Withdrawal, detox, improving health

[Skid Row]

Good morning one and all. I keep trying to read about the body and how it recovers after beating it up for a couple of decades. Any info would be great. Thus far, (on day 10) and ok 10 days isn't a lifetime, equals half a day a year, but initially I felt so bad, had a really nasty mouth, dry and just generally sore and hot, that has gone thanks to satori who told me to increase my fluid (clear non alcoholic fluid that is) intake. With this I was delighted at the, nice yellow straw like colour of my pee (ick - sure you don't really want to hear about the colour of my pea but hey), heres the thing, all stays the same, drinking more water etc.. and now it has gone dark again. I do look a teeny bit better, but can not work out what is going on, I am drinking about 2 litres of water, and other drinks, don't want to over do it and wash all my nutrients away, but just don't know what else to do. The ringing in my ears is quieter, and I am developing a really nice cough. My question is, does anyone else have questions about health improvements or information, how long does it take to feel well, how long before your liver says thanks etc.... My hope is that starting a thread on the detox process will get answers for loads of newbies, from those that have been there and done that. Please help. Thanks in anticipation.

[beatle]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

Yep. Been there, done that, about 10 times over the past 3 years.

Generalising, I think it takes more than a month until you really feel good on a stable basis. I usually began to feel much better after 3-6 days AF, then hit a rough patch after a week, then better again... seems to go on like that for a while. However, the main physical withdrawal symptoms (sweating, shaking, anxiety, etc.) don't return after the first few days (except maybe anxiety, but I have always had anxiety issues). It just takes the body a while to adjust, and the brain especially.

So for me, depression has been a major factor (I thought it would lift when I was sober). This is the reason I kept slipping back to drinking-- "If I feel so lousy sober, why not just drink again?". And to tell the truth, I would always have control of my drinking (moderating) for a while after starting again, and I WOULD feel better. The clincher is, though, that it always gets out of control again after not so long, which is why I am continiually trying to get AF and STAY AF.

Another generalisation: SUPPLEMENTS HELP HUGELY! They are not just good for you, you can feel the difference. You need much more supplements than a non-alcohol abuser because your body does not metabolise them efficiently. If you are not doing the MWO programme, I suggest you try to replicate it with your own supplements. I use a combination of MWO supps (I don't use ALL ONE) and the supps suggested in "Seven Weeks to Sobriety". I started this supp regime a couple weeks before last time I went AF (cold turkey) and the withdrawal process was FAR easier than ever before. Instead of lying in bed for 2-3 days, I was functioning normally, just a little tired and irritable. Note that even if you are buying supps locally, the MWO stuff is probably superior. This is especially true for the kudzu and milk thistle.

I should add that EATING WELL is part of this strategy. I also had changed my eating habits for a couple months to be very health oriented, which I also believe is a key, and helped my withdrawal to be so smooth.

whew, that was a mouthful, or eyeful.

anyway-- anyone please feel free to ask me anything about detox/withdrawal, and the aftermath. I have definitely BTDT. (hopefully never again... I am in the process of trying out a tapering off instead of detox, which is going really well-- thanks to kudzu. I am now AF 2-3 times a week, and moderating the other days, with the plan to slowly move towards total abstinence.)

[Skid Row]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

Hi Beatle, thank you so so much, I guess (ever the optomist) I figured I would feel better more rapidly. I am not using the MWO stuff, but feel hugely tempted, I am taking milk thistle and a B and C and evening primrose and d, don't usually manage to remember to take them for more than a couple of days at a time, but this time feels different. I have no appetite, diddly squat, but am eating, have a bit of an addiction to bananas at the moment, and I read they have something we people tend to lack. I really want to look better, am increasingly anxious about how shabby I look (never new I was vain before, but I so am), maybe thats why I drank, blurred vision blots out the flaws. Husbands job is playing withthe pretty people, and I guess I feel I can't compete, blimey, where did that come from, ooops, seem to be digressing (only usually do that after a bottle of wine). Sorry to bore, anyone else got a question on this thread, please those who are new and those who are further down the line, I am so hungy for knowledge its a bit weird really. Thanks again beatle for taking the time. It really is appreciated.

[beatle]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

Bananas are great. You cannot eat too many, so just keep that up. (They are sometimes called "the perfect food".) Avocados are also great.

I didn't mean to suggest you won't feel good at all in the first weeks. In fact, I think you will feel much better most of the time, and definitely will look better all of the time-- from about a week AF, I could see noticeable differences (hair, skin, etc.)-- I guess you probably do already.

One of the biggest problems most people have in the first couple weeks is sleeping. I strongly suggest you do anything you can to get enough sleep, even if you have to sleep in or take naps. Also, it's best to try the natural sleep aids (Valerian and/or Calms Forte in high doses), but if they don't work, I'm all for using sleeping medicine for a couple days to get through the worst.

Also, you need to take megadoses of the vitamins. You should be taking Ester C, 200mg at least 5 times a day. You cannot overdose on C. Also, about 5 times the reccommended dose of B vitamins. A lot of Cal-Mag too.

See the Holisitc forum for more info on supps and sleeping aids, as well as nutrition. There is SO much shared info there.

And keep the questions coming. I'm signing off now, but will check back here later.

