Tapering off alcohol?

[Sisyphus56]

Has anyone done this successfully?

:new:

Well, not really. I found the site several years ago, bought the book and supplements, posted once or twice and then went on my merry way. I have now reached a crisis point, but also one of hope. I live in a country that is poorly equipped to deal with addictions and work in an environment where "everybody" drinks (not many to the excess that I do, admittedly).

My 34 year old son has also lived here for several years and while he had drinking problems before, it has got to a point where the only hope I see for him is an intervention. So as I am working on setting that up for a few weeks from now, I need to get myself under control.

I plan to go to a recovery center myself but because of my job it is not feasible until July. My own addiction is serious enough (long-term daily drinker) that I don't want to risk stopping cold-turkey. I've also had a few episodes of racing heart after particularly heavy nights that sent me to the clinic for beta-blockers.

Last Thursday, I had my first full health screening in 5 years (I am 56). Not surprisingly, I have a fatty liver and am on the verge of chronic liver disease. The doctor I saw (in another country) would not give me meds for AWS and I have little faith in the medical system here to prescribe appropriately, so the only option I see at this moment is weaning off.

I started by taking a couple of Kuzu capsules yesterday and setting a timer so as not to drink more than one beer every 50 minutes, and no more than 8 in total (1-3 below my usual intake). It seemed to work well and I don't know if it was the Kudzu but I only got 2 sips into the 8th beer when I set it aside and fell asleep.

I want to do a slow enough taper to avoid problems, but don't want to drag it out. I was thinking of cutting down by one a day, leveling out at 2-3, then stopping.

Has anyone quit this way? I've tried before and have not managed more than a couple of days before shooting back up to my typical level. The difference this time is that I am super motivated, have finally reached out for and gotten support for both myself and my son, and feel ultra determined knowing what my son is going through. But it would really help to hear from anyone else who has done it.

Thank you. I am going to stay on these boards this time and use them for my own recovery, and hopefully be able to support others as well.

Sis

[JackieClaire]

Tapering off alcohol?

:welcome: sisyphus,

Glad you decided to start posting. Found a thread that may of be particular interest to you. Just click on the link and have a read.


https://www.mywayout.org/community/f9...ggy-34156.html

Another brilliant thread is the tool box thread.

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html

Welcome again and hope this helps.

[Wildflowers]

Tapering off alcohol?

Yes, it can be done this way for some people.

My last 3 quits were done with beer. My last one was done with beer & Atenolol generic for Teva it's a beta blocker. I was drinking daily about 6-7 beers sometimes 8-9 sometimes 4 or 5. Sometimes on an empty stomach. History 30 + yrs of drinking. I'm female age 49. I too had heart racing. High blood pressure. Lots of anxiety, shaky, nauseous. Could go a day or two without. The physical withdrawals were too much! So, I caved. There was a time I drank hard liquor lots of it. I never had seizures or delirium tremens . I also smoke ciggies that doesn't help!

My RX was 25mg twice a day, but was rxd for a different diagnosis. I looked on Internet & found it can be used to ease alcohol withdrawals. I also read & with my own past experiences found that the first 5-7 days is the most critical. The first 5 has & was the worst for myself. So, 1st day I cut back 1.5 beers only took one 25 mg half way thru the day. Repeated this the 2nd day. Third day cut out two beers was drinking four beers. Continued this thru day 5. Days 6 & 7 drank three-five lite beers only one 25 mg beta blocker mid day. Beginning of 2nd wk drank two-four beers ea day, took one 25 mg beta blocker. So one day it would be four beers then next day three beers then next day two beers. Then next day no beers. Or maybe it was two days of drinking a couple to a few beers then I'd have none for a day or two. Giving my body time to get used to no alcohol. Kinda of went back & fourth at this point. Listen to how your feels, then decide. This all lasted 3 wks. On 3/17 I had one beer & have not had any since. Started 25 mg Topamax took that for two wks. Once the Topamax kicked in at 2nd week of beer detox, I was on my way out of physical withdrawals. Increased dose to 50 mg. Holding steady there.

No longer needed beta blocker. Blood pressure normal, no more racing heart. Respiratory symptoms returned mostly normal as well. Still have some digestive issues. I also came here nearly every day & read & read. I gained hope from reading these boards.

