I Quit Drinking 7 Days Ago Completely (i Was A

Posted on Wed, 5 Aug 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 5 Aug 2020 Answered on

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Question : i quit drinking 7 days ago completely (i was a huge drinker for the last 8 months (albeit the last 5 years), and the month of July was my worst month of drinking and then I decided to quit). I expected to experience insomnia of course during my sobriety for the first 5 days. My melatonin never worked even on day 1. I went to my doctor and he gave me Dexzopiclone tablets which works very well at 3mg and I am then able to have a productive sleep and next-day with exercising, a productive day at work, and i hydrate about 10 - 12 oz's of water per day, but the side-effect of that medicine is eventually you will receive swelling which I do not like. I am wondering when my insomnia will end. I am not asking what is insomnia, I am asking when will it end, why hasn't it ended when the average is 5-7 days? That's really a side question though. What are some other methods to end insomnia? It keeps my stress level up as I am finding solutions. I heard something about maybe my B12 is still greatly down from now being sober for a short period of time (i am still looking around in my city in China to find a vitamin supplement for B12 but haven't had the time yet, i'll just find it online maybe here). So, there are a few questions here about what are other methods to end insomnia, when would the last day be if you did nothing, what does B12 have to do with this; and of course need other methods? I was thinking that since I drank heavily for 30 days, i would think insomnia will take 30 days.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (11 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Some remedies may help overcome the insomnia.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to"Ask a Doctor " service.

I have read your query.

Insomnia after quitting alcohol use is a problem that may last few days to a couple of weeks.

Before to use any sleeping pills, it is recommended to try some remedies to overcome it.

First, is necessary to follow a strict sleeping pattern, it is advisable to go to bed at the same hour at night.

Substances containing caffeine, energy drinks, etc. should be avoided in the afternoon and evening.

Relaxation activities in the afternoon may help as well ( reading, exercising, walking, etc.).

You can use natural substances such as valerian, chamomile tea, etc. before sleeping.

It is a well known fact that heavy use of alcohol lowers the vitamin B12 levels, so, using a supplement for a month or two should help you.

Hope you found the answer helpful.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj