gmaklay

I'm a little over a month in and the panic/anxiety attacks come and go in waves. I may go a day or so before I get the wave, but it's usually a bear when I get it. It doesn't even have to be triggered by a stressful situation. They usually occur in the evening or at night. Sometimes they hit when I'm layin in bed watching TV as cool as a cucumber and wham!!! I get the waves of cold/hot numbness in my extremeties and dizzyness. Tightness in the chest/tummy and NERVOUS. I can feel my heart beat in my head. When they get too bad I take a .05 xanax and they go away just like they showed up. Which gives me a little comfort that there isn't another underlying medical issue or it wouldn't fix the problem. I sure hope this is the peak of PAWs, if they get to much worse they'll have to put me in the nut house

I guess the longer I suffer through this the better. Maybe I'll think twice before ever sniffing another oz. of alcohol.

My stomach troubles seem to be getting better and I'm thinking pretty clearly (I still have my dumb dumb moments)... Mostly just the anxiety/panic is eating me alive.

Anyone have this problem this far in?

michigangirl

Hi gmaklay... I wish I could say I had 31 days and if I was experiencing the same, but I am still fairly new. I do know that anxiety is very common for me in the first couple weeks. As far as the dizzyness, I experience that, but i think its a blood sugar thing.

You should probably talk to your doctor. Could be a side effect of the med? Hang in there, 31 days is great!

FightingIrish

I was about 6 months sober when the "waves" you describe got bad enough for me to seek professional help in the form of a psychopharmacologist who specialized in addiction disorders.

There were two primary symptoms I was having:

-obsessive, repetitive, out-of-control thinking (which produced bouts of anxiety)
-depression

I was only on the depression meds for about six months, and I am now free of those symptoms. I still take the other medication, though I will probably go off of it soon.

M

gmaklay

Thanks for the insight. I was hoping I wuzn't the only one... I'm not all that excited about the 6 month thing, but at least it's common.

My doc has me on Lexapro to get the attacks under long term control. The Benzo is just for the time being to get over the initial hump. I've got it down to one a day, I may try half tomorrow... one day at a time...

CarolD

Here is a good link about PAWS

Post Acute Withdrawl - Relapse Prevention Specialists - TLC The Living Center

Hope it helps...

FightingIrish

I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but in hindsight I consider it a blessing. If I had been 100% "well" by 3 months in I'm fairly certain I'd be drinking again...good possibility in any event.

What I have today (1.5 years into sobriety) is not everything I've ever wanted or the perfect, everlasting state of mind, but rather the tools to help me handle just about anything one day at a time.

Texasblind

Oh the PAWS. I go from perfectly fine to complete DT's again.

All I can tell you is that the moments come less often and are less intense each time. What used to be full on hallucinations and DT is now just a fast heartbeat and I wake up for a little while. Sometimes I still sweat or have chills all night, but that's about the extent of it.

It been a week short of a year. I had/have PAWS bad. It get so better. I barely feel it anymore.

gmaklay

My symptoms aren't that of DT's but they are pretty tough when they hit. They pretty much leaving me having to go lay down until they are done. Then I feel worn out like I got hit by a truck.

Thanks for the help...

gonzo9730

DT's are pretty serious business, and odd that they would still be kicking around after 31 days. From what I here, the physical withdrawals should only hang around for about a week or so. Maybe there is another issue with you that should be consulted about with a Doc. I know we all are either alchy's or recovering alchy's, but that doesn't mean we can't suffer from illnesses not directly related to our bad habits. Just a thought!

gmaklay

Thanks for the catch. I edited the post. I meant to say my symptoms AREN'T that of DT's. Meaning they aren't quite that extreme. However I have had the pleasure of the DT's (hallucinations and all) about 3 sober dates back. It was after a week bing on straight Ezra Brooks. It was by far my worse ever. About 48 hours in I thought I was signing out. I had already gotten to the point where I wasn't asking God to live anymore I was just appologizing for my sins and please take care of my family part. I didn't figure I would make it through the night.

...and to think I started back drinking again, what a goof ball

Texasblind

I also didn't mean to say that I STILL had those symptoms. Those stopped at about two months.

All I have anymore are night sweats or chills and that only happens maybe every other month for a night or two.

desertdonna

Hi GM,

It sounds like severe panic/anxiety attacks. I had them pretty bad for a long while, way over 30 days. It might or might not be related to PAWS, or could even be anxiety disorder and maybe depression. Taking this to the doctor is your best bet so you can get some relief, and let him/her know exactly what you're experiencing.

Don't drink, it won't help, that's for sure.

Glad you posted and stay strong. I hope it gets better for you soon.

Hugs,
Donna

MLVC2009

I am on day 17 sober (no, i am not counting but had to check to see, had my last drunk on my Birthday which is why i know the date as i don't know much else right now, lol)

Apparently PAWS can kick in about 2 weeks after the last drink... and i have been feeling really ikky the past week, is it PAWS? It sure as hell has felt like it... at times i have felt like i was losing the plot and my memory has been attrocious and i was only a 'once a week' binge drinker.

PAWS is what i feel i have but i am not sure, could just be plain anxiety with a dollop of depression thrown in... but what ever, i feel better tonight and i may (again) feel anxious about everything tomorrow and i may feel 'normal' again... but one thing i know right now is that my nervous system feels shot to bits and drinking is the last thing my body wants.

Hope you feel better soon...

lunarise

gmaklay~
I have had panic attacks here and there for years. Funny though I never had one during the 3 years I was drinking till the last day, and that is why it became the last day in part because the attack scared the shite out of me. There was no way I was going to let that happen again, so i quit. Anyway, since then (I have 7 weeks tomorrow) I have had hmm 5-6 episodes. They arent as bad as that first one but bad enough that I do take something for it. I am out of pills now though so I plan on getting one from my doctor and trying to learn how to talk myself out of the attacks like I used to be able to, but have the one pill just in case. I generally think my attacks come from a build up of stress, issues that I havent dealt with properly. I am in therapy now so hopefully that will help. Have you considered going? I know its not for everyone but it helps me alot. Well I wish you the best, take care of you.
Peace
Jaclyn

gmaklay

Well I'm on day 65..... I feel 10 years younger now sober than I felt... 10 years ago when I was drinking. I didn't realize just how nasty I felt, till now. I'm actually the funny kid I used to be. The only thing different is I'm a Dad now, and as it turns out I'm a fun Dad!!!

Funny thing is I can't even tell physically that I ever drank at all... I felt like I was going to be plagued with the physical issues for ever. The body is an amazing machine, that it can reverse alot of damage we do.

I still have the dumb dumbs now and then with my memory, but it's getting better by the week. Names still are my toughest issue...