Finally cut right down but feeling worse

[user17294]

It’s a bit of a long one, sorry! For years I have wanted to get my drinking under control but have never really managed it. I had an alcoholic in the family growing up and started drinking lots when I was about 16, going out with mates etc. Then I went to uni where the culture was just drinking constantly. Met my DH at uni and he was the same really. Since then drinking has been pretty much a daily thing. I was at the point where I was easily drinking a bottle of wine a night. Kept thinking to myself that I wanted to stop but could never manage it.

Anyway DH recently sought help and was able to cut right down, he now only has a couple of pints on a weekend and nothing at all in the week. I wanted to try too so didn’t drink at all in the week but was still drinking a bottle of wine a night at weekends.

One weekend I had some girlfriends over for drinks, we ended up getting through quite a few bottles and then they left. I woke up at 4am and was so violently sick I genuinely thought I was dying as I was shaking, sweating but also freezing etc. this went on for about 24 hours so I think I probably had a stomach bug but in my head I had convinced myself it was because of the drinking.

In a way this was a good thing because I’ve now been terrified to touch drink at all. So it’s now been about 6 weeks since I’ve had anything. But I feel worse! I keep having palpitations and my anxiety is through the roof (i am on antidepressants and have been for years but they seemed to be working before). I must admit I am sleeping much better and my face looks better and not as puffy! But the main thing bothering me is my weight, since stopping I’ve just been gaining weight! I can’t understand why as I’ve obviously cut out all the calories from drinking, since stopping I’ve also been craving junk food a lot less so I’ve been eating loads better!

Has anyone experienced anything similar that can give some advice?

Alcoholic here - 9 years sober.

What you’re experiencing is entirely normal. I was drinking over 150 units of vodka a week and when I stopped I went cold turkey. Dangerous and it was awful. I had shakes, was restless, couldn’t sleep and when I did I had awful nightmares, and my anxiety went through the roof. But it did get better. Stick with it - it’s worth it in the end - you’ll start to feel like a different person soon.

The weight gain is probably due to the fact that when you’re drinking - you’re not eating much - it will level out. Do you exercise? Absolutely key at this stage IMHO - both for maintaining your weight and your mindset.

Well done for stopping. I can’t believe how much if my life I wasted when I was drinking. I am a far better person without it.

I think you should speak to your GP and also do some reading of resources from a charity that specialises in alcohol dependency and recovery.

Alcohol affects people mentally and physically, cutting it out affects both sides of the equation. Changes to e.g. anxiety/depression are not unusual, you've removed a big mood affector. Alcohol masks all sorts of feelings.

Weight gain could be related to metabolic changes, or digestive issues whilst drinking that have improved, or you could be eating more calories than you are aware of now.

Accessing support would be my suggestion, it's a big change. Good luck!

Well done for six weeks!
See your doctor about your medication - it could be that it was working fine before as it was working alongside the 'medication' that is alcohol. But now you've taken it out there is an imbalance. Alcohol is a depressant so your medication was probably working in harmony with both the depressive chemicals you already had (sorry am not a scientist so not great at articulating), and the depressive chemicals caused by the alcohol. So.. probably you're all out of whack.
See a Dr and they can help with how you readjust to get you back on an even keel.
and I know this is easier said than done but don't panic about this part of it. Completely normal. We've been medicating ourselves for so long it's natural our bodies don't know what the f*ck is going on.

Yes, it’s completely normal unfortunately. It’s called Post Acute Withdrawal. I would say it took me til about 3 months before I felt better. I don’t think I lost weight initially (I was eating a lot of cheesecake!), but I definitely lost about 10kg in the first 6 months. But after those 3 months, everything started to change. I can look back at photos of me when I gave up drinking and I look like a different person now. I’m 2 and a bit years sober.

It took you from 16 to now to ravage your body this much. It’s going to take more than 6 weeks to heal yourself. It absolutely does get better.