Alcohol

[HawthorneBerry]

Does anyone drink too much alcohol to cope with the pain and depression/anxiety that Fibromyalgia causes? Please don’t judge- just be honest 💜

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee]

Some have used it but it's not a good idea. If you search I am sure there have been previous discussions

[HawthorneBerry in reply to desquinn]

I know it’s not a good idea but sometimes it’s all you have

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to HawthorneBerry]

But it causes negative effects

[HawthorneBerry in reply to desquinn]

Yes....I’m aware of that. Never mind, I nearly didn’t post this because I knew the negative reaction I’d receive. Sometimes when you’re so low because work is becoming too much, you’re struggling to cope and the pain relief isn’t working with your work life, you turn to the devil. That being the alcohol. I’ll work through it. Hopefully someone who really understands will reply with a empathetic response not a dismissive and unhelpful one.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to HawthorneBerry]

My response was not meant to be without empathy but it was meant to be honest. I have seen people with fibro treat their fibro with alcohol and compromise their existing treatments, their lifestyle and others. Can understand people using it but it is not good for you and worse is it is being misused as treatment.

Replies are brief as my hand is louping and I am on my mobile.

[HawthorneBerry in reply to desquinn]

Thank you for that. Sorry to be snippy, I’m just so tired of being in pain. It’s relentless. Thank you for your input 💛

[Bruton in reply to HawthorneBerry]

Im newly diagnosed with fibro. I used to drink allot. To the point where my husband was concerned. But like u said it eased allot of the symptoms forva while.. i had to research sulphites for a catering job and realised how many intolerance issues i had. I was finally spoken to by an consultant who said it probably was. (Just like my subsequent fibro diagnosis)Any way when i researched fibro most of the the things listed to avoid consuming were high in sulphites.

If I start having something that is high in it , i then hage rrouble stopping, I feel better, until the next day. Symptoms are so much worse. Hives ibs, foggy head.

Alcohol and mixers are some of the worst, as well as cakes and biscuits. The list is really long.

I know exactly where your'e coming from. And you feel so embarassed to say help me. Its taken 56 years to find out ive not got the worlds longest growing pains and im not a lazy waister.

Chin up. Let me know if i can help with anything.

[Dizzytwo Moderator]

Hi there I see you have left your post unlocked to this community only for privacy reasons you may want to lock your post. This link will show you how to lock your post

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Alcohol is the oldest pain med ever. I understand where your coming from.

Honestly I dont have a problem with it in moderation a couple a times a week.

Everyone here knows I enjoy my ice cold white wine lol But heres the but. I am unable to use or take medication. So I never mix meds And alcohol.

So I would never tell anyone taking medication to drink alcohol. Its a big no no IMO xx

Momo

[angiecxx]

Hi what medication do you take for the pain?

[cgreen69]

I'm with you sweetie. I work most evenings and I get home, I'm in pain, painkillers don't help, I struggle to sleep so I neck a bottle of wine take a couple of pain killers and hope that I get a full night's sleep albeit more a coma than a sleep. It's an awful feeling and no one gets it. At least no one in my life does. They don't see the pain, they don't understand how tired and fed up it's making me feel being in pain all the time. All they see is me turning to the bottle every night and saying "well that's not gonna help" or "I thought you were cutting back". Tonight I haven't had a drink because I have a headache and just generally didn't fancy it, so low and behold it 12.30am and I'm wide awake because I can't f**King sleep!! I'm in pain, sober, uncomfortable and to be honest I'd rather be pissed and asleep right now! It's a struggle love but I'm right there with ya and know how you're feeling and what you're going through... And I know it's not good for my health in the long run as do you and we don't need to be lectured about that, it's just a coping mechanism. Sending love mate, we will get through it xx

[greenblood in reply to cgreen69]

I can relate to this , pain is shit, deal with it anyway that makes it bearable and why are pain meds so different from alcohol , they are all damaging at least wine is enjoyable xx

[Janeshelley]

Yes, I used to drink alcohol which helped numb the pain. But since giving up completely a couple of years ago, I actually think I feel better for it.But everyone is different so you do whatever is best for YOU...and don’t worry! x

[steveburn]

I used to drink, quite a lot actually, mainly to numb what i was feeling, but since going to my docs roughly 7 or so years ago when all my health issues began to surface i completely stopped drinking. Partly due to the side effects of the meds i started taking and mainly because alcohol turned me into a monster, nasty and just a down right horrible person, almost cost my relationship at times. I've since learnt it was not the answer to deal with issues and now i am quite happy and come to terms with my health problems, the many i seem to have and developed

Please dont anyone rely on alcohol to deal with health or personal problems its just not worth the fallout in the end, drink in moderation and never too much where you dont know whats going on.

I now have a healthy relationship with my partner and my kids, parents and siblings, stopping drinking completely changed me and the way i look at life and how to deal with my problems / health better.

Take care, stay safe

Steve

[Lucy41 in reply to steveburn]

Spoken from the heart I felt that 🤗

[GrumpyTired]

Hey Hawthorneberry, I totally get this - i find it impossible to relax at the end of a day. I get home after an exhausting day of work, give my last drops of energy sorting kids and cooking and then slump in a heap of pain on the sofa. A drink can be the one thing that helps to relax my body. (Painkillers make me feel like crap, and just sitting in pain can be miserable) I hate this, and it’s probably not good for me but there it is. I find being in constant pain keeps me in this alert state, unable to ever switch off and rest.

