Please hold my hungover hand

[Butterfly008]

I used to drink alot (trauma related) but for over a year I've really cut down. Normally when I do drink I'll have really bad anxiety the next day- this was the reason I stopped. Then at night I'll sleep it off and be relatively ok the next day. However on Saturday I went for a bottomless brunch with the girls- prosecco. Got really drunk. Passed out around 10pm when I got home. Then woke up at 4am Sunday morning with the usual racing heart- nausea and spent the day in bed. However Sunday night (last night) I couldn't sleep. Not even for half hr. I was up all night and obviously today I feel shit. Anxiety is crazy. Heart rate is settled back to normal. I've eaten. Drank water but my muscles still ache and feel tingly. I cannot go through another night of no sleep! Normally the next day I'll sleep well and be okay but this! This is torture having not been able to sleep at all last night and being hungover. Does anyone else's last this long?!

I know my answer going forward is to back to n/a and not drink- this was a social thing. I've stopped the home drinking completely but actually I know i can't do the social thing anymore either.

However right now I'm not sure what else to do to feel better :(

@Butterfly008 - sorry to hear this. I am a binge drinker and can have a really rough few days like you describe- but that would be after a bottle of vodka. Is it possible you could coincidentally have picked up a bug too?

There are a couple of things I’ve done in this position but not everyone will agree with me. You could drink very small amounts of alcohol to get you through the night. But only if you trust yourself not to get drunk (I can do this when I am “coming down” from a binge but I couldn’t do it mid-binge if that makes sense?). Or you could get some night nurse syrup and that might help you sleep.

as I say - controversial tactics but I understand how it feels to be so desperate. Good luck 💐

Didn’t want to read and run op. I feel for you. I agree with pp that maybe a little alcohol with lots of soda water or lemonade and ice to help get through this evening? But only if you can control the urge to binge drink it all. Can you get some over the counter meds like Kalms or Nytol to help? Sorry I don’t have anything better to offer x

Forgot to add….drinking/eating things with electrolytes like juice or milk, avocados etc. Better at rehydrating you and settling ur tummy ( think antacids too). Good luck and go easy on yourself.

Thank you guys :( I'm honestly terrified of drinking incase the heart starts racing again but will definitely give the night nurse ago! Last night was a long night being hungover and trying to force myself to sleep when it just wasn't happening and just got frustrated. I know once I sleep ill start to get better but I'm getting myself worked up considering it's getting late again and what if sleep doesn't come :(

My brother passed away last month so I've really tried to stay away from alcohol because I know it was going to make all my feelings a million times worse which it of course did.

But anyway I really appreciate the kind words xx

Magnesium supplements can really help the anxiety. Also beta blockers like propananol can help too.

Could you take a nytol tonight?

Phenergen 20mg should help you to sleep and are a mild anti anxiety too.

Sounds horrific, I had a terrible hangover on NYD and hates it. Similar to what you’ve described.

Do not drink more alcohol!

I would totally take your mind off it, not focus on sleep but focus on something that will turn your brain off. I would make a nice nest with blankets, cup of tea, biscuits and then get TV/book/podcast - whatever floats your boat and focus on that. If you have a favourite film or box set do that.

When I had my hangover I literally lay in bed all day and watched Friends non stop.

How are you this morning @Butterfly008 ? I hope you got some sleep.

To be honest - this sounds more like it was alcohol withdrawal symptoms rather than a hangover. That’s why I suggested small amounts of alcohol. No amount of calming music, healthy food and green tea will stop the horror of withdrawal symptoms.

sorry to hear about your brother 💐. And yes, try not to give in to the drinking to stop the brain chatter. A quote I once heard which helps me not to drink is “the best thing about not drinking is never having to have the last drink” because that’s when the withdrawals start.

good luck

Thank you all for your kind messages and suggestions.
I took some advice and got comfy. Turned off all devices and put some calming music on with some night nurse. It was hard trying to switch the brain off! I managed to dose off around 11. Woke up once in the night but got back to sleep.

It was a really scary experience actually- especially to think it was withdrawal rather than just a 'hangover' if that makes sense? Definitely the worst I've ever had (scary considering ive been in a position where ive drank alot- consecutively before i addressed some of the trauma) But I'm going to take this as a sign that my body is telling me enough is enough! I'm 35 years old and have good family and whilst I've cut the at home pity drinking out completely (that was a hard road to go down!) I'm going to knock this social stuff too because clearly I don't have that level of self control and I'm scared I'm going to make myself terribly unwell.

I really appreciate everyone's kind words. I have a scheduled virtual n/a meet later this afternoon and going to spend the day relaxing and setting some goals for myself :)

Give yourself some grace and kindness, I stopped drinking 6 years ago now as I just couldn’t stop once I started and had awful hangovers as a result. I feel so so so much better. One day at a time 🤞🏻