Paws?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Leeds, UK
Posts: 5
Paws?
Hi all. Firstly just want to say what a great site this is. It's such a great help to so many people like myself (the silent ones who don't post anything but read the posts!).
My background - I drank regularly and heavily through my twenties (I'm 38), stopped regular drinking aged 30, drank occasionally since then (less than once a month, sometimes completely abstinent for months, and then no more than one or two drinks when I did, usually a wedding or some other social event), with periods of abstinence for months in between.
I had a virus/chest infection over christmas last year. For a couple of weeks I took medicine daily (cough syrup and tonic), the tonic being 7% alcohol (I didn't realise at the time - stupid I know, should always check!). I drank more than usual (socialising over the festive season), seemed to stop worrying about not drinking. My virus cleared but I continued to wheeze, became a bit hypercondriac and my drinking increased to once or twice a week for a month or so, and not just one or two beers. I was also under stress at work. So, I was getting drunk fairly regularly again, something I hadn't done since my twenties. had a panic attack in February, the day after a binge and stopped. I had some withdrawal symptoms - I think the daily medicine may have pushed me back into a dependency, a relapse I suppose. Or maybe the festive season, my desire to fit in socially, and the work stress. I drank to excess once in July (drank a lot, can't remember) and lastly on August 7 (maybe five or six beers), 10 weeks ago. I'm committed to complete abstinence now, and plan to work on my sobriety.
From these drinking patterns, could I be experiencing bad PAWS? I think the I'm having some problems with short term memory, and generally organising things, 'getting my act together' and motivation. I'm relying on 'to do lists' for some worryingly simple things! I'm also finding it very hard to get up in the mornings, yet I don't feel very tired at night. It would be great to hear if others have experienced similar issues.
Thanks!
My background - I drank regularly and heavily through my twenties (I'm 38), stopped regular drinking aged 30, drank occasionally since then (less than once a month, sometimes completely abstinent for months, and then no more than one or two drinks when I did, usually a wedding or some other social event), with periods of abstinence for months in between.
I had a virus/chest infection over christmas last year. For a couple of weeks I took medicine daily (cough syrup and tonic), the tonic being 7% alcohol (I didn't realise at the time - stupid I know, should always check!). I drank more than usual (socialising over the festive season), seemed to stop worrying about not drinking. My virus cleared but I continued to wheeze, became a bit hypercondriac and my drinking increased to once or twice a week for a month or so, and not just one or two beers. I was also under stress at work. So, I was getting drunk fairly regularly again, something I hadn't done since my twenties. had a panic attack in February, the day after a binge and stopped. I had some withdrawal symptoms - I think the daily medicine may have pushed me back into a dependency, a relapse I suppose. Or maybe the festive season, my desire to fit in socially, and the work stress. I drank to excess once in July (drank a lot, can't remember) and lastly on August 7 (maybe five or six beers), 10 weeks ago. I'm committed to complete abstinence now, and plan to work on my sobriety.
From these drinking patterns, could I be experiencing bad PAWS? I think the I'm having some problems with short term memory, and generally organising things, 'getting my act together' and motivation. I'm relying on 'to do lists' for some worryingly simple things! I'm also finding it very hard to get up in the mornings, yet I don't feel very tired at night. It would be great to hear if others have experienced similar issues.
Thanks!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 12
I'm brand new here so I'm not an authority. I think this is the wrong place to go of you want a diagnosis. I had never heard of PAWS until your post. If you think you have that you should see a doctor.
Adventurer
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Tuxedo Park, NY
Posts: 1,101
Could be paws, I know I went through many stages of recovery over the past 9 months. All I can say for sure is the longer I am 100% sober the better I feel. If your worried about something go visit your Dr. And get a full physical, it will put your mind more at ease.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
Posts: 785
Yes, from your description of your drinking patterns, it sounds like the symptoms you're experiencing could possibly be attributable to PAWS.
The thing is, in my view at least, it doesn't really matter whether you "have" PAWS or not. PAWS is just a convenient catch-name to describe a group of symptoms that persist beyond the normal period of acute withdrawal. It isn't something you "get" like pneumonia or Hodgkin’s disease — it's just giving a name to the process that your brain is going through as it adjusts to being without alcohol, a process which in some people can produce unpleasant and vexing symptoms that recur and persist for months or even years after quitting drinking.
Whether you "have" PAWS or not, the only solution is to remain abstinent long enough for your brain to finish healing and for the symptoms to go away on their own. There's no real "treatment" per se — only common-sense tactics for dealing with the symptoms. Dee74 has posted a link to an article which outlines some of these tactics, but I can't find it at the moment — perhaps he (or someone else) will be along to post it again.
Seeing a doctor to make sure there’s nothing else seriously amiss is never a bad idea.
Welcome to SR, and I hope you're feeling better soon!
The thing is, in my view at least, it doesn't really matter whether you "have" PAWS or not. PAWS is just a convenient catch-name to describe a group of symptoms that persist beyond the normal period of acute withdrawal. It isn't something you "get" like pneumonia or Hodgkin’s disease — it's just giving a name to the process that your brain is going through as it adjusts to being without alcohol, a process which in some people can produce unpleasant and vexing symptoms that recur and persist for months or even years after quitting drinking.
Whether you "have" PAWS or not, the only solution is to remain abstinent long enough for your brain to finish healing and for the symptoms to go away on their own. There's no real "treatment" per se — only common-sense tactics for dealing with the symptoms. Dee74 has posted a link to an article which outlines some of these tactics, but I can't find it at the moment — perhaps he (or someone else) will be along to post it again.
Seeing a doctor to make sure there’s nothing else seriously amiss is never a bad idea.
Welcome to SR, and I hope you're feeling better soon!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Leeds, UK
Posts: 5
Hi all, thanks for the responses. I've seen a doctor, had blood tests etc, nothing wrong physically except some allergy issues. One thing I forgot to mention - as well as the 'brain fog' issues, I had quite bad generalised anxiety for a couple of months after my last drink. This has since disappeared, thankfully. I guess the other things will linger for longer. I will try and remember this in future if I am ever tempted to drink again!
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,384
That's the one, thanks SW.
Noone here can diagnose you, but if you read it and it rings a few bells so much the better, Elastic Man - there's a lot of good advice on how to deal with PAWs in that link
D
Noone here can diagnose you, but if you read it and it rings a few bells so much the better, Elastic Man - there's a lot of good advice on how to deal with PAWs in that link
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Leeds, UK
Posts: 5
Nice to meet you too Hevyn. Thanks for the link Soberwolf, some really good information and advice there. I read Gorski's Staying Sober book a few years ago. Can't find it though... can't remember where I put it, ha!
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Originally Posted by ElasticMan 
I read Gorski's Staying Sober book a few years ago.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 13
Welcome! I'm on day 4 after night from hell relapse. For me I felt foggy the first few weeks of being sober. I had to make lists and had little motivation. Then one day I realized I was feeling clearer and it was great. It may or may not be paws. When I drank regularly I was always in a fog anyway plus out of control. Today I'm happy to be sober and thankful for everyone who hasn't given up on me. Drinking is not fun for me anymore. When I relapsed I was chasing the fun of what it was like in my twenties but my alcoholism has progressed and it's not fun. Once I start I can't stop and I get out of hand and behave badly. I don't want to be that person. I easily forget how bad it is and gets when I drink. I want to forgive myself so I can move forward but I want to remember what happens when I drink so i don't do it again!!! I love this site. I can really relate to so much shared and it's nice to know I'm not alone. 😌
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