Advice for quitting drinking for a month

[Cfinnerty16]

Well 26 days no alcohol!
Its been going well, I'm sleeping great and have more energy on my long runs.

However I'm still having GI issues, going to the bathroom 4-5 times a day.
2 times in the morning, once after lunch, and if I run I usually right after that as well.

Doctor is ordering a HIDA scan next Friday to see if my Gallbladder is the problem.
After that's ruled out I imagine I'll be diagnosed with IBS, which it is what it is.

 

[dafarmer]

Start at 11:59 on the 31st. Nothing funny about addictions and hope you make it

 

[Cfinnerty16]

Start at 11:59 on the 31st. Nothing funny about addictions and hope you make it

Good luck! First 3 days are tough for sleep but after that it gets so much better!

 

[Old87]

Congratulations on your success with the quitting alcohol goal. Stopping old habits is very difficult and you are doing great. Keep up the good work. Better days are ahead.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Well 26 days no alcohol!
Its been going well, I'm sleeping great and have more energy on my long runs.

However I'm still having GI issues, going to the bathroom 4-5 times a day.
2 times in the morning, once after lunch, and if I run I usually right after that as well.

Doctor is ordering a HIDA scan next Friday to see if my Gallbladder is the problem.
After that's ruled out I imagine I'll be diagnosed with IBS, which it is what it is.

Have you adjusted your diet at all after going alcohol free? Or changed your activity level? Also did you try any over the counter meds for the GI upset symptoms. Know your physician already has to about asked just curious.

 

[Cfinnerty16]

Have you adjusted your diet at all after going alcohol free? Or changed your activity level? Also did you try any over the counter meds for the GI upset symptoms. Know your physician already has to about asked just curious.

Nope. I've been eating pretty much the same.
I run 40 miles a week and have for over 6 years, so my activity level is always pretty good.
I've been on sertraline for 9 ish years, probably could get off it, but haven't had negative side effects to speak of.

A thought did come to me today trying to think when most of my issues sort of started GI wise.
I quit tobacco pouches over 2.5 years ago, consequentially I chew a ton of sugar free gum. Maybe almost a pack a day.

The time I first started having right side abdominal bloating/pain, about 2.2 years ago.

So I'm going to try quitting the gum as well now lol

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Nope. I've been eating pretty much the same.
I run 40 miles a week and have for over 6 years, so my activity level is always pretty good.
I've been on sertraline for 9 ish years, probably could get off it, but haven't had negative side effects to speak of.

A thought did come to me today trying to think when most of my issues sort of started GI wise.
I quit tobacco pouches over 2.5 years ago, consequentially I chew a ton of sugar free gum. Maybe almost a pack a day.

The time I first started having right side abdominal bloating/pain, about 2.2 years ago.

So I'm going to try quitting the gum as well now lol

Oh wow, yeah, sugar free gum in that amount is known to cause GI issues like you are describing. Still good to get it checked out as you were still chewing that amount before quitting so it’s not something you added but for sure tell your gastro that. As a heads up if you do decide to quit/cut back the gym don’t add any other meds during that time so you can identify the root cause.

 

[Cfinnerty16]

Oh wow, yeah, sugar free gum in that amount is known to cause GI issues like you are describing. Still good to get it checked out as you were still chewing that amount before quitting so it’s not something you added but for sure tell your gastro that. As a heads up if you do decide to quit/cut back the gym don’t add any other meds during that time so you can identify the root cause.

Whelp, just had the HIDA scan done.
Hyperactive Gallbladder, has an ejection fraction of 93%.
Most likely what is causing the GI distress.
Good news is, everything else is healthy & no gallstones. I think it’s day 32 with no alcohol now?

 

[Cfinnerty16]

Just checking in, 59 days and I'm not going to lie, it's been pretty easy.
I've cleaned up my diet quite a bit since my Hyperkinetic Gallbladder Dyskinesia diagnosis.
I met with a GI for a second opinion a week before my scheduled gallbladder removal surgery.
They advised against removal, so I canceled the surgery.
(SO glad I got a second opinion instead of just listening to what the general surgeon wanted to do)
I just eat a lower fat diet with lean proteins (no red meat, fried food etc,) GI distress is pretty much nonexistent now.

Still don't know what to make of my platelet and wbc counts though, could just be normal for me.
WBC avg is 4.2, Platelet avg is 178 and I got another ultrasound to be sure of my liver being safe, normal in size, homogeneous in echotexture, all veins normal and patent, and no lesions.
Me being a hypochondriac and generally anxious makes me think I still did damage to my liver, but doctors say otherwise.

