72 hours sober...with a question...

[Winston]

Hello to all.
After a many year habit, I have decided to stop.
It has been 72 hours and I haven't had a drop.
An old friend called tonight and wanted to go out for a few drinks.
I made an excuse and said no, maybe another time...that was tuff !

Question:

The last couple nights I have found myself tossing and turning,
waking often, and having vivid ,unusual dreams.
Anybody else have these reactions ?

I used to drink myself to sleep every night.

Anybody ?

[cherrycup]

hi there ama newbie, but yes i get this, hubby goes to work early, i come down to sort my pups out, we have six!, then crawl back to bed, try to sleep and all sorts come into my mind, its like half awake and half asleep, one side making mountains out of molehills, and the other side being rational, lol last day i had this thought, and i dont eat sweet stuff at all, about using black rice pudding for someone i dont like, and i was really in a state over that so no, you are not on your own,, I have ended up with sweats, sickness, even if empty, shaking top to bottom, and panicking over nothing. thats on days without drinking, it might be something you have to go thru, probably your body is used to drink at night and now not used to it, i find that, even if i still wake up tired! am trying hard here not to touch the bottle when trouble attacks, but is hard,
well good luck and hope you can keep it up

Jan

"Winston" <found@last.com> wrote in message news:1023sv1hmgugic9@corp.supernews.com...
> Hello to all.
> After a many year habit, I have decided to stop.
> It has been 72 hours and I haven't had a drop.
> An old friend called tonight and wanted to go out for a few drinks.
> I made an excuse and said no, maybe another time...that was tuff !
>
> Question:
>
> The last couple nights I have found myself tossing and turning,
> waking often, and having vivid ,unusual dreams.
> Anybody else have these reactions ?
>
> I used to drink myself to sleep every night.
>
> Anybody ?
>
>

[Fred Exley]

Oh yeah, just about everybody who's been a daily drinker for a long time has
similar reactions. I had basically the same question as you and posted it
here on 1-10. Lot's of great replies you might want to read, including what
Cheggars had to say about it:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Fred, I'm not a medical person and I can't give you the explanation
you asked for, but I can certainly identify with the sleep
disturbances. After almost a week, I've noticed that my dreams are
still more disturbing and vivid than they normally are.

I have learned recently that alcohol has a kind of double-whammy
effect on the signals within the brain saying "speed up" or "slow
down" to the overall rate of brain activity.

Specifically, alcohol turns down the volume on the 'speed up' message
and turns the volume up on the 'slow down' message. Our brains are, in
effect, slowed down.

Nature responds by changing the brain chemistry to try and make the
brain work at its normal rate, despite the alcohol. It makes less
'slow down' juice and more 'speed up juice.' This is all well and
good, until you quit the sauce.

Here's how it was explained to me. Your brain's an olympic athlete. It
has to run 100 metres in 10 seconds. Alcohol coats the running track
in molasses. The track's two feet deep in sticky goo. So the brain
trains itself to get faster and faster so that it can still do the 100
metres - in molasses - in around ten seconds.

Then suddenly, the molasses (the alcohol) is gone and the track's a
pristine running surface again. Does the brain do a ten-second hundred
metre dash? No, it doesn't... it does a hundred metres in about five
seconds, and then keeps running. That's the cause of the rebound
symptoms we get when we quit. Anxiety, jitteriness, squirreliness, the
nervous retchies and so on and so forth. Your brain's overspeeding
because that's what you've (I've!) taught it to do to function as
normally as it can despite the booze.

Except... those are the manifestations during wakefulness. What you're
describing is possibly the manifestations of the same syndrome during
sleep.

I read on a website that the lowest grade detox symptoms are
nervousness and low-grade fever (I could relate!). The doctor who was
quoted said that someone in this condition would look like "a nervous
person who had flu" (sound familiar? It did to me!). Night sweats and
fucked up dreams are just about the same nocturnal manifestations, I
would guess.

So, I may have added two and two and gotten five, but it's about the
best I can do.

More power to ya, Fred. You'll be in much better shape inside 48
hours.

Best

Cheggers.

[Winston]

Thank you very much !
I will check out all the other replies, also.
It is nice to know I am not alone.
All aspects of my life have been affected by my drinking.
I really want to change.
Maybe the Chamomile tea I'm sipping(plain, thank you) will
help me sleep tonight.
I think I'll stick around this group. Your helping already !

