WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

[Rubyblu]

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone is doing ok today and are enjoying the Christmas holidays. :new:

I have posted in the past but not since the summer and Ive not been able to reduce my alcohol intake. The good news is that I have hit a brick wall and really WANT to stop now.

Heres a quick summary about me....

Im being treated for depression, anxiety and ADHD (recently diagnosed) and am seeing a therapist. The ADHD diagnosis was a breakthrough as is my new depression meds butmy wine intake and addiction is now really getting in the way of my recovery and getting better.

I have been drinking 1 bottle of white wine every evening for about 3 years - since I was burguled in my home while I was sleeping (Im 37, female, live alone) and starting a really stressfull job 6 months before the burgulary. I started another job in April 08 and this ended in November due to a disability discrimination.

My intake has increased to 2 bottles per evening, rarely 2.5 over the last month. I usually have 1 day free of alcohol per week. Sometimes 2 if I manage it. I very rarely drink spirits or beers and have no cravings in the morning or during the day. Its a boredom, stress relief thing but isnt helping me at all anymore.

My liver aches now and this started about 1 month ago. I drink a lot of water and eat healthy but not regularly - only lunch and dinner - as my sleep pattern is whacked, since I'm not working.

Anyway given the amounts that I've been drinking, do I need a detox?

My last drink was last night - even though I promised myself on Monday that I wouldnt drink anymore. My brother is an alcoholic and there were arguments involving my family over Christmas. Im just sick of it all. I was AF on Tuesday but had a good, happy day and thought I would be ok. How riduclous....

Ive realised that Im totally helpless to the drink. I dont drink to get drunk but becuase I have trouble stopping after a few, I invariably carry on. Ive decided to go and stay at Mums every nite for the next week and come home during the day to do chores etc. I need to be safe right now

Thanks for listening and any advise would be appreciated re: the detox.

Thanks xx :thanks:

[janka]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Hi there and welcome back. Typically, it takes 72 hours to eliminate alcohol from your body. To avoid or lessen withdrawal/likelihood of seizures, you can go to the emergency room to detox. There your vital signs will be monitored, you may be given medication to ease withdrawal symptoms, and safeguarded against potential seizures. Is today day 1 AF for you? Are you experiencing any symptoms of withdrawal? How do you feel? j

[ATLThrash]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Ruby-- I think everyone is different in how they react to AL getting out of the system. I quit for several months and then moderated-- but when I was getting to that AL free state I did it on my own. I was drinking about a bottle of wine and night and sometimes more on the weekends. Teh worst aspect of it was crushing anxiety -- a doctor can medicate that but some of the meds are addictive and I did not want to go down that road. You mentioned anxiety and depression-- I had those too and thought that since I had them even when I was not drinking that quitting would make no difference. However, it has made a huge difference. One thing I did on the first day is just kept telling myself that by the next day or next I would feel better-- and I did! I had no physical symptoms with my withdrawl but again people are differnet-- I found that me thinking abotu it and worrying made it worse-- the brain is very powerful when it comes to how we feel. Good luck!

[brightlite]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Yes, sometimes the worrying about the withdrawl symptoms can make them seem far worse than they are. All that said, do not take withdrawl symptoms lightly if you feel that you are in danger.

I'm on Day 5 and I drink anywhere from 3 glasses of wine to 2 bottles a night. I've only had the usual uncomfortableness. Headaches (constant), insomnia....the worse for me is the excessive amount of thoughts about drinking/not drinking. That is consuming me right now. I know it will pass and I'm trying to focus on other things, but my mind keeps drifting back to drinking thoughts and reasons not to drink...its like a tug-of-war going on in my head. Can be exhausting. Hopefully for me, those will be the worst of my withdrawl symptoms and they will subside soon. Stay positive!

[janka]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Hi I agree with ATL. I too suffered from crippling anxiety and depression, drinking and not drinking, but since being AF, these have lessened -- sometimes even disappeared. Just takes a bit of time. Yes, drown out worrisome thoughts as much as possible with optimistic ones. This will pass, takes time and patience, go easy and steady, rest, eat, sleep well, and you will feel better with each day that passes. Good luck, and keep us posted on how you are doing. Best, j

[allswell]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Hey Brightlite,

I right behind you at day 3 and those voices about "should I, shouldn't I" killed my last recovery effort after 10 weeks so I'm determined not to let that happen again. I'm going to stay motivated, and do alot of exercise which helps alot to get my mind off of it. We can do it!

[Guest]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Rubyblu

Hi there and welcome.

Right in your post you say you often have whole days AF, and that you don't drink in the mornings. So let's say you stop drinking at midnight, don't drink the next day then drink the following evening?

If that's the case then that's around 40 hours without alcohol?Withdrawls usual start within 4-12 hours of the last drink and peak around 1-3 days later from what I've seen myself. So based upon that I would conclude you are probably going to be safe detoxing on your own. You won't however know until you try it but most requiring detox would have shakes the next day after a drinking session(ie when they wake) - but you describe none. I'm no medical expert but using what I know from experience along with a bit of logic. I know I used to make a big thing out of "I must not stop and then I must be molly coddled etc etc". It only made me get some sort of big head and actually made me worse.

I'm not playing down how bad things can get thought but if you are ok after 24 hours, then generally nothing worse is going to happen.

