PLEASE DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL WHEN YOU FEEL RECOVERED

[[Sk...]]

One evening, my husband offered me a beer, and I drank it. It tasted great, and I actually felt better after I drank it. To be very clear: I don't think I felt better because of the alcohol's effect. It was only one beer, and I didn't feel much, if any, alcohol effect. What I did feel was some small measure of relief that I wasn't going to have to alter and micromanage everything in my life to get through this in one piece.

 

Most people don't realize this but the hops in beer act on gaba. I don't know which receptors specifically but there is a reason why a beer buzz makes you feel different than a buzz from other types of alcoholic beverages. My guess is that hops act on different sub receptors than ethanol.

 

I've had a beer--just one--every evening since, and it hasn't had any physical effect (so far). I've continued to feel better, but I don't think the beer had anything to do with it beyond the fact that I enjoy it well within the confines of moderation.

 

One thing everyone should keep in mind is that there is always a possibility that alcohol could be causing problems that aren't immediately recognizable. Another buddy sent me a PM awhile back that made me realize that it might be possible for the consumption of alcohol to interfere with healing even if you don't notice an immediate uptick in symptoms. We always look for an immediate correlation but what if it prolongs benzo wd symptoms "behind the scenes", completely independent of how you feel the next day? Just something to think about.

 

Honestly I think there is a possibility that ethanol might be of some medical use for easing the symptoms of benzo wd, but we just don't know how it affects things so are you helping things or hurting things? Are you trading short term relief for longer healing? Or does moderate alcohol use cushion the blow without any lasting negative effects?

 

I am not convinced either way, but at this point in my recovery I am being very cautious. I can't afford to live with these debilitating cognitive symptoms any longer than necessary, and I am pretty sure those delicious beers aren't going to help my cognitive function come back any sooner, even if my body were able to tolerate them.

 

Just some stuff to think about.

[[al...]]

thank you! thank you! for giving some new perspectives and doing it so positively! we are all so very  different. some cannot tollerate alcohol and some can. it probably has a lot to do with benzo w/d but it could also be the intollerance to alcohol has nothing to do with post withdrawal or withdrawal, maybe it's just your body has changed?..... it is so easy...and i am guilty of this as well, to blame everything on benzo w/d when sometimes it could be something else, infinite possibilities and sometimes it is in fact the benzos.....how do we differentiate? who bloody knows? so i just stick to listening to what my body needs and what it is telling me. honestly, a lot of my friends, now that we are getting into our late 30's and 40's can't tolerate alcohol anymore either and they have never had benzo's. their bodies changed...age, childbirth, medical issues, hormones etc etc, our bodies are so very complex, in constant flux and changing every millisecond. benzo w/d and post w/d just makes it infinitely harder on us...damn! the older we get the harder it is to handle alcohol anyway, it is a toxin afterall....this is  normal........remember getting drunk in college staying out til 6 am getting up at 8 am and being in class for 9 am and then repeating that for weeks on end....how easy was that? i couldn't do that anymore benzo w/d or not....my body couldn't take it.......i don't know any of my friends that could either.

 

perfect example....for the last two weeks i had severe ringing in my ear....i  chalked it up to benzo w/d and made adjustments to function with it until hopefully it would eventually go away. after 2 weeks it started to hurt so i went to the doctor just to make sure it was in fact withdrawal and not an infection.....sure enough it was a bad infection. took ear drops and two days later the ringing was gone............if it hadn't started to hurt i would have just blamed benzos..........listen to your body. if it doesn't like alcohol right now it doesn't...and if it makes things worse than why do that to yourself? but if you tolerate it why feel bad or guilty about having a beer........especially if you enjoy it....to each his own.

 

 

 

 

[[Bo...]]

I LIKE THIS THREAD

[[Wh...]]

I LIKE THIS THREAD

 

LOL

[[Sk...]]