Thanks again.

Fred Exley wrote:

> Oh yeah, just about everybody who's been a daily drinker for a long time has
> similar reactions. I had basically the same question as you and posted it
> here on 1-10. Lot's of great replies you might want to read, including what
> Cheggars had to say about it:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> Fred, I'm not a medical person and I can't give you the explanation
> you asked for, but I can certainly identify with the sleep
> disturbances. After almost a week, I've noticed that my dreams are
> still more disturbing and vivid than they normally are.
>
> I have learned recently that alcohol has a kind of double-whammy
> effect on the signals within the brain saying "speed up" or "slow
> down" to the overall rate of brain activity.
>
> Specifically, alcohol turns down the volume on the 'speed up' message
> and turns the volume up on the 'slow down' message. Our brains are, in
> effect, slowed down.
>
> Nature responds by changing the brain chemistry to try and make the
> brain work at its normal rate, despite the alcohol. It makes less
> 'slow down' juice and more 'speed up juice.' This is all well and
> good, until you quit the sauce.
>
> Here's how it was explained to me. Your brain's an olympic athlete. It
> has to run 100 metres in 10 seconds. Alcohol coats the running track
> in molasses. The track's two feet deep in sticky goo. So the brain
> trains itself to get faster and faster so that it can still do the 100
> metres - in molasses - in around ten seconds.
>
> Then suddenly, the molasses (the alcohol) is gone and the track's a
> pristine running surface again. Does the brain do a ten-second hundred
> metre dash? No, it doesn't... it does a hundred metres in about five
> seconds, and then keeps running. That's the cause of the rebound
> symptoms we get when we quit. Anxiety, jitteriness, squirreliness, the
> nervous retchies and so on and so forth. Your brain's overspeeding
> because that's what you've (I've!) taught it to do to function as
> normally as it can despite the booze.
>
> Except... those are the manifestations during wakefulness. What you're
> describing is possibly the manifestations of the same syndrome during
> sleep.
>
> I read on a website that the lowest grade detox symptoms are
> nervousness and low-grade fever (I could relate!). The doctor who was
> quoted said that someone in this condition would look like "a nervous
> person who had flu" (sound familiar? It did to me!). Night sweats and
> fucked up dreams are just about the same nocturnal manifestations, I
> would guess.
>
> So, I may have added two and two and gotten five, but it's about the
> best I can do.
>
> More power to ya, Fred. You'll be in much better shape inside 48
> hours.
>
> Best
>
> Cheggers.
>
>

[cherrycup]

thanks for that, that really will help in getting my husband to understand,

Jan


"Fred Exley" <fexly221@msn.com> wrote in message news:1023uge1jsfbg56@corp.supernews.com...
> Oh yeah, just about everybody who's been a daily drinker for a long time has
> similar reactions. I had basically the same question as you and posted it
> here on 1-10. Lot's of great replies you might want to read, including what
> Cheggars had to say about it:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> Fred, I'm not a medical person and I can't give you the explanation
> you asked for, but I can certainly identify with the sleep
> disturbances. After almost a week, I've noticed that my dreams are
> still more disturbing and vivid than they normally are.
>
> I have learned recently that alcohol has a kind of double-whammy
> effect on the signals within the brain saying "speed up" or "slow
> down" to the overall rate of brain activity.
>
> Specifically, alcohol turns down the volume on the 'speed up' message
> and turns the volume up on the 'slow down' message. Our brains are, in
> effect, slowed down.
>
> Nature responds by changing the brain chemistry to try and make the
> brain work at its normal rate, despite the alcohol. It makes less
> 'slow down' juice and more 'speed up juice.' This is all well and
> good, until you quit the sauce.
>
> Here's how it was explained to me. Your brain's an olympic athlete. It
> has to run 100 metres in 10 seconds. Alcohol coats the running track
> in molasses. The track's two feet deep in sticky goo. So the brain
> trains itself to get faster and faster so that it can still do the 100
> metres - in molasses - in around ten seconds.
>
> Then suddenly, the molasses (the alcohol) is gone and the track's a
> pristine running surface again. Does the brain do a ten-second hundred
> metre dash? No, it doesn't... it does a hundred metres in about five
> seconds, and then keeps running. That's the cause of the rebound
> symptoms we get when we quit. Anxiety, jitteriness, squirreliness, the
> nervous retchies and so on and so forth. Your brain's overspeeding
> because that's what you've (I've!) taught it to do to function as
> normally as it can despite the booze.
>
> Except... those are the manifestations during wakefulness. What you're
> describing is possibly the manifestations of the same syndrome during
> sleep.
>
> I read on a website that the lowest grade detox symptoms are
> nervousness and low-grade fever (I could relate!). The doctor who was
> quoted said that someone in this condition would look like "a nervous
> person who had flu" (sound familiar? It did to me!). Night sweats and
> fucked up dreams are just about the same nocturnal manifestations, I
> would guess.
>
> So, I may have added two and two and gotten five, but it's about the
> best I can do.
>
> More power to ya, Fred. You'll be in much better shape inside 48
> hours.
>
> Best
>
> Cheggers.
>
>

