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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CEK on May 7, 2006, at 19:58:39
Hi. I'm new to this board and am writing in concern for my husband. He has quit drinking in February of this year cold turkey. I worry about him because I know it's got to be hard on him. He has drank a twelve pack of beer everyday now for years. He was never a happy drinker. It only made him irritable and he looked for reasons to argue. He didn't eat much when he drank. I called his drinking "his liquid diet." He's not the AA type. He doesn't like talking about his "personal" business and would rather do it on his own. I think he's suffering from some sort of depression. He says he has no motivation and feels sluggish. (It doesn't help that I'm putting him through hell with my own illnes that I share with everyone on psycho-babble, and being hospitalized for my own depression and suicidal thoughts.) He stopped drinking because I couldn't handle it anymore. He stopped after I had my first breakdown. What I'm wondering is how long until his system is fully clean of the alcohol? He says he doesn't crave it anymore but he feels like crap. His face use to get real red and flush when he was drinking and it still does this even though he has quit and his blood pressure is normal. He is also developing acne on his face that he didn't have before. Are these things normal? Is he almost in the clear? I know he'll always be one drink away from being a full fledged alcoholic again but when can he expect to start to feel better? Other than what I've mentioned, he says he doesn't feel worse or better. He's a much better person to be around and no longer lashes out at me and the kids. Have any of you been down this road and are you able to shed some light on his situation? I love him dearly and wish he would go to AA or to the doctor to help him with this, but he is stubborn. Thanks, CEK
Posted by James K on May 8, 2006, at 0:39:44
In reply to How long until your body is clean of beer?, posted by CEK on May 7, 2006, at 19:58:39
> Hi.
--Hi, I know some about this, some from experience, some from what I've been told. I'm no expert, but I'll do my best.
I'm new to this board and am writing in concern for my husband. He has quit drinking in February of this year cold turkey. I worry about him because I know it's got to be hard on him. He has drank a twelve pack of beer everyday now for years.
--Quitting after that amount would be hard and could have been dangerous. It's amazing that he has been able to do it just with willpower. very strong.
He was never a happy drinker. It only made him irritable and he looked for reasons to argue. He didn't eat much when he drank.
--He needs to be taking vitamins. At least a multi, but I think it is thiamine (a b-vitamin) that is most important. Those things get depleted, and supplementation is needed to get all the brain neurons back to firing correctly.
I called his drinking "his liquid diet." He's not the AA type. He doesn't like talking about his "personal" business and would rather do it on his own. I think he's suffering from some sort of depression. He says he has no motivation and feels sluggish.
---It is very likely that he is feeling bad. It would be hard to say if it is "actual depression" or "long term abuse and withdrawal depression" for a while. I believe even as long as 18 months. He will have deleted all of the dopamine in his brain and changed the receptors. And something about the neuroepherine? (Any of you science types please help, I'm going on memory and half-understood concepts.) This will make it hard for him to take pleasure in normal pleasurable activities until that stuff starts to heal up back to normal. If he is depressed anyway/as well, he may need an antideppressant. He may need one anyway just for the alcohol situation.
(It doesn't help that I'm putting him through hell with my own illnes that I share with everyone on psycho-babble, and being hospitalized for my own depression and suicidal thoughts.) He stopped drinking because I couldn't handle it anymore. He stopped after I had my first breakdown.
---That shows a strong commitment to you. I congratulate both of you on you attempts to improve your lives. I'm in the process myself of both alcohol recovery and depression recovery.
What I'm wondering is how long until his system is fully clean of the alcohol? He says he doesn't crave it anymore but he feels like crap. His face use to get real red and flush when he was drinking and it still does this even though he has quit and his blood pressure is normal. He is also developing acne on his face that he didn't have before. Are these things normal? Is he almost in the clear? I know he'll always be one drink away from being a full fledged alcoholic again but when can he expect to start to feel better? Other than what I've mentioned, he says he doesn't feel worse or better. He's a much better person to be around and no longer lashes out at me and the kids. Have any of you been down this road and are you able to shed some light on his situation? I love him dearly and wish he would go to AA or to the doctor to help him with this, but he is stubborn. Thanks, CEK---I wish I could give you more, the truth is I've never quit long enough to find out what the true benefit may be. I think after these few months he has crossed some big hurdles, but he has a way to go yet. Just good nutrition and sleep are his best allies right now. Of course he could benefit from a program of some kind, but that is up to him. What he has done is great already, and I hope that with more time he can feel it more. I do believe more time is what is needed.
