for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

[kelba]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Vicious Circle

:upset:Hi All,
I am also new on this forum today, I have looked at the site many times before, now I have taken the plunge.
I have three lovely kids, a rocky marriage...
I am a heavy drinker who has used alcohol to combat panic attacks, agrophobia, hypocondria the list goes on. The drinking is way out of hand and the panic problems are still there, I am feeling v depressed and have no energy. I sleep badly and drink during the night and first thing in the morning, basically 24 hours.. It makes feel really guilty, and I want to stop, it is all I think about. I want to taper off, but like many am scared of dt's etc as I never go a day without it. I want to stop drinking for good, I cannot moderate, it is all or nothing. I spoke to my Doc who said there is no reason why I should have a seizure or dt's but anyone can so how does she know? (classic hypocrondriac!)

[suniquejwl]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Good luck

[COSGringo]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Well drinking actually makes anxiety worse to be honest. It may seem to help when you are using it but it really is making it worse and creates a vicious cycle. If you are drinking that much that sounds like a lot. How long have you been at that rate? I think your doc is way off here. He needs to at least give you some librium. There are others too. All I can say is the seizure I had was blamed on my drinking. I had not even stopped just cut back. Everyone is different but why risk it? I don't think you have to go inpatient but tell us how many drinks per day are you doing and how long at that rate?

[kelba]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I already did a 10 day detox, I live in France and was basically given valium and vit b and a sleeping tablet. I stayed sober for 3 weeks still had the anxiety and do not feel like I had the right attitude about keeping off the booze.

My feeling is that I was physcologically dependant, now I think it is more physical, which is what worries me.

I had no major problems and have managed to detox at home in the past just with will a positive feeling, but I was not drinking so much. Since the rehab which was nearly a year ago I have slowly started drinking more , at worst about 2 bottles of wine and a couple of shots of spirit throughout the day and in the night. I take xanax and a beta blocker. Maybe the doc thinks this is enough?

[too tall]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

i am currently tappering off. i took some of these suggestions to heart. having one beer an hour....then one every hour and a half....so on and so forth. this has made the process so much easier. no seizures. im greatful that i came across this page. im participating in life again...God Bless

[FlyAway]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

too tall;1322453 wrote: i am currently tappering off. i took some of these suggestions to heart. having one beer an hour....then one every hour and a half....so on and so forth. this has made the process so much easier. no seizures. im greatful that i came across this page. im participating in life again...God Bless

TooTall I hope you continue to post here. Check out the Just Getting Started section. That's where most new people post although you're welcome to post anywhere.

[FlyAway]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Sorry, it's called Just Starting Out!

[blueblah]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Just want to add some more to this thread:

I have found that clonidine is excellent for the first few days you go very low or go without a drink. Especially if you are a night time only (4-5 PM or later) drinker. Clonidine slows down your system and really helps with the hypertensive effects. Furthermore, it can make you pretty sleepy and should help with sleep. Do not be afraid of using some sleep aids (either OTC or Prescription) during the process either. You need to try to get as much sleep as possible. I myself have always had major sleeping issues (one of the reasons I drank daily) so I am not sure how much of it is alcohol induced and how much of it is just insomnia. Even when I was totally substance free (my very long year+ break), except for prescribed meds, I still had to take sleeping medication for a long time.

Also, I found Natural Vitality's "Calm" (a Magnesium Supplement) can really help when drank before bed. It seems to also improve the effectiveness of OTC antihistamines and reduce the occasional side effects. This will allow you to take less of the OTC sleep aids which usually means a less groggy feeling in the morning. In fact, Magnesium Citrate, an OTC sleep Med and .05 to .1 of Clonidine has occasionally felt almost like a benzo without the euphoria. That is a very good thing and should allow you to get some pretty solid sleep. I know I keep stressing sleep, but for some it can be a make or break situation.