[debs]

yes disturbed sleep can be a problem for a while.

Try all the well know remedies for sleep......but if all else fails do go to
your GP and maybe ask for a mild sleeping tablet just to tide you over for a
few days.

It would probably be a good idea to visit your GP anyway.......tell him what
you are doing and get a medical. Withdrawal can get very tough and you may
need some support to go through this.

All the best

debs
"Winston" <found@last.com> wrote in message
news:1023sv1hmgugic9@corp.supernews.com...
> Hello to all.
> After a many year habit, I have decided to stop.
> It has been 72 hours and I haven't had a drop.
> An old friend called tonight and wanted to go out for a few drinks.
> I made an excuse and said no, maybe another time...that was tuff !
>
> Question:
>
> The last couple nights I have found myself tossing and turning,
> waking often, and having vivid ,unusual dreams.
> Anybody else have these reactions ?
>
> I used to drink myself to sleep every night.
>
> Anybody ?
>
>

[rosie]

wow, welcome to sobriety!

YES, you might experience some sleep disturbances, especially if
your body is use to you giving it alcohol daily.

most times, it is just a matter of time for your body to "get the
message" that you are not drinking!

but...........................you ought to check in with your health
professional to be monitored.



--
read and post daily, it works!
rosie

Congress has the power to censure the President -- to formally
reprimand him for his betrayal of the nation's trust. If ever there
was a time to use this function, it is now. Join the call for
Congress to censure President Bush now at:
http://www.moveon.org/censure/?id=-1555727-LwxVozqbsXUubaCq5RHn6g



"Winston" <found@last.com> wrote in message
news:1023sv1hmgugic9@corp.supernews.com...
> Hello to all.
> After a many year habit, I have decided to stop.
> It has been 72 hours and I haven't had a drop.
> An old friend called tonight and wanted to go out for a few
drinks.
> I made an excuse and said no, maybe another time...that was tuff !
>
> Question:
>
> The last couple nights I have found myself tossing and turning,
> waking often, and having vivid ,unusual dreams.
> Anybody else have these reactions ?
>
> I used to drink myself to sleep every night.
>
> Anybody ?
>
>

[Bpyboy]

I went through (and sometimes still have) REALLY bad dreams and insomnia. It
was terrible when I quite drinking. I mean, REALLY terrible. I would wake up,
with my heart pounding, and my PJs just soaked in sweat.

And all kinds of anxiety problems. That drove me back numerous times--i won't
lie to you. (like "fuck this! if this is sober, I don't want anything to do
with it!!!).

It took a good week for some of the anxiety and confusion to wear off a little
bit, and get an appetite back. Maybe another month, and I was back to my
pre-drinking level of insomnia, which i'm being treated for now.

I know that sleeping problems can be absolutley maddening! Every little noise,
a car goes past, and you're awake for another hour. and getting worn down the
whole time!!

being the pig headed son of a bitch that I am, I went through it and literally
"white knuckled" it. THEN i got the sense to see my doc when it was over!

In retro, stupid thing to do. I got REALLY sick from it, and he may have been
able to help. And the sleep problems, it seems, stem from a previously
untreated depression problem. I'm talking with a shrink and my GP about
things.

Most important though, if you want the mind to be healthy, you need a healthy
body!! After I quite, and I dreaded it! I got my sorry ass to the gym, then
started to take my bike to the gym, modified my diet and cut out the coffee
(that was tearing my guts up worse than beer was i think?).

It all happens with time, and to someone determined not to be sick anymore.

