4 months dry - worried about previously non-existent medical issues!

[asmwp]

Hi all, glad I found this site, looks like the place for me! I had my last alcoholic drink February 12th 2015 before going into residential detox for 2 weeks. I am glad to say that since completing that I have had no craving or interest in taking another drink (long may it last!). However during this time of abstenance I have aquired some worrying previously unknown medical symptoms as follows;

Oadema - consistent swelling in both of legs that also causes pain and discomfort when walking.
Pins & Needles in both hands and elbow pain. Pins & needles quite pronounced when trying to grip anything tightly
Quite considerable weight gain despite no increase in appetite.
Total exhaustion and consistently broken sleep.

Now, to be honest, despite the poor liver function that finally convinced me to stop drinking, I actually felt much healthiier and was considerablly more mobile whilst I was drinking!

I have visited my GP numerous times and he has reduced my blood pressure tablets and also started me on water tablets and compression stockings. Despite this I am still suffering the same symptoms.

I was a heavy drinker for over 25 years so I know I have a lot of damage to try and undo, if possible, but I would like to think that I will start feeling far more positive and healthy for not drinking sometime soon.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? ANy experience of similar? Should I just keep going back to my GP until the 'issues' are resolved?

Any advice, comments would be greatly appreciated.

[jane27]

Have you had your thyroid levels checked? Do you have any autoimmune conditions? Sorry to hear what you are dealing with and hope you can get some answers. What blood work have you gotten? Have you changed any medications (switched or stopped)?

[myhappyplace]

Ok, I'll bite.

Could the condittions you speak of have been underlying and you were just too *insert whatever word* to notice? Alcoholic neuropathy...Google it. Good going on making a start giving up.

[crockettaa]

Great job for not drinking since Feb! Are you allowed to exercise? If your doc says it's ok I would start walking outside as much as possible. That should help with sleeping better at night and losing weight. I was on a diuretic BP medicine once that made me dehydrated , that can make you feel tired too. They switched me to a different one and now I feel better.

Alcoholics usually have thiamine deficiencies so I've been taking a vitamin B-1 pill. Make sure you ask your doc if it's ok for you with whatever meds you're on. Good luck & hope you feel better soon!

[little beagle]

I glad to see you here. I haven't had conditions like the ones you are talking about. But in my opinion not drinking is the best road. It may take awhile before you begin to feel better. I had extreme fatigue for about the first 6-9 months afrer I stopped drinking. Taking vitamins D and a good B-complex helped that. I haven't drank in over 2 years. And i still think I'm healing. Alcohol does more damage then we realize and it could just be that these conditions were there and you would have experienced it anyway. But probably worse due to the alcohol consumption.
Hang in there. Check out the newbies nest and the tool box. A sober life is worth the initial struggle. Welcome to MWO.