Newbie worried about withdrawls

[rednose]

Ok Here I go.
I have been drinking a bunch for the last 6 months. It started with wine but now I have progressed to drinking about a fifth of gin a day. I can't afford to go to a treatment center or a detox center at this time.
I am worried about seizure's and the other things that will come with stopping drinking.
Does the beer taper work? With what I have written here what do you suggest.
I have tried to quit in the past and have had some success but have always come back to drinking after a time. My main concern at the moment is to stop drinking a fifth of gin a day and taper off slowly. The holidays are hard for me but I need to do something.
I won't bore you with what has brought me to this place but it has been a rough couple of years. deaths in my family, put mom in nursing home, got robbed at gun point in my own house, so on and so on.
SO IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME HERE FOLKS?

Thanks Robert rednose:new:

A bit about me. I am 58 and have drank most of my adult life with stopping on and off, mostly off. Last night I blacked out and had an argument with my girlfriend on the phone and I don't remember one word about the conversation other than what she told me. Yes she said I was quite the asshole, No big surprize. I have tried AA and it did not work for me. I went to a treatment center for 30 days to get sober and was drinking 6 months later and I was 20 grand poorer. I don't have insurance that will cover a treatment center and I really think I need to figure this out my way.
I am hoping for some support here and I want to be of support to others. So if you see something here that you can relate to or some words that might help It will be greatly appreciated.

[Overit44]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

I don't have any answers for you. I didn't have to go through withdrawls even though I was drinking 1/2 to 1 pint day of whiskey, thank goodness. I hope you get your answers. Good luck.

[kdog]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Red, first of all welcome to a great site, I don't have the answers for you either. Can you see a doctor and get some help for withdrawals? I know they can be some nasty stuff. I had to go the librium route, and I still shook like a leaf for a day, felt like crap. But I can honestly say I feel better now than I have in years. I am so sorry to hear of your losses, I know its easy to numb the saddness out of our lives, Lord knows I have had my share of that, but I think I used that as an excuse to drink more sometimes. Good luck with your journey, I am sure someone will be along with a bit more knowledge for you. Keep us posted!
Kdog

[Dottie Belle]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Red I am your age and had been drinking a box of wine every weekend and through most of the week..My withdrawals were, no sleep, major crabbiness, night sweats and anxiety....I can not predict what you might go through but my husband knew if it looked like I was in trouble to take me to the ER immediately..do you have a friend you could count on for that kind of support....this is not to be taken lightly but with planning for me it was dooable...if you have a doctor or clinic you could talk to that would help too..
Welcome and you have found a great place.
Dottie

[paulywogg]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

hi red,first of all welcome,secondly go check out the older threads in need help asap,there is a thread about a beer taper,i used it,it worx,however you need to get some supps into you too,this is hard,but with the right mindset and supps,it is possible

[almost free]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Hi Rednose, and welcome. My story is very similar And my history. The drinking accelerated after older kids left home, news of death of father, whom I hadn't seen since childhood, death of mother 3 months later. Plenty more majorly stressful events at the same time.

I have never been to a rehab/detox. I went to AA on and off for years. Many, many people there had gone to treatment centers, some several times, all of them ending up in AA in the end anyway. Thought I would save myself the money, which I didn't have anyway.

AA didn't work for me either, as I had hoped. Constant relapse, in spite of all the meetings, sponsor, Big Book reading, steps, etc. I did eventually find a meeting I liked and felt comfortable in and went daily. There was a daily noon meeting, with pretty much the same people. It took five years, but I finally got two years of sobriety. Then I blew it and have been struggling ever since. Today is only day 16 for me.

I also read Dr. Joan Larson's "Seven Weeks to Sobriety". You can get it at the library. I implemented her recommendations at the start of what turned out to be my two years of sobriety. I believed they helped alot. She takes a nutritional/supplemental approach which has worked for me. (Unfortunately, I also took up smoking after 20 years, but it provided me with a crutch when I was upset, to go have a cigarette instead of a drink).

