Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

[Cinn]

Hi everyone,

I have been drinking too much for longer than I care to admit and have finally come to a place where I finally want it out of my life more than anything. What precipitated this change is the same reason it has become so difficult: I have found myself physically addicted. I spend my days scared, anxious, out of sorts and generally hating my life, especially the booze. Then I have a couple and feel ok again, except for the fact that booze made me feel ok

I have been unemployed for over a year which has definitely exacerbated my drinking problem, but it also leaves me a window in life to focus solely on my health and wrestle this beast once and for good. Doctors in my area are hard to come by, so any medical intervention would involve me sitting in the ER for likely 5-7 hours (anxious and needing a drink, likely only to leave.)

I cannot sleep without drink, and have tried Benadryl, Gravol and Melatonin to no avail. I am wondering if I just need to tough it out for a few days at home alone miserable in bed? The prospect scares me. If anyone here has any experience with this, it would so greatly be appreciated! I am so scared, and so in need of a way out! :new:

[Guest]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

Whilst alcohol withdrawl can be dangerous and life-threatening, it is sometimes possible to tough it out at home. I've done it a few times after my binging turned into daily drinking and only once had severe withdrawls requiring intervention. Other times I've had 'jelly legs' which scared me but passed within a day or so AF.

Regards sleeping even when I didn't have noticeable withdrawl symptoms I almost always went through a phase of not being able to sleep - usually between days 3 and 10 AF. It was pretty horrible and I was so tired my vision was foggy, and I thought the floor was moving as I walked along once or twice. It can be difficult to get through the lack of sleep phase, but it's only a few days perhaps a week of being uncomfortable and at the end is the reward of true sleep.

[Marshy]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

Hi Cinn,

I went cold turkey and, yes, you feel bad for a few days. Some people say it helps to think of it as flu - drink lots of water/hot drinks, rest, be gentle with yourself.

I couldn't sleep either for a week or so but that gets better as your body starts toi recover.

[aspman]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

hi cinn, you have found a helpful place here.
there are lots of good ideas here https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html

i went through hell in the first 3days, then it got easier. i found campril took the edge of the cravings for me. i got camp from my gp, but others on here have orderd all kinds of herbs/meds online.

i wont say good luck, but work hard and it WILL pay off.

[cuckoosnest83]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

Marshy, I love your idea of treating it like you have the flu. Today is day 2 for me, again, but my focus this weekend will be in taking care of myself and as you say be gentle with myself.

Thank you.

[Cinn]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

Thank you all so much for your responses. I have been reading here and learning a lot the last few days and think I may try some of the supplements to help me through. I am in a bad way, but I am also feeling very positive and excited as I finally feel a 'shift' in my thinking for the first time... I hate drinking when I am drinking and I hate drinking when I'm not. I didn't develop this problem overnight so I do not expect it to be resolved overnight, but I think I am finally ready, hopefully in the next few days and weeks. Thanks again for your advice and experiences

[merry]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

cinn like you I have gone cold turkey and feeling like I need a good nights sleep
I'm dead tied to-day because of the sleepless nights and the dvd's I have watcged over the last 12 days I'm even sick of them but not ready to pack it in yet

[joe_blow]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

I just joined up here to post this.

I've been a heavy, daily drinker for about 25 years. It got to the point that I was drinking a 700ml bottle of vodka each and every day, throughout the day, starting with a "heart starter" before I went to work. This was meant to curb the withdrawl symptoms, but by lunch time I was starting to get the sweats and shaking hands and loss of co-ordination, so I'd head to a nearby pub in my lunch break to have a couple to get me through the day. (Fortunately I have a desk job).

I finally decided to go cold turkey, without any medical assistance other than some supplements and teas. It didn't go well. After just a few hours I would be trembling, sweating, unable to think or even speak properly.

I finally "manned up" and confessed all to my regular GP. He said "Get the to rehab!". I didn't want this, and couldn't afford it anyhow.

