Another try at sobriety
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 20
Another try at sobriety
A couple of months ago I was at a show when I turned sharply to my right as someone called out to me. A sharp, stabbing pain went up my right-hand upper chest-I thought someone had stabbed me.
I knew instantly it was my liver and after 40+years of heavy daily drinking, let alone countless warnings from doctors, I wasn’t that surprised. I went home and resolved, again, to get off the booze.
Blood test LFT GGT came out at 440-should be below 50 but I persevered with the aching for liquor and the sleeplessness but failed again a week or so later.
More recently I became aware of an ache in my upper right chest, again my liver was complaining. I stopped drinking again at some great effort. The first night was pretty awful but I decided that a sleepless night never killed anyone but a dead liver would. The nights became a little easier and in only a few days the liver-ache had gone again. I found that a common anti-histamine helped with sleep, one that contains promethazine hydrochloride. And it’s amazing how energy levels recover, again in just a few days.
Bodily functions soon return to normal too as does appetite.
The further down the road of sobriety you go then the more you have to lose by failing and the more you have to gain by staying sober.
Anyhow, I’m not all that far down the road, but that’s my story for what it’s worth. Love and peace.
I knew instantly it was my liver and after 40+years of heavy daily drinking, let alone countless warnings from doctors, I wasn’t that surprised. I went home and resolved, again, to get off the booze.
Blood test LFT GGT came out at 440-should be below 50 but I persevered with the aching for liquor and the sleeplessness but failed again a week or so later.
More recently I became aware of an ache in my upper right chest, again my liver was complaining. I stopped drinking again at some great effort. The first night was pretty awful but I decided that a sleepless night never killed anyone but a dead liver would. The nights became a little easier and in only a few days the liver-ache had gone again. I found that a common anti-histamine helped with sleep, one that contains promethazine hydrochloride. And it’s amazing how energy levels recover, again in just a few days.
Bodily functions soon return to normal too as does appetite.
The further down the road of sobriety you go then the more you have to lose by failing and the more you have to gain by staying sober.
Anyhow, I’m not all that far down the road, but that’s my story for what it’s worth. Love and peace.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New England
Posts: 1,464
FuDuVin. Glad to hear you are doing well. It is extremely hard to escape the clutches of addiction. I focus on today and like you said, the reasons to stay sober outweigh the pull not to. Best wishes on your journey. Thanks for sharing.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: UK
Posts: 620
Hello Fin, your experience sounds very frightening. I'm glad it's helped spur you on in staying sober. Good to hear your energy levels are recovering again and hope this doesn't tempt you to have a drink - as it has done me many times in the past. I've been drinking a long time too and have started drinking many many times after a period of sobriety. It's still early days for me too but I'm finding now, more than ever that the recovery road as about a lot more than just stopping drinking. It's really quite a journey.
SR has been very important to me in this journey and I hope you will keep coming back here too, it's a great place
.
Hope you're feeling strong and well today and hope to see you posting lots more
SR has been very important to me in this journey and I hope you will keep coming back here too, it's a great place
.Hope you're feeling strong and well today and hope to see you posting lots more
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,162
If ever there was a guy that needed to stop drinking and never go back to alcohol, you are the guy. Stay in touch everyday. Left to your own devices got you nowhere. You need to recover like your life depends on it, and God forbid, that's just where you start. It's time to get your head straight about changing your behavior. This is a good place for that.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 525
Two reactions:
(1) I couldn't stay clean and sober till I fully committed to the recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about that.
(2) The basic text of A.A. (the "Big Book") says: "we favor hospitalization for the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged." I encourage you to keep an open mind about perhaps needing to check yourself into a facility that can help you lay a safe foundation for sobriety.
(1) I couldn't stay clean and sober till I fully committed to the recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about that.
