DS- The cure for the common hangover??

 Kaffy, 

Thank you for being so honest in your post. The first thing I thought about is that all of the meds you do and don't take, that have any ability to make you drowsy, (like the antianxiety pills, and possibly your psych meds, not even counting the sleeping pills you don't want to take) have what is called an "additive effect" when it comes to sedating you. So does alcohol. And you said you have been drinking more and more alcohol, so that is adding more and more to the mix.

What you are doing is a recipe for taking a nap and not waking up. This happens to a lot of people who didn't intend to kill themselves, and I want to WARN you as sweetly yet urgently as I can, to talk to your prescribing doctors about exactly what you have been taking and how much you drink. I know that would be difficult, but if you can be so honest here, I bet you can be honest there. It is worth saving your life.

The second thing I would like to say is that I am hoping your post is a "cry for help." There are so many of us recovered addicts and drunks out here, I really would like for you to join us. I don't know where you live, but I'll bet there is an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter near you. They would be listed in the phone book. Being truthful, especially with yourself but also with others, is the only real requirement for a beautiful recovery. You are off to a great start here. You can go to any meeting that is called an "Open Meeting" if you just want to check it out, or, if you identify yourself as an alcoholic (nobody else will ever apply that label to you - it is for you to decide) then you can go to any meeting.

If you aren't into the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, there are other alternatives. But AA is generally the most accessible solution because it is literally everywhere.

Please keep posting, so we know you are OK, and you can PM me anytime!!

Lisa

 It's great that you recognize this as a problem and that you are making efforts to stop drinking.  I hope that you can successfully beat this.  

I can hardly drink at all these days.   I have awful side effects (bad headaches, anxiety and sleeplessness) from drinking that seem to increase the further out I get.  It's not even worth the buzz, LOL.    BUT, when I could drink a bit more, I only recall having one hangover post-DS.
I did experience once or twice, after only drinking three drinks, really bad "bed spins."   Yuk.

I think it has to do with how fast we metabolize now. I actually get hang overs from being dehydrated. Personally, being drunk is to much work for me. I would have to not eat and continue to drink bc I sober up so fast. All I want to do after a drink is sleep so I generally avoid it.

I'm sorry you are having trouble with transfer addiction. I hope you can figure this out. Positive vibes your way!

I am fortunate in that I do not believe I am suffering from any transfer addictions.   But I do react differently to alcohol when I have an occasional drink.  I used to have an allergic reaction (hives, etc.) to alcohol and that has gone away.  I also do not get a hang over when one drink would produce one pre surgery.
Best wishes to those of you with addiction.  I hope you can find the help you need.

My doctor spent one support group meeting talking about the DS person's reaction to alcohol. He was very concerned that we not drink at all--not only because we would get drunk extra fast on a smaller amount of alcohol, but also because out liver's are under stress dealing with toxins from the weight loss and the extra stress from the alcohol could be very dangerous.
I hope you are thinking about liver damage that can be happening with no outward symptoms.
Good luck to you dealing with your addiction.

Thank you everyone for your replies.  I feel like I am lucky enough to recognize this and try to do something about it before I go completely out of control.  But I do feel it is important for others to know that this is something that happens post-surgery, and definitely not something you would be expecting.

What kind of professional help are you getting for this? You need it.

Elizabeth,

So far I have not sought professional help, but I was always one who never thought I would need it.  I have some free counseling services through work, so am looking into that.  I am sure I do
need some help.

Please do that. You might also need some medical help to get off the booze without detox effects. Because our metabolisms are different, we can get detox troubles even if we've been drinking an amount that seems much too low for that to happen.

I had a very beery weekend last winter that did this to me. NASTY. Took a good week to feel human again, even with medical intervention. I don't EVER want to feel like that again.