A question for my fellow alcoholics

[LonelyTraveler]

Hi

When I was in my teens and early 20's and all the way up until my late 30's, I always seemed to be able to drink as much as I wanted and whatever I wanted and never experience a hangover or any other unpleasant effects. In fact, alcohol would put me in a very happy and euphoric mood and I would be motivated, freindly, talkative and feel like I was on top of the world.

I also became an alcoholic and steady/addicted drinker about 4 years ago and have stopped and then relapsed several times over that period. Lately, I have been going for days and even weeks without a drink. Incidentally, I am a beer drinker and I like to drink between 6-9 beers in the afternoons.

Anyway, as of the past year or so (and for some strange reason), I am no longer able to drink alcohol without feeling absolutely horrible for several days afterwards. I get anxiety, panic attacks, shortness of breath, weird sensations and feelings, fatique and weakness, atrial fibrillation (sometimes), a feeling of being disconnected from my body, etc. Also, when I drink now, my sex drives takes a dive, my level of motivation is ZERO and I just feel like crap (it was never like this before!).

So what has happened here?. Have I just gotten too "old" to drink anymore (I'm only 43)?. Has the alcohol finally caught up to me?. Is it the meds I'm on (ie; Atenolol, Lorazepam, Prevacid, Atarax)?. Have I suddenly developed an allergy to alcohol?. I just don't understand how for most of my life I could drink with the best of them and feel great and now all of a sudden, everything changes and I feel like "death warmed over" if I so much as drink a few lousy beers with my evening meal or something.

Anyone else relate to all of this?.

- Thank's LOTS, LT

[kersti]

hi ,
i am a women of 34 and have drank since i was 16 (heavily),
for the last 16 days i have had no booze due to being on detox and meds from doc and will power,
if you feel this bad after drinking why carry on ?? your body and mind are telling you enough is enough, you need to stop the drinking once and for all ,yes there will be hard days to go through and the i want a drink feeling ifif you feel down but you have to stay strong and not drink ,please seek help from an AA meeting or your doctor ,
i am away from sat for a week but will be here after that to talk whenever you need support and a friend

kersti
x

[Boiler Bob]

LT

I quit drinking in 1989, & had the same symtoms except the b-fib.
Sadly I traded it a few years later for opiates.

I don't know about the other drugs, but lorazepam is ativan a benzo.
That is not good to mix with alcohol. It can depress your breathing, & even kill you!

Do you really want to keep drinking, or do you want to stop?

I did more in three months after I quit, than I did in years of sitting on a bar stool.

[Jessika03]

This post doesnt apply to anyone I just thought I would share my story

First off I want to say STOP drinking I know it is hard but it will Kill you
My mother drank since she was 16 yrs old and not heavily until the company she worked for went under, when that happened I guess she started drinking more and more out of bordem. Not to mention My granmother was a Alcoholic
she didnt drink everyday she would bendge (sp)
For a whole year my mother was sick and didnt tell anyone she was scared they would do to her what the did to her mom she was scared to go in the hospital she was scared to do with out her booze. It is like she was here one day and gone the next, one day she got really sick lost control of her bowels she knew what was happening her liver was shutting down and she was dying. I sat with her that whole day watching her die slowly she refused to go to the hospital, that night she decided to go and she died the next morning, she died from liver failure Her whole body just shut down, I was only 22 yrs old Just got married Had and 8 month old baby and then I lost my mom it has been so hard and I would never ever pick a drink up. She was only 47 yrs old, she was the best mother best wife best grandmother. I wish everyday I could just spend one more day with her so she could see my son,
So please if you cant do it for yourself do it for your family it has been so hard on my dad and brother and me. Just take it one day at a time. and God bless everyone of you.
If all of this didnt make any sence sorry I was trying to write a lifetime in a Paragraph, dont have much time to do that when my three year old is beating on the key board.. : )

[slipperyslope]

LT I have been following your post for the past year or more, its the same story over and over again, how you don't understand why you feel so sick after drinking your 6-9 to a case of beer a day. I am not sure why you continue to drink when your so sick the next day, you must feel just horrible each time you do this to yourself.. It doesn't sound like a fun way to live at all. It probably adds to your depression and all around Ill feeling that you feel all the time. I bet you would feel so much better both mentally and physically if you quit the beers.

Have you thought about hitting an AA Meeting or speaking to a Dr about this dilema you have? I know you have been able to quit drinking the beers for a few days or weeks or even months but you seem to not be able to break this cycle.

When you had your heart issue a few weeks ago you had mentioned that you were done with drinking and you were never going to touch a drop again I hope that is still your plan and that your sticking to it. I don't know what to say other than yah, obviously your body can't handle the beers anymore, maybe there are some supplements you could look into if you just can't give it up... they might help you after a night of drinking, maybe something to detoxify your liver and clean your system out...

Or I guess you just have to live with the fact that your going to feel dreadful each and everytime you drink the beers.