[Rubyblu]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

janka;1030624 wrote: Hi there and welcome back. Typically, it takes 72 hours to eliminate alcohol from your body. To avoid or lessen withdrawal/likelihood of seizures, you can go to the emergency room to detox. There your vital signs will be monitored, you may be given medication to ease withdrawal symptoms, and safeguarded against potential seizures. Is today day 1 AF for you? Are you experiencing any symptoms of withdrawal? How do you feel? j

Hi Janka,

Thanks for getting back to me, I really appreciate it.

Today is day one yes. Im at my parents house and am experiencing bouts of anxiety but not too bad and Ive always been an anxious, since I was a child. The cravings are coming and going and trying to distract myself with other things. Im doing ok at the mo

My liver area is throbbing. I'm not shaking or having a seizure. However, lately - the past few weeks - when Ive been laying down trying to get to sleep, my body starts to shake and tense up for a split second. I have been attributing this to the merry go round of meds that I have been on, but I will monitor for sure.

Thanks so much xxx

[Rubyblu]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

ATLThrash;1030638 wrote: Ruby-- I think everyone is different in how they react to AL getting out of the system. I quit for several months and then moderated-- but when I was getting to that AL free state I did it on my own. I was drinking about a bottle of wine and night and sometimes more on the weekends. Teh worst aspect of it was crushing anxiety -- a doctor can medicate that but some of the meds are addictive and I did not want to go down that road. You mentioned anxiety and depression-- I had those too and thought that since I had them even when I was not drinking that quitting would make no difference. However, it has made a huge difference. One thing I did on the first day is just kept telling myself that by the next day or next I would feel better-- and I did! I had no physical symptoms with my withdrawl but again people are differnet-- I found that me thinking abotu it and worrying made it worse-- the brain is very powerful when it comes to how we feel. Good luck!

Hi ATL, thanks for the kind words and support. I will be going to my doctor tomorrow to see what he can prescribe to help get me through it anxiety wise.

Ive just thought of something. Im taking 20mg SSRI citalopram and 75mg of Zyban and have done on adn off for about a week now. I have been on AD's for over 2 years and stopped the stimulant a week ago - will taking these meds affect withdrawal?

So many questions and so kind of you all to answer. Thanks so much xx

[Rubyblu]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Ukblonde;1030663 wrote: Rubyblu

Hi there and welcome.

Right in your post you say you often have whole days AF, and that you don't drink in the mornings. So let's say you stop drinking at midnight, don't drink the next day then drink the following evening?

If that's the case then that's around 40 hours without alcohol?Withdrawls usual start within 4-12 hours of the last drink and peak around 1-3 days later from what I've seen myself. So based upon that I would conclude you are probably going to be safe detoxing on your own. You won't however know until you try it but most requiring detox would have shakes the next day after a drinking session(ie when they wake) - but you describe none. I'm no medical expert but using what I know from experience along with a bit of logic. I know I used to make a big thing out of "I must not stop and then I must be molly coddled etc etc". It only made me get some sort of big head and actually made me worse.

I'm not playing down how bad things can get thought but if you are ok after 24 hours, then generally nothing worse is going to happen.

Thanks so much, this all makes perfect sense, I havent not drunk for longer than 2 days for years and have read that withdrawal can get nasty after a few days. I will take your advice but let my parents know to keep an eye on me.

Thanks so much for your help and advice. xx

[Rubyblu]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Thanks to all you for your sage advice and support.

I know this site is going to be essential in my recovery, especially in getting over the next weeks. Im just going to take it one day at a time, stay healthy and keep safe. Im taking mega strength B Vitamins, L'Glutamate, Milk Thistle and drinking lots of water.

Tomorrow early evening will be my twitching hour so I will make sure that I'm at my parents, safe and warm and will stay glued to this website and read and read some more,

Thanks Ruby xxxxxxxxx

[Guest]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Rubyblu;1030691 wrote: Thanks so much, this all makes perfect sense, I havent not drunk for longer than 2 days for years and have read that withdrawal can get nasty after a few days. I will take your advice but let my parents know to keep an eye on me.

Thanks so much for your help and advice. xx

Yes that can be correct however you would know if you were going to have withdrawls within the first day,they don't just suddenly pop up on day three(well generally don't), in fact you should feel very good by that time.

[ATLThrash]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Ruby-- the main thing I learned about the antidepressants is that they really do not work if you take them with alcohol. That is why the directions always say to avoid alcohol with them-- alcohol being a depressant will just kill or lessen any positive effects . I finally figured I was depressed enough-- why in the world would I not give myself a fighting chance for those meds to help with my brain chemistry? Since the drugs are SSRIs I don't think they will hurt your recovery-- in fact they can only help it as they should help with some of the obsessing thoughts that all of us get when we go off alcohol. I always felt like a hamster on a wheel the mornings after I drank-- my mind going over the shame, guilt, etc. As for the antianxiety drugs-- they do help-- I found them addictive but if taken for a short period they are fine and they will slow your heart rate and sometimes allow you to sleep which is often an issue when you first go off the sauce! One thing I found and this may not apply to you---I thought I was drinking to forget my problems and that I was depressed so I drank. I now see I was depressed BECAUSE i drank. You may find a whole new relationship with your meds when you are AF for a while! Good luck!!

[lil.michelle]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Hi hunni,
If i was you, i'd just stop and see how it goes. Stopping WILL really help you as AL is a depressant. I found that my depression is much better and easier to handle since quiting.
Staying at your mums is a really good plan. Get rid of all the AL in the house and plan out a new fresh routine for you which needs to ensure you DON'T go near places that sell AL or make you tempted to drink.
Stay close to us as well, we are always here to support you!
xx

[Rubyblu]

WANT to Stop - but do I need to detox

Double post. My laptop is playing up......