Multi-Vitamins and/or a B Complex can be a big help. Milk Thistle is good for detoxing. Obviously, do research on these and see if its appropriate for you. I have found Sam-E to also be a big help, however one should throughly research this before taking it. Kava Kava and/or Valerian can also really help. Its usually best to start taking this supplements during the taper in order to help reduce the effects of what should be very mild withdrawal symptoms.

Another very important issue while tapering is timing, if you cannot get time off (and many cannot) try to time your first AF days during a weekend or when you have two days off. This can be a tremendous help. If you have tapered correctly, two days should be more then enough to deal with any lingering symptoms (if you have them).

Important: I am not a doctor, these are just suggestions. You should research all supplements and medications before taking them. Furthermore, if you are concerned then talk to your doctor about them.

[liveordie]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hey folks,
First time poster here, and I hope I can find what I need, and maybe pass a little on.
The short story on me: Daily drinker 6-12 beers a day for ten years. Off-and on problems with alcohol since I was 15 (Age 41 now).
I've fought mental illness all my life, and tried dozens of anti-depressants over the years, with results ranging from "sort of ok", to terrifying.
For 10 years, alcohol has worked well for me. I have achieved more in a constantly buzzed state, than I ever have in my life.
That said, I think the bottle has let me down, as the old country song goes. My depression is terrible, and I am very afraid of the damage I must have done to my body, and mind. So afraid, I need to quit, and get feeling better, before I go for a physical. I know that may sound insane, but I honestly believe If I was told I had advanced liver disease, or something, that the knowledge might break my will to quit.
I had it beat, and very foolishly went back to drinking. I used a combination of tapering, and MJ to quit.
I used red wine to taper, and would buy one cheap bottle a night. I would pull the cork, measure out 50ML, and pour it down the drain, before I took my first sip. I took one month to go from a bottle a night, to one 100ML glass. Then, I just quit.
No problems at all. It seemed easy. Perhaps, looking back (This was winter of 2010), it was too easy.
I didn't drink a drop for 5 honest months. I felt great, and got a ton of stuff done, in addition to dropping 30lbs.
I found myself really missing the taste of good dark beer. I always have had a love for dark thick strong beer.
I whipped up a clever lie to myself. "I'll only drink two 22oz bottles of good beer, when I go camping with my family!"
Now there is a truly ingenious idea! I might be the first guy in history to think of such a thing! Just quit the daily drinking, and after 5 months, I'm just like Joe Shmoe down the street, able to have a "Couple'a cold ones" on a summer night...
As I type this, I am surrounded by ten empty cans of beer on my desk from last night. All the evidence I need that my bright idea failed.
I thought the MJ I had been using was screwing me up, so I quit that for 60 days. Nope. I just drank more, and was just as depressed, if not worse.
I realize smoking weed is no cure-all, but alcohol is the one killing me. I'll deal with the almost non-issue of quitting MJ later.
I guess I signed up here, to hear some friendly voices. I'm not sure if I need a slap in the face, or a hug, but I know I need to hear from some of you.
If I can find an ounce of the motivation to quit, that I had in 2010, I know I can do this.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it was long.

[bounceback]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I guess I signed up here, to hear some friendly voices. I'm not sure if I need a slap in the face, or a hug, but I know I need to hear from some of you.
If I can find an ounce of the motivation to quit, that I had in 2010, I know I can do this.

liveordie, I can't help but think it's serendipitous that I found this thread (amongst many) via a Google search, decided to read the entire thing, then realized you left your message a little over a day ago.

Can your motivation simply be to prove to me that it can be done, so I don't feel so hopeless myself? I was happy to hear you were successful before, and I'm really wanting to hear you are successful again...

I'm going to to check back in a few months and hope to hear how you're doing. Hopefully I'll have some good news myself, too, as I'm about to start the process of tapering.

Hang in there. Also, *hug*!