Then a good friend of mine who has had painkiller addiction problems for years after a car accident. I confided in him, and he referred me to a drug/alcohol specialist. After an hour long asssesment (just talking, no physical checkup - at this stage), he agreed to prescribe the following to get me through the withdrawal:

- Diazepam (Valium) which works quite well in quelling the immediate withdrawal symptoms. I start on a very large dose for the first 3 days (40 mg per day), then tapering off by 5 mg per day over the next week or so.
- Baclofen. I'm not sure what the point of this is, but he strongly recommended it, and I've read some good stories about it on these boards. Compared to some of the comments I've read here, I'm on a fairly small dose (3 x 10mg per day), but he might ramp that up when I'm off the valium
- Campral, which he told me to start taking immediately, even though I had been drinking earlier that day. He said it takes about a week or more to start having real effects, so by the time I'm off the valium the Campral should be close to doing it's thing. Apparently this can help with reducing cravings once you're over that initial withdrawal, and am ehading into the Post Acohol Withdrawal, which can take 6 months or longer.

When I go back in 2 weeks time, he said he'll probably try an anti-depressant aswell.

I'm lucky that the country I live in has a good Pharmaceutical Scheme, so the Campral was only about $30 after goverment rebate (as opposed to $170). This is good to know since I'm supposed to get it refilled every month. The diazepam and baclofen are generics, so were also reasonably priced.

I'm enjoying the valium, but I know it's addictive and have to start tapering off now

[Thomas1]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

Cleaning up...

It's my first day here, and I've been alcohol free for two with mild withdrawal. Folic Acid supplements as well as a multivitamin helped a lot. Still, I'm a bit nauseated and threw up some clear fluid, and there's an awful taste in my mouth that all the mouthwash in the world can't kill. I can't sleep either.

On New Year's Eve last year, I landed in the hospital with DTs because I tried to go cold turkey. If you are a heavy drinker, this is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. The hospital can help with rehydration, and valium may be necessary for the shakes. They also need to monitor your heart and liver function. Your best bet is to get to the ER before any symptoms start. You may feel sober at that point, but you're not.

I am able to go for quite a while - months - without drinking at all or drinking to excess, so my problem isn't "cravings" so much as "triggers". Being unemployed and with my home in disrepair has made me extremely depressed. My relationship ended as well, but that is for the best because he constantly undermined my self-esteem, which led to more drinking. 3 or 4 times a week I would down an entire bottle of prosecco, followed by half a bottle of bourbon. This would continue until I felt physically ill, then I would take a break from it. That's what happened last night. My ex came to visit for the weekend and it seemed to send me into a tailspin.

Well, I need to take a much longer break this time, before it breaks ME. I'm 44 and I need to get my cheese back on my cracker. My plan is to avoid people who trigger my desire to drink to get drunk, and to take one small project at a time to get my house in order. Will keep you posted...:new:

[Determinator]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

very wise words Thomas1. nice to have you aboard.

and I just love this expression! I need to get my cheese back on my cracker

that's awesome.

[Girl1973]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

I have been around this site here and there, spilling my pathetic guts about my AL consumption. Currently 750ml of vodka lasts 2 days.....with some wine mixed in. When I think about this I could cry at any minute, a dumb habit that grew exponentially and now here I am - I am not a 12 stepper person, I would like to drink on the weekends, or when out with my guy., Not sitting here alone night after night drinking. Sometimes I want to tell my guy what I am doing, call my parents and tell them, but I will never have the balls to do it. I want to handle this on my own, and I am embarrassed as well. My drinking has affected my life and screwed some things up for me, I am in grad school and am always afraid I will be sniffed out (it has happened twice - last year). Ugh I wish I could just mature out of this - I don't even like the taste anymore, waking up feeling like ass every morning - and having no energy or ambition. If not for my family, guy, and my pets and friends I think I would just end it, but I know I really don't have the balls for that. Well I admit this is a problem, I found that out a year ago at least, isn't it time for the next step already???? I feel like a dumb bitch!

[Determinator]

Detox., Stories, experiences, advice welcome.

Girl1973 your not stupid in the slightest! you came to a site that offers help and now lets get you that help.
feeling embarrassed about this totally normal, but we really shouldn't feel that way. it's not productive and just makes us feel more crappy. have you looked at the MWO book? hypno? I know I need to get back in the gym asap as that helps me a ton.