Quitting..What to expect ..What we did

[Bananaman]

Christian:

i have never met anyone else who hear voices when they detox...so that was comforting to know that it was from the detox!!

I experienced this too. In my case the radiators were transmitting radio cricket commentary. It was so real that I had a long discussion *cough* with my girlfriend about her needing hearing aids because she couldn't hear anything, whilst at the same time trying to dissuade her from calling a doctor because she thought I'd gone off my rocker.

In retrospect calling the doctor would have been a good idea.

I experienced just about all the other symptoms described in this thread: shakes, sweats, flashing hallucinations on edge of vision, nightmares, vomiting and the crushing panic attacks and depression. Oh what fun it all was. (I had, however, been prescribed some tablets from the doctor to help with withdrawal, which was a lifesaver - maybe literally. As everyone else says, 'get medical advice'.)

Rusty Zipper:

and the real crowd pleaser...

that dreaded feeling of never ending empending doom...

That made me smile. If anything characterised my daily existence when I was drinking then the 'sense of impending doom' did. Every time my blood alcohol meter dropped towards empty I'd experience my first symptom of withdrawal: 'The Sense Of Impending Doom'. Every morning when I woke up The Doom would be doing its thing, usually accompanied by panic, followed by a sprint to the bathroom to dry heave and shake. Sometimes I'd cry. An hour and several massive vodkas later The Doom and withdrawal would slowly evaporate to be replaced by drunken daydreaming and a happy haze. Then, so many hours later: THE DOOM again. What a vicious circle.

Thank God I've broken the cycle. Withdrawal is horrible, but worth it, and like everyone else who's written I hope I never have to do it again. Fingers crossed.

Bananaman (Day 35 today)

[Dawnmha]

I just joined SoberRecovery.com yesterday and thought I would wean myself off of alcohol with alcohol because of some very disturbing withdrawal symptoms I began having and I am so thankful I came here. After reading your posts I can see I need a doctor's help and so I did make an appt. with mine. I have a question that I hope someone will answer quickly and that is should I drink today? I am starting to have some of the symptoms described below again today and they are not getting better. Yesterday I had some and did drink as little as possible to overcome them. Believe me when I say little compared to what I had been drinking. This may sound stupid, but I don't see my doctor until tomorrow and it doesn't sound like I can do this without some sort of medication. I appreciate any and all help offered.

Thank You

[smacked]

Dawn, several people have answered your post about weaning off of alcohol, and talking to a doctor. We aren't allowed to give any medical advice here, and from the responses you've received it's not recommended by most people HERE to wean off of alcohol. I know I join in that suggestion. Detox is very dangerous and should often be supervised very closely by a doctor either inpatient, or with at home medical instruction. Good luck.

[Dawnmha]

Originally Posted by smacked

Dawn, several people have answered your post about weaning off of alcohol, and talking to a doctor. We aren't allowed to give any medical advice here, and from the responses you've received it's not recommended by most people HERE to wean off of alcohol. I know I join in that suggestion. Detox is very dangerous and should often be supervised very closely by a doctor either inpatient, or with at home medical instruction. Good luck.

I wasn't asking for medical advice at all. I have a doctor appt. What I asked and was hoping someone that had gone through a severe withdrawal issue was should I consume alcohol today since I was trying to quit, but the obvious answer is I most likely should until I can get prescribed medication. And several people did not answer that specific question. I don't at all consider that requesting any medical advice since drinking alcohol isn't a medical issue, stopping the drinking is. You appear to be answering for everyone and this is not a black and white issue. If I was only experiencing minor withdrawals or a little discomfort - this wouldn't be an issue (my drinking today) I am seeking help from sources that have had serious withdrawal which I have never before experienced and it is very frightening. You are not being at all kind or you are not reading my entire posts, one of the two.

[CarolD]

I'm really glad you will be seeing your doctor
Good for you....

It's impossible for us to answer your question
regarding having more alcohol to ease de toxing.
Too many variables ...and it could be dangerous
to you if we were incorrect.

What if I said to to have x ounces of alcohol
and it sent you into a stroke?
Or Y....and you had a seizure?

Dawn....no member can tell you with certainty
that you will or won't be ok.

[Dawnmha]

Originally Posted by CarolD

I'm really glad you will be seeing your doctor
Good for you....

It's impossible for us to answer your question
regarding having more alcohol to ease de toxing.
Too many variables ...and it could be dangerous
to you if we were incorrect.

What if I said to to have x ounces of alcohol
and it sent you into a stroke?
Or Y....and you had a seizure?

