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    #1

    Begin Weaning Today

    OMG. These forums have inspired me so much.

    I'm 46 and have been drinking nightly for about 20 years. Wasn't until a year ago that I first experienced withdrawal symptoms. I had always managed to just drink a few at night before bed. Only ever binged when at parties or other events.

    Now, I'm plagued by cravings as soon as I wake up. I can only hold off until early afternoon. Then, I have my first drink and feel a whole lot better. Yup, it sucks.

    Anyway, I've been consciously cutting back. And, normally, I drink very slowly. Maintaining a slight buzz to feel better without getting drunk enough to do anything really stupid. In a day I commonly drink 1/2L of 60 proof brandy over 12 hours. Unfortunately, becoming AF is difficult to achieve. I get anxious and fidgety and hate that feeling so much I need to address it.

    No one around me considers me to have a problem. With a slight buzz I'm still pretty smart, lol. But, damn, I've drunk myself into the hole of dependency. No other way to explain the symptoms. Plus, the doc noticed I have a fatty liver when I was getting an ultrasound for something else. Oooops. And my appetite sucks, so I don't eat well, anymore. Time for a change.

    I maintain pretty strong will power when drinking so I'm going to try to reduce alcohol by 2oz. per day until I can break the cycle. Has anyone ever tried this? Hope it works.

    Anyway, these forums are awesome. In just a few hours reading I'm totally psyched to make the change.

    Thanks to everyone!
    Tags: None
    #2
    Begin Weaning Today

    welcome lalaki - good for you for trying to cut down - you are wise to realise you are heading into dangerous waters.
    good luck
    It's time I put my big girl pants on. :grannypants: I hope they fit.

    Comment

      #3
      Begin Weaning Today

      Thanks, Zeppie2!

      It all makes sense to me, now. The body compensates for the constant sedative effect of alcohol by increasing neurotransmitters. Then, without alcohol, you feel like your skin is crawling.

      I wonder how many alcoholics drink for no other reason than to avoid withdrawal symptoms? I bet it's significant.

      Comment

        #4
        Begin Weaning Today

        Welcome to mwo lalki, this is a great community with lots of good advice and excellent support,read & post post & read as mch as you can,hope to see you around,and may your new year be the best one.


        :congratulatory: Clean & Sober since 13/01/2009 :congratulatory:

        Until one is committed there is always hesitant thoughts.
        I know enough to know that I don't know enough.

        This signature has been typed in front of a live studio audience.

        Comment

          #5
          Begin Weaning Today

          Hi there Lalaki. Good to see you. Today is a great day for making new starts. Oh yes and this place is magical
          Living now and not just existing since 9th July 2008
          Nicotine Free since 6th February 2009

          Comment

            #6
            Begin Weaning Today

            Thanks, guys!

            I'm feeling inspired. I've made it to 2:30PM without a drink so far today. Not bad for me. Making holiday fudge for my wife's nieces/nephews.

            I'm working out a system of pre-pouring how much brandy I'm allowed each day. The bottles I buy are the little 350ml. Can't wait to get down to one or less!

            I'm reading up on alcoholic fatty liver, now. Didn't know it was considered a disease. Yikes!

            Comment

              #7
              Begin Weaning Today

              Lalaki;1028159 wrote: Thanks, Zeppie2!

              I wonder how many alcoholics drink for no other reason than to avoid withdrawal symptoms? I bet it's significant.
              I think that's why I was drinking at the end of it, so I could simple get through my day without my eyes twitching and feeling like I was going to faint
              It's time I put my big girl pants on. :grannypants: I hope they fit.

              Comment

                #8
                Begin Weaning Today

                I hear you. I'm like backwards. I've avoided drinking in social situations this week. Those only mean that I'm going to drink faster. Better off by myself taking tiny little sips.

                I saw a doctor a few months ago who recommended benadryl to smooth out the withdrawal. I was trying to cut back on drinking. I had drunk less than usual. Took a benadryl and ended up in the hospital it reduced my blood pressure so much.

                So, I'm sticking with my dirt-cheap brandy. I know I can resist the urge to buy more when I run out at night. I just go to bed. If I can't sleep my wife understands and massages me for a while. Not a bad deal.

                Poured my first drink 75 minutes ago and still have some left due to micro-sipping. Feeling strong enough that I can beat this.

                I'm amazed at the people who quit cold-turkey, though. I just don't have the fortitude for that. And after just one stiff drink I start to feel better, anyway.

