Help with PAWS. 70 days sober.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 390
My situation is very similar to yours Justin. 40yo, on benzos (epilepsy), 5-15 units in the evenings, and now having trouble focusing and making changes at day 70. I have heart murmurs, but they haven't been an issue lately. I'm exhausted all the time working a labor job and working out after, then sleeping a few hours. I understand the morning hangover feeling. It's not as bad as one of those days-in-bed hangovers, but here I am, in bed, feeling a dull pressure in my head. I thought things were good to go, but I guess not. I'm definitely better than where I was, but had a spell of good feelings, and feel like I had a dopamine dump. I'm sure it'll go away once I learn to adjust to my body reacting to sobriety. I've never looked at it this closely.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Lakeside, Arizona
Posts: 1,138
70 days sober is not very long really, it takes time to recover. I was still useless at 70 days and still useless after four + months from it.
I'm around 15 months now though and wow things are really changing, it's like a weight has finally been lifted off of me. I still have some issues but I'm actually feeling like myself again for the first time.
I'm around 15 months now though and wow things are really changing, it's like a weight has finally been lifted off of me. I still have some issues but I'm actually feeling like myself again for the first time.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Illinois
Posts: 41
Right at 80 days now. I don't feel useless really just a daily struggle to get to work and then hit the gym. New symptoms pop up like fatigue and getting light headed. Of course the always constant feeling of impending doom. Tight jaws and muscle tension. I've noticed acid reflux is hanging around. Oddly when I drank all the time I rarely had reflux.
To anyone else going thru this stuff id say hang on its gets better but so far it really hasn't. I keep setting small goals for myself like hey just make it thru today, etc.
To anyone else going thru this stuff id say hang on its gets better but so far it really hasn't. I keep setting small goals for myself like hey just make it thru today, etc.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 6,902
Originally Posted by Justin61571 
To anyone else going thru this stuff id say hang on its gets better but so far it really hasn't. I keep setting small goals for myself like hey just make it thru today, etc.
Did you try anything that was suggested in that article yet?
You could be waiting a bloomin long time to feel better if your only strategy is waiting it out. (Ì found that out the hard way, and really did just want to die by the time I was 6 months sober). Dees thread about making a plan for recovery is also worth exploring... https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...y-plans-1.html (Psst...wanna know why I'm always recommending recovery plans?)
I hope that you take action and start finding some relief soon.
BB
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Illinois
Posts: 41
Just a quick update. Sitting at around 95 or 96 days sober... creeping up on those triple digits. Things have lifted a little more and there are real moments of feeling normal. I have noticed a few things that tend to make the out of body feeling worse. Lack of sleep, going more that 5 or so hours without food, and too much light exposure (working in the sun for several hours without a break).
I still get the occasional palpitations. Still have some anxiety but not even close to what I was having. Tight jaw comes and goes. I did notice when I play lot of call of duty (lot of eye movement and noise exposure) I will start to really get a detached feeling. Usually all my symptoms can be relieved by finding a dark room and relaxing. Allowing the mind to reset.
TBH I haven't had many cravings or urges to drink. I haven't had to stop myself from getting beer or walking into a bar. Hell I even have old beer in my fridge that is sitting in a bottom drawer. I guess it might be for company or just a reminder that I don't need it. I didn't start out to quit for the rest of my life... I guess part of me still wants to be able to go to a BBQ, bonfire, or out on the river and drink a few beers. Having said that a major goal of mine is to get to six months and I think once I get to six months I'll go for a year.
To anyone thinking that it is never going to end... keep on plowing thru. Make sure you are eating healthy and hydrating. I still hit the gym four or five times a week and its only getting better. I've lost about 8 lbs and picked up some muscle so there is hope on that front :P
Stay strong and good luck.
I still get the occasional palpitations. Still have some anxiety but not even close to what I was having. Tight jaw comes and goes. I did notice when I play lot of call of duty (lot of eye movement and noise exposure) I will start to really get a detached feeling. Usually all my symptoms can be relieved by finding a dark room and relaxing. Allowing the mind to reset.
TBH I haven't had many cravings or urges to drink. I haven't had to stop myself from getting beer or walking into a bar. Hell I even have old beer in my fridge that is sitting in a bottom drawer. I guess it might be for company or just a reminder that I don't need it. I didn't start out to quit for the rest of my life... I guess part of me still wants to be able to go to a BBQ, bonfire, or out on the river and drink a few beers. Having said that a major goal of mine is to get to six months and I think once I get to six months I'll go for a year.
To anyone thinking that it is never going to end... keep on plowing thru. Make sure you are eating healthy and hydrating. I still hit the gym four or five times a week and its only getting better. I've lost about 8 lbs and picked up some muscle so there is hope on that front :P
Stay strong and good luck.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Originally Posted by Justin61571
Hello all,
Just a little back story to begin. I'm 39 years old and I had been drinking pretty heavy for the last 12 or 13 years. Some days I'd drink 3 or 4 beers some days I'd drink 20. Most days I'd average 10 or 12 beers. I had a Xanax prescription (.5mg a day) for about a year and was able to quit that cold turkey in November. In my younger days I dabbled in cocaine every now and then but luckily never got hooked.
Believe it or not I maintained a pretty active workout routine most of those years while I drank and my job requires me to walk quite a bit. However the last year and a half I had suffered from severe panic attacks (hence the Xanax) which was one of the deciding factors in getting sober. I've had every test you can take under the sun and apparently I'm physically fine. My last round of blood work came back great.