Dawn....no member can tell you with certainty
that you will or won't be ok.

Thanks Carol, I saw the doctor today and he did prescribe meds for me for 14 days. He heard my heart palpatations and I told him what I had been doing to my body and he listened and very non-judgementally helped. I was so afraid of telling certain people because I was ashamed of myself, you see I went through cocaine addiction years ago and believe me my whole family was horribly affected by it. I hope that I learn for good that I cannot rely on any type of drug for comfort or to feel "better". I have that disease that I have to learn how to live with and I appreciate you and everyone else that shared their detox - that's what sent me to the doctor. Thank you so much.

[CarolD]

thanks for the update.
Please do come down to main Alcoholism Forum
and share there too if you wish.

[aqua4017]

There's probably nothing I can say here that hasn't already been said. But I guess what I really want to stress is to please go to the doctor for detox. Even if you don't have health insurance (that was my excuse), they will work with you. I almost died from detoxing on my own and refusing to go to the hospital. It was a year ago and one day I decided to stop drinking because I wasn't going anywhere with my life being drunk constantly.

The first morning I woke up, I felt pretty bad, but nothing I couldn't handle. As the day went on, I started feeling weak and shaky. That evening, I was laying on the couch shaking and sweating terribly. My heart was absolutely pounding out of my chest, my ears were ringing, and I was terrified. I got up to go to the bathroom and I was shaking so bad that I collapsed. My boyfriend picked me up and drove me to the ER. They thought I had had a drug overdose, and after 2 drug tests, they believed me when I said I wasn't on anything. That's when they discovered my heart rate was around 180, and they thought I was going to have a heart attack.

I was admitted, given lots of fluids and Ativan, and began to feel a lot better. But my heart rate was still dangerously high, so I was on bed rest for 3 days until they got it under control (yeah I had to use a bedpan...that sucked). The nurses told me if I hadn't come to the hospital that night, I would have had a heart attack. I was 22.

I have to be on beta blockers and see a cardiologist for the rest of my life, I'm not sure if it is due to this incident or not. Detoxing is scary, painful, and extremely dangerous on your own. I thought I was young, all my friends had been drinking the same amount and could stop with no problem, so I should be fine...but I wasn't. Just don't take a chance-see a doctor.

[johnstacey45]

If I don't have some type of alcohol after roughly 7PM, as I talked about earlier I become restless, unhappy, and anxious. From what I've read here that isn't too atypical.

[CarolD]

Hi again John...
Many of us have replied to you about your dangerous
actions. And we are concerned We only want
what is in your best interest.

John....please do speak with someone who can assist
you ...your parents...a doctor...a family member...your
best friends parents. ...a priest or minister..go to an
AA meeting. You must take action to find help.

You are so wise to see this problem so young.
That's a big step...
Time to go on to in person resources.

[johnstacey45]

Originally Posted by CarolD

Hi again John...
Many of us have replied to you about your dangerous
actions. And we are concerned We only want
what is in your best interest.

John....please do speak with someone who can assist
you ...your parents...a doctor...a family member...your
best friends parents. ...a priest or minister..go to an
AA meeting. You must take action to find help.

You are so wise to see this problem so young.
That's a big step...
Time to go on to in person resources.

Hi, and yes I do plan to find someone to talk to about this. However it can't be my immediate family. The main issue is that I do not know who to speak with and I am looking for that at this point.

[Firehazard]

My experience with detox happened in a veterans Detox facility/homeless shelter. It was really not unique as all the classic post acute withdrawl symptoms were there(P.A.W.S.) but being terminally unique I lashed out at the world as If it was unique. A constant reminder of the fact that it wasn't a moral flaw or spiritual reprimand helped tremendously. I reached out and after shareing my homocidal thought and burst of mostly anger at that point a clinitian suggested a anti-depressant. I of course resisted being a all natural wine drinker(WINO) and a recovering hippy eating only organics and such. Pills....ME.....nO WAY. HE asked me if I medicated with alcohol and had me there so I consented. The meds helped me greatly and using the honesty I knew when it was time to let those go and let god around three months later.
IN addition to the emotional outbursts and tension:

POOR CONCENTRATION

VERY SLEEPY HUNGRY

LITERALLY had to slow my act down and give relaxation and serenity a try.
(flip flops and pajamas for the first month) "EASY DOES IT" was the key phrase

To help I drank lots of good fluids//took vitamins and went on moderate daily walks//stretched

Basically I had to begin to take better care of me

THANKS FOR LISTENING