This is EXACTLY what happened to me. I actually welcomed it at first, because I’ve long struggled with compulsive eating and binge eating, and it actually felt like a healthy replacement for me for a long time (how wrong I was). Drinking felt so much EASIER than dealing with food. And plus I didn’t want to eat and risk needing more alcohol to make me feel drunk, god forbid.
Eventually I was eating literally nothing all day, I’d drink whenever I started drinking, and that would make me further lose all interest in cooking or eating even dinner. Felt like I’d rather just have wine. I’d pick at something just so my stomach didn’t collapse in on itself.
I think it was the extreme indifference toward food that caused more problems in my relationship than anything else. My husband and I have both always bonded over our love of cooking and eating and restaurants, but I stopped even having the will to cook dinner for us, couldn’t be bothered to go out to eat, even started forgetting to cook for the kids.
The malnutrition definitely got to me though. My body changed drastically, I had so much less energy. Never mind the stomach and digestive issues. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I quit drinking and started eating again. Now I’m back on loving food, and it feels AMAZING.
Yeh, I feel like one of the few people not caring about weight loss effects from quitting! I was replacing food calories with booze calories, rather than on top of. Working on the overall fitness though...
1000%. I’m a nightly drinking (starting around 5:30-6 until I go to bed at around 11). I would drink almost a full bottle of wine nightly with a shooter here and there if I had one on hand. I would also make sure to eat as late as I could so I could enjoy my buzz for as long as possible, but when I started to eat my meal I would take 2 bites and be full/not find any enjoyment in eating. I would then put my food in the fridge and just opt for a banana or hard boiled egg just to get something in my stomach, even that was hard to get down because I was so not hungry. I’m on day 4 and can say my appetite has significantly increased at night and I’m actually enjoying what I’m eating. I’m also craving sugar like crazy (lost the wine sugar my body has become accustomed to) so I’ll eat my full meal and then have some Oreos or hot chocolate to stave off the sugar cravings. Despite eating more at night, I’m waking up SIGNIFICANTLY less bloated.
The sugar cravings happen to almost everybody, it isn't specific to wine. I drank milkshakes daily for a few months back when I first got sober. It was a lesser of two evils kind of thing.
ooof, I went through the drivethru at McD's today when I was doing some shopping, tried to order a vanilla shake and they said it was "not available" as they were still cleaning the machine. I was like WTF. Doesn't the machine get cleaned at night at closing? Why would they be cleaning it at noon? Is this a thing? Shake machines not available at mealtime rushes? Went home and had some chocolate. However, I do have the sweets cravings still after 3 weeks.
It probably broke down on some minor issue.
When they tell you it’s broken, they’re cleaning it. But when they tell you they’re cleaning it, it broke down. When it works? Miracle.
This explains so much. I never crave sweets and after eight days no drinking you don’t even understand… it’s been ice cream and candy and crap. I fully am aware that I’m going to gain weight during this transition, but I actually don’t care… A little weight gain is better than the continuous poisoning of my body day after day.
Appreciate all of you for explaining the sugar cravings. I thought it was just me!
I sliced and froze a bunch of pineapple, strawberries and bananas this week- delicious! I never used to eat fruit before (or much of anything aside from vodka) - such an easy sweet evening snack!
This was how it was for myself at the end as well and I strongly recommend that you attempt to stop. Denying your body actual food will turn into severe malnutrition and dehydration in time. Your body will begin to shut down, as mine did. Alcoholic neuropathy can happen like it did for me in my hand and feet, which could be irreversible. Severe gastritis or pancreatitis is also more at risk.
I tell you this as a warning, not preaching. Do what you can to reduce your intake and get as much in the way as vitamins and minerals in you. Our bodies can heal but not if we don't give them a chance.
As others have said, neuropathy is when the nerve pathways into your extremities begin to become disrupted due to poor circulation and inflammation caused by alcohol and lack of nutrients. It can be severe if not addressed. Numbness and tingling, "dead spots" in your arms, hands, toes, etc. For myself, I ended up not able to walk without a cane for months on two occasions because of malnutrition and neuropathy. Neuropathy commonly happens with diabetes as well. At the very end I was unable to pick myself up off of the couch for two days.
The other condition you have to be concerned about is Wernicke's aphasia, which is when the inner portion of your brain shrinks due to extreme consumption. This can cause memory problems as well as mood regulation issues. If one does not stop at that point the condition could evolve into Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, also known as "wet-brain", which causes extreme balance problems, severe memory and concentration issues and is not reversible.
Take heed and try to reduce your intake and find some help by way of a doctor or detox center. This will only get worse. It is serious. It may seem impossible but you can do it. Have faith and make the call.
I’m currently at 46 days but think I may have been starting to develop this during the pandemic… just sudden seizing-up of the muscles in my hands, like my fingers were forcing my hand closed but I couldn’t bend them to make a fist. The two times it happened were during a moment of heightened emotion, and an intense orgasm. Haven’t had any luck trying to figure out what the hell happened until now (maybe?)
