Partnering with a Medical Doctor in early sobriety.
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Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 81
Partnering with a Medical Doctor in early sobriety.
Good Morning friends, it is finally raining in Seattle (crazy, right?!) after an unusually long and hot summer. I hope that this post is helpful and hopeful.
Today is my 19th day in a row of sobriety and I am experiencing evidence that my body and brain are healing from my abuse of alcohol.
Yesterday I had an appointment with my new primary care provider, an internal medicine MD. I felt extremely nervous and afraid (which showed when the MA took my blood pressure! Luckily she took it twice and I calmed down for the second reading!) because I knew that I have damaged my body and brain through years, and years of alcohol abuse; with 2020 being the year of nightly drinking sometimes 7-8 hours a night.
This new Dr. is the first medical professional that I have been honest with about my drinking, I have always lied on the intake forms in the past. For me this is an important difference in this recent effort of recovery. This is my third intentional effort in recovery from alcohol abuse syndrome. The first being when I was pregnant with my son including the year after his death in utero from a cord injury; the second being in 2009 for about the same amount of time of 20 months.
What is different now is my serious concern for my health through observing symptoms of potential damage to internal organs and also through learning about the damage to the frontal lobes of the brain in my college courses this last year.
My Dr. listened to me. I cried a bit when speaking of my medical history while she referred to my records on her screen. Once she listened to my recovery plan and withdrawal symptoms (terrible insomnia) we talked about urges and she offered me three different pharmaceutical methods to curb cravings, all three have side effects. I declined at this time because I am back in school full-time next week, and some of the side-effects could adversely affect learning. She ordered many, many blood test screenings to check my kidneys, live, lipids, metabolism, and a hepatitis C and HIV test. I also received a Tetanus vaccination. She wrote a referral for a psychologist, encouraged me to keep interacting with other alcoholics in recovery, and asked me to come back in a month for an actual wellness exam to schedule all of the health screenings that are overdue (mammogram, colonoscopy) and to check in with my progress.
The greatest relief was her actual manual exam of my heart and lungs, and palpation of my stomach area. My belly was distended when I was drinking and my right side was often tender. She found nothing and actually said that I was "normal", what a relief. Last night two of my blood test results were added to my online medical chart and I was able to read them. They place the results next to standard ranges and from what I see all of my results appear normal, but I am waiting for my Dr.'s interpretation and communication.
Because I refused the medications, we agreed that I will reach out to her (even after hours) if I am experiencing urges and need medical intervention.
Although there is a part of me that feels sad that I have harmed my body and brain, possibly irreversibly, I am comforted by the knowledge that I have a competent and compassionate medical professional on my side.
Thinking of all of the wonderful people on this site in gratitude and with wishes for optimum health for everyone.
Today is my 19th day in a row of sobriety and I am experiencing evidence that my body and brain are healing from my abuse of alcohol.
Yesterday I had an appointment with my new primary care provider, an internal medicine MD. I felt extremely nervous and afraid (which showed when the MA took my blood pressure! Luckily she took it twice and I calmed down for the second reading!) because I knew that I have damaged my body and brain through years, and years of alcohol abuse; with 2020 being the year of nightly drinking sometimes 7-8 hours a night.
This new Dr. is the first medical professional that I have been honest with about my drinking, I have always lied on the intake forms in the past. For me this is an important difference in this recent effort of recovery. This is my third intentional effort in recovery from alcohol abuse syndrome. The first being when I was pregnant with my son including the year after his death in utero from a cord injury; the second being in 2009 for about the same amount of time of 20 months.
What is different now is my serious concern for my health through observing symptoms of potential damage to internal organs and also through learning about the damage to the frontal lobes of the brain in my college courses this last year.
My Dr. listened to me. I cried a bit when speaking of my medical history while she referred to my records on her screen. Once she listened to my recovery plan and withdrawal symptoms (terrible insomnia) we talked about urges and she offered me three different pharmaceutical methods to curb cravings, all three have side effects. I declined at this time because I am back in school full-time next week, and some of the side-effects could adversely affect learning. She ordered many, many blood test screenings to check my kidneys, live, lipids, metabolism, and a hepatitis C and HIV test. I also received a Tetanus vaccination. She wrote a referral for a psychologist, encouraged me to keep interacting with other alcoholics in recovery, and asked me to come back in a month for an actual wellness exam to schedule all of the health screenings that are overdue (mammogram, colonoscopy) and to check in with my progress.
The greatest relief was her actual manual exam of my heart and lungs, and palpation of my stomach area. My belly was distended when I was drinking and my right side was often tender. She found nothing and actually said that I was "normal", what a relief. Last night two of my blood test results were added to my online medical chart and I was able to read them. They place the results next to standard ranges and from what I see all of my results appear normal, but I am waiting for my Dr.'s interpretation and communication.
Because I refused the medications, we agreed that I will reach out to her (even after hours) if I am experiencing urges and need medical intervention.
Although there is a part of me that feels sad that I have harmed my body and brain, possibly irreversibly, I am comforted by the knowledge that I have a competent and compassionate medical professional on my side.
Thinking of all of the wonderful people on this site in gratitude and with wishes for optimum health for everyone.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
This is great news indeed and I'm happy to hear of the positive diagnosis KittyMama. I too was petrified to see a doctor and come clean about what I had really been doing to myself, but it was such a relief once I did it. Sounds like you have a very wise doc too, and not just on the medical side. I stayed glued to SR round the clock when I first quit, so don't be afraid to post or ask questions at any time. Since it's international community, there is almost always someone here.
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Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Central NC
Posts: 205
Good on you for trusting a doctor with the truth and being completely honest with your recovery. I lied to my doctor for over 10 years, not by diminishing how much I drank, but saying I didn't drink at all! He never pressed me for the truth, but didn't seem all that surprised when my drinking got so bad I finally opened up about it.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 81
Thank you for your encouragement and advice, Scott. My Dr. messaged me yesterday to say that my blood panel showed "really good" liver function BUT my cholesterol is high. I have a month before my next Dr. appt. to work on this with diet and exercise since heart disease runs in my family. Celebrating the healthy liver though! I feel extremely grateful to have been referred to this site, and I log in most everyday to give or receive encouragement and feel the belonging of a community. Thanks for the reminder that someone is always there! Day 20, and I feel so lucky to be alive and have the opportunity to regain optimum health.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 244
I was terrified to be honest with a Dr! I was even more terrified the first time I had my liver checked - thankfully it was fine.
Honesty is essential to recovery - and having a Dr you can trust and be open with is so important, even if we're not an addict! Good for you for advocating for yourself and for your health!
Donny :-)
Honesty is essential to recovery - and having a Dr you can trust and be open with is so important, even if we're not an addict! Good for you for advocating for yourself and for your health!
Donny :-)
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 244
Originally Posted by KAD65 
Good on you for trusting a doctor with the truth and being completely honest with your recovery. I lied to my doctor for over 10 years, not by diminishing how much I drank, but saying I didn't drink at all! He never pressed me for the truth, but didn't seem all that surprised when my drinking got so bad I finally opened up about it.
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 604
I can relate to your fears KM. I too have abused my body. With the COVID and isolation, it was easy to fall back into drinking. I've been scared of the damage I've caused to my body and need to follow through on my own health concerns. You're right, the truth is best then you know what you're dealing with. You're cholesterol scores should improve as you detox and cleanse that liver. Keep up the good work, and good luck with school!
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