Extreme fatigue?

Hi all, found this by accident, and not even sure how to post it right or
anything, but... I've stopped drinking several times as it's undeniably
become a problem for me. However, each time I've stopped over the last 2
years (3-6 months at a time) after about a week sober I've started to suffer
from some kind of chronic fatigue. In fact, it's more than that - it's like
I smoked about ten joints, all the time (I haven't smoked anything for over
15 years). If I didn't have to go to work or do anything else, I would pay
for this! But it leaves me so low in energy and drive that I just can't be
bothered to do anything - my garden is getting overgrown, I hardly exercise
any more - fortunately I have an undemanding job, so I wander it, do it and
go home.

Exercise, diet, you name it - no difference. So eventually I start drinking
again. Then I feel lousy most of the time, but not "drugged-up", and with at
least SOME energy.

Has anyone else experienced this? I know I will drink again if I don't find
an answer.

Thanks
Roger

: Exercise, diet, you name it - no difference. So eventually I start
drinking
: again. Then I feel lousy most of the time, but not "drugged-up",
and with at
: least SOME energy.
:
: Has anyone else experienced this? I know I will drink again if I
don't find
: an answer.
:
: Thanks
: Roger
:
:

have you discussed this with your doctor?

"rosie read and post" <readandpost@yahooORhotmail.com> wrote in
message news:CWYFc.18310$Ss4.14691@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
: : Exercise, diet, you name it - no difference. So eventually I
start
: drinking
: : again. Then I feel lousy most of the time, but not "drugged-up",
: and with at
: : least SOME energy.
: :
: : Has anyone else experienced this? I know I will drink again if I
: don't find
: : an answer.
: :
: : Thanks
: : Roger
: :
: :
:
: have you discussed this with your doctor?
:
:

i'm sorry, i did not mean to send the post right away.

have you discussed this with your doctor?
perhaps the alcohol was covering up another problem?
lifting your spirits so you felt better?

are you sleeping well at night since you quit drinking?

On - Sun, Jul 4, 2004, 7:02pm (EDT+4) roger.fenton@blueyonder.co.uk
(Roger*Fenton) wrote:

> However, each time I've stopped over the last 2
> years (3-6 months at a time) after about a week
> sober I've started to suffer from some kind of
> chronic fatigue... But it leaves me so low in
> energy and drive that I just can't be bothered to
> do anything - my garden is getting overgrown, I
> hardly exercise any more - fortunately I have an
> undemanding job, so I wander it, do it and go
> home.

Has your doctor checked your thiamine levels? Here is a repost below
from a week ago, concerning thiamine and "beriberi", ("i can't, I
can't") Read the recent posts on "adrenal burnout" too.

Have you done a nutritional detox to oxygenate your cells, clean out
toxins, help heal your liver?


Excerpt: "Beriberi"

Definition:
Beriberi is a disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1)
that affects many systems of the body, including the muscles, heart,
nerves, and digestive system. Beriberi literally means "I can't, I
can't" in Singhalese... In the United States, beriberi is primarily seen
in people with chronic alcoholism.

Cerebral beriberi, also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, usually
occurs in chronic alcoholics and affects the central nervous system
(brain and spinal cord). It can be caused by a situation that aggravates
a chronic thiamine deficiency, like an alcoholic binge or severe
vomiting.

About 25% of all alcoholics admitted to a hospital in the United States
show some evidence of thiamine deficiency.

Causes and symptoms:

Thiamine is one of the B vitamins and plays an important role in energy
metabolism and tissue building. It combines with phosphate to form the
coenzyme thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), which is essential in reactions
that produce energy from glucose or that convert glucose to fat for
storage in the tissues. When there is not enough thiamine in the diet,
these basic energy functions are disturbed, leading to problems
throughout the body.

Alcoholics are susceptible because they may substitute alcohol for food
and their frequent intake of alcohol decreases the body's ability to
absorb thiamine.

The following systems are most affected by beriberi:
Gastrointestinal system: When the cells of the smooth muscles in the
digestive system and glands do not get enough energy from glucose, they
are unable to produce more glucose from the normal digestion of food.
There is a loss of appetite, indigestion, severe constipation, and a
lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Nervous System: Glucose is essential for the central nervous system to
function normally. Early deficiency symptoms are fatigue, irritability,
and poor memory. If the deficiency continues, there is damage to the
peripheral nerves that causes loss of sensation and muscle weakness,
which is called peripheral neuropathy. The legs are most affected. The
toes feel numb and the feet have a burning sensation; the leg muscles
become sore and the calf muscles cramp. The individual walks unsteadily
and has difficulty getting up from a squatting position. Eventually, the
muscles shrink (atrophy) and there is a loss of reflexes in the knees
and feet; the feet may hang limp (footdrop).

Cardiovascular system: There is a rapid heartbeat and sweating.
Eventually the heart muscle weakens. Because the smooth muscle in the
blood vessels is affected, the arteries and veins relax, causing
swelling, known as edema, in the legs.
Musculoskeletal system: There is widespread muscle pain caused by the
lack of TPP in the muscle tissue.