(2) The basic text of A.A. (the "Big Book") says: "we favor hospitalization for the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged." I encourage you to keep an open mind about perhaps needing to check yourself into a facility that can help you lay a safe foundation for sobriety.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 115
Yeah, congrats on every step and thank you for sharing, it helps folk like mye stay square as well.
Post and let us know how youre doing and what youre doing! Its crazy how improved sleep changed my outlook on life, here's hoping youre experiencing somethibg similar!
Post and let us know how youre doing and what youre doing! Its crazy how improved sleep changed my outlook on life, here's hoping youre experiencing somethibg similar!
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,531
I'm so glad to see you, Fin. You're never alone - we're all here to listen & encourage. 
I drank 30 yrs. & was surprised how many of my health concerns went away after a few months off alcohol.
I'm happy for your new life. Stay with us.
I drank 30 yrs. & was surprised how many of my health concerns went away after a few months off alcohol.
I'm happy for your new life. Stay with us.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,335
“84 Days sober. I went to the doctor this morning for the results of my latest set of blood tests, his eyes were popping out of his head as he looked at my results from the Pathology lab, my Triglycerides are down to 1.8 from 7.2 (less than 2.00 is optimal) and my Liver GGT is down from 153 to 34 (below 51 is optimal). Going on to my blood pressure, it has fallen so much (123/76) that he has taken me off blood pressure medication for three months to see if I can return to non-medicated. My diet is pretty good as a committed vegatarian of 20 years and I'm not overweight but the booze was messing with my blood and liver. The only bloke in the room who was happier than the doctor was me. If you see what I mean. Anyway, maybe that encourages someone else to stick with it, but mostly, I just wanted to tell someone. Thanks for looking. Jim”
i see this awesome post, and know you can do this again, and you are really ready this time, I can tell.
We are here….what other tools to stay sober do you have?
welcome back. Jim
i see this awesome post, and know you can do this again, and you are really ready this time, I can tell.
We are here….what other tools to stay sober do you have?
welcome back. Jim
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
By any means!
Whatever it takes.
In the words of a recently lost social media hero, "I don't give a blank."
Booze is poison.
All my drinking buddies are sick, blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, etc etc.
Being clean a while I am realizing, it is ok to get a bit pissed off sometimes. It is ok to feel crazy.
Listening to music lately helps me keep all the negative talk out of my head.
The mind can really only focus on 1 thing at a time.
I hit the gym almost everyday and do all sorts of projects.
My energy levels are still getting better. My self confidence is growing.
I am still a basket case, anxious/depressed blah blah blah. But, that is ok. I am not a drunk anymore.
That is powerful.
Thanks for the therapy.
Love always.
Whatever it takes.
In the words of a recently lost social media hero, "I don't give a blank."
Booze is poison.
All my drinking buddies are sick, blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, etc etc.
Being clean a while I am realizing, it is ok to get a bit pissed off sometimes. It is ok to feel crazy.
Listening to music lately helps me keep all the negative talk out of my head.
The mind can really only focus on 1 thing at a time.
I hit the gym almost everyday and do all sorts of projects.
My energy levels are still getting better. My self confidence is growing.
I am still a basket case, anxious/depressed blah blah blah. But, that is ok. I am not a drunk anymore.
That is powerful.
Thanks for the therapy.
Love always.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New England
Posts: 4,406
Hey, Fin-
I went back and found that post that Free2beme888 posted from you in 2010- and I agree with her- you can do this and you are ready. It's never too late to turn it around and live a better lifestyle and allow your body to improve- there are no guarantees, but I always think there is such potential to be BETTER-
Stick around and let us know how you are doing. We want to help, we really care what happens because we have all been on this road.
I went back and found that post that Free2beme888 posted from you in 2010- and I agree with her- you can do this and you are ready. It's never too late to turn it around and live a better lifestyle and allow your body to improve- there are no guarantees, but I always think there is such potential to be BETTER-
Stick around and let us know how you are doing. We want to help, we really care what happens because we have all been on this road.
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