I drank a jello shot for karaoke and it made me feel real good but then made my heart beat fast for a little while and then it was over.  I would do it again too!    But not more than a tiny tiny jello shot though for karaoke.  I sang the crap out of my song! 

 

-SZ-

[[al...]]

good for you skyzone for letting loose and having a bit of fun, doing a jello shot and singing karaoke! and then not panicking when your heart raced and sang instead! that is an accomplishment!(not the alcohol, but the moment of fun) sometimes those moments of fun can uplift us so much it can keep our spirits up for days! who says we can't find moments of joy during this rollercoaster ride?! who says we can't have normal moments where we feel like our old selves............we are normal! we are just temporarily on hold.

[[Sk...]]

I feel alright today after that one jello shot.  I don't know if it might have damaged my brain cells that were growing back or what.  I hope not.  Just to be safe, I guess I won't drink at all until my body completely heals from the benzo withdraw.  Though I must say I did have a blast last night!

 

-SZ-

[[Bi...]]

I have no problem drinking alcohol or wine. I have tried it, it didn't do anything. I'm no alcoholic, or big drinker. I never cared for alcohol that much. It makes me kind of nauseated.

 

I'll stick to my Starbucks, soda, and juices.

 

It must suck knowing you can't drink any, in case a celebration comes up.

[[...]]

I have no problem drinking alcohol or wine. I have tried it, it didn't do anything. I'm no alcoholic, or big drinker. I never cared for alcohol that much. It makes me kind of nauseated.

 

I'll stick to my Starbucks, soda, and juices.

 

It must suck knowing you can't drink any, in case a celebration comes up.

Everyone is different. A shot of rum is no problem. One diet drink with caffeine will cause a migraine.

 

You HAVE to know your own body.

[[Bi...]]

I have no problem drinking alcohol or wine. I have tried it, it didn't do anything. I'm no alcoholic, or big drinker. I never cared for alcohol that much. It makes me kind of nauseated.

 

I'll stick to my Starbucks, soda, and juices.

 

It must suck knowing you can't drink any, in case a celebration comes up.

Everyone is different. A shot of rum is no problem. One diet drink with caffeine will cause a migraine.

 

You HAVE to know your own body.

 

It could be the aspartame in Diet Soda that is giving you the headache, it is known for it.

[[...]]

I have no problem drinking alcohol or wine. I have tried it, it didn't do anything. I'm no alcoholic, or big drinker. I never cared for alcohol that much. It makes me kind of nauseated.

 

I'll stick to my Starbucks, soda, and juices.

 

It must suck knowing you can't drink any, in case a celebration comes up.

Everyone is different. A shot of rum is no problem. One diet drink with caffeine will cause a migraine.

 

You HAVE to know your own body.

 

It could be the aspartame in Diet Soda that is giving you the headache, it is known for it.

Nope. Migraines started when I drank coke for the first time in around 5th grade. I just didn't know it was the trigger.

 

ANY amount of caffeine will trigger a massive headache. Trust me.

[[Bi...]]

I have no problem drinking alcohol or wine. I have tried it, it didn't do anything. I'm no alcoholic, or big drinker. I never cared for alcohol that much. It makes me kind of nauseated.

 

I'll stick to my Starbucks, soda, and juices.

 

It must suck knowing you can't drink any, in case a celebration comes up.

Everyone is different. A shot of rum is no problem. One diet drink with caffeine will cause a migraine.

 

You HAVE to know your own body.

 

It could be the aspartame in Diet Soda that is giving you the headache, it is known for it.

Nope. Migraines started when I drank coke for the first time in around 5th grade. I just didn't know it was the trigger.

 

ANY amount of caffeine will trigger a massive headache. Trust me.

 

Yes, it can. But aspartame can as well. I guess it depends on the person, but for me, it doesn't cause any headache.

 

I would go insane without my soda.

[[...]]

Yes, it can. But aspartame can as well. I guess it depends on the person, but for me, it doesn't cause any headache.