I lost 30 lbs in two months, after cutting out sugar, white flour, most grains, fruits, etc. The main thing being to stabilize blood sugar. The low glycemic thing. I felt great and was doing great. Kept the cravings at bay, too.

Go over to "Just Starting Out" and check out the Newbies's Nest. Lots of support, there. People in all stages of recovery. There is a great link, today, on the Newbie's Nest, from a member named Kuya. It is really an excellent, comprehensive article on alcoholism. Very informative. Read that, and read as much as you can of the postings on this forum. Join us in posting what is going on with you. So many kind and supportive people here, as I'm sure you will discover by reading.

As far as the detox. I have been through some truly hellish withdrawals, the last being the worst, in that I used to bounce back in a few days, but this one went on and on for over a week. I thought I would never feel better. More wear and tear......being older.....more damage over time? If you are able to call your doctor, ask him/her for something to help you through the withdrawals, especially some valium. Only one or two of my withdrawals had any medical support, but it can be dangerous to go cold turkey. I once got a prescription for 10mg valiums, 3 times a day, just enough for a couple of days, and it was the difference between hell and a comfortable withdrawal.

Mostly I've just done cold turkey, using whatever I could; tons of water with fresh lemon in it (re-hydrates and alkalinizes the system and helps detox the liver). I would take a GABA (with B6 added for absorption), a relaxer, l-tryptophan, another relaxer, the green drinks helped. Vitamin B....l-glutamine is supposed to help cravings, so is kudzu rescue. (Amino acids should be taken on an empty stomach, but lemon water is ok)

There was one time when the above was not enough and I didn't have access to a doctor. I did the 'poor man's detox'. I tried to get through day 1, but was shaking so much, I thought I would go into convulsions. Wine has always been my drink of choice, so I didn't get that, but I walked to the nearest liquor store and got a couple of large, dark beers. I nursed those all day, as if they were medicine, just enough to keep the shakes and sweats at bay. It did work for me, that time. I was much better the next day and was able to continue on alcohol free (AF) But this approach can be a slippery slope...

There are so many threads to read on MWO, advice and feedback on meds and supplements, there is the MWO book and cds. There is a toolbox, with lots of strategies and advice, (which is always linked with some of the senior members signature lines , if you can't find it). (I'm not good with a computer, or I would post those links here myself). Good luck Rednose. So glad you are here!

[rednose]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

worried about withdrawls.

Wow!!

Thank you all for your overwhelming support. I do have some Valium and I was reading on a site to detox with beer reducing the amount every day for 8 days.
It seems an odd way to detox but it also makes sense to me.
Here is a link to the web site that I am sure most of you have seen.

How To Taper Off Alcohol

I was putting away a fifth or more of gin every night for at least 4 months if not more. I also would drink wine along with that at times.
I am sure my body is going to say WTF is going on here.
I know I need to quit and I have quit before. I once had 3 years sober but became a work aholic. Quitting is easy; staying quit on the other hand is a bitch.
Someone mentioned that they might have used the problems in there life to drink.
I know this is true for me.
I am glad I found this site and all of you who seem to have a wealth of knowledge about drinking and trying to stay sober.
I sincerely appreciate the messages and support.

Robert the rednose It kind of goes with the holidays.

[Lasha]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Hi Rednose,

The beer/cider taper is working for me!

I've got a similar story and tapered back from 2 btls wine & 4 litres cider a day by slowly dropping the wine and cutting back on cider. The amount I tapered was about a 1 btl/0.5 litre of cider a week so it didn't hurt and it's worked, (remember to keep count).

Trouble now is keeping off the juice but that's a lot easier than starting from fresh.

Good luck and keep posting.:welcome:

Lash

[InfectedMushroom20]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Hi Rednose,


I've used the tapering method - also because reading that webpage - probably too many times. For me it always worked as I'm not (yet) the alcoholic who can't stop when they only taste one drop of alcohol. I would slowly taper down the amount of intake with sipping beer. Taking the last sips just before going to bed and I would atleast get some sleep. Going cold turkey on the other hand would mean pure insomnia for me. Maybe your girlfriend can support you detoxing this way.

