Tired newbie

[Tiredbear]

Hi all,

Another newbie here. I have been lurking and reading for the last few weeks. The forums, site and book are fantastic resources. I am so glad I stumbled across this site when searching for some help.

Last week I tried to abstain by using the kudzu and glutamine. I did well during the week and then decided to test the kudzo on the weekend to see if I would only have one or two glasses of wine. Fail...

Back on the wagon again this week and I think not drinking at all is going to be the only solution.

Like many of the others posters I am an evening wine drinker. Generally only a bottle but sometimes I back that up with a few scotches. I'm functioning well most days at work, nobody would know how much I drink, well other than the fact that I am fat and bloated...

Is it normal to feel really tired at the beginning? I'm following the suggested supps in the MWO and Mood Cure books and currently taking a good complex B tablet, Vit D, Evening Primrose, Kudzu, Glutamine, True Calm and 5-HTP

I'm getting a but better sleep but still waking. Tonight I am going to try taking a true calm and 5HTP before bed to see if that stops the brain chatter. I don't think I have slept through an entire night for at least 10 or more years now

Is there anyone who has successfully quit and managed to stay sober?

I spend my days feeling wretched and wishing I was doing yoga and riding my horses.... Life is passing me by so fast, I know I am going to regret it if I cannot give up this monster

Right now I feel good without the wine, but the tiredness is really taking its toll. I feel flat and empty. I guess I am probably expecting too much for the tablets to all be working at optimum levels straight away

[available]

Tired newbie

Hi Tired and welcome, you do sound tired and over it and i think most of us are like that when we finally post on MWO. I was a functioning alky too, most of us were. Get up, go to work, come home and start drinking. I ended up drinking 2 bottles of wine a day. I had to reward myself for a hard day, the stress of my job, life in general, the world being round.

I tried moderating and failed dismally and finally realised that i had to stop drinking forever. If i wanted a life that i deserved then i had to get rid of al.

I was exhausted, i slept when i was tired as i was awake at silly hours, i had headaches, i hated the world but i did not drink. i did not give into that al voice that after a few days told me i was not that bad and i could have one drink now. I locked myself inside my home after work, i shopped before work and i came straight home. I put myself through years of al abuse so i had to expect that my body needed time to heal and now at 7 months sober i feel great, i felt great after a couple of weeks but continuing on being af has been the best journey i have gone on.

Take each day as it comes but for that day do not drink. Us alkies can only do one day at a time as we cant be overwhelmed in the first few days and weeks. if i thought about never ever drinking again in the beginning i just thought i could not ever do that and i would lose all hope. Hope is something we need to cling onto as well as determination and strength.

head to the Newbies Nest and i do hope to see you around. There are some people with great numbers on here and some just starting out. We understand how you feel, we are alcoholics or problem drinkers.

[Pavati]

Tired newbie

Hi!

Yes, there are sober successful people here. It DOES involve work - not just taking supplements but actually changing your thinking around alcohol. Available and I met when I first started one day after she did, and we've helped each other along the way. Head to the Newbies Nest and find a partner for starters. And then do what you can to read, read, read (here, sober blogs, whatever), and post what you are feeling. You'll always get support.

And after insomnia I now sleep like a baby.

Pav

[treetops]

Tired newbie

Welcome Tired. :welcome:I too was very tired and ultimately bored with drinking - when I finally quit. As Ava says its not an easy ride quitting and it takes a full commitment to stop. As Pav also said -supplements are not enough either - you have to make a mental decision to stop and this will mean changing your habits. Initially it will seem like something irreplaceable has been yanked from you when you stop drinking and expect to be tired, cranky, bored and a whole lot more. Then in time you can think about other things you can do - but not all of us rush about madly doing new things - we just do the same as before but we do it better. I quit about 18 months ago and while I tried a few supplements - this was not a big part of how I quit. In fact I ended up with boxes of unused or half used supplements. I am not saying they don't help - especially to replace the deficiencies your body has undoubtedly suffered - and they might take the edge off the cravings. But you have to be committed to stopping. The newbies nest is full of support - as will others be here too.

[KENSHO]

Tired newbie

Hi Tired! I felt really worn out the first few days without AL, and many people post that they feel that way too. I also found that the Calms Forte increased it, so I ended up taking it only in the evening. After about one week sober, my energy increased substantially - but for some it's longer. It's quite an adjustment to the body! Hang in there! We're here for you!

[wagmore]

Tired newbie

Hi Tiredbear,

Welcome and glad you joined us. Yes, there are definitely people who have quit and stayed sober - lots of them here actually.

Most of us have gone down the path of "testing ourselves" at one point or another, and most have found it's not a great idea. There is a thread dedicated to the discussion of this topic. Here is the link.

Keep posting, visit the tool box and newbies nest, and settle in. We're here for you!

[NotHappyHourHappyLife]

Tired newbie

Welcome.
I wont promise my tomorrows but for today, I simply promise to be true to my soul.
Sounds hoky, but it works for me.
I have ice cream on hand to battle the cravings. It works.

Patty

[Alky]

Tired newbie

Hello Tiredbear, great advice from both yourself and N3HL above. Not drinking at all is the solution for the vast majority of us, even though it's difficult at first because you'll feel like you've lost something. I know I was at a loss at first with what to do with all that time I would have otherwise spent drinking. The way to beat this is to just focus on today and not worry about tomorrow. When I changed to that mindset, all of a sudden the AF days just flew by. Prior to that, staying AF felt like running a miserable never-ending foot race where the finish line keeps getting moved further and further away.

I never used any supplements except a B complex and milk thistle since my liver enzymes were off the charts, but I highly recommend some sort of therapy, whether it's individual or a group that meets several times a week. Even AA/NA can be useful if you if get a sponsor. I found that going to meetings alone doesn't really do much for me. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is the more people that are around you to hold you accountable, the less likely it is that you are going to relapse.

Welcome, good luck and best wishes with your quit.