decided to stop drinking and the advice i have found hear either directly or read about has helped me remain sober now 65 days!! (can't believe it really). I am soooo...ooo grateful as i dont have any other support other than here.
But...a lot of the time I wake up incredibly groggy, sometimes with headache, feeling lethargic, and sometimes with a bad taste in my mouth. I have been to the Gp and he hasn't found anything 'wrong' (-although I didn't tell him about the alcohol problem - too ashamed) and anyway don't intend starting drinking again. I am already sleeping not too badly now (didn't the first few weeks) so don't think it's that...
Do any of you recognise this feeling - a bit like a hangover? I had an awful lot of 'illnesses' the first few weeks of abstinence...bronchitus, then the cold, sore throats, aches and pains and generally yucky. Thankfully all have all passed. My biggest fairly consistent concerns have been low feelings and facing the isolation and loneliness I have...that i can already see alcohol made worse...which I am trying to both 'feel' and slowly do something about using some of the good advice I receive and read about here.
But I have this feeling a lot of mornings of real difficulty waking...as described above... Would really appreciate hearing others' experience/thoughts?
That bell or bike person
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: london
Posts: 4,978
65 days is great but in the overall scheme of things it's still early days i had alcohol stuff going on for 6 months before my body finally sorted itself out …
For me i have what norms call "a bad day" every few weeks i get over tired , my eyes itch , i get out of bed the wrong side , i feel washed out and a bit meh !
Also it's worth checking out if you have hay-fever coming on , as it is that time of year here in the UK , i find rape seed fields especially bad (yellow flowers) you can have mild symptoms you may not have noticed before as when actively drinking it's easy to miss subtler things going on due to how sick we feel due to drinking .
Keep on
m
For me i have what norms call "a bad day" every few weeks i get over tired , my eyes itch , i get out of bed the wrong side , i feel washed out and a bit meh !
Also it's worth checking out if you have hay-fever coming on , as it is that time of year here in the UK , i find rape seed fields especially bad (yellow flowers) you can have mild symptoms you may not have noticed before as when actively drinking it's easy to miss subtler things going on due to how sick we feel due to drinking .
Keep on
m
Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 105
Hi Littlebear
I had a 2 month break from alcohol last year and only after about 5 weeks did this feeling lift. I took a short course of multi-vitamins with iron, drank a lot more water (room temperature was best) and got myself out for a short walk before bedtime.Within 5 days it got a lot better.
I just had a sober month where a similar improvement happened at about 25 days. After 30 days I felt so much better I had a beer! That ruined things of course! D'oh!
Anyway, I am now on day 5 again but this time I have done the water, evening walk and vitamins from day 1 and I am already feeling better in the mornings. So I think there is something in it.
I am also doing more exercise i the mornings this time too.
Good luck and massive congratulations on 65 days!!!!!!!!!!
CC
I had a 2 month break from alcohol last year and only after about 5 weeks did this feeling lift. I took a short course of multi-vitamins with iron, drank a lot more water (room temperature was best) and got myself out for a short walk before bedtime.Within 5 days it got a lot better.
I just had a sober month where a similar improvement happened at about 25 days. After 30 days I felt so much better I had a beer! That ruined things of course! D'oh!
Anyway, I am now on day 5 again but this time I have done the water, evening walk and vitamins from day 1 and I am already feeling better in the mornings. So I think there is something in it.
I am also doing more exercise i the mornings this time too.
Good luck and massive congratulations on 65 days!!!!!!!!!!
CC
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 173
Thanks to you M and CC for your quick responses. Yes I know...it's early days still...but after 30+ years drinking without ever trying or wanting to stop... Am over the moon for managing this so far. CC am taking vits, exercising, and more... I guess I may be thinking my body 'should be' feeling healthier. So it's a good reminder...it most certainly won't be after the span of alcohol years.
Maybe it is hayfever. Didn't think of that...will give it some thought...appreciated...