Good news, if you stop drinking now, your fatty liver can repair it self, as long as u don't have cirrhosis. The liver is the most forgiving organ in our bodies. As for the Kudzo some people have had success with it in reducing cravings. I read that it increases blood alcohol levels, thus why it reduces cravings. Your body thinks it's already ingested booze. Some people here also use L-Glutamine for cravings.They say it's best in powder form. Tho, I've read that a person should make sure their kidneys r functioning well. I chose Topamax for this & for other reasons.

I do hope you & your son find a way out of this alcohol mess. It can be done! I'm sorry u live in a country that is so un-supportive. It's a world wide problem that's unrecognized for it's true capacity to completely destroy those of us that it effects, including those we love & society as a whole. Addiction is so destructive, but we can with proper help & even limited resources win the war. We just have to do it one battle at a time.

Read as much as u can, this site has a wealth of information & very supportive non-judgemental people here. Hopefully, there will be others that will chime in that have been here longer & have more time under their belts.

Sisyphus56, wishing you & your son sobriety & all the best life can offer.

[spacebebe01]

Tapering off alcohol?

Hi you said it yourself, your super motivated adn determined so lets hope that gets you through this. Your plan on reducing seems sound to me and what doctors have advised me to do many times. I have never actually managed it tho as I too have got a couple of days then shot back up.
There is other things you can take to help you, there are meds which I take (look in the meds thread) and I am reading about L glut my which seems to have good results helping people with cravings. I think you can buy it from a health food shop so you could start on that tomorrow, if you have a shop nearby.
I wish both you and your son the best of luck

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

Thank you all for being so supportive and encouraging, and sharing experiences and stories. It's really helpful and I'll be coming back to read everything over again.

I've now had 3 days in a row on 8 or less and today I brought 7 home with me and will stop at that. I also have been home almost an hour now and not cracked the first beer. I'm going to sit down with the first one while writing out a plan for the next few days. I'm also going to eat some dinner (which I often skip altogether) before opening the second. Just took 2 Kudzu and a L-glut (thanks spacebebe) and I'm feeling a bit anxious but not overly.

Beer has always been my drink of choice and it is insanely cheap here -- one of the "joys" of a developing economy. But I just realized that I have a liter of vodka that I wouldn't be averse to if the occasion arose, so I'm going to pour that baby down the drain right now.

Jackie, thank you for the link --- and Wildflowers, thank you so much for the inspiration!!!
:fingers::fingers::fingers:

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

Wildflowers, can I ask why/how you are taking the Topamax? Is it specifically to prevent AW seizures?

[spacebebe01]

Tapering off alcohol?

Well done on pouring the vodka, that has always been my main downfall, a 1/2 bottle goes down so easily before I and then before I know it Im past the point of any rational judgement. I hope the reducing goes well, keeping posting on here each day might help you, I will try to look out for you, and buying only what you need for that day is best, especially when you get lower, that was a problem I had I would see how much say 3 cans are, then how much a box of 12 was and think I could economise and also be prepared for the next 4 days but that never happened, where abouts are you, Im guessing eastern europe from what you describe.

When you say you plan an intervention for your son does he know about this and agree to it?

Best wishes x

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

Hi Spacebebe,

No, my son doesn't know yet. My ex (his dad, not the 2nd ass), his wife, my older son and I are working with a professional in Canada and the question of when to tell him is currently on the agenda, since they will all be here for the event. I finally feel like I'm not dealing with this alone, but still really scared that something will go wrong, and I'm more scared for him than for myself. I know I have the motivation to do this, I just don't know if he will accept the opportunity.

I live in the Philippines. I have a well-paid job and have not had to worry about money since coming here. Sadly, I allowed that factor to justify my financial assistance for my son, which was minimal at first when he was trying to work out a new path but I realize now how much damage it has caused, in the sense of not leaving him to take responsibility.

It's all a hot mess, really. My recent ex is not my boys' father and never treated them very well. I blinded myself to that for reasons I've only recently come to understand. My son came here after a break-up with a long time partner (his first) and even though mired in depression tried to carve out a new path in the tourism industry. It was going fairly well until the global economy collapsed and tourism took a nosedive. The industry is starting to recover but he has not, he has only gone deeper into his addiction.

Within a year of him coming here, I found out that the ex was cheating with a local hooker and it was the final straw for me, thank god. But he laid the blame on my son being here, which I know my son still feels responsible for although he is not and we have talked it to death.