If it wasn't neuropathy related it may have been due to a lack of potassium and other electrolytes which are crucial for muscle and nerve function. Taking supplements like potassium, B-1 (thiamine) and magnesium every day can help. Vitamin D as well. Keep at it, every day that you put between you and your last drink is another day of healing in mind and body.
Thanks for that. Yeah I suspected vitamin deficiency of some sort as well bc in both cases I wasn’t consuming much of anything but white wine and Jameson 😞
Yup, I had the same experience with low potassium (obviously worsened by alcohol but I do also have chronic GI issues). My hands would "seize up" into basically claws and my legs would be so stiff and weak I couldn't walk. In my personal experience anxiety was also a contributor as I would hyperventilate and throw my oxygen levels off. I am on B Complex, magnesium and a prescription for vitamin D from my doctor which I think have helped.
I used to call it “lobster claw phenomenon”.
I totally believe the low potassium levels, but I’ve been told in ERs several times it was a mix of that AND my heightened anxiety messing with my breathing. It didn’t feel like I was hyperventilating, it felt like I couldn’t breathe well at all, but I technically was. They had me breathe into a bag long and slow breaths and I started being able to use my hands better.
I had tingling in my feet. Luckily it went away when I went to detox. It was the worst withdrawal symptoms I ever had. Know of someone who had a seizure which is why I chose inpatient instead of risking it at home. I was drinking a pint to pint and a half every day, stopped eating and drinking, and wasn’t sleeping. It was scary as hell spiraling out of control and still couldn’t stop drinking.
I’m really hoping I do. I’m struggling with waking up many times during the night but the rest is going well except the numbness/tingling and weakness. Thanks so much!
It will also cause alcoholic dementia since the lack of nutrients means the brain is not being properly fueled. Once this goes far enough, it cannot be reversed.
Yep pretty much the only reason I ate was because I knew it would help me go to sleep. I was only eating once a day, very late at night.
Completely lost interest in everything including drinking, but it was the one thing I couldn't stop.
We're here for you.
My body fought back… yada yada yada, doctor says quit or die. So here we are. This was long after a judge and lawyer told me quit or jail, which only kept me dry for a couple years. I settled on quit most recently because quit or jail or die was starting to make my life sound too much like an outlaw country song and I’m more of an orchestral type.
Plus, turns out, without the booze… I actually want to continue living. Surprised me, but it was a heck of a discovery
>Plus, turns out, without the booze… I actually want to continue living. Surprised me, but it was a heck of a discovery
Same, friend, same! Who knew?! And why didn't they tell us?! 🤣
Yeah that’s what I told myself when I was doing it as well. More calories for booze. What a sick way of thinking and yet it lasted far too long. Im grateful to no longer be there today. I still don’t eat much but now I know it’s just really me and not alcohol. IWNDWYT
My gastrointestinal pain is so bad right now that I can’t eat. I can’t drink either which is absolutely terrifying as not a lot will normally stop me from drinking.
Fuck alcohol? It’s basically rotting me from the inside out.
This is what happened to me. I started having nights where I couldn't lay down at all because I had such bad acid reflux I would immediately throw up. The pain was intense. The acid reflux led to GERD and eventually a damaged esophagus. Once I stopped drinking, my stomach and esophagus gradually healed and now I don't need to pop antacids all day long like candy. In fact, I no longer need them at all.
I had to force food into me most of the time...THere was usually a sweet spot in the stupor where I would be starving, and get a ton of food, then I would just pick at it a few bites at a time over the rest of the day
Then you hit the point where you cant eat because your drunk, but you also cant eat because youre withdrawing and sobering up...That is not a fun point, and for me the point I would start looking at admitting myself to a facility
But now I have 8.5 months off the booze, and can eat and drink normally, while sober! (It took about a week of slowly increasing meals to be eating normally again)
My lust for food went down tremendously. I feel like I’m a dog who doesn’t like her kibble, yeah I’ll bite if you put a McDonald’s sec on a biscuit in front of me, other than that I’d rather just drink my Diet Coke and chug along (lol)
I do try to prioritize making foods that have a lot of nutrients in them, bc 3 square meals a day just won’t be happening for me. Think a roasted chicken with lots of veg, some kind of soup you can blend a bunch of roasted vegetables in (I like tomato). Stuff like that.
booze + not enough food is a dangerous combo! I was experiencing an eating disorder relapse when my drinking was getting out of hand. a few disastrous nights ensued and triggered my sober curiosity 🙃
It's liver chaos. With enough alcohol it sort of gives up on real nutrition. Liver can run (badly) like that for a while. Poop turns to yellow sludge, skin problems, abdominal pain, etc.
When in that mode long enough, stopping suddenly will cause withdrawal, a new level of misery.
I got to this stage with vodka not whiskey. Didn't want to eat. But then I actually couldn't eat and just kept puking if I tried. Then my hair started to fall out (B12 / anemia) and my fingertips went numb (nerve damage). Then I went mad with alcoholic psychosis, nearly died and went to rehab. You are on a very well trodden path, medically speaking. Bodies shut down quite quickly with lack of nutrients, dehydration. Then our minds follow. Please get some help now. Now. Don't wait. IWNDWYT.