Anyways, I got a physical yesterday and my blood pressure dropped. My resting
heart rate dropped, and things are looking a lot better in my body than they
did just a couple short months ago!

I know, when you're "junk sick " like my GP calls it (and it doesn't matter if
it's heroin, smoking, booze, whatever your poison is) And people say "it will
get better" and "you can do this" and you get sicker and sicker, you think
"fuck this man, I NEVER got this sick when I was drunk!"

but then, at some point, it really does get better! Your mind clears up, you
don't puke when you wake up in the morning. You don't get up thinking "shit, I
need $10 for some beers!!"

Yeah, there are tremendous problems after that, but with a healthier body and
clear mind, anyone can do ANYTHING they want to do!!

although, honestly, it was everything I could do, that first week, not to break
down and just give in. like the old song goes "i know that tomorrow, they'll
be some new excuse" And the weeks came and went, and it was always "next
weekend, next weekend..."

Finally, and after each dry out got progressively worse, it was crunch time! I
thought "next time it might kill me!" and that was it.


hang in there. You are either on or getting over the really bad hump.

John

[jim]

On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 01:42:27 -0600, Winston <found@last.com> wrote:

>Hello to all.
>After a many year habit, I have decided to stop.
>It has been 72 hours and I haven't had a drop.
>An old friend called tonight and wanted to go out for a few drinks.
>I made an excuse and said no, maybe another time...that was tuff !
>
>Question:
>
>The last couple nights I have found myself tossing and turning,
>waking often, and having vivid ,unusual dreams.
>Anybody else have these reactions ?
>
>I used to drink myself to sleep every night.
>
>Anybody ?
>

Hello Winston: yes i have been having odd dreams lately too and waking
up in the middle of the night and having trouble getting back to
sleep. I am 27 days clean and sober today and havent felt this good in
a long time. I also notice i am getting these flash-backs of old
memorys when i was a kid that i thought were long forgotten. I guess
this is a sign that the brain is recovering also. It's very
interesting and i look forward to each day now even though i find on a
friday night after work i find im thinking of a drink but resist and
the thought passes. Good luck and hang in there.
Jim

[Julie LaRue]

No one ever died from not sleeping at night. Just give it sometime and you
will sleep like a baby.
Julie

"jim" <dingdong46@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:0kk820540bl1qt2r463p9hafq84uir78mv@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 01:42:27 -0600, Winston <found@last.com> wrote:
>
> >Hello to all.
> >After a many year habit, I have decided to stop.
> >It has been 72 hours and I haven't had a drop.
> >An old friend called tonight and wanted to go out for a few drinks.
> >I made an excuse and said no, maybe another time...that was tuff !
> >
> >Question:
> >
> >The last couple nights I have found myself tossing and turning,
> >waking often, and having vivid ,unusual dreams.
> >Anybody else have these reactions ?
> >
> >I used to drink myself to sleep every night.
> >
> >Anybody ?
> >
>
> Hello Winston: yes i have been having odd dreams lately too and waking
> up in the middle of the night and having trouble getting back to
> sleep. I am 27 days clean and sober today and havent felt this good in
> a long time. I also notice i am getting these flash-backs of old
> memorys when i was a kid that i thought were long forgotten. I guess
> this is a sign that the brain is recovering also. It's very
> interesting and i look forward to each day now even though i find on a
> friday night after work i find im thinking of a drink but resist and
> the thought passes. Good luck and hang in there.
> Jim

[neuro equipoise]

On - Thu, Feb 5, 2004, 1:42am (EST-1) found@last.com (Winston) wrote:

> The last couple nights I have found myself tossing
> and turning, waking often, and having vivid,
> unusual dreams. Anybody else have these
> reactions ?

Alcohol withdrawal affects melatonin secretions, and melatonin is the
pineal hormone responsible for sleep and vivid dreaming.

Alcohol use removes serotonin receptors as well, and serotonin is the
daylight brain chemical which clicks-on melatonin at night. Once your
serotonin levels balance out, so will your sleep.

[Moonraker]

"neuro equipoise" <NeuroEquipoise@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:10206-4025084E-72@storefull-3276.bay.webtv.net...
> On - Thu, Feb 5, 2004, 1:42am (EST-1) found@last.com (Winston) wrote:
>
> Once your
> serotonin levels balance out, so will your sleep.
>
Can you say that with an absolute medical certainty?