I hope it'll work out for you too! Good luck.

- IM

[rednose]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Hi All, Again thanks for the support.
Yesterday I drank two beers and took 4 valiumn over the period of the day.
I slept really well last night but feeling like crap this morning. It is a good start from drinking a fifth of gin everyday
until I passed out or blacked out. Somehow I can't bring myself to drink a beer in the morning.
Yesterday was easy, BUT I think the next three or four days are going to be worse with the detox. I am sure my body is going to say what the hell are you doing to us here.
Thanks for the support.
I guess we all have to start somewhere.

[roguehawkfan]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

Worried about withdrawls

Rednose, welcome. Here's what I can add from personal experience. I am 48 drank heavy off and on all my life since about 14. The last 2 times I quit cold turkey I had siezures...scary stuff! I have been to medical detox twice and have an appt with my Dr this Friday ( my birthday no less...yippeee...happy birthday to freakin me) to discuss another medical detox...After my last drinking binge, about a month of drinking about 12-14 beers a day I am tapering but still feel pretty shaky. I had gone about 45 days sober just before this binge. I know I cant keep going back to detox becasue I know I could likely be dead by then!!

My drinking was many times set off by tragic/unpleasant events in my life but I am also seeking mental health treatment to deal with those issues. It's a vicious cicle, as they say...


Good Luck...Be safe...Keep trying, no matter how long it takes. Our lives are worth more than what comes out of a bottle!!

[rednose]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

ROGUEHAWKFAN

ROGUEHAWKFAN:thanks:

Thanks for your support. I as well live in southern Oregon. Hope it gets better for you.
Today is tough. trying to make it AF today for the first time in a long time.
I think I drink out of boredom. You ever have that feeling?

Rednose:new:

[K9Lover]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

I drank out of boredom every single night. Oh, and I also drank when I was happy, sad, mad, irritated, overjoyed, grumpy, estatic, etc., etc....you get the picture!

What are you doing this evening to occupy yourself? Reading was a lifesaver for me. Get hooked on a good book and the time flies...AND you get sleepy!

[Starfish1]

Newbie worried about withdrawls

rednose;1428129 wrote: Ok Here I go.
I have been drinking a bunch for the last 6 months. It started with wine but now I have progressed to drinking about a fifth of gin a day. I can't afford to go to a treatment center or a detox center at this time.
I am worried about seizure's and the other things that will come with stopping drinking.
Does the beer taper work? With what I have written here what do you suggest.
I have tried to quit in the past and have had some success but have always come back to drinking after a time. My main concern at the moment is to stop drinking a fifth of gin a day and taper off slowly. The holidays are hard for me but I need to do something.
I won't bore you with what has brought me to this place but it has been a rough couple of years. deaths in my family, put mom in nursing home, got robbed at gun point in my own house, so on and so on.
SO IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ME HERE FOLKS?

Thanks Robert rednose:new:

A bit about me. I am 58 and have drank most of my adult life with stopping on and off, mostly off. Last night I blacked out and had an argument with my girlfriend on the phone and I don't remember one word about the conversation other than what she told me. Yes she said I was quite the asshole, No big surprize. I have tried AA and it did not work for me. I went to a treatment center for 30 days to get sober and was drinking 6 months later and I was 20 grand poorer. I don't have insurance that will cover a treatment center and I really think I need to figure this out my way.
I am hoping for some support here and I want to be of support to others. So if you see something here that you can relate to or some words that might help It will be greatly appreciated.

Red, just looking back at your first post, it doesn't look like you have been able to moderate in the past. I am just like that. I quit once for over 3 years and when I started drinking again I picked up right where I left off. It wasn't pretty.

I wish you the best, whatever you decide, but I hope you decide it just is not worth the gamble to try to moderate.