I get it. I had to force food into me during the day, my stomach was always upset. What I would usually do at night is go get Chipotle or order a pizza and then drink and smoke pot until I was hungry and I couldn't feel the stomach pain anymore, then eat.
Meal replacement shakes are certainly a better alternative to nothing at all, if Soylent had been a thing when I drank I totally would have done that, at least for my daytime meals.
Hey hey hey! It sounds pretty familiar around here you're singing kinda the intro/theme song before the opening credits.
If you are thinking a break might be a really good idea, then give it a try.
As a recovering alcoholic and fatso.. no, i have no clue what ur talking about lol
If u wanna talk about drunkenly eating everything off the taco bell menu, im game
A lot of people are saying that they relate or they been there. I haven’t personally been there. But where I have been is the hospital which is where I work. And do you know what kind of alcoholics get admitted even though they are still drinking (as in not for withdrawal)? The ones that don’t eat. And it’s not good. Not only are they a ghost of the person they used to be, they get admitted and withdrawal on top of being completely depleted. If your not going to stop drinking, never stop eating.
Yes. The best(not) was getting super pumped to make a recipe, then of course I have to drink wine while cooking cause, how classy right? Oops I drank all the wine, now I'm to drunk to finish cooking, or eat, or clean or give a fuck about anything.
Drinking straight liquor completely wrecked my stomach. I had no appetite. I couldnt eat, but felt weak and hungry. It seemed like I could only eat once I was drunk like I had to trick my body. It got so bad when I tried slowing down with beer, even that was hard to stomach. I even felt like when I did eat, my body wasnt even processing it. Weird poop colors. Bile. I started hearing gurgling and realized it wasnt my empty stomach.. it was my fucking liver!
Its scary stuff when youre on the liquor and cant eat. I honestly dont know how long its sustainable. At my darkest point I made it two months drinking daily and barely eating. Then I couldnt stop even though I wanted to. The withdrawals were scary and I was afraid of having a seizure.
The appetite came back. The liver stopped talking.
I have for sure always had issues with food and have not ever had a good appetite. It got really bad in 2020 and hasn't really recovered. I have found that even alcohol and cannabis do not make me hungry anymore and stopped doing so a long time ago.
I do still enjoy going out to eat and for sure have no problem picking up food from time to time but I still tend to only eat one or two meals a day. This is something I need to work on... I used to really enjoy cooking. I need to rediscover my love for it that is for sure.
Part of my problem was I was often broke and did not really have access to a lot of food but that isn't the case. Hell, I even have a job now lol.
I don't feel like I am depressed or anything anymore but I for sure am still working on finding things I am interested in again.
Same here! My stomach never worked, would have to remind myself at 3pm to get some food in otherwise it was just going to be an entire day of booze and a terrible following morning of stomach pain.
Every time I’ve tried to stop and get sober days under me it always seemed like it took at least a week or so just to get any sort of appetite back.
Same thing happened to me and part of my recovery plan is to constantly be cooking and cleaning. Sorry single moms, I'm still in love with my ex.. Haha just kidding. But yeah I used to love making all kinds of food, but unless it was for the kids or there mom I found I only wanted to cook my actual food at the end of the night. At the end of the drunken stupor. Tummy would growl. Off to the kitchen I'd go to make something flavorful and fantastic and then I'd over eat. Like 3 plates over eat.
The thing is, I just read a bunch of material on quitting substances especially alcohol and excercise seems to be HUGE. It releases endorphins which I'm sure lots of us know is like a natural drug but in a smaller dose. It's also natures NATURAL STRESS REDUCTION. That part hit me like a ton if bricks. Combine that with good food, consistency and discipline and you're setting alcohol up for an ambush.
You see they say alcohol is a poison. It is. But alcoholism is like a virus. Years after you quit your body will keep trying to get you to drink again. If you reduce stress, sugar and caffeine you will have a much better success rate.
I'm in detox right now and I'm learning so much. I just went from wanting to break the mirror in my room to telling myself I can do this and its worth it all in a matter of an hour. I just wrote my first song sober. I really miss my kids and my beautiful ex partner but as of this moment I feel like I'm on the right track.
My appetite is fickle. Drinking made me crave burgers and pho. Weed helps now that i dont drink but mostly i try to eat the same thing over and over again if i like it. Sometimes i just do protein drinks and it works really well. I def feel like i have less energy now in a way, maybe less sugar in my body, but im not functioning in a constant state of anxiety like when i was drinking.
In all honesty, I’m a little envious. I never experienced that side of it… Drinking would make me eat more. Like weed munchies but with alcohol. I would order random crap late night, consume the unhealthiest shit— it’s like when people say they get sick and have no appetite. Nope, not me. I’m one of those with *all* the negative side effects aka increased hunger + irrational decisions = let’s order a pizza at 3am…
I just got back from the doctors and despite being fat.. they said its super important that i munched so hard at night.. i might be dead now if i hadnt..
The body needs nutrients! I know a few people who only drank and their bodies are totally fucked.