So I'm roughly 70 days sober and I've noticed what I can only imagine is paws. Ears ringing, anxiety, cognitive fog, out of body experiences, sometimes sheer panic bordering on an attack, tight Jaws, muscle aches, racing repetitive thoughts, and impending doom. Heart palpitations... they really ramp up my anxiety. They scare me the most. These symptoms come in waves and last days at a time.
My question is simply this... Is this all normal? Any long term drinkers have any experience with this? It's very scary. I've maintained a pretty vigorous workout routine and proper nutrition. Any advise would be awesome.
Ha also on a lighter note I dream about drinking most nights of the week and my sleep has started to even out. I still feel pretty tired most days though.
Justin
Just a little back story to begin. I'm 39 years old and I had been drinking pretty heavy for the last 12 or 13 years. Some days I'd drink 3 or 4 beers some days I'd drink 20. Most days I'd average 10 or 12 beers. I had a Xanax prescription (.5mg a day) for about a year and was able to quit that cold turkey in November. In my younger days I dabbled in cocaine every now and then but luckily never got hooked.
Believe it or not I maintained a pretty active workout routine most of those years while I drank and my job requires me to walk quite a bit. However the last year and a half I had suffered from severe panic attacks (hence the Xanax) which was one of the deciding factors in getting sober. I've had every test you can take under the sun and apparently I'm physically fine. My last round of blood work came back great.
So I'm roughly 70 days sober and I've noticed what I can only imagine is paws. Ears ringing, anxiety, cognitive fog, out of body experiences, sometimes sheer panic bordering on an attack, tight Jaws, muscle aches, racing repetitive thoughts, and impending doom. Heart palpitations... they really ramp up my anxiety. They scare me the most. These symptoms come in waves and last days at a time.
My question is simply this... Is this all normal? Any long term drinkers have any experience with this? It's very scary. I've maintained a pretty vigorous workout routine and proper nutrition. Any advise would be awesome.
Ha also on a lighter note I dream about drinking most nights of the week and my sleep has started to even out. I still feel pretty tired most days though.
Justin
I had to keep going and not drink and let everything get out of my system.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 25
Originally Posted by Justin61571
Hello all,
Just a little back story to begin. I'm 39 years old and I had been drinking pretty heavy for the last 12 or 13 years. Some days I'd drink 3 or 4 beers some days I'd drink 20. Most days I'd average 10 or 12 beers. I had a Xanax prescription (.5mg a day) for about a year and was able to quit that cold turkey in November. In my younger days I dabbled in cocaine every now and then but luckily never got hooked.
Believe it or not I maintained a pretty active workout routine most of those years while I drank and my job requires me to walk quite a bit. However the last year and a half I had suffered from severe panic attacks (hence the Xanax) which was one of the deciding factors in getting sober. I've had every test you can take under the sun and apparently I'm physically fine. My last round of blood work came back great.
So I'm roughly 70 days sober and I've noticed what I can only imagine is paws. Ears ringing, anxiety, cognitive fog, out of body experiences, sometimes sheer panic bordering on an attack, tight Jaws, muscle aches, racing repetitive thoughts, and impending doom. Heart palpitations... they really ramp up my anxiety. They scare me the most. These symptoms come in waves and last days at a time.
My question is simply this... Is this all normal? Any long term drinkers have any experience with this? It's very scary. I've maintained a pretty vigorous workout routine and proper nutrition. Any advise would be awesome.
Ha also on a lighter note I dream about drinking most nights of the week and my sleep has started to even out. I still feel pretty tired most days though.
Justin
Just a little back story to begin. I'm 39 years old and I had been drinking pretty heavy for the last 12 or 13 years. Some days I'd drink 3 or 4 beers some days I'd drink 20. Most days I'd average 10 or 12 beers. I had a Xanax prescription (.5mg a day) for about a year and was able to quit that cold turkey in November. In my younger days I dabbled in cocaine every now and then but luckily never got hooked.
Believe it or not I maintained a pretty active workout routine most of those years while I drank and my job requires me to walk quite a bit. However the last year and a half I had suffered from severe panic attacks (hence the Xanax) which was one of the deciding factors in getting sober. I've had every test you can take under the sun and apparently I'm physically fine. My last round of blood work came back great.
So I'm roughly 70 days sober and I've noticed what I can only imagine is paws. Ears ringing, anxiety, cognitive fog, out of body experiences, sometimes sheer panic bordering on an attack, tight Jaws, muscle aches, racing repetitive thoughts, and impending doom. Heart palpitations... they really ramp up my anxiety. They scare me the most. These symptoms come in waves and last days at a time.
My question is simply this... Is this all normal? Any long term drinkers have any experience with this? It's very scary. I've maintained a pretty vigorous workout routine and proper nutrition. Any advise would be awesome.
Ha also on a lighter note I dream about drinking most nights of the week and my sleep has started to even out. I still feel pretty tired most days though.
Justin
Started getting neuropathy like symptoms in March/April: tingling feet, cold feet, leg cramps, aches & pains which led me to quit for a month. Started eating better and exercising more and felt great for a month! Made the mistake of drinking one Saturday which turned into a 4 day bender. 3 days later leg pains and feet tingles came back. Have been sober 3 weeks now and symptoms are still here along with tiredness, lightheadedness, anxiety attacks and a feeling of complete exhaustion every morning. Much harder than my last attempt at sobriety, but I’m still trying to eat right, take vitamins and exercise in hopes these symptoms pass in the near future.
Let us know how things progress!
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