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Gut issues and constant muscle tension after quitting drinking



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Gut issues and constant muscle tension after quitting drinking

Old 09-12-2018, 10:02 AM
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Unhappy Gut issues and constant muscle tension after quitting drinking

Hello, im new here, just made an account 5 minutes ago, I am currently just over 5 weeks sober after drinking the equivalent of a bottle of wine every night for several years. Sometimes it was a half pint of vodka, sometimes a 6 pack of beer, and sometimes a bottle of wine. Started when I was 21, but didnt become a problem until a few years later, I am now 27. My current issue is, after 5 weeks, I still have tension in my neck, occasional difficulty swallowing, constant tension in my right chest, if I lift my arm over my head I can feel it pulling in the chest muscle and armpit area, while its gotten somewhat better (i think?) its still there and is a problem, constant tension in both my hands, oddly its mostly in the thumb pads where i feel most of the tension. I also still have some gut issues too, I feel pressure and a dull ache in my mid back, more in the right side middle back. Ive had neuropathy ruled out by a neurologist after doing nerve conduction tests, MRI, and other tests i cant remember the names of. Ive also had an ultrasound of liver and kidneys as well as blood tests, according to the doctors my liver and kidneys are ok. Could I still be recovering and eventually these issues will go away? I want to be healthy and feel normal again, I want to start running and working out again but when I run the pressure gets worse and I have to stop and rest after about a mile when I know I could easily go much further if not for this pressure that becomes so uncomfortable. This aching pressure does kind of come and go, seems worse when I eat. I also tend to become quite bloated after eating and it does not matter what I eat, salad, burgars, healthy or unhealthy, I still become bloated. I also have tingling here and there in my hands with a mottled appearance that comes and goes minute to minute, this is also very concerning for me, I brought it up with the doctors, including neurologist, they hardly acknowledged it.
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Old 09-12-2018, 10:23 AM
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Look into vitamin deficiency caused by alcohol. It may be a simple change in diet that could help. The bloating could also be related to a deficiency. Tums should help a bit in the meantime, or Prilosec

I'd try taking a multivitamin a day and look for foods that contain the vitamins you need when detoxing from alcohol. I wouldn't put to much trust in just multivitamins.
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Old 09-12-2018, 10:37 AM
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If you've medically ruled out other causes for your symptoms, they could be residual effects from long-term excessive drinking. Many people experience weird symptoms for weeks or even months after they quit.

Heightened anxiety (manifesting as health anxiety) is also quite common. Give yourself some time, be patient, keep doing the right things (including not drinking!), and I bet you'll feel much better within a few more weeks or months.
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Old 09-12-2018, 11:12 AM
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Try yoga and meditation? Have you seen a cardiologist?
I have much tension in my neck just from stress and need to stretch or get a massage quite often to relieve it. I have left arm issues as well, probably residual from an old collarbone break.
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Old 09-12-2018, 12:31 PM
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Thank you for the replies! I have been taking a multi vitamin gummy every day, as well as magnesium and small amount of vitamin c powder, plus vitamin D. I have been eating salads, fruits, I snack on blueberries and strawberries and bananas. And if I can I only eat lean meats like chicken, turkey, sometimes bison, so ive had a fairly healthy diet since quitting drinking. They did blood tests to rule out vitamin deficiencies, my B vitamins, according to my doctor, were surprisingly high for someone who just recently quit heavy binge drinking (at that time i was only a few days out). I did ask my doc about maybe seeing a cardiologist when she saw me again a couple weeks later, and she said judging by how my heart rate improved drastically from 95 back down to my usual 55 - 60, plus the fact im trying to be active and am otherwise healthy, a cardiologist is probably unnecessary, but did give me the names of some she knows of that may be of help. And I actually did try yoga and meditation, the problem with that is ive never been able to sit still for more than 5 minutes.
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Old 09-12-2018, 12:34 PM
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Maybe skip the meditation and just do yoga and stretching then. Sounds like you might be really tight.
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Old 09-12-2018, 12:52 PM
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Ok, theres several yoga places around me, I think ill try it and see what happens.
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Old 09-12-2018, 02:14 PM
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I’m glad you went to the dr and got yourself checked out.

I have chronic upper right side pain (front and back), chronic chest pain and chronic pain that shoots into my right armpit.

It took many years of testing to determine that I have irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, and fibroids. I can control it with diet and medicine.

Not saying that what you have. Just that our bodies are very complex. Maybe a bit more digging by the doctor will help figure out what’s going on?
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Old 09-12-2018, 02:34 PM
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Congrats on the sobriety!

I couldn't do 2 minutes of meditation when I started. Now it's a part of my life.

Once I heard about it being like anything else we learn to do, that helped a lot. If I don't know how, it's okay to start small and explore ways I can learn.
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Old 09-12-2018, 03:26 PM
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Hi .... for me looks like classic symptoms of anxiety but i m not a doctor i only share my expierience ... all pains ... tension ... hundrefs of physical symptoms were anxiety that i self medicated with alcohol. Anxiety was first . Added a problem . Alcohol is depressant so anxiety hightened. However it might be you removed your medication - alcohol and not substituted with healthy coping strategies and expierience anxiety. Well done for getting sober it is first step .. keep on going and dig the core when ready xD
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Old 09-12-2018, 05:10 PM
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Hi recoveryalc

While all those things are common to a certain extent, after 5 weeks I'd be inclined to see a doctor - not suggesting there's anything seriously wrong but it would be good for peace of mind I think.

Hope you feel better soon

D
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Old 09-12-2018, 05:12 PM
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Just a general reminder folks - while we can share our experiences in a general way, we can't offer diagnoses or suggest treatments - that counts as medical advice by our rules...and medical advice is not allowed.

'Here what I did/heres what happened to me' not 'here's what you should do'.

Thanks

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Old 09-13-2018, 09:24 PM
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With Dee's caveat in my head, I am going to say that I experienced neck and muscle tension too - the alcohol I drank eased my aches and pains so I noticed it more when sober. I felt the abdominal pressure, bloating, etc., and mine seemed to be a result of GERD. I ate smaller meals - cut out tomatoes, chocolate, carbonated sodas, garlic, onions, spicy food. Cut my coffee down to one cup a day. I don't eat after 7 and I don't go to be until it's at least three hours after my last meal. I did take the OTC's heartburn meds, but it seemed to do too good of a job and then I had too little acid to digest with and that was a hassle also . I did have chest pain and went to urgent care to rule out angina, and that's how I got diagnosed with the GERD. I'm hoping with time and sobriety and weight loss I'll feel back to normal. I bet you will too. I'm at around 60 days.
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