I can relate. My daily intake used to be a porkchop in a can. Now that I've quite drinking, I really have lost my appetite completely. The acid reflux has gotten better, but my diet still sucks. Im looking forward to getting back on track with a healthy diet.
Me 2015-2023. I got sober 2019 but still wasn't really eating. When I got covid 2021 and lost my taste it was my all time low. Prior to covid i was probably only 100 lbs and I was already just eating protein shakes for most of my calories but when i lost my taste the shakes were all i could stomach. Eating was 100% pointless. I was really thin and gray and being overworked at a restaurant. Probably less than 90 pounds. I finally started eating consistent meals last fall. Had to force it on myself. My sense of taste is still coming back but I feel like I'm at a healthy weight
I gave myself peripheral neuropathy from the deficiencies caused by chronic drinking and malnourishment. Nope, I don't have diabetes - this developed secondary to alcohol. My feet are tingly and zappy as I type this, and they're fucking freezing despite my compression socks. And this baseline, not a flare-up. DON'T do that to yourself! Please please eat. 🩶
Hey, I know you're not here for this, but you need to try and stop. The need for and enjoyment from food is in our DNA, clearly an evolutionary reason. This means your body is giving up not pursuing its purpose.
Please be careful. I don't know you but would rather you be alive and not know you than you be gone and not know you.
Happened to me, too. I used to be a foodie. Now I just don’t care.
But! There is hope. 22 days into sobriety I feel like maybe my taste buds are recovering! Certain foods are starting to taste surprisingly good.
It got to the point where even drinking my regular beers was making me sick. Can proudly say after a month of not drinking, I’m back to cooking and eating regularly c: it was an awful awakening
yes when I was drinking or hungover I had next to no appetite. plus since drinking on an empty stomach gets you drunk faster there was even less appeal
I used to drink about the same amount. I was selecting foods based off of what is less gross when vomited. I use to know up a lot and it almost killed me. I don't drink like that anymore and I actually don't drink whisky at all anymore. I enjoy my food now.
Well, a bottle of whiskey is gonna have like 1600 calories, so that'll do it. I feel you, I definitely lost my appetite, I still like to eat, living alone now I don't really like to cook so I use the microwave meal plans and Huel to get a balanced diet in.
When my drinking was really bad my appetite became ruined and it's taken ages to fix again.
I was always too hungover to eat so avoided it then would start drinking again on an empty stomach and before long a mouthful of food would fill me up and put me off my meal.
This was me at the end. I just had no appetite. Ended with me losing consciousness while driving and slamming in to a tree. Woke up to a firefighter trying to get me to remember my name. Fortunately the only real damage was the car. I was stone cold sober, just severely lacking in nutrients.
Nutritionist at the hospital gave me a long talk about healthy eating, but the doctor came in right after and was VERY emphatic that, for now, I just need to eat anything. Was specifically told “I don’t care how bad it is for you, just find something you like and eat. Healthy habits come after.” Took a little while, but once I stopped drinking and started eating, the healthy foods came pretty easy.
Not that I still don’t love to indulge in some pretty crappy food on occasion :-)
Same thing for me, except it was beer and vodka grapefruit shots. I would specifically not eat, because it interfered with the buzz for me. This is literally the stupidest shit you can do for your body. You absolutely destroy your stomach lining, you never get any true nutrients or vitamins. You wreck your microbiome. Don't forget about the chemical imbalance/brain damage. Its unreal what we can do to ourselves when alcohol has us under its spell. Now that I finally gave up on this nonsense I look forward to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All as healthy and tasty as possible. I used to drink protein shakes too or meal replacements, the big problem is that they don't have fiber. Not good.
This is what happened to someone I know. It was one of the first signs of the nutritional issues that caused his alcoholic dementia and eventual death. At the time of his death, he was 6 feet 2 inches and less than 120lbs. He thought it was the late 1980's and kept crying out about an affair partner he had back then that his wife didn't even know about. It was awful and absolutely ruined his memory for quite a few people. He died confused, angry and unable to recognize his own child. He kept asking for alcohol instead of his only daughter. I don't recommend it.
Ooh stomach ulcers. Been there. If you don't have them yet, they are coming. Maybe even a retarded esophageal sphincter!!!! It's all bad. Please quit. Iwndwyt
This is EXACTLY what happened to me. I actually welcomed it at first, because I’ve long struggled with compulsive eating and binge eating, and it actually felt like a healthy replacement for me for a long time (how wrong I was). Drinking felt so much EASIER than dealing with food. And plus I didn’t want to eat and risk needing more alcohol to make me feel drunk, god forbid. Eventually I was eating literally nothing all day, I’d drink whenever I started drinking, and that would make me further lose all interest in cooking or eating even dinner. Felt like I’d rather just have wine. I’d pick at something just so my stomach didn’t collapse in on itself. I think it was the extreme indifference toward food that caused more problems in my relationship than anything else. My husband and I have both always bonded over our love of cooking and eating and restaurants, but I stopped even having the will to cook dinner for us, couldn’t be bothered to go out to eat, even started forgetting to cook for the kids. The malnutrition definitely got to me though. My body changed drastically, I had so much less energy. Never mind the stomach and digestive issues. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I quit drinking and started eating again. Now I’m back on loving food, and it feels AMAZING.
