Gave up alcohol after nearly two decades. It's been rough.

[Ahoragi]

I met my ex gf right out of college and we were heavy drinkers of vodka, SC 101, and things like that. We would always drink in the evening till we dropped. This went on for 16 years till I finally decided enough was enough and we split up. I could not shake the drinking though as it had become a habit. Met my wife and and stopped for a few months and then it picked up again, this time with beer. Then it switched to Brandy and then back to beer. I only drank after work till I was tired and then ate and went to bed. I was never a full blown all day alcoholic by any means but I did get pretty hammered at nights. I have been doing this for almost 20 years and I started noticing discomfort in my stomach area and below my ribs so a month ago I called it quits on the beer. I have been feel sluggish and lacking the energy. I lost 10 pounds since I quit and no matter how much I eat I cannot gain it back. There's this energy-sapping feeling sort of like right before you get a fever, where I am just bleh and cannot get the energy needed to do things but I force myself. I assume this is part of the recovery journey as it's only been a month. I tried to have a beer last Tuesday night and I was just sick of just consuming it. I am pretty sure I am over it but would love to be over this weakness I feel most of the day.

Has anyone experience this? I am reading up on it and apparently it's called sobriety fatigue. It's been almost a month so I figured maybe it would go away by now but at the same time It's been twenty years of abuse so maybe my body needs more time?

I welcome your thoughts.

Thanks

 

[Murray01]

Congratulations on your sobriety. I’d suggest you talk to a health care professional, might be more going on?

 

[stoveliker]

I have stopped a year and a half ago or so.
I didn't drink much (a bourbon every third day or so, and one beer a day in warmer weather; tho much is a relative concept...).
I didn't have the fatigue symptoms you describe.

So I can't help with that.

I do applaud you for the strength to make that decision and to keep at it.

 

[begreen]

Good for you. The body is undergoing changes. Get a blood panel workup to get a full picture of how the body is responding. It's good to rule out anemia, low thyroid, sleep apnea, vitamin deficits, infections, etc. Your body is trying to recover, but may need help. Getting a full blood panel may help to target issues like vitamin deficiency, blood sugar swings, dehydration, etc.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I met my ex gf right out of college and we were heavy drinkers of vodka, SC 101, and things like that. We would always drink in the evening till we dropped. This went on for 16 years till I finally decided enough was enough and we split up. I could not shake the drinking though as it had become a habit. Met my wife and and stopped for a few months and then it picked up again, this time with beer. Then it switched to Brandy and then back to beer. I only drank after work till I was tired and then ate and went to bed. I was never a full blown all day alcoholic by any means but I did get pretty hammered at nights. I have been doing this for almost 20 years and I started noticing discomfort in my stomach area and below my ribs so a month ago I called it quits on the beer. I have been feel sluggish and lacking the energy. I lost 10 pounds since I quit and no matter how much I eat I cannot gain it back. There's this energy-sapping feeling sort of like right before you get a fever, where I am just bleh and cannot get the energy needed to do things but I force myself. I assume this is part of the recovery journey as it's only been a month. I tried to have a beer last Tuesday night and I was just sick of just consuming it. I am pretty sure I am over it but would love to be over this weakness I feel most of the day.

Has anyone experience this? I am reading up on it and apparently it's called sobriety fatigue. It's been almost a month so I figured maybe it would go away by now but at the same time It's been twenty years of abuse so maybe my body needs more time?

I welcome your thoughts.

Thanks

That's great that you were able to do it. One time I mentioned that I might stop drinking to my doctor (when I had a family doctor),she said not to stop altogether, but to slow down gradually. She said in some people it can cause the DT's, or some sort of seizures. Anyway, I did slow down for awhile, and now only have a martini every 3rd day so I can have my olives. I make my own beer and drink that. For sure get in touch with a doctor and get checked out. That pain you had/have might not have been from drinking, and could be lots of things. Good luck

 

[brenndatomu]

I have been doing this for almost 20 years and I started noticing discomfort in my stomach area and below my ribs so a month ago I called it quits on the beer

Get your doc to do a blood panel draw...that pain kinda sounds like an unhappy liver, which can often be dealt with, if it's caught and treated properly.
Recently learned a lot about liver cirrhosis due to a family member being diagnosed with NA (non alcoholic) cirrhosis.

 

[Whitenuckler]

cannot get the energy needed to do things but I force myself

If you are tired, and fall asleep all the time, that could be sleep apnea. I have severe sleep apnea, never knew, but had it for many years.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Congratulations on quitting! I’d also recommend a Dr visit! The alcohol may have been covering up symptoms of something else!