                I'm preparing 450ml brandy for tomorrow. Just gonna stretch it out until bedtime. My wife doesn't believe me but I'm looking forward to proving her wrong.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Begin Weaning Today

                  Lalaki;1028159 wrote: Thanks, Zeppie2!

                  It all makes sense to me, now. The body compensates for the constant sedative effect of alcohol by increasing neurotransmitters. Then, without alcohol, you feel like your skin is crawling.

                  I wonder how many alcoholics drink for no other reason than to avoid withdrawal symptoms? I bet it's significant.
                  This is indeed the essence of alcohol dependence. When one stops the dysphoria, anxiety, shakes and other symptoms are very uncomfortable and the only thing that will cause them to cease short term is more of same. (hair of the dog). Unfortunately it gets worse and many find themselves reaching for something first thing in the morning to manage the day. There are some new approaches, including baclofen, which mitigate this craving. I am 58 and have been AF for almost 1 year using baclofen. It totally stopped my cravings and allowed me to achieve my goal. I now know that I can say that I will never drink again. I could not have confidently said that one year ago.
                  I think you have a good plan for reducing your short term use, however, having once exhibited this dependency, it is very difficult to moderate yourself into good health. IMO abstinence is the best course to reduce risk of further hazardous drinking and dependence. Good Luck and welcome to MWO forums.
                  Sunny

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Begin Weaning Today

                    Sunny, how much were you drinking and for how long? I'm only curious as I am 52 and it sounds like you just 'quit'. Which as we know is not easy.. And how much baclofen do you take? Thanks!
                    From the Sanskrit prayer;

                    "....For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision,
                    But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a dream of hope."

                    :catroll:
                    determined to be AF

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Begin Weaning Today

                      Baby, I drank addictively for 43 years. It slowly and then more quickly got worse. At the end I was drinking about a quart or more of Vodka most days. I would occasionally dry out for 4-5 days so that I could pick up again for a few weeks until I was too sick to drink any more. the cycle seemed endless and so depressing. I didn't see a good way out. I tried EVERYTHING!. As I am an older and relatively smallish (except for the fat) woman, I had to buy the booze in just the quart size as I would have poisoned myself to point of death if I had had more available. I was the type that if it was there I would drink it. Anyway I found a recovery center on the internet that was not 12 step based and called them up. I signed up for a 2 week stint. My thought was may as well try, even tho I was a bit skeptical. They started me on Baclofen and I slowly titrated up to 110 mg over a few months. I then have been able to taper, again slowly to just 15 mg at night. I may try going off it after the holiday season. I forgot it the other night and had no trouble. I never drank while on it as they caught me in one of my "dry" periods (I had to dry out to be able to get on the plane to Atlanta from California and be able to rent and drive a car to the facility etc) It was a "long shot" but I figured what the hell. If I died before I had tried everything my family would have been very shortchanged (they already have been by my addiction).
                      I am so glad that I took the chance and got better. I want everyone to know about this option. I tried and failed for about 15 years. Because of what I have learned about myself and about alcohol dependence my plan is total lifelong abstinence. If I need to take a little bac along the way to achieve that it is fine with me. I will do what it takes.
                      Good Luck on your journey.
                      Sunny

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Begin Weaning Today

                        Great to hear about baclofen successes.

                        I thought I would drink my standard 1/2L yesterday but after joining here I ended up only drinking about 400ml. So, today, I'm titrating down to 350.

                        And AF is looking like a better option all the time. I'm worried about long-term effects as I've been drinking so many years.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Begin Weaning Today

                          Fell off the drinking-less-and-less wagon. Hangover this morning and by 3pm intolerable anxiety.

                          Well, starting over. Gonna taper my alcohol down to nothing if it's the last thing I do.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Begin Weaning Today

                            This is the trouble with tapering, you are still on it and before you know where you are you go right back up again. I've used this method successfully once, the other times I just resumed the binge.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Begin Weaning Today

                              I know. It sucks. And I was truly moving lower on the anxiety scale, too.

                              Got teed off at my wife last night. Went to visit a friend. Don't remember leaving. No one said anything so I'm hoping I didn't do anything really bad. I'd laugh if I didn't feel like crying.

                              The only good thing is that I don't even need to catch a buzz to feel better. It seems that despite my tolerance even small amounts of al will help.

                              Comment

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