PAWS is killing me
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
PAWS is killing me
I have been sober since June 2015.
Honestly, my drinking was mainly binge drinking every night in college. And when I graduated to start my new job I quit cold turkey.
The first 3 months were hell. I was convinced I was dying.
Then life started again and I had to get my ass up and do things again.
Next nine months consisted of brain fog, forgetfulness, anxiety, etc.
Two days ago I went to the dentist. I also quit smoking when i quit drinking, and that causes the blood vessels in your gums to expand again, making them bleed. Anyways, they had me rinse with the perio guard stuff that has 11% alcohol. Whatever I spit it out like no big deal. However that night i started feeling mild withdrawal symptoms ! From mouthwash , spit out! WTF!!
And realized it probably absorbed into my blood stream because my gums were bleeding. Is it possible that I have just restarted this whole train?! I hadn't even gotten over my PAWS the first time. And let me tell you, one year or feeling like this feels like an enternity.
Does anyone have input on this?
Full disclosure I've been to the doctor , gotten MRI, EKG, EEG, blood work; you name it I got it. I'm otherwise healthy. So it is from the alcohol 100%
Honestly, my drinking was mainly binge drinking every night in college. And when I graduated to start my new job I quit cold turkey.
The first 3 months were hell. I was convinced I was dying.
Then life started again and I had to get my ass up and do things again.
Next nine months consisted of brain fog, forgetfulness, anxiety, etc.
Two days ago I went to the dentist. I also quit smoking when i quit drinking, and that causes the blood vessels in your gums to expand again, making them bleed. Anyways, they had me rinse with the perio guard stuff that has 11% alcohol. Whatever I spit it out like no big deal. However that night i started feeling mild withdrawal symptoms ! From mouthwash , spit out! WTF!!
And realized it probably absorbed into my blood stream because my gums were bleeding. Is it possible that I have just restarted this whole train?! I hadn't even gotten over my PAWS the first time. And let me tell you, one year or feeling like this feels like an enternity.
Does anyone have input on this?
Full disclosure I've been to the doctor , gotten MRI, EKG, EEG, blood work; you name it I got it. I'm otherwise healthy. So it is from the alcohol 100%
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
You're okay.
It took me a year to feel normal-ish.
That tiny amount of alcohol in the perio-rinse did not set you back. You didn't do it to get high, and there wasn't enough in it to cause damage to your recovery in a physical way. It sounds to me like you're just anxious - totally part of that first year. I was easily "set off" too. This will pass.
Continue on your course of not drinking. PAWS is not fatal, honest.
Drinking might be.
It took me a year to feel normal-ish.
That tiny amount of alcohol in the perio-rinse did not set you back. You didn't do it to get high, and there wasn't enough in it to cause damage to your recovery in a physical way. It sounds to me like you're just anxious - totally part of that first year. I was easily "set off" too. This will pass.
Continue on your course of not drinking. PAWS is not fatal, honest.
Drinking might be.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Originally Posted by biminiblue 
You're okay.
It took me a year to feel normal-ish.
That tiny amount of alcohol in the perio-rinse did not set you back. You didn't do it to get high, and there wasn't enough in it to cause damage to your recovery in a physical way. It sounds to me like you're just anxious - totally part of that first year. I was easily "set off" too. This will pass.
Continue on your course of not drinking. PAWS is not fatal, honest.
Drinking might be.
It took me a year to feel normal-ish.
That tiny amount of alcohol in the perio-rinse did not set you back. You didn't do it to get high, and there wasn't enough in it to cause damage to your recovery in a physical way. It sounds to me like you're just anxious - totally part of that first year. I was easily "set off" too. This will pass.
Continue on your course of not drinking. PAWS is not fatal, honest.
Drinking might be.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
Posts: 785
I doubt you absorbed any significant amount of alcohol from rinsing with mouthwash. The flare-up of PAWS-type symptoms was likely unrelated.
The thing about PAWS that's hard to keep in mind when you're going through a bad patch is that it's a self-limiting condition -- if you don't drink, it WILL get better eventually. At 3 years and 3 months sober, I still have a bad day now and then, but it's nothing like it was early on. At one year sober, I still had more bad days than good.
I know it's hard to be patient, but hang in there and take heart from the stories of others who have been through it and come out the other side. I have yet to hear from anyone who never got over PAWS (although at times I thought I might be the first!).
The thing about PAWS that's hard to keep in mind when you're going through a bad patch is that it's a self-limiting condition -- if you don't drink, it WILL get better eventually. At 3 years and 3 months sober, I still have a bad day now and then, but it's nothing like it was early on. At one year sober, I still had more bad days than good.
I know it's hard to be patient, but hang in there and take heart from the stories of others who have been through it and come out the other side. I have yet to hear from anyone who never got over PAWS (although at times I thought I might be the first!).
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 22
Originally Posted by Andante
I doubt you absorbed any significant amount of alcohol from rinsing with mouthwash. The flare-up of PAWS-type symptoms was likely unrelated.
The thing about PAWS that's hard to keep in mind when you're going through a bad patch is that it's a self-limiting condition -- if you don't drink, it WILL get better eventually. At 3 years and 3 months sober, I still have a bad day now and then, but it's nothing like it was early on. At one year sober, I still had more bad days than good.
I know it's hard to be patient, but hang in there and take heart from the stories of others who have been through it and come out the other side. I have yet to hear from anyone who never got over PAWS (although at times I thought I might be the first!).
The thing about PAWS that's hard to keep in mind when you're going through a bad patch is that it's a self-limiting condition -- if you don't drink, it WILL get better eventually. At 3 years and 3 months sober, I still have a bad day now and then, but it's nothing like it was early on. At one year sober, I still had more bad days than good.
I know it's hard to be patient, but hang in there and take heart from the stories of others who have been through it and come out the other side. I have yet to hear from anyone who never got over PAWS (although at times I thought I might be the first!).
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
I was a binge drinker too. My PAWS got better over time. It's tough at first, because it seems like you're just sort of stuck with these symptoms, but I found that mine cleared up a lot during that first year. I'm over three years now and things continue to improve.
Try not to worry about it too much and hang in there. Don't drink.
You're doing great to quit early in life, great job.
Try not to worry about it too much and hang in there. Don't drink.
You're doing great to quit early in life, great job.
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Northwest
Posts: 4,215
You have a lot happening in your life anyway...the transition from college to adult job world is insanely stressful and one I don't think gets enough focus because the people who go through it are young and therefore assumed to be more resilient. My niece and nephew are both amazingly strong, smart, high-achieving kids and they both had a really rough time with that change.
There are also some physical changes that can happen at this time, as your metabolism slows down and your body and brain fully mature.
For sure, drinking would have made it much worse so good, no GREAT for you. I wish I had been that smart at your age.
As others have said, you didn't absorb enough alcohol in the rinse you spit out to re-up your addiction.
You're going to be fine. Sending you a hug.
There are also some physical changes that can happen at this time, as your metabolism slows down and your body and brain fully mature.
For sure, drinking would have made it much worse so good, no GREAT for you. I wish I had been that smart at your age.
As others have said, you didn't absorb enough alcohol in the rinse you spit out to re-up your addiction.
You're going to be fine. Sending you a hug.
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