[cgreen69 in reply to GrumpyTired]

Exactly how I feel, I just work, so housework, sort the kids out, it feels like it's never ending and the only thing that seems to help me relax is just sitting with a bottle of wine at the end of the day and switching off. Take care and let's hope they find some miraculous cure for our pain! X

[HawthorneBerry]

Thank you to you all for being so understanding and knowing what I’m meaning. Unfortunately, I’m not taking any prescription painkillers because they are too strong with their side effects and it’s impossible to function properly once I’ve taken them. I’m only using paracetamol but I would never mix alcohol with medication. I’m not drinking every day and when ido I try to moderate it. I’m going to lay off it for a while. Thank you to all of you that have been so supportive xxx💚🧡💛

[cardboardcutout]

I think probably alot of people use something to help with the pain other than painkillers as they really don't seem to fine one that works for us. If it's not alcohol, it might be caffeine, too much fast food or sugary things- chocolate, cakes or smoking, vaping. We all have a need for support with this. I was drinking too , to cope with the pain and the loss of my health and my normal life after fibro ,then I discovered that diet and overall body health have such a large part to play in our recovery. Try to increase activity , if only a short walk and cut down rather than cut out alcohol try and find a distraction like a hobby and see how much better you feel. This may sound naff but trust me fibromyalgia is something you either give in to or fight back! Start small and make you and your overall health the most important thing in your world. Physical and mental, and in time you will make progress.

[Freddie20]

Yes I do, i can't bear the constant pain and more than that not being able to do what I want. It numbs my mind to my situation. I sometimes think maybe it makes this worse but actually after not drinking for several months its doesn't make any difference. I am just about to stop again, because of weight gain and I do feel for my poor liver. Its a prop in a very painful and restricted life. It used to be something else that I used to beat myself up with, I am trying to let go of that feeling that I am not enough. Its a tough journey. X

[mich71]

Hi there. I'm new to posting but I always read the comments as they help so much. I hope you are as well as you can be and I totally get where you are coming from. I use the same coping mechanisms as you because it just sucks being in pain everywhere, most of the time. I have FM and Osteoarthritis so literally every movement hurts everywhere and the rum relaxes me. I've cut down but as long as I manage In Moderation I'm OK. When I feel its getting too often I do give myself a pull back. We all have our ways and in time it will get more manageable. Don't feel bad, just look after yourself and ride out the bad days. Keep strong. 😎

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Morning, I do have empathy why people turn to drink as it dulls the pain , relaxes the moods, and for a few hours you forget about everything, me personally I cannot have very much to drink because of my meds, so I really appreciate the odd did glass of wine now and then, pain /anxiety /depression are a lot to cope with and many of us here will have experienced all three, but I hear you and I’m not judging ,sending these xxxxxx

[MaggieSylvie]

I really couldn't drink more than a glass. I would feel the back of my neck seizing up and knew that a (debilitating) migraine was on its way, especially with red wine and this later changed to white People would think they were being nice to me by topping up my glass but they just didn't understand and I had to put my hand over the glass while shouting NO! These days I can drink but do tend to avoid wine and never drink more than one glass of a spirit with mixer or a liquor, and not every day. I'm glad I don't "need" it. On the other hand nothing helps my pain. I've been prescribed paracetamol but the effects don't last until I'm allowed the next dose. It takes 30 minutes for them to work and then 2.5 hours later I need more, but have to wait in agony for another hour. This definitely affects my sleep. If I drink, that also tends to break up my sleep.

[Micafe]

I did it at one time in my life when I had too many problems. I'm so happy I didn't become an alcoholic. Today I never drink alcohol at all.

[Midori]

Personally, no, I have found as I get older my alcohol tolerance is less, and I don't like to feel out of control. Just my personal thing.

I've had to be responsible for many years with two children to bring up after my husband's suicide and he was a very heavy drinker and violent with it.

So I guess I've just got out of the habit. Also, being a bit on the bolshy side, I have a lot of Won't power!

Cheers, Midori

[KnackeredKaty]

Hi, I have a couple of glasses of wine every week. I try to limit my alcohol intake as I try to look after my health. When I have a bad flare I find that alcohol is the only thing to kill the pain after I have taken my meds.

[Inthepark]

I don’t drink myself but if it helps with your pain then I would do the same so don’t beat yourself up about it .

[LisaSnow FMA UK Volunteer]

Alcohol actually makes me feel worse so I rarely drink more than two glasses.

[CopingwithEx]

I do. Quite often. My family actually judge me when I drink and encourage me not to as they think I have an alcohol problem when I don’t. Alcohol is a sedative so it helps relax and with the pain. Helps with the anxiety etc too but then it’s worse when hungover. It’s a vicious cycle X

[Blublu112]

Hello my dear, regarding drinking to ease the pain all I can say I WISH I COULD! Having fibromyalgia for 6yrs has completely ruined my life, I have had a fantastic life up until the age of 54, I was fit healthy and full of life, now I struggle to wash myself, if I try to drink I vomit !! I use to love my beer & life, I would if I could end my life by drinking.

[SharonBatten]

If you haven’t already tried Pregablin please do. I find a good dose relaxes me. Also go to a quiet space and stretch, stretch ever fibre in your body for about 10 mins, 30 seconds on each stretch. It really works - for me at least. I have done the alcohol thing and whilst it works in the short term, it very quickly makes you feel worse and you could get caught in a vicious circle especially if you don’t have someone there to support you. Take care.