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    HELP! I need some quick advice...

    I have posted much on other threads so I will keep this short. I was a very heavy drinker for many years, drank even heavier over the last month or so - 14-18 drinks a day. Decided to quit. Read about physiological withdrawal problems decided to taper to detox. Start day 1 with 12 drinks and reduce it by 2 a day and finish after 7 days. The taper was good for me to hopefully avoid the physical withdrawal dangers (seizures / dt, etc).

    1st day did 4.5 drinks, 2nd 4 drinks, 3rd 3.75 drinks (I left a couple good sips in my
    Last Wine glass).

    Today is day 4 and I can have 6 drinks but I haven't had any and I feel like I can go without.

    Am I going too fast? Are there still concerns about physical withdrawal issues?

    If today is my first true AF day what happens if I want one tomorrow? I guess if I was tapering for physical reasons only then if I can get through today AF then i HAVE to be done for good because then I can't argue that I need a drink for withdrawal reasons, right???

    Whereas if I have a couple of drinks tonight then it is perfectly fine (even great) of I have one drink tomorrow... Still tapering and way ahead of my goal...

    Yes, I still have minor headaches and lots of trouble sleeping, but I feel pretty good today.

    If I DO have a couple of glasses of wine or a couple of beers tonight after reading your advice (could be that some of you think I am rushing it too much for safety's sake) I really think that I'd be drinking them more for medical reasons rather than really wanting them...

    I had a craving for a beer earlier and drank a couple of Beck's NA... Took care of that craving...

    I almost feel stupid posting this, but the left side and right side of my brain are at war with each other... And frankly, its a little scary to think that if I don't drink today that that is it... Never again... And on top of it, for those of you that HAVE had more serious withdrawal problems, am I doing this too quick and putting myself at risk? I have been drinking many many years (20+ years) daily...

    Advice?????

    #2
    HELP! I need some quick advice...

    Don't get me wrong on the "drink for medical reasons" - I would enjoy them, but could go without...

    Comment


      #3
      HELP! I need some quick advice...

      I am not a medical doctor. I think sometimes it depends on what you drink. Beer, wine or hard liquor. I never really thought there was a difference between the types of AL....until I revisted wine....with bad results.

      If you can go AF tonight do it. Tomorrow you may "crave" a drink....but, a craving is much different from a medical need to have it. I have gone days without a drink.....to have an unbelieveable "craving"....to the point I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin. But, it was a craving......I did not need the drink to avoid a seizure or the shakes.

      Never again....is everyone's fear when quitting. It usually keeps people from quitting at all. I am not an AA person.....but, literally one day at a time helps me. I don't count days....I don't need a badge of honor....all that matters is that I am sober today.

      :h

      Comment


        #4
        HELP! I need some quick advice...

        Hi Ready,

        I'm not an expert, and am only on day 6 of my second quit ever, but I dont think you're going too fast at all. I was a heavy drinker for many, many years and went from a 3 litre box of wine a day (strong Chardonnay) to nothing in a day and the only issue I had was insomnia which went away with Melotonin and the calms forte from this site. I am taking tons of l-glutamine and kudzu. You mentioned wondering what will happen if you want a glass tomorrow... Expect that you will want one, but that's different than needing one to avoid DTs. . It sounds like you've done great cutting back. I definitely would not go back up to more than you're currently drinking. That would defeat the tapering down idea. Maybe go from here and cut out one a day for the next couple of days if you're still worried? You have a stronger will than mine, cause I could never taper! If it was in the house, I drank it!

        Sounds like the mental part is more of a struggle at this point for you. That was hard for me too. I would highly recommend 'the easy way to quit drinking' by Allen Carr for that part. It really helps!

        Mom2Jtx3
        http://baclofentreatment.com/
        http://www.theendofmyaddiction.org
        http://www.theendofmyaddiction.org/f...or-alcoholism/

        Comment


          #5
          HELP! I need some quick advice...

          Love Allen Carr!

          Also a great book I read...."Living Sober Sucks, But Living Drunk Sucks More!"......he has a website with some good videos.

          Comment


            #6
            HELP! I need some quick advice...

            Thanks Mom and SunFlower!

            Yes this is mostly a psychological issue for me at this point, I want to win, I like excelling, I never want to go backward.

            But there is the physiological issue as well. And I have to make sure I am not using the physiological issue to allow my brain to play psychological tricks on me.

            So I went back and re-read the page on tapering that I used in setting up my schedule:
            How To Taper Off Alcohol

            There is specific information on that page: " if your blood pressure gets too high or your pulse gets too fast then you are tapering too fast". 100 beats per minute was specifically mentioned. My normal resting pulse is around 70bpm. I don't have a way to test my blood pressure here at the house, but I can check my pulse. I just checked my pulse twice and it was 88 once and 90 the next. That's rather high for me.

            The reason I quitting AL is because my body told me that if I didn't, I'd die from it.

            So here's what I am going to do. I am going to sit down with a big glass of water and play a few games of backgammon on my phone and chill. If my pulse has not dropped down to at least 80-82 in 10-15 minutes of rest, then my body is telling me something and I'll drink a couple of beers and call it a night. If my pulse drops down to at or below that then I head for bed and a book with a fresh glass of water.

            In that fashion I have turned it from a psychological debate of me telling myself "come on puss, you can do it" vs. "hey, is this smart?" into a purely physiological decision based on facts...

            I'll check in with you in 15 to let you know the result.

            Comment


              #7
              HELP! I need some quick advice...

              I gave it 20 minutes since I was still doing research for a while before starting my backgammon...

              Just took my pulse twice (once neck, once wrist)... 74 both times.

              So the matter is settled! Today was day one of being AF! Tomorrow is day #2! See you then!

              Comment


                #8
                HELP! I need some quick advice...

                Congratulations!

                Congratulations on day 1!!
                http://baclofentreatment.com/
                http://www.theendofmyaddiction.org
                http://www.theendofmyaddiction.org/f...or-alcoholism/

                Comment


                  #9
                  HELP! I need some quick advice...

                  Was following this tread...and that was awesome glad I got to read that happen. Congradulations!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    HELP! I need some quick advice...

                    ;-D

                    I just became convinced that you are going to do this thing.

                    !
                    Ready4This;1438828 wrote: I gave it 20 minutes since I was still doing research for a while before starting my backgammon...

                    Just took my pulse twice (once neck, once wrist)... 74 both times.

                    So the matter is settled! Today was day one of being AF! Tomorrow is day #2! See you then!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      HELP! I need some quick advice...

                      im proud of you ready!
                      I have too much shit to do today and tomorrow to drink:sohappy:

                      I'm taking care of the "tomorrow me":thumbsup:
                      Drinkin won't help a damn thing! Will only make me sick for DAYS and that ugly, spacey dumb feeling-no thanks!

                      Comment

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