Diagnosis:
There are many biochemical tests based on thiamine metabolism or the
functions of TPP that can detect a thiamine deficiency. Levels of
thiamine can be measured in the blood and urine and will be reduced if
there is a deficiency. The urine can be collected for 24 hours to
measure the level of thiamine excreted. Another reliable test measures
the effect of TPP on red blood cell activity since all forms of beriberi
affect the metabolism of red blood cells.

Treatment with thiamine reverses the deficiency in the body and relieves
most of the symptoms. Severe thiamine deficiency is treated with high
doses of thiamine given by injection into a muscle (intramuscular) or in
a solution that goes into a vein (intravenously) for several days. Then
smaller doses can be given either by injection or in pill form until the
patient recovers. Usually there are other deficiencies in the B vitamins
that will also need treatment.

Prevention:
A balanced diet containing all essential nutrients will prevent a
thiamine deficiency and the development of beriberi. People who consume
large quantities of junk food like soda, pretzels, chips, candy, and
high carbohydrate foods made with unenriched flours may be deficient in
thiamine and other vital nutrients. They may need to take vitamin
supplements and should improve their diets.

Food Sources:
The best food sources of thiamine are lean pork, beef, liver, brewer's
yeast, peas and beans, whole or enriched grains, and breads. The more
refined the food, as in white rice, white breads, and some cereals, the
lower the thiamine. Many food products are enriched with thiamine, along
with riboflavin, niacin, and iron, to prevent dietary deficiency.
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz.../beriberi.html

Yeah, sorry, shoudl have mentioned - my drinkig although heavy has not got
to the point where I didn't eat properly - the reverse in fact. I have
always eaten a diet high in wholegrains, fruti & vegetables, good meat and
fish - and been taking vitamin supplements for 20 years.

I don't have any other symptoms and am generally in excellent health for a
49-year old. No, it's weird - I suffered form insomnia for maye 20-23 years,
much of it caused by drinking, and now I sleep at least 8 hours every night
whereas before 4 was the norm - but I still can't get out of bed! I feel
like I could sleep forever. But, as I said, it's not unpleasant - very
tranquil, like I was on valium or something - its just that I don't get
anything DONE!

PS can't type even when at my peak...

i suggest that you contact your doctor, to be sure that "all systems
are go"!

--
rosie
https://electionimpact.votenet.com/declareyourself/














"Roger Fenton" <roger.fenton@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9h_Fc.28422$HQ1.27665@fe2.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
: Yeah, sorry, shoudl have mentioned - my drinkig although heavy has
not got
: to the point where I didn't eat properly - the reverse in fact. I
have
: always eaten a diet high in wholegrains, fruti & vegetables, good
meat and
: fish - and been taking vitamin supplements for 20 years.
:
: I don't have any other symptoms and am generally in excellent
health for a
: 49-year old. No, it's weird - I suffered form insomnia for maye
20-23 years,
: much of it caused by drinking, and now I sleep at least 8 hours
every night
: whereas before 4 was the norm - but I still can't get out of bed!
I feel
: like I could sleep forever. But, as I said, it's not unpleasant -
very
: tranquil, like I was on valium or something - its just that I
don't get
: anything DONE!
:
: PS can't type even when at my peak...
:
:

Oh, I've been - blood tests, everything, but all seems to be in order.

Just wonderng if anyone else had the same experience, that's all

On - Sun, Jul 4, 2004, 9:04pm (EDT+4) roger.fenton@blueyonder.co.uk
(Roger*Fenton) wrote:

> I don't have any other symptoms and am generally
> in excellent health for a 49-year old. No, it's weird
> - I suffered form insomnia for maye 20-23 years,
> much of it caused by drinking, and now I sleep at
> least 8 hours every night whereas before 4 was
> the norm - but I still can't get out of bed! I feel like
> I could sleep forever. But, as I said, it's not
> unpleasant - very tranquil, like I was on valium or
> something - its just that I don't get anything
> DONE!

Have you had a liver function test, thyroid function test recently?


Excerpt:

"One of the most common and debilitating symptoms among individuals with
liver disease is fatigue... Fatigue may occur at any time of day but is
most common in the morning about an hour after awakening. By 9 a.m. one
may already feel the exhaustion of a full workday. Others describe
weakness and a lack of energy throughout the entire day. Their usual
"pep" is now gone. Even little tasks become more trying and around 4
p.m., they simply must lie down to take a nap."

http://www.liverdisease.com/Fatigue.html

in my early sobriety i felt fatigue while my body was trying to
readjust to a diet WITHOUT high sugar alcohol, that and BOREDOM.
unless i was at a meeting, or out for coffee and pie with my other
AA friends, i found myself napping, doing housework, going to my job
and then more napping.

rosie
https://electionimpact.votenet.com/declareyourself/














"Roger Fenton" <roger.fenton@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:x1%Fc.28548$HQ1.1023@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.u k...
: Oh, I've been - blood tests, everything, but all seems to be in
order.
:
: Just wonderng if anyone else had the same experience, that's all
:
:

On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 21:55:41 GMT, "Roger Fenton" <roger.fenton@blueyonder.co.uk>
wrote:

>Oh, I've been - blood tests, everything, but all seems to be in order.
>
>Just wonderng if anyone else had the same experience, that's all

There is such a thing as "chronic fatigue syndrom".
Nobody knows what causes it. It is possible that
drinks act as stimulants to counter the symptoms.

G-A