I've done okay tonight. Just started drink #6 and may or may not get to #7 before going to sleep. I've written down my plan for no more than 6 tomorrow. Thank you, I will stay here and post daily. I live alone and am quite isolated from what I consider the "real world" so I need someone, if only in cyberspace, to feel accountable to.

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

I should also mention in the interest of full disclosure that I regularly take Xanax for anxiety, a problem I've had all my life (the anxiety). I only get the lowest dose, .125 mg, and while I've occasionally had periods of taking a whole dose every day I am back down to 1/2 a day. I have been tang it in the mornings to ward off the shakes. When I drink less than my normal intake, say 7 instead of 10, I sometimes don't need even that. I've also had the occasional week over the last years when I didn't drink because I was sick or fasting, and didn't have any alarming withdrawal symptoms. The last time, which was about 2 years ago, I took 1/2 or 1 Xanax just before coming home from work for the first 3 days and was fine. I'mmore concerned now because the heart palpitations are a fairly recent development.

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

I'm also hoping the vodka kills a few cockroaches on its way to the sewer :-)

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

While I'm here, I want to post a few positives to remind myself. I too was a lifelong smoker with one 5 year period of not smoking. I quit again last October.

I finally reached out to my son's dad and brother, and more recently to my sister. Not that my alcohol abuse (or my son's) was a big secret from anyone, but just making that leap set me on a much more positive course. I also took the reins and contacted several rehabs and the intervention people. This was a huge challenge since my son and I are both atheists and any AA-based programs are out of the question, but I finally found some solid resources.

I was afraid all these years to see a doctor, afraid of what I would find out. My dad was an alcoholic and ended up committing suicide just when he had agreed once again to go into rehab. There were no non-12 step options available at that time -- over 25 years ago. I believe he was also an atheist and could not cope with the idea of being powerless over his addiction. He also had cirrhosis and was younger than I am now. I found out last week that I do have some problems, but my lungs are clear and it seems the liver, blood pressure and other issues are still manageable. And I am not suicidal. I have an inner strength that I suppose my dad did not.

My sense of humor and will to survive, and mostly my love for my kids is going to get me through this, I know it. I so much appreciate knowing that there are others here who have battled this demon and who I can turn to. I am here for the duration.

Sis

[Wildflowers]

Tapering off alcohol?

I just wanted to let u know I was thinking of u & ur son 2day. I haven't read ur last couple of posts but will either late 2nite, tom, or next day. My Mom is in hospital now. I have felt some panic, but I'm not drinking!!!! No No No. Even when life is Lifeing me No No No !!!! I just can't go thru this again. See how this forum can help. Stay close to these people here. Read Read Read. When I have x I will explain more about Topamax. Stick with ur plan 2day of decreasing by 1 beer. U can do this !!!! We can do this. Life is better without alcohol!!! Even when life is hard & it hurts. Even when life is good alcohol won't make it better. Well not for this alkie anyway. Heading to hospital now.

[Lavande]

Tapering off alcohol?

Hi Sisyphus,
My poison of choice was wine & I was drinking plenty of it near the end. I spent about a week tapering down to avoid problems as well & it worked out fine.
Congrats on your decision to take back control of your life. I wish you & your family the best in dealing with your son. He's young & can have a good life ahead of him even if he doesn't know it yet!

Wishing you the best & please stick around
Lav

[spacebebe01]

Tapering off alcohol?

Yes sisyphus your doing great, 6 cans today. Are you going to go into treatment with your son?
Forget the ex, not the sons dad the other one, he was just another arsehole.
Sending best wishes to you and your family x

[Sisyphus56]

Tapering off alcohol?

Thanks everyone! Yes, tonight is 6. It's a little tougher to stay focused than it was but I'm still ok.

Spacebebe, I plan to go into treatment as soon as I can get away from my job. It's just not possible for the next couple of months unfortunately.

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate the good wishes. I felt physically better today than I have in a good long while, and I know it's only going to keep getting better. I also felt emotionally quite better today and I know I have to watch for that -- since I only drink when I'm depressed, bored, alone, with company, or elated. Lol.

Wildflowers, congrats on staying away from AL in your panicky moments! Hope all turns out well with your Mom. *hugs*

Sis