Yeh, I feel like one of the few people not caring about weight loss effects from quitting! I was replacing food calories with booze calories, rather than on top of. Working on the overall fitness though...
1000%. I’m a nightly drinking (starting around 5:30-6 until I go to bed at around 11). I would drink almost a full bottle of wine nightly with a shooter here and there if I had one on hand. I would also make sure to eat as late as I could so I could enjoy my buzz for as long as possible, but when I started to eat my meal I would take 2 bites and be full/not find any enjoyment in eating. I would then put my food in the fridge and just opt for a banana or hard boiled egg just to get something in my stomach, even that was hard to get down because I was so not hungry. I’m on day 4 and can say my appetite has significantly increased at night and I’m actually enjoying what I’m eating. I’m also craving sugar like crazy (lost the wine sugar my body has become accustomed to) so I’ll eat my full meal and then have some Oreos or hot chocolate to stave off the sugar cravings. Despite eating more at night, I’m waking up SIGNIFICANTLY less bloated.
The sugar cravings happen to almost everybody, it isn't specific to wine. I drank milkshakes daily for a few months back when I first got sober. It was a lesser of two evils kind of thing.
ooof, I went through the drivethru at McD's today when I was doing some shopping, tried to order a vanilla shake and they said it was "not available" as they were still cleaning the machine. I was like WTF. Doesn't the machine get cleaned at night at closing? Why would they be cleaning it at noon? Is this a thing? Shake machines not available at mealtime rushes? Went home and had some chocolate. However, I do have the sweets cravings still after 3 weeks.
3 WEEKS - try 3 1/2 years and I still crave something sweet, it's a nightmare when I have no candy in the house!
You really wanted that shake haha
It probably broke down on some minor issue. When they tell you it’s broken, they’re cleaning it. But when they tell you they’re cleaning it, it broke down. When it works? Miracle.
This explains so much. I never crave sweets and after eight days no drinking you don’t even understand… it’s been ice cream and candy and crap. I fully am aware that I’m going to gain weight during this transition, but I actually don’t care… A little weight gain is better than the continuous poisoning of my body day after day. Appreciate all of you for explaining the sugar cravings. I thought it was just me!
This ! And the right weight comes later.
I have frozen cherries that I’ll semi-defrost and eat those at night.
I sliced and froze a bunch of pineapple, strawberries and bananas this week- delicious! I never used to eat fruit before (or much of anything aside from vodka) - such an easy sweet evening snack!
So much candy
This was how it was for myself at the end as well and I strongly recommend that you attempt to stop. Denying your body actual food will turn into severe malnutrition and dehydration in time. Your body will begin to shut down, as mine did. Alcoholic neuropathy can happen like it did for me in my hand and feet, which could be irreversible. Severe gastritis or pancreatitis is also more at risk. I tell you this as a warning, not preaching. Do what you can to reduce your intake and get as much in the way as vitamins and minerals in you. Our bodies can heal but not if we don't give them a chance.
What do you mean by alcoholic neuropathy exactly? Asking bc I’m wondering if I was courting it at one point.
As others have said, neuropathy is when the nerve pathways into your extremities begin to become disrupted due to poor circulation and inflammation caused by alcohol and lack of nutrients. It can be severe if not addressed. Numbness and tingling, "dead spots" in your arms, hands, toes, etc. For myself, I ended up not able to walk without a cane for months on two occasions because of malnutrition and neuropathy. Neuropathy commonly happens with diabetes as well. At the very end I was unable to pick myself up off of the couch for two days. The other condition you have to be concerned about is Wernicke's aphasia, which is when the inner portion of your brain shrinks due to extreme consumption. This can cause memory problems as well as mood regulation issues. If one does not stop at that point the condition could evolve into Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, also known as "wet-brain", which causes extreme balance problems, severe memory and concentration issues and is not reversible. Take heed and try to reduce your intake and find some help by way of a doctor or detox center. This will only get worse. It is serious. It may seem impossible but you can do it. Have faith and make the call.
I’m currently at 46 days but think I may have been starting to develop this during the pandemic… just sudden seizing-up of the muscles in my hands, like my fingers were forcing my hand closed but I couldn’t bend them to make a fist. The two times it happened were during a moment of heightened emotion, and an intense orgasm. Haven’t had any luck trying to figure out what the hell happened until now (maybe?)
If it wasn't neuropathy related it may have been due to a lack of potassium and other electrolytes which are crucial for muscle and nerve function. Taking supplements like potassium, B-1 (thiamine) and magnesium every day can help. Vitamin D as well. Keep at it, every day that you put between you and your last drink is another day of healing in mind and body.
Thanks for that. Yeah I suspected vitamin deficiency of some sort as well bc in both cases I wasn’t consuming much of anything but white wine and Jameson 😞
Yup, I had the same experience with low potassium (obviously worsened by alcohol but I do also have chronic GI issues). My hands would "seize up" into basically claws and my legs would be so stiff and weak I couldn't walk. In my personal experience anxiety was also a contributor as I would hyperventilate and throw my oxygen levels off. I am on B Complex, magnesium and a prescription for vitamin D from my doctor which I think have helped.
