Post-quit exhaustion

[Trying To Be Happy]

Hi everyone,

I have been af for just over six weeks, and feel better for it already in a number of ways. I am taking Campral and Naltrexone as well as vitamins, and am regularly seeing both my GP and an addiction doctor. I am trying to eat well, but have been eating more chocolate and sweet stuff lately (I used to not want to waste calories on it, but I have been letting myself lately to be kind to myself, but probably need to reign it in). I am about to start taking L-glutamine in the hope that it might help with that.

I have put my body through years of crap on alcohol, and suspect that my body will take time to recover. But I wondered if anyone has any thoughts/advice about how long to expect this exhausted feeling to last? Is there anything else I can do to help it, other than sleep when I can (luckily, I can do this at the moment)? I definitely feel a lot better than I did before, so am not complaining! Just wondered if this was a side effect of the drugs, to be expected for some time, etc. I have had blood tests and am taking Vitamin D and B for deficiency, so that may be all it is. My partner and I have both stopped drinking (he is at just over 2 weeks) and both are struggling to focus. We are telling each other it is early days, but any suggestions or just observations are welcome!

Thanks everyone, and keep on keeping on. It is great to have this forum, thanks RJ and co!

TTBH (and actually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel :happy2: )

[peppersnow]

Hi TTBH - Congratulations for quitting and making it 6 weeks! That's wonderful that your partner has quit too...which might make it easier down the road for both of you. I had badly abused myself for about 10 years, and am in my late 40's, and was also deficient in B vitamins (most of us are when we quit). I found the exhaustion was the worst for the first few weeks, but I definitely was still tired at the 6 week point and wanted to sleep a ton. I didn't take the meds you're on, so can't speak to whether they contribute to exhaustion. What I can tell you is that exercise definitely helps kick the energy in, especially if you're taking in a lot of sugar, which eventually causes an energy crash at some point during your day. Once I began exercising regularly at an intensity level serious enough to work up a good sweat, I found my energy levels begin shooting back up again. Exercise made all the difference in the world for me as far as feeling 100% better, so if you're already doing that then I'd say make sure you're taking really good vitamins. Again, I'm not on your meds, so maybe someone else can comment on that. I hope you begin to feel even better than you do right now very soon! Way to go, and hang in there, you're doing great! :happy2:

[Dottie Belle]

I agree on the B vitamins. Get a B complex and take it daily. Exercise helped me too.
Congrats on the AF time....it does get better.

[red67]

I was exhausted for about 3 to 4 months after I quit. I just accepted it and slept whenever my body needed it. After 6 months everything was back to normal so I think you are almost there.

Great job on quitting! You will not regret it.

[scotskev81]

i have quit 20 days ago and i am also tired. i do exercise several times a week.

looking forward to the tiredness going away. What causes it do you know?

thanks
kev

[Trying To Be Happy]

Excellent question Kev! For me, the late nights (I tended to stay up late, and then I assume sleep solidly but not well after) must have contributed, as well as the physical toll of alcohol on the body, constantly trying to rid your cells of toxins and try and recover, probably not really ever getting a rest. There is also the depleted vitamins (for me, Vitamins B & D, and I am taking thiamine, magnesium, L-glutamine, milk thistle etc as well, as they are are common ones that alcohol abusers run low on. I ate better than my partner but definitely not adequately, and it is interesting watching him eat better now that he has quit (less time than me, but going strong at nearly four weeks).

Thanks for everyone's advice - I am working on the caffeine, but it is easy to fall back on when tired. Green tea and other herbal teas are my new staple, especially at night. Vitamins, yes! Exercise - has been gentle so far (walking) but my partner and I both agree we need to get into bike riding for this reason. The time frame is interesting - it is good to hear we are not going mad and in a way, while discouraging knowing it takes time, it is encouraging to not just give up and drink in the meantime! We have to keep going and see how good we can really feel with time.

Thanks everyone! Hope you are all well, and Kev, you are doing a great thing. Whatever happens next for you, the af time will teach you something! Good luck xoxo

[Trying To Be Happy]

Forgot to say below - good point re diet soda. I am trying to stick to soda water and fresh lime rather than diet, and enjoy my coffee when I can have it rather than waste coffee options on diet coke!

Green tea - is my new best friend, and my partner's too :-) I am sleeping well, thank goodness, and am glad you are too! Thanks xo

[MossRose]

Hi TTBH. I don't think we've had a chance to chat yet, so nice to meet you and welcome. Yes, the fatigue is trying. My advice would be to sleep when you need to. Just be gentle on yourself. Your liver and adrenals are exhausted by the years of drinking and it takes a while to heal the damage. I have been AL free, on and off, (mostly AF) for over a year and a half, and I still haven't totally regained my strength. But please don't be discouraged. I was a heavy drinker for many, many years. And I feel so much better now. I just figure - it took me decades to do the damage, so I have to be patient now.

Keep up with the vitamin B and D. Most of us are deficient even those who don't drink. I have noticed an increase in energy and mood since starting mega-doses of vitamin D. My doctor is on-board, so all is well.

Milk thistle and dandelion root help to restore liver function. I take both daily.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to add tumeric (curcumin) to my supp list. It's supposed to be a good for just about everything! I read on another board that a man used it with great success to heal his liver after years of heavy drinking.

Anyway, just my two cents worth. Since conventional and traditional medical wisdom agree that the liver is the "engine" of our body, it only makes sense to give it a little extra TLC when giving up the drink.

Best wishes to you and your partner. Stick close and post often.

[scotskev81]

i quite for 5 weeks but i am now back on it. Don't think i'll quit this side of christmas but i will have another go soon.

[summerglow]

i have quit 20 days ago and i am also tired. i do exercise several times a week.

looking forward to the tiredness going away. What causes it do you know?

thanks
kev

It could be P.A.W.S ..Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. Plenty of info if you google it. It can take some time, like the meds, everyone is different. Eat well, take vitamins and rest, along with of course , exercise!

Summerglow.

[Trying To Be Happy]

Thanks again for your replies, everyone, I hadn't checked this in a while.

scotskev81: 5 weeks is a fantastic effort - well done! You can do it again. I understand wanting to wait until Christmas, it is a tough time. I am looking forward to trying my first AF Christmas since I started drinking regularly - so in about 16 years. Should be interesting, but a bit of a challenge. Good luck for when you are ready.

I am feeling better than I was when I first posted this. I am still on all the vitamins and am trying to eat well. Someone just mentioned a chromium supplement to me to possibly help with my sugar cravings - they are better but still there.

Summerglow - thanks for the tip - will google!

Take care all, TTBH xo

[paulywogg]

You're doing greathas the fatigue lifted?