 

Absolutely! I mean to say that it triggers a headache in ME! I discovered this quite by accident about four months ago.

 

I have never tried to tell anyone else in this forum what is best for them. And for the record, I MISS the soda. So drink some for me.

 

I would go insane without my soda.

[[Bo...]]

I think I might try red wine when I'm ready. I'm gonna wait unit I can sleep without any melatonin or benadryl tho. I also want to be able to have a hard workout without anxiety for a few days too. No sense in rushing these things. Once I can sleep and lift weights again without any side effects then I'll know I can handle booze again.

 

The thing I've learned from all of this is NOBODY GETS A FREE PASS. YOU MAY PLAY TODAY BUT EVERYONE PAYS DOWN THE ROAD SOMEHOW. 

[[...]]

The thing I've learned from all of this is NOBODY GETS A FREE PASS. YOU MAY PLAY TODAY BUT EVERYONE PAYS DOWN THE ROAD SOMEHOW. 

No one gets a free pass when doing something that is not healthy, that is for SURE!

[[Sk...]]

The only aspertame I do ingest is from gum.  I have to chew my gum. I don't notice any side effects from that.

 

-SZ-

[Guest [14...]]

I have noticed a correlation between having a shot of Bailey's at bedtime and actually sleeping the whole night. I did this about a month ago and had a great night's sleep, then again two nights ago & last night. It is a very small amount of alcohol but enough to take the edge off of my nervous energy and allow me to relax.... not get me pissed drunk. I talked to my dr about this and he said it was fine. The Ashton manual also states that there is nothing wrong with consuming a small amount of alcohol. 

[[Fl...]]

Hey Whoopsie,

 

Do you still think that alcohol caused your setback? Just curious since it's been awhile now.

[[Ph...]]

I wonder why this happened....Have you found out?

 

Alcohol works on GABA receptors . Theoretically that would explain it.

[[Wh...]]

Hey Whoopsie,

 

Do you still think that alcohol caused your setback? Just curious since it's been awhile now.

 

It's hard to say FG.  If a couple of drinks could knock out the healing I'd done, well that just sucks.  I do like to find things to blame my symptoms on so that I can make sense of things.  I just wanted to warn people not to do that in case that's what this is.  10 months later and still hurting although I did finally have a window Friday before last.  I do feel that I am making progress.

[[Th...]]

Was at the party the other night.  Everyone drinking except me.  Sure glad I stayed away from alcohol. 

[[ih...]]

It's useful for people to know that there is a risk arising from the GABA receptor interaction but it's all so individualised.

 

I have had no probs with red wine with dinner but am still sensitive to caffeine at 8 months out & could not tolerate it at all while tapering & in early withdrawal.

[[Fl...]]

It's hard to say FG.  If a couple of drinks could knock out the healing I'd done, well that just sucks.  I do like to find things to blame my symptoms on so that I can make sense of things.  I just wanted to warn people not to do that in case that's what this is.  10 months later and still hurting although I did finally have a window Friday before last.  I do feel that I am making progress.

 

I think we all try to find triggers. I have narrowed down a few (alcohol is one of them) but in my case it only hits me for a couple of days and then I am back to where I was. Some other things I'm not as sure of. Like processed foods/MSG. I think they might rev me up for a couple of hours after I eat them, but it has never been strong enough or consistent enough for me to pick out a pattern.

 

Anyway, glad you had the window. I've been having quite a few partials myself. Maybe it's because I haven't had a drop of alcohol in like, forever 

[[Sk...]]

I drank half of a shot of apple pucker mixed with pineapple juice and I felt fine.  I was sipping on a shot the whole night at the karaoke bar.   

[[sa...]]

Hi BB's,

 

At 7 months off, I cannot have any hard liquor. I feel sick before the drink is done. However, I seem to be able to tolerate wheat beer or a light domestic, or any white wine. I was a red wine drinker before, but I can't tolerate it at all.

 

Everyone is different, clearly.

Sarah~