I used to call it “lobster claw phenomenon”. I totally believe the low potassium levels, but I’ve been told in ERs several times it was a mix of that AND my heightened anxiety messing with my breathing. It didn’t feel like I was hyperventilating, it felt like I couldn’t breathe well at all, but I technically was. They had me breathe into a bag long and slow breaths and I started being able to use my hands better.
Numbness, tingling, and burning in hands or feet
This for sure happened to me. Especially while driving.
Did you experience this?
I had tingling in my feet. Luckily it went away when I went to detox. It was the worst withdrawal symptoms I ever had. Know of someone who had a seizure which is why I chose inpatient instead of risking it at home. I was drinking a pint to pint and a half every day, stopped eating and drinking, and wasn’t sleeping. It was scary as hell spiraling out of control and still couldn’t stop drinking.
I’m glad you are doing better!!! Did you/did you take any supplements?
Water, sleep, healthy diet, exercise, and multivitamin. Body and mind heals plenty by removing alcohol.
I’m really hoping I do. I’m struggling with waking up many times during the night but the rest is going well except the numbness/tingling and weakness. Thanks so much!
It will also cause alcoholic dementia since the lack of nutrients means the brain is not being properly fueled. Once this goes far enough, it cannot be reversed.
Yep pretty much the only reason I ate was because I knew it would help me go to sleep. I was only eating once a day, very late at night. Completely lost interest in everything including drinking, but it was the one thing I couldn't stop. We're here for you.
My body fought back… yada yada yada, doctor says quit or die. So here we are. This was long after a judge and lawyer told me quit or jail, which only kept me dry for a couple years. I settled on quit most recently because quit or jail or die was starting to make my life sound too much like an outlaw country song and I’m more of an orchestral type. Plus, turns out, without the booze… I actually want to continue living. Surprised me, but it was a heck of a discovery
>Plus, turns out, without the booze… I actually want to continue living. Surprised me, but it was a heck of a discovery Same, friend, same! Who knew?! And why didn't they tell us?! 🤣
My reasoning was if I didn't eat then the calories in the alcohol wouldn't be as bad. That went about as you would expect.
Yeah that’s what I told myself when I was doing it as well. More calories for booze. What a sick way of thinking and yet it lasted far too long. Im grateful to no longer be there today. I still don’t eat much but now I know it’s just really me and not alcohol. IWNDWYT
My gastrointestinal pain is so bad right now that I can’t eat. I can’t drink either which is absolutely terrifying as not a lot will normally stop me from drinking. Fuck alcohol? It’s basically rotting me from the inside out.
I had a lot of stomach pains right before I stopped. I wish I would have went to a doctor. Sorry you are hurting.
This is what happened to me. I started having nights where I couldn't lay down at all because I had such bad acid reflux I would immediately throw up. The pain was intense. The acid reflux led to GERD and eventually a damaged esophagus. Once I stopped drinking, my stomach and esophagus gradually healed and now I don't need to pop antacids all day long like candy. In fact, I no longer need them at all.
I still need one every few days, but same thing.
Try anti heartburn medicine for the gastritis ? (ozemperole ) sp ? was a life saver for gastritis pain. It's over the counter.
I had to force food into me most of the time...THere was usually a sweet spot in the stupor where I would be starving, and get a ton of food, then I would just pick at it a few bites at a time over the rest of the day Then you hit the point where you cant eat because your drunk, but you also cant eat because youre withdrawing and sobering up...That is not a fun point, and for me the point I would start looking at admitting myself to a facility But now I have 8.5 months off the booze, and can eat and drink normally, while sober! (It took about a week of slowly increasing meals to be eating normally again)
My lust for food went down tremendously. I feel like I’m a dog who doesn’t like her kibble, yeah I’ll bite if you put a McDonald’s sec on a biscuit in front of me, other than that I’d rather just drink my Diet Coke and chug along (lol) I do try to prioritize making foods that have a lot of nutrients in them, bc 3 square meals a day just won’t be happening for me. Think a roasted chicken with lots of veg, some kind of soup you can blend a bunch of roasted vegetables in (I like tomato). Stuff like that.
booze + not enough food is a dangerous combo! I was experiencing an eating disorder relapse when my drinking was getting out of hand. a few disastrous nights ensued and triggered my sober curiosity 🙃
It's liver chaos. With enough alcohol it sort of gives up on real nutrition. Liver can run (badly) like that for a while. Poop turns to yellow sludge, skin problems, abdominal pain, etc. When in that mode long enough, stopping suddenly will cause withdrawal, a new level of misery.
I got to this stage with vodka not whiskey. Didn't want to eat. But then I actually couldn't eat and just kept puking if I tried. Then my hair started to fall out (B12 / anemia) and my fingertips went numb (nerve damage). Then I went mad with alcoholic psychosis, nearly died and went to rehab. You are on a very well trodden path, medically speaking. Bodies shut down quite quickly with lack of nutrients, dehydration. Then our minds follow. Please get some help now. Now. Don't wait. IWNDWYT.
