for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

[puddytat]

I've been so worried about withdrawal, knowing how much harder and constantly I've been drinking compared to the last sober time (had about 50 days in 5 yrs ago after hospital detox).

Hard to find info about safely self-detoxing, until I found this article from "Harm Reduction for Alcohol" Basically, it's how to use Beer instead of Benzos to titrate down and withdraw safely from heavy-drinking.

How To Taper Off Alcohol

Thanks to Cat42 for providing her real-life experience of tapering over a number of days, and others for acknowledging they've used this method. Anyone else I've talked to about this plan think I'm crazy! (especially expensive doctors)

[brittzak]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Puddytat....I am not passing judgement on anyone! AND I have detoxed at home, I want to add that...I just stopped cold turkey...I was drinking approximately 1-2 bottles of red wine a day dependant on day of the week. I do not know your history and yes medical care is expensive...I work in healthcare...actually do billing, so I know exactly how much it can cost. If your heart begins racing or you experience seizures....please seek attention. You could die.

[chrysa]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

britt, are you talking about 1-2 regular bottles of wine or the 1.5 liter kind of bottle. Because coming off 1-2 regular bottles of wine does not seem to me woudl be a bad detox..just curious

[gyco]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

hi tat i tend to disagree,ive been thro a few detoxs my self,coming off AL quickly could cause many problems.doesnt take a genious to figure that out,go by a heart monitor,depending on how much you drink,your heart can xplode,or your blood vessels,can erupt. im not a doctor but i no the feeling,somtimes its best to sseek medical advice,nothing like getting up and you cant walk rt,or you seem to want to puke,if your in a hospital envirement ,yea they treat you like your crasy,lets face it you are,the brain is roasted for a while,i seen your post ,also i thot id be strate up,been where you are done it,go to the hospital, gyco

[Theme2be]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Greetings~

I have been following in the "General" catergory : "Day 4 of tapering" as well as yours.
I sent my present experience, puddy, there and wanted to share it with you.
I have some new things to share, but, I am in a linear mind set involving the job market.
A little shakey, but, the heart rate is doing fine. I can't put any alcohol in me and it is not as difficult to fight off at present which is unheard of in my personal experience.

I dont know if reading that Thread will be of any assist.
All of our experiences are different. I am fighting off starting my own Thread, because of the experience of failing many times.
I have detoxed almost every way imaginable. Once had great insurance and had the "silver lining" detoxed and drank soon there after.
Have suffered for days, in agony, in privacy going cold turkey.
I am attempting this one heart beat at a time with all its dangers and hopes.
Thanks Gyco, I do have a heart monitor and because of your post I spend last evening logging and monitoring. I have had the worse heart experiences while detoxing and I often wondered as it felt like it might explode.
That was of great assistance.
For it is at the 24 hour period and I have usually gone through hell and am at a shift in the withdrawl and I have minimal flutterings and discomfort.
I am somewhat at a loss for words, because I have never been able to "switch to beer" for it is 30 later and that is not enough, but, there never has been any pacing plan.
I don't wish to give any false ideas to another, for what is good for one goose is not good for the gander.
This is just my experience at present.
I have GOT to break free of this monsters hold on me or I will explode.
I am hopeful.

I just wish to encourage you . Be of good courage and take heart.

Someway, somehow in an instant we will know a new freedom.

Sending you good thoughts~

[42cat]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Thanks for sharing that article, Puddytat.... and I hope all is going well today.

My huge concern was the withdrawal ... keep a close watch on yourself and listen to your body ... I promised myself while I was doing this that if I thought I needed medical help, I'd ask for it right away. Promise yourself the same thing ... it's good to be prepared!

And let us know how you're doing! We're going to do this ... if we fall, we'll get up and try again .. No giving up!

[bloggy]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I am a beer drinker but have used beer many times to taper off after an excessive binge. I would start with about half a can every hour, and after maybe half a day go down to a few gulps every hour, then when I was feeling stronger just one gulp- until it becomes a few sips.

The last time I had to do that was maybe 6 months ago- I hope I never put myself in that position again.