[liveordie]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hello Bounce, thanks for the reply.
Serendipitous... Yeah, I had the same feeling when I arrived here, by exactly the same route. Google 'till I find what I'm looking for. I saw how old the thread was, but I decided to play archaeologist, and dig it up.
I started tapering on Sunday, 11/25. I was drinking 9 cheapo "Ice" beers a day, starting around noon or 1 PM. (At 5.9%ABV) That works out to about a 12 pack of regular crappy light beer.
Sunday I kept myself really busy, until 4 PM. Hands were a little shaky, and I couldn't think of anything except that first beer.
I drank 7, instead of nine, between 4PM and about 8:30. (We crash early, gotta be up at 5:30 AM)
Smoked a little extra, and was blitzed enough to call it good.
Monday I woke up feeling just slightly better, physically. I was also angry at myself for letting this get out of hand so bad. I cried. (Yes I cry, but I don't wax my chest, and have never gotten a manicure )
By 1PM or so Monday, I was pacing around a bit, and really, really fighting the urge. Luckily, I was out of town, and on the road. I won't say I don't drink while driving, but this time I bought a big water, and chugged it on the 3 hour drive home. It was tough, but I just kept telling myself that this time might be my last shot. No failures.
Monday night, starting at 6PM, I had 5 of the same beer, and a couple extra puffs of green. Slept OK, but not great. Odd dreams, that were kinda scary, but not horrible.
Tuesday was tough. Not much in the way of shakes, but kinda sweaty, with racing thoughts, and not really able to focus too well throughout the day. I told myself I had to wait until 6 PM to drink. I made it 'till 5:15, and drank 2 of the 22oz bottles of Redhook, between 5:15, and about 7:45. One of them was a 5.8%, the other 6.2%. Smoked about 5 pipe hits throughout the day, which seemed to help some. (I normally don't burn one until the afternoon, as I don't like being stoned during the day, but this is for a specific purpose, and seems to help. YMMV)
I pat myself on the back for leaving a single beer in the fridge, that was left over from Thanksgiving. I looked at it before bed, and just closed the fridge. The thought that saved me in that moment was "Don't do it. You are quitting, not trying to drag it out longer. One more beer won't make much difference in buzz, but you'll hate yourself."
I don't know why that thought worked, but it did, and I'll take it!
Tuesday night was weird, but not horrible. I slept most of the night, but I vaguely recall waking up, and not sleeping again for awhile.
This morning Is going OK, so far. I feel a lot better, having drank far less than just a few days ago. I try to constantly remind myself that life wasn't always like this. I remember a time when people would offer me a beer, and I would turn it down. It didn't even sound good.
I was there once, I will get back to it.
I am not looking forward to this afternoon. I am "Pre-gretting" how I will feel. Maybe I will surprise myself, and be just fine. Maybe it's gonna be rough.
The plan for today, is to switch tracks yet again, and pick up two of the 22oz bottles with a lower ABV percentage. I like these bottles, both for taste (Gonna miss it), and for the fact that the alcohol content is printed on most of them. I will pick up 2 that are 5.2%.
As they are 22 not 24 oz, that's about equivalent to 3 cans of Budweiser.
Thursday is target quit day. One 22 oz'er, of 5.2 dark beer. Smoke until I am retarded, and drooling in the corner if I need to. Whatever it takes to get one day off the G**damn bottle, and go from there.
I had it beaten for five months. Now, I need to do that again, but permanently. The addict in me finds it heartbreaking that I can't ever drink again.
So does the bipolar man, who only wanted to feel good, and happy, since his earliest memories.
The bottle has been mostly my friend for 10 straight years. Seriously. If they cooked up a pill that emulated alcohol's effect, without killing the patient, I'd be set.
That said, It's gotta go. I don't want to die this way. My symptoms seem really mild, compared to others here. I don't know that I could make it through a lot of the detox stories I read here. I need to get out, while the gettin's good, as they say.
I'll update this as things progress.
To echo what others have said, be very, very careful doing this, if you choose to taper.
I have had glimpses of how bad it COULD be, and want no part of it.
I'm glad to be hanging on, instead of hanging over, for a change.

