PAWS (alcohol) symptom questions...

[Ry84]

Heya, names Ryan, 32, i was a heavy drinker for about 5 years. Drank hard stuff everynight. I've been sober over 4 months but i still get bad symptoms.

I've had every blood test possible, MRI, multiple CT's and been to a Nuero. Neuro saw brainwave signs as migraine like waves. Didnt put me on anything.

Anyway i experience this all the time:

Burning, tingling and heavy feeling in both arms and both legs/feet.

Headaches that give me w "dumb" type feeling

Right lip always feels like im drooling but im not, sometimes either side of face feels like its pulling but again its not.

Dizzyness, nausea come and go.

Anxiety and head tingling

I'm pretty sure i have some nueropathy and hoping someone in this situation can tell me if its normal or they have experienced this from years of alcohol abuse

[alan1961]

Hi Ryan,

Well done on stopping drinking, you have taken the first step to recovery.

I'll assume from the tests you have seen your GP who has referred you to a neuro consultant? If this is correct you are in good hands.

In terms of anxiety I would go back to your GP and discuss your symptoms. Your brain and body are undergoing changes that can be difficult to cope with after stopping drinking.

It's important that you have support from family and/OR from an alcohol recovery group such as Alcoholics Annoymous. They use a Twelve Step programme of recovery that helps people to stay away from alcohol. They provide practical advice and support for coping with life after drink.

Be good to yourself, talk to your GP and seek out others who have been in the same boat as you.

Best wishes,

Alan

[NightBird]

Have they checked for thiamine deficiency? Extended alcohol abuse can cause that, and it's linked to neural network problems.

Lia

[NightBird in reply to NightBird]

By the way, Alcoholics Anonymous has a lot of religious content and their results aren't great. I'd recommend a different organisation if you chose the support group route. SMART Recovery has a good reputation.

[steve55]

ryan im ex forces heavy drinker though no where near as much since my stroke.

anyway the neurologist wouldnt put you on anything, he d send hi report to your gp with his suggestion and youd get the script for your meds from the gp.

have you phoned the gp for your results? if not it might be an idea to.

[steve55]

oh i take youve had all the necessary blood tests including liver function?

[Ry84 in reply to steve55]

Sure have. And my gp also said all the neurological work looked good as well and that my brainwaves showed signs of migraine function that could be from the alcohol abuse and that no medication was needed. I guess all this stuff happening is my body and brain healing and it'll get better over time they say.

[Julesgettingthere]

Hello Ryan, its Jules here.

I drank too much after my accident and it continued for 2 years. I was admitted to hospital and was in high dependency . I nearly died.

What happened to me was because i had stopped drinking suddenly (i just decided to stop one day) i got keto- acidosis.

It was a serious lesson to me and i will never ever drink alcohol again.

In a way the shock eventually helped me to abstain, but the symptoms you talk of i had over a period of about 6 months. Yes, it does get better.

I know where you are in your head with it right now. Its not something thats easy to talk about to people is it. But, tom get through you must be as rigid as steel about NO alcohol and if you can do that one thing you will get there.

Well done and wishing you lots of strength.

regards

Jules

x

[Ry84 in reply to Julesgettingthere]

Thank you so much Jules for sharing your story. Each day i wake up and about 10 minutes after i'm up one symptom will start, then another and so on. I'll feel minutes of peace, sometimes an hour but it all comes throughout the day.

I'm staying strong and have no intentions of drinking thankfully, just trying to feel better each day at a time.

Thank you so much for sharing and knowing that all these horrible symptoms i'm experiencing i'm not alone. Again, thank you Jules.