headaches, stomach problems, andd fatigue!

[softspoken247]

I am a 24 year old alcoholic who has been sober with the help of the A.A. program for over 2 months now! i did experience the uncomfortable withdrawl symptoms but noticed that the headaches did not go away! in fact, it is an all day everyday thing that i have been masking with prescription strength motrin that was given to me in the emergency room. i went there because i dont have a family doctor and cant afford insurance (i pay what i can on the E.R. bills). while the motrin is temp relief, i wonder about the headaches and what could be causing them all the time. i have terrible fatigue that literally puts me on the couch for hours at a time. the stomach problems are expected as i have had the symptoms before while drinking and they are lessening as the days go by. the headaches... not so much. im scared that i have done some serious damage as i was a heavy heavy drinker. i started drinking a a very young age and it became an everyday thing in my teens as i had full proof methods of getting alcohol. towards the end of it all, i noticed that, on good nights, i could drink anywhere between 24 and 30 beers and still be walking around. other nights were less but i got to the point where a 12 pack just wouldnt cut it. . this level of drinking went on for about three years. please know that i am not blowing things out of proportion! this is as real as it gets. i also sustained several injuries to my head which landed me in the hospital sometimes. if you have any info or could direct me to a forum that has already given good advice on this topic them i would greatly appreciate it! thanks in advance!

[boogieman]

Hello. I have (and still do) suffer from incapacitating migraines. My GP gave me samples of treximet which a commbination of naproxen (aleve) and sumatriptan. Short of a shot of morphine, its the only thing that has given me any relief. Hope this helps and congrads on your progress! GM

[ibizan]

so glad ur doing so much better......i am in the dark with good headache meds....and since u lack health care insurance a thorough neurological exam might rule out the cause of these!

[softspoken247]

Ibizan - haha very good memory indeed! the anxiety did taper off with the the use of ativan (which i am not longer taking) and though i do still have a few rough periods, i have developed a method for overcoming it without prescription. i have heard it as you have put it from family members and friends and im very certain that these symptoms are as real as they get. in otherwords, im concerned for my health but not afraid of death as i was during the time of my previous posts. the information that was given to me by everyone on this forum coupled with a support network has given me a better understanding about the "mind over matter" situation and you are very right! Its powerful! while i am definately not obsessing about it, i am definately a tad concerned. i never even experienced headaches too often during hangovers when i was active in my alcoholism. as for the fatigue, i have always been pretty active as well.

jacker - i have heard many times that i should avoid any medication that might affect my liver considering my alcoholism. however, i went to the ER and i was VERY honest and thorough about my situation. NO HOLDS! this is the script that they gave me so i considered it to be the right drug for me. your warning does not go unheard but these headaches are unbearable sometimes! i had so many bad experiences with doctors in the past because im self pay and i always feel like they are rushing me out of there because im paying at a reduced rate! often they take a quick look, ask about my symptoms, and fling a piece of paper at me on the way out the door (not literally of course). im hoping that it is as you and so many others have told me and that this will pass as my body recovers from the damage done by alcohol.

both - in the mean time, i do appreciate your help and support. is there a recomended headache medicine for someone in my situation?

[ibizan]

I have good long term memory for i recall you posted last year about having chronic panic attacks and anxiety issues.I went back and read ur posts from 8/09.Are you receiving treatment for these?You noted that u r very concerned you've caused long term damage to urself........are u obsessing over this?Mind over matter is a powerful thing and while Jacker has given u excellent advice that u need to rule in/rule out it is possible that you could be aggravating the situation with your mind as well!

[Jacker]

Alcohol is very hard on your internal organs and you need to give them time to recover.  Long term use of Motrin is preventing this and it's very hard on the stomach and kidneys.  Probably not good for a compromised liver either.  My GP takes paying customers, and he charges a lot less than the emergency room at a public hospital.  I realize that specialists are expensive, but you should be able to find a GP who will accept a reasonable amount of money and point you in the right direction.  Please re-think this motrin use.