[liveordie]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Well, 66 hours since my last drop of alcohol. Yes, that's "And counting".
Tapering works for me to quit alcohol. Now, staying quit, that's another story.
I can see where doing this could be pretty dangerous, even life threatening, if someone got in a hurry, and tried dropping from a fifth of whiskey, to a pint of beer in a couple of nights.
It also takes all the willpower I could possibly muster, plus, for me, some help from Mary Jane.
I would stop short of recommending this, only because of the risk, for those with extreme dependence. For the legions of you that drink like I did (Half rack of 4.5% beer a night), this is do-able, if you are careful.
I hope to stay off alcohol for life, but my goal right now is one year. I am betting that after making that year, I will want a second year, and so on.
For what good it may do, here is the schedule I used. It worked FOR ME, be careful!

Saturday 11/24: 9 Keystone Ice beers, 5.9% ABV starting at 1pm (This was my standard amount for ten years, daily)

Sun 11/25: 7 Keystone Ice, starting at 4pm

Mon 11/26: 5 Keystone Ice starting 5pm

Tue 11/27: 2 22oz Red hook beer bottles. 1@ 6.2%, 1 at 5.8%, Starting at 6pm

Wed 11/28: 1 22 0z Redhook @5.8%, one 12oz Fat Tire at 5.2% Starting 7pm

Thurs 11/29: 1 22 oz Redhook @5.8 Drank it at 3pm, and quit.



For my body, this was safe. That's all I know to pass on.

I feel tired, depressed, and lost without the beer I have been so used to, for so long.
I know that will fade over the next few days, and weeks.
Contrary to many people's advice, I smoked pot to help quit. I live in a "Med" state, that just decriminalized one ounce for personal, so legal issues were no concern. I also have a long history of using marijuana, and just deciding to quit, with no serious problems, sometimes for years. It's a personal decision, I will take the lesser evil.
If I can help in any way, let me know.


I wish you all the best.

[roguehawkfan]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Alcohol taper

puddytat;629815 wrote: 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)

I am, as I type, doing the taper method mentioned. I have had 2 beers and will be having a third in a bit. This system can work but as some have mentioned, it takes an iro will. For me, once the alcohol is out of my system, it is much easier to not drink for awhile. I have had 2 serious seizures from going 'cold turkey' so I dont do that anymore. I have had 2 in pateint detoxes which helps with the worry of serious withdrawl but I do have an appt with my Dr this Friday to discuss whether she thiinks I may need another in patient stay. I'm thinking that bt that time I may only need some Librium and Ativan to get over the hump. I have had in the last 6 months about 4 months of sobriety. For me, once i'm off the junk I get motivated and start eating better, working out, taking supplements and feel freakin awesome. So I am way motivated to get through this last relaspse and getting back to being healthy again.

HAMS is a good resource but like others have also said, it's good to have a plan if your heart starts freakin out. Also, it is a GREAT idea to have someone home with you while you taper!!! You cant call 911 if you are in seizure mode!!

Be careful...But it can be done...

Good Luck and Be safe...

Rogue

[iknowicandoit]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

That website is what inspired me to try to quit again. Can't afford hospital detox.

[Ant6475]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Have read this thread and totally understand what everyone is going through.

Have been through countless detoxes myself (home, and detox centres).

It get's bad when you start seeing the 'insects' on the wall and can't even walk to the local corner shop because your heart-rate is through the roof. I know a lot of people who have passed out for days when they have got to that stage and can't remember what day of the week it is... and the come-down is awful to watch.

I've tapered down many times. You can do it with librium, valium, or (preferably) mid-strength beer. Hard strength booze will just get you into 'party mode'/pissed up again. Plenty of water and vitamins... and magnesium helps a lot. And try to eat as best as you can... sausages and mash will make your liver start liking you again... then move on from there.

At the end of the day though, you've got to *want* to get off this stuff and address the issues that got you onto the booze in the first place. It takes iron will, and you have to come to a turning point in your life where you have to decide whether you want the booze to kill you, or you want to kill the booze and start living again.

All the best.