[dgiggsy]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hi all, just signed up. You know the story, woke up an hour ago, panicky, trembling, all sorts of physical and mental going's on happening. Fired up the pc and typed in ''Tapering of alcohol'', ended up here.
I don't want to bore you, i've done about 6 detoxes(librium) over last 3 years, as i'm sure some of you guys have too. This is my PROBLEM. I have moved to Malta 3 months ago from the UK. Whenever i got to the ''i really need to stop'' stage before, it was simple. Go see the GP, get my home detox, the librium, off the drink for 7 days then have 1 or 2 beers like normal guys. (No none in my local pub has a drink problem even if they drink 4 times what i do every day...amazing, huh?). My point is, i always had the GP and the detox pills as a cushion, thought i would here...WRONG. Went to the GP here 3 days ago and did my usual speach. They don't use chlordiazepoxide here(librium), so he gave me a 3 week(yep, 3 WEEK) detox course of diazepam. All i'll say is i took the first dose, 4mg, totally freaked, got the worst depressive feeling ever, got through the day then back to the drink.
Now i read there is the option of using alcohol to get OFF alcohol. I think this is my only hope.
I would really appreciate any guidance with this (plan etc). I am probably downing about 20-25 units a day, every day.
Heres hoping,
Gary

[JackieClaire]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

:welcome:

Hi Gary,

3 weeks!

My GP gave a 7 day home de-tox with valium (diazapam) starting at 10 mg 4 x a day. Then tapering off gradually over the week.

You can taper off gradually but it takes an iron will. Cutting down each day by a little bit.

If you want I can PM you with the details.

Love Jackie xxx

[Meech]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I guess because we are all different there's is not one solution that will work for everyone. If tapering works then great.

There is no way tapering would work for me. It's just a big tease. As soon as I have that first sip it's not over until I had 5 or 6. And I have tried personally to do the taper about 500 times, but who's counting. I guess I really gave it a good try. Unfortunately with me persistence didn't pay off.

That's why I searched for help and found MWO. Taper doesn't work for me. So AF free, one day at a time is my new method - it's very very hard but it seems to be working so far. I have a long way to go but I am hopeful this time, where hope felt like it was gone just a few weeks ago.

Like I said we are all different. Good luck and whatever method can really help use it. I wish the best. Just be really TRUE to yourself. I wasn't the 500 times I tried my taper. I really didn't want to think of never having a drink again.

[BPleasant]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

This thread made my heart race. Going to make a Dr appt next week.

[Lion Queen]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I love to taper but although i have spent hours on this site i still am not getting something...how? is it a beer an hour? if so what about if you dont drink all day until night time? i am scared of something happening to me in the night when i am sleeping...stupid but true

[LoveyB]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hi everyone,
I have just joined. I've been surfing the net and somehow came across this site.
I live in the UK , but am Scottish by birth.
I was bullied at work about nine years ago. I took my employers to a tribunal and just won my case but with a 'gagging' clause!
I gave up work and since then I have been more or less binge drinking off and on for years.
I have tried many times to cut down and even abstained from alcohol for short periods, but every time I feel stressed I start drinking again.
My mother was an alcoholic and I see myself turning into her.
The problem is that I have no support. My husband even buys me the drink, and my son has just started eaching and has no time to even listen to me when I phone him.
I am lonely, and am full of self disgust at myself.
I am very shy and could never go to AA meetings. So, I haven't drunk any alcohol for six days now, and I just want, or really need to stop altogether.
My husband did a Supermarket shop today and I noticed that he has bought two boxes of wine. He seems to be oblivious of my situation, which I find so upsetting.
Anyway, I hope I can find some support here, and be supportive too.
Thanks
LoveyB
BTW I am not very computer literate!

[rolypoly]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Thank you so much Puddytat for your honesty and help.
I know there are so many opinions on detoxing out there. It is very expensive and as you said "goes on you permanent record" (tongue in cheek..high school phrase).

I really don't want all my life to be in a computer. Fear of detox is not something that should make sobriety impossible.
Real information is important.

I saved the file and it will help me.
Our local hospital doesn't detox patients admitted for things unrelated to alcohol. They are given beer to keep withdrawal at bay. They can then deal with their alcohol issues at another time.

[janka]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hey there ... this thread and narratives behind it makes sense to me!!!! How long do you taper for?