James K
Posted by CEK on May 8, 2006, at 4:42:42
In reply to Re: How long until your body is clean of beer? » CEK, posted by James K on May 8, 2006, at 0:39:44
Thank you James. I did use to make him take a multi vitamen back before he quit. I read up on how an alcoholic thinks he's ok getting all of his calories from beer but no nutrients and that his system can go down. That was in just a small article about the subject. He'd get up in the morning and take about 2-3 mini thins and not eat breakfast, eat a candy bar for lunch, then snack on a bag of chips on his way home from work while he started consuming his 12 pack.( we worked together and I would drive home. Sorry, I don't beleive in the drinking and driving thing.) This was how he lived for the longest. Since he stopped the drinking and started eating real food, he's actually lost weight.(not like he needed to.He's lost 10-15 lbs. I'd rather him be a little heavier.) All of the "beer belly" is definitely gone. He's had high blood pressure since he was 21 and has been on medication since then. I didn't think drinking was good for this. He couldn't even get life insurance when we bought our house back in 2000. His blood liver levels were elevated. We tried several times. Does that mean that there has been damage to his liver? How long til one's liver has repaired itself? James, I'm not aiming all of this at you. Just at anyone that might know. I was mainly writing to thank you for your responce and to tell you I started him back on his vitamins this morning. Love, CEK
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 8, 2006, at 10:37:42
In reply to How long until your body is clean of beer?, posted by CEK on May 7, 2006, at 19:58:39
> He stopped drinking because I couldn't handle it anymore. He stopped after I had my first breakdown.
I commend him on being able to make that commitment to your mutual future. That doesn't mean everything got made right, though, just by taking beer out of the relationship. He may not be AA material, but you might get some insight into the nature of your relationship by attending Al-Anon yourself. Letting him start drinking as you drove him home with the beer is enabling behaviour. Just an obvious example.
> What I'm wondering is how long until his system is fully clean of the alcohol?
12 hours. I know that's not the answer you were expecting.
He's starved his body for far more than just B-vitamins, and he's done it for a very long time. Restoring his body's stores of vital nutrients could take years of work.
The human body is amazingly resilient. There is no reason your husband can't fully recover from this. It's going to take a lot of effort and attention to do it.
Most inpatient detox places spend a great deal of time teaching healthy living to the newly sober. It may still be a good idea to get your husband into a treatment center. They could answer every question for you.
Lar
Posted by curtm on May 9, 2006, at 19:31:02
In reply to Re: How long until your body is clean of beer? » CEK, posted by Larry Hoover on May 8, 2006, at 10:37:42
I can relate to your relationship in that I am the drinker and my wife is the victim of it. I am happy for you both that he has musterd the willpower to quit. I have been taking much advice from several people here (thanks Larry- hope you got my last message.) They make me more conscious everyday with my problems without telling me what is best for me.
I really didn't get a lot out af AA myself, but I did from NA. I know it may "seem" unfitting, but alcohol is a drug. Some people think they may feel out of place, but it could be the opposite once they try it. I just think the people are more open and concerned(when you find the right group.) The groups are usually smaller, so I felt more involved. Don't be afraid to try it if AA doesn't feel right.
Posted by BrianBoru on May 23, 2006, at 20:38:30
In reply to How long until your body is clean of beer?, posted by CEK on May 7, 2006, at 19:58:39
Technically, after 72 hours all traces of alcohol are out of your body. The rest of the job is mental. But if your husband is showing redness in the face and acne-like eruptions (spider nevi, maybe ?) he is probably showing the signs of liver disease. He needs to be examined by a competent internist or gastroenterologist.
Posted by CEK on May 23, 2006, at 21:07:00
In reply to Re: How long until your body is clean of beer? » CEK, posted by BrianBoru on May 23, 2006, at 20:38:30
Thank you for the responce. This is something I've worried about before because his blood tests always showed up abnormal when it came to his liver. He has been declined for life insurance because of it. I'll make sure I get him checked out asap. Thank you for the advice. CEK
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