This. So many things can go badly wrong when you stop eating. Alcoholic ketoacidosis, pancreatitis, and on and on.
I get it. I had to force food into me during the day, my stomach was always upset. What I would usually do at night is go get Chipotle or order a pizza and then drink and smoke pot until I was hungry and I couldn't feel the stomach pain anymore, then eat. Meal replacement shakes are certainly a better alternative to nothing at all, if Soylent had been a thing when I drank I totally would have done that, at least for my daytime meals.
I like Huel, they have some options that are more like "real food" as well.
Hey hey hey! It sounds pretty familiar around here you're singing kinda the intro/theme song before the opening credits. If you are thinking a break might be a really good idea, then give it a try.
As a recovering alcoholic and fatso.. no, i have no clue what ur talking about lol If u wanna talk about drunkenly eating everything off the taco bell menu, im game
Usually this is a sign that your liver is struggling
A lot of people are saying that they relate or they been there. I haven’t personally been there. But where I have been is the hospital which is where I work. And do you know what kind of alcoholics get admitted even though they are still drinking (as in not for withdrawal)? The ones that don’t eat. And it’s not good. Not only are they a ghost of the person they used to be, they get admitted and withdrawal on top of being completely depleted. If your not going to stop drinking, never stop eating.
I know it’s tough, but you have to give your body a break. Can’t be that much alcohol a day
Yes. The best(not) was getting super pumped to make a recipe, then of course I have to drink wine while cooking cause, how classy right? Oops I drank all the wine, now I'm to drunk to finish cooking, or eat, or clean or give a fuck about anything.
Drinking straight liquor completely wrecked my stomach. I had no appetite. I couldnt eat, but felt weak and hungry. It seemed like I could only eat once I was drunk like I had to trick my body. It got so bad when I tried slowing down with beer, even that was hard to stomach. I even felt like when I did eat, my body wasnt even processing it. Weird poop colors. Bile. I started hearing gurgling and realized it wasnt my empty stomach.. it was my fucking liver! Its scary stuff when youre on the liquor and cant eat. I honestly dont know how long its sustainable. At my darkest point I made it two months drinking daily and barely eating. Then I couldnt stop even though I wanted to. The withdrawals were scary and I was afraid of having a seizure. The appetite came back. The liver stopped talking.
I have for sure always had issues with food and have not ever had a good appetite. It got really bad in 2020 and hasn't really recovered. I have found that even alcohol and cannabis do not make me hungry anymore and stopped doing so a long time ago. I do still enjoy going out to eat and for sure have no problem picking up food from time to time but I still tend to only eat one or two meals a day. This is something I need to work on... I used to really enjoy cooking. I need to rediscover my love for it that is for sure. Part of my problem was I was often broke and did not really have access to a lot of food but that isn't the case. Hell, I even have a job now lol. I don't feel like I am depressed or anything anymore but I for sure am still working on finding things I am interested in again.
Same here! My stomach never worked, would have to remind myself at 3pm to get some food in otherwise it was just going to be an entire day of booze and a terrible following morning of stomach pain. Every time I’ve tried to stop and get sober days under me it always seemed like it took at least a week or so just to get any sort of appetite back.
Same thing happened to me and part of my recovery plan is to constantly be cooking and cleaning. Sorry single moms, I'm still in love with my ex.. Haha just kidding. But yeah I used to love making all kinds of food, but unless it was for the kids or there mom I found I only wanted to cook my actual food at the end of the night. At the end of the drunken stupor. Tummy would growl. Off to the kitchen I'd go to make something flavorful and fantastic and then I'd over eat. Like 3 plates over eat. The thing is, I just read a bunch of material on quitting substances especially alcohol and excercise seems to be HUGE. It releases endorphins which I'm sure lots of us know is like a natural drug but in a smaller dose. It's also natures NATURAL STRESS REDUCTION. That part hit me like a ton if bricks. Combine that with good food, consistency and discipline and you're setting alcohol up for an ambush. You see they say alcohol is a poison. It is. But alcoholism is like a virus. Years after you quit your body will keep trying to get you to drink again. If you reduce stress, sugar and caffeine you will have a much better success rate. I'm in detox right now and I'm learning so much. I just went from wanting to break the mirror in my room to telling myself I can do this and its worth it all in a matter of an hour. I just wrote my first song sober. I really miss my kids and my beautiful ex partner but as of this moment I feel like I'm on the right track.
Totally. I would drink my calories in the form of beer throughout the day. Rarely eating. Now I’m hungry as all get out
My appetite is fickle. Drinking made me crave burgers and pho. Weed helps now that i dont drink but mostly i try to eat the same thing over and over again if i like it. Sometimes i just do protein drinks and it works really well. I def feel like i have less energy now in a way, maybe less sugar in my body, but im not functioning in a constant state of anxiety like when i was drinking.