Anyways if you read all of this, thanks lol

 

[herbicide]

The nice thing about the liver is as long as not too far gone it will heal/regenerate itself. I'm sure I was much rougher on mine in the past than you were, and I had the same fears. (mine is fine too)

 

[Old87]

Congratulations on 59 days. It will be 100 days before you know it. Then 200 days. Then 365. You are awesome.

 

[carvers4math]

So glad things seem to be working out!

 

[ExCyment]

Try sleeping on your left side it helps your body with digestion. I was having a lot of indigestion issues but started drinking a ton of water every day and being conscious of when I eat too late at night. Also sugar will destroy your gut, so cut back on that and greasy food.

As far as the addiction part, replace it with something healthy like exercise. Don't just find a new vice that you likely will continue when you start drinking again.

I agree with the processed sugar. Cut that out and indegestion could go away.

 

[madguy30]

Just checking in, 59 days and I'm not going to lie, it's been pretty easy.
I've cleaned up my diet quite a bit since my Hyperkinetic Gallbladder Dyskinesia diagnosis.
I met with a GI for a second opinion a week before my scheduled gallbladder removal surgery.
They advised against removal, so I canceled the surgery.
(SO glad I got a second opinion instead of just listening to what the general surgeon wanted to do)
I just eat a lower fat diet with lean proteins (no red meat, fried food etc,) GI distress is pretty much nonexistent now.

Still don't know what to make of my platelet and wbc counts though, could just be normal for me.
WBC avg is 4.2, Platelet avg is 178 and I got another ultrasound to be sure of my liver being safe, normal in size, homogeneous in echotexture, all veins normal and patent, and no lesions.
Me being a hypochondriac and generally anxious makes me think I still did damage to my liver, but doctors say otherwise.

Anyways if you read all of this, thanks lol

All this is great.

Is this helping emotionally?

When I get on a good track diet-wise I notice the difference.

 

[Dopey]

Well 26 days no alcohol!
Its been going well, I'm sleeping great and have more energy on my long runs.

However I'm still having GI issues, going to the bathroom 4-5 times a day.
2 times in the morning, once after lunch, and if I run I usually right after that as well.

Doctor is ordering a HIDA scan next Friday to see if my Gallbladder is the problem.
After that's ruled out I imagine I'll be diagnosed with IBS, which it is what it is.

Haven’t read this thread yet, but great job!

There is gluten in beer. Cutting alcohol probably helped for a lot of reasons. I’d consider getting tested for celiac disease, or try cutting gluten for a month.

 

[Cfinnerty16]

All this is great.

Is this helping emotionally?

When I get on a good track diet-wise I notice the difference.

I mean, I only truly had a problem when I was in college.
Since college, I've drank moderately, 2-2.5 standard drinks a day and never really binge drank at all.
I only quit because I thought I was relying on it to sleep at night too much and wind down from the day.
Also, I figured that alcohol couldn't of helped anything in my GI tract, so cutting that out would be a good first start to trying to figure out my GI problems.

Definitely was more anxious than normal for the first 5 weeks. Other than that, I'm pretty good

 

[Cyfan1965]

Well 26 days no alcohol!
Its been going well, I'm sleeping great and have more energy on my long runs.

However I'm still having GI issues, going to the bathroom 4-5 times a day.
2 times in the morning, once after lunch, and if I run I usually right after that as well.

Doctor is ordering a HIDA scan next Friday to see if my Gallbladder is the problem.
After that's ruled out I imagine I'll be diagnosed with IBS, which it is what it is.

Have you had a celiac test this story is TOTALLY familiar- Gallbladder appendix they wanted to start ripping out organs. Came on at 40 fyi

 

[Cfinnerty16]

Have you had a celiac test this story is TOTALLY familiar- Gallbladder appendix they wanted to start ripping out organs. Came on at 40 fyi

Yep my doctor ran the tTG AB IgA test as well as Immunoglobulin A, all normal, nothing for Celiac

 

[HOTDON]

I hit two years this month. Not even really a thing I think about anymore. It's been all positives along the way.

Anyone out there thinking about: just start. You can say you're going to do hundreds of times. Seems obvious, but actually starting is the only way the change can happen. Don't build it up to become something so daunting that you feel like all the right stars have to align. Start today. It's not a massive event it's as simple as not drinking today. That's how it starts. Worry about tomorrow after you've won today.

 

[Jeff51106]

Don't have a drink today. When tomorrow comes, repeat the cycle.
If "friends" are pushing you to drink then they are not really friends. Hang around people who don't usually drink and who will respect your efforts.