Maybe it is hayfever. Didn't think of that...will give it some thought...appreciated...
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 611
Littlebear - you're not alone, I still feel like I've got a hangover every morning. Not the real violent hangover of a big bender, but bad taste in my mouth, dull headache and neck ache and feeling very lethargic. It eases as the day goes on so I'm doing my best to pay it no mind and like you I'm taking vitamins and exercising. Not much help I know but at least you're misery has some company 
and I've heard it loves that.
and I've heard it loves that.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 199
Ive had the similar feeling during periods of sobriety. I think the term wetbrain is used. I always assosiated with the fact that your mind and body are so accustom to being drunk that after you stop drinking and you wake up your mind immediately assume you are until you gain your bearings
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 630
Could be not enough water, could be allergies, or could be body healing....
I had headaches at about 60-90 days. Not severe, but enough to notice and wonder about. They lasted about a month, then poof - gone!
Sometimes we feel things that were for a while when we are not drinking because we are sober and starting to feel, rather than masking everything......
I had headaches at about 60-90 days. Not severe, but enough to notice and wonder about. They lasted about a month, then poof - gone!
Sometimes we feel things that were for a while when we are not drinking because we are sober and starting to feel, rather than masking everything......
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 173
Lots of really good advice and things to think about here. Thanks to all.
Gonna attempt to accept this is how it's likely to be for a good while longer maybe. But jeez...I got a fright at the suggestion of someone saying maybe wet brain! I had to look up what it was and got quite a scare...so, gonna forget that for now...
Gonna attempt to accept this is how it's likely to be for a good while longer maybe. But jeez...I got a fright at the suggestion of someone saying maybe wet brain! I had to look up what it was and got quite a scare...so, gonna forget that for now...
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Scotland
Posts: 396
I get this feeling often just now. (2 months) I seem to lose the feeling once I get up and have my breakfast. I am sleeping much better, sometimes 10 hours +.
I need to exercise more, and drink more water.
I need to exercise more, and drink more water.
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Congrats on 65 days i got the flu bad not so long ago it was bad for a week then i was really lethargic for weeks after headaches etc
drink plenty of water and if you dont see a diffrence in 2-3 wks book a GP apt
drink plenty of water and if you dont see a diffrence in 2-3 wks book a GP apt
Its a cold and its a broken hallelujah.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,887
Hi again LIttlebear 
Honestly, it took a solid 90 days (and probably more like 100 truth be told) before the constant lethargy, weakness, dizziness, and general malaise started to lift. I slept ALOT during those days. Naps whenever I could.
I started ta thread once during a previous sobriety about "I might as well be hungover" because that's exactly how I felt all of the time. It was that that brought be back to the bottle many many times.
You are so close ! Hang in there and stay close.
Honestly, it took a solid 90 days (and probably more like 100 truth be told) before the constant lethargy, weakness, dizziness, and general malaise started to lift. I slept ALOT during those days. Naps whenever I could.
I started ta thread once during a previous sobriety about "I might as well be hungover" because that's exactly how I felt all of the time. It was that that brought be back to the bottle many many times.
You are so close ! Hang in there and stay close.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 642
I would recommend telling your doctor about the alcohol problem.
It adds to accountability and alcohol abuse can have lingering effects. And there is nothing to be ashamed about. Alcoholism is recognized as a disease medically, and an estimated 7.2% of American adults suffer from some sort of AUD (alcohol use disorder - 2012 data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
It adds to accountability and alcohol abuse can have lingering effects. And there is nothing to be ashamed about. Alcoholism is recognized as a disease medically, and an estimated 7.2% of American adults suffer from some sort of AUD (alcohol use disorder - 2012 data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 831
It took my body about 4 months to physically acclimate to not having its daily dose of alcohol.
It does get better.
Also I second the comment about mentioning it to your physician to rule out any other possible causes for your distress.
It does get better.
Also I second the comment about mentioning it to your physician to rule out any other possible causes for your distress.
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