[living proof]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

Try not to forget that we abuse our bodies for years and years with alcohol overload and it won't happen overnight that we feel better. I try to be as honest as I can on this board and sometimes (damn it) the truth hurts. For me, I didn't really, really, really start feeling good until I was about five months AF - but I believe that's because the mental is so tied with the physical and we do struggle through A TON of mental hullabalu getting sober.

The bottom line is HOLD ON and keep on putting one sober foot in front of the other. This way of life is so far superior over living life in a stupor of negativity and fear. We were so not on top of our games then. So so so. In a few short months your brain chemistry will readjust itself and you won't believe the REWARD that AWAITS. I seriously and literally pinch myself each and every day.

[laura anne]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

its a good idea to stay away from sugar. It increases the alcohol cravings. The more nutritiously you can eat the better - lots of fruits and veges, whole grains. You'll not only feel better but look better. Be gentle with yourself and, yes, sleep is important.

[beatle]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

good point laura anne. Going off alcohol triggers sugar cravings and the worst you can do is keep feeding that addiction (but if you HAVE to, a chocolate bar is better than a beer). I found myself craving snacks, just an oral fixation I suppose. Anyway, grapes are great, also nuts and raisins.

[Chief]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

I will highly recommend buying the MWO ALL-One, the Starter pack and L- glut. They are made specifically for the first 30 days or so, helping your body detox and repair damage from years of drinking. I used them the first 45 days and I loved it. For sleep issues, try melatonin and calms forte. They're both natural with no side affects or chance of addiction.
I think maybe you also have a touch of a cold. The coughing and ringing in your ears have nothing to do with withdrawl.
Hang in there. It's only going to get better. 10 days is fantastic. You are past the hard physical part. It's all in your head now. Stay strong and focused. You only want to do this once...

Don

[Breez]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

Just want to pipe in & say that when I took myslef into the hospital to detox yrs ago(horrible experienece as they just left me there in the ER & didn't check on me at all-I could of saved $ & stayed home) but anyway when I left the next morning the Dr. had me taking Magnesium because of the nerve & muscle damage alcohol does (especially the heart). I had to take supps for 2 weeks. There was another supplment but can't remember what it was.

I often got a cough after quiting and my ears would get stuffy-no ringing tho. It was all that crap coming out. Also my skin would break out. It's all that poison just leaving your body. That would last about 2 days. But the aggitation & anxiety would often last a week +.

Like Don said-now it's time to work on the head. More often than not once I felt better I had gone right back to drinking. The hangovers, withdrawals would be a distant memory & I would have just one-than 2 etc. The main thing now is to have a plan & goal & to stick to it. Baby steps.

[beatle]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

This is all great advice here. I agree with Don, the MWO programme is a good idea. They've done all the work for you, all you have to do is order it and take it--- Better health made easy. The only thing we haven't discussed much here is exercise. Which is very important. Even a brisk walk every day is enough to get the endorphins going. And, I did forget the melatonin for sleeping... very good (especially the time-released stuff). Tryptopan is also supposed to be good for sleeping (seretonins).

[beatle]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

p.s. And yeh, now it is the head, after this. That's where I kept messing up. That's the hardest part, and it never stops.

[trixietrack]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

just wanted to ad my experience. When I was on the master cleanse. I experienced all the symptoms you guys are describing. (the cleanse lasts 10 days min).
the first three days were awful, I was sweating, my joints hurt, my mouth was dry, my ears rung. This cleanse is supposed to help you rid yourself of all sorts of toxins,
I guess the worse toxin I had was alcohol.
after the cleanse I felt better and when I took a sip of wine, my face flushed like it does when a person is allergic to alcohol.
That really worried me, and it has helped me stay mostly sober.

Like you guys say above, I think the supplements are essential. Thanks for the tips on magnesium. my nerves are shot, and I can't focus.
I had 2 glasses of wine last night and this seemed to calm my nerves, but I know where that is going to lead me if I use wine as a tranquilizer.

[beatle]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

One more thing Skid, you mentioned the low appetite. This has always been a problem for me. You do have to almost force yourself to eat at first, but you will enjoy eating after a short while. You should be very good to yourself. Treat yourself to the things you like best to eat, even if they are expensive or hard to get-- go gourmet!

[Sam]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

I am new heare an ordered the book and bought kuduz and l-stuff and am trying to take all the minerals mentioned. But here the thing...I did cut out some of my drinking wine..to only 1/2 small bottle last night. which is an improvement usually drink a bottle or l and 1/2 bottles a night...But today I am so nausiated. I not sure I can make it thruough the day at work...I will be off for 5 days for Thanksgiviging and figured that is a good time to detox..Having a hard time getting down all the pills..I have diabetes2 and have had a gastic bypass...How long will I feel bad? I feel so full and I'm not wanting to eat...which is what I traded wine for food when I had the bypass...It felt better than eating...you would think I would be skinny but I'm not..with all the wine I have consumed. Please let me know how long the nausea will last.

[wonderworld]

Withdrawal, detox, improving health

Hi Sam and welcome :welcome:

I'm no expert, but I had a hard time taking all the recommended supplements. It's alot of pills/capsules. And maybe with the GB, it's just too much bulk at one time? Maybe space them out thru the day? And make sure you're drinking lots of water - sip it throughout the day. And maybe room temp or even a little warm with lemon? That may help dissolve the gelatin capsules that most of the supps are in.

Great that you have time off to detox and adjust - good planning!
And so gald you found this site. Hope you get through the rest of the day okay- let us know how you're doing-
wonder