From Alcoholism To Peat

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DavidGardner

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Went off the wagon on Monday. Drank 5 beers. Sleep is pretty lousy. I've had to take melatonin and glycine. I ordered progesterone, which should arrive Feb. 2-4. Every time I wake up I feel compelled to eat. I also have to eat before bed. I hate doing this because it contributes significantly to my calories. Weight is up to 168-169, and I'm seeing more abdominal fat. Yesterday, niacin effectively stopped the urge to drink, so I'm back on track.
 
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DavidGardner

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Still not sleeping well. Will try progesterone tonight. Drank one beer today and felt it a lot more. No longer concerned with cutting/counting calories. Better I think just to eat to satiety so I can sleep and not have to wake up and eat.
 
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DavidGardner

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Tried the progesterone Friday night. Slept well for five hours but did not like the way I felt in the morning. Not "edgy" enough and had to drink more coffee than usual. Last night I ate a lot of fruit before bed, took melatonin and slept well for eight hours. Maybe I need more sugar. Also had two beers yesterday.
 

Peata

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I was going to suggest more sugar. Ripe fruit, real-sugar cola, powdered fructose, sweet tea, etc.
 
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DavidGardner

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Really lost control lately.

Twenty drinks on Sunday, five on Monday, twelve yesterday. My tolerance on Sunday was the highest it has ever been. I still felt (and I am told) acted coherent after the first ten drinks. I'm guessing liver and brain function was improved. I did not feel that way last night.

Now I'm trying to decide what to do. I'm hesitant to go to a doctor because I don't want AUD on my medical/insurance record.

Well shoot, it's not even five in the morning, and I'm at a loss right now.
 

tara

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AA?
Depending on where you are, you may find there are differing flavours, eg more and less religious.
 
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DavidGardner

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AA, at this point maybe. The religious aspect has always been the turn off for me. In my town there's a group that meets at a Baptist church.

I just took 40 mg of progesterone. Totally wiped out the fatigue I felt this morning. No amount of coffee could even touch it.
 
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DavidGardner

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Went to an AA meeting this afternoon. I plan on going tomorrow also. The worst part of not drinking is difficulty concentrating. I find it impossible sometimes to initiate tasks when I'm not buzzed. I'm sure this will pass once I become accustomed to sobriety again.

Tonight I'm cooking liver for dinner. Good for reloading all the micronutrients that get flushed out of my system from drinking. I've also had success experimenting with different fruit juices, not just orange juice. OJ gives me adrenergic symptoms sometimes--I don't know why, maybe the glycemic index.
 

Peata

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B1 (thiamine) I found it great to improve clarity and concentration after alcohol. I took hundreds of milligrams. Taurine, caffeine, B vitamins, fructose, etc. All helpful.
 
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DavidGardner

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Still not drinking. Still not sleeping much. Last night I broke a huge Peat taboo--I took l-tryptophan for sleep. I really wanted the serotonin feeling right then. It worked, I fell asleep, but now it's 2:40, and I can tell I probably won't be falling back asleep again. I notice less of a sensation of cold with the l-tryptophan compared with the melatonin, also less drowsiness. Same vivid dreams, if not more so. And like I said, sometimes it actually does feel good when I'm too keyed up. Like moderate dose of DXM, but more sedating.

Also last night, I ate a lot of sugar and starch. Sometimes now I just cannot get enough carbs at night. Appetite during the day is almost nil, but I still eat a light breakfast and lunch.

I've had issues with wound healing lately, probably exacerbated by alcohol consumption. Supplemental vitamin E makes almost immediate tangible improvement.
 
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DavidGardner

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My sprained foot is getting better, as is a cut I've had for over two weeks now. Energy levels and sleep fluctuate a lot. B-vitamins, pregnenolone (10 mg), and progesterone (20 mg), all seem to help with energy. I think sleep can only be improved by dietary changes, not supplements.

I can't do dairy anymore. Just eating string cheese last night felt like a narcotic (casomorphins?) and caused me to binge. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt--same thing, I'll eat the whole container. I seem to do better with ricotta or whey protein.

Also beginning to feel burnt out on starch and sugar both. When I start eating either one at night I can't stop.

I might increase fat a little bit from coconut milk and eggs.

Coffee sometimes is not enough to get me going. I've tried adding other stimulants--ephedra and DMAA, yohimbine, cocoa, tobacco--with some success.
 

tara

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Also beginning to feel burnt out on starch and sugar both. When I start eating either one at night I can't stop.
Could this be because you are not eating enough carbs earlier in the day? If the liver glycogen is well-loaded, I wonder if the evening cravings might subside a bit? I think it works like that for me. And I seem to make better use of the food if I eat most of it earlier in the day. Or if your glycogen is up, maybe there is something else your system is looking for.

I can't do dairy anymore. Just eating string cheese last night felt like a narcotic (casomorphins?) and caused me to binge. Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt--same thing, I'll eat the whole container.
Yeah, I've regretted some of my binges too.
 
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DavidGardner

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I used to eat this way. Two carb meals in the morning, one in the the afternoon, and only protein and veggies at night. It worked, but I don't think I could do it again. I feel more mentally active eating less during the day.

I feel much better without any dairy. Maybe just whey protein but no casein. I have less fluid retention, my sprain is almost completely gone, and I feel less dependent on NSAIDs. Another thing that has helped immensely is tobacco. I've smoked a pipe every morning for the past three days, which has really restored my energy levels and sense of well-being. Now I plan on taking two days off to prevent dependency.

Melatonin and l-tryptophan have given me a lot of REM sleep, but I'm getting very cold at night. I guess I'll switch to glycine. Thinking about trying CBD oil, but the price has been holding me back.

I think whole fruit is what will help as far as diet. I have no off switch with starch and fruit juice, but the fruit itself is harder to overeat.
 
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DavidGardner

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Noticed improvement with two grams of fish oil. More mentally stable, no need for pregnenolone or NSAIDs, and better workout. I took this morning with milk thistle to protect my liver. Also, kava is helping. Sometimes it does, sometimes not.

Started drinking cane sugar sodas, which seems to be reducing overall appetite! I guess improved insulin sensitivity from the fructose. Still eating plenty of fruit though.
 
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DavidGardner

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Yes, I know. I've read it. I quit taking fish oils for a long time, but at this point I just want relief. Maybe it's just serotonin numbing my mind, but I do feel better now taking the fish oils again. Not so wired and fatigued, improved impulse control also.
 

Waynish

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The alcohol is probably helping with bacteria in your system. So cleaning out the gut will help. Plus your appetite is really low during the day which is a sign of poorly functioning gut (and metabolism).
 

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