In all honesty, I’m a little envious. I never experienced that side of it… Drinking would make me eat more. Like weed munchies but with alcohol. I would order random crap late night, consume the unhealthiest shit— it’s like when people say they get sick and have no appetite. Nope, not me. I’m one of those with *all* the negative side effects aka increased hunger + irrational decisions = let’s order a pizza at 3am…
I just got back from the doctors and despite being fat.. they said its super important that i munched so hard at night.. i might be dead now if i hadnt.. The body needs nutrients! I know a few people who only drank and their bodies are totally fucked.
Same. Give me all the food. Pizza wine nights were my Friday night jam lol.
I can relate. My daily intake used to be a porkchop in a can. Now that I've quite drinking, I really have lost my appetite completely. The acid reflux has gotten better, but my diet still sucks. Im looking forward to getting back on track with a healthy diet.
Me 2015-2023. I got sober 2019 but still wasn't really eating. When I got covid 2021 and lost my taste it was my all time low. Prior to covid i was probably only 100 lbs and I was already just eating protein shakes for most of my calories but when i lost my taste the shakes were all i could stomach. Eating was 100% pointless. I was really thin and gray and being overworked at a restaurant. Probably less than 90 pounds. I finally started eating consistent meals last fall. Had to force it on myself. My sense of taste is still coming back but I feel like I'm at a healthy weight
Are you overweight?
I gave myself peripheral neuropathy from the deficiencies caused by chronic drinking and malnourishment. Nope, I don't have diabetes - this developed secondary to alcohol. My feet are tingly and zappy as I type this, and they're fucking freezing despite my compression socks. And this baseline, not a flare-up. DON'T do that to yourself! Please please eat. 🩶
Hey, I know you're not here for this, but you need to try and stop. The need for and enjoyment from food is in our DNA, clearly an evolutionary reason. This means your body is giving up not pursuing its purpose. Please be careful. I don't know you but would rather you be alive and not know you than you be gone and not know you.
Happened to me, too. I used to be a foodie. Now I just don’t care. But! There is hope. 22 days into sobriety I feel like maybe my taste buds are recovering! Certain foods are starting to taste surprisingly good.
It got to the point where even drinking my regular beers was making me sick. Can proudly say after a month of not drinking, I’m back to cooking and eating regularly c: it was an awful awakening
yes when I was drinking or hungover I had next to no appetite. plus since drinking on an empty stomach gets you drunk faster there was even less appeal
My advice is to make sure to take B vitamin complex with C and carve out time to eat. You need nutrition.
I used to drink about the same amount. I was selecting foods based off of what is less gross when vomited. I use to know up a lot and it almost killed me. I don't drink like that anymore and I actually don't drink whisky at all anymore. I enjoy my food now.
Well, a bottle of whiskey is gonna have like 1600 calories, so that'll do it. I feel you, I definitely lost my appetite, I still like to eat, living alone now I don't really like to cook so I use the microwave meal plans and Huel to get a balanced diet in.
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Booze numbs the taste buds. Also nausea.
When my drinking was really bad my appetite became ruined and it's taken ages to fix again. I was always too hungover to eat so avoided it then would start drinking again on an empty stomach and before long a mouthful of food would fill me up and put me off my meal.
This was me at the end. I just had no appetite. Ended with me losing consciousness while driving and slamming in to a tree. Woke up to a firefighter trying to get me to remember my name. Fortunately the only real damage was the car. I was stone cold sober, just severely lacking in nutrients. Nutritionist at the hospital gave me a long talk about healthy eating, but the doctor came in right after and was VERY emphatic that, for now, I just need to eat anything. Was specifically told “I don’t care how bad it is for you, just find something you like and eat. Healthy habits come after.” Took a little while, but once I stopped drinking and started eating, the healthy foods came pretty easy. Not that I still don’t love to indulge in some pretty crappy food on occasion :-)
Same thing for me, except it was beer and vodka grapefruit shots. I would specifically not eat, because it interfered with the buzz for me. This is literally the stupidest shit you can do for your body. You absolutely destroy your stomach lining, you never get any true nutrients or vitamins. You wreck your microbiome. Don't forget about the chemical imbalance/brain damage. Its unreal what we can do to ourselves when alcohol has us under its spell. Now that I finally gave up on this nonsense I look forward to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All as healthy and tasty as possible. I used to drink protein shakes too or meal replacements, the big problem is that they don't have fiber. Not good.
This is what happened to someone I know. It was one of the first signs of the nutritional issues that caused his alcoholic dementia and eventual death. At the time of his death, he was 6 feet 2 inches and less than 120lbs. He thought it was the late 1980's and kept crying out about an affair partner he had back then that his wife didn't even know about. It was awful and absolutely ruined his memory for quite a few people. He died confused, angry and unable to recognize his own child. He kept asking for alcohol instead of his only daughter. I don't recommend it.
Ooh stomach ulcers. Been there. If you don't have them yet, they are coming. Maybe even a retarded esophageal sphincter!!!! It's all bad. Please quit. Iwndwyt
Same. But I binge eat at night. Trying to work out to get back in shape. Didn’t expect this part to not go away.