I'm going to quit....

[nvguy]

I've been drinking all of my adult life and it's time to give it up.I've been a lurker on this site for a few years and i swore to myself i would never post until i was very seriouse.Well it's time.Tomarrow will be day number 1.I hate to sound this way,but i'm really hoping to lean on you guys as i go.I know sleep is going to be a bitch,but i have to do it.I envy all you guys who have done it already.Do any of you guys have tipps for the shakes?I know i will have them.I need to get over them as soon as i can.I need to start filling out applications for work and it's hard if your shaking all the time.I hope you guys accept me here and i look forward to the hard adventure.
Thank you
Tony:

[dgillz]

Detoxing from alcohol is the deadliest detox of any drug - 7 times as deadly as opiate withdrawal/detox. You need to see a Dr., period.

[TTOSBT]

Welcome nvguy!
If you have been lurking, you probably know what I am going to say. Have you spoken to a doctor? Detox van be dangerous. I never got the shakes and I detoxed on my own, but even that was hard. I had no idea all the panic and anxiety I was feeling was detoxing. I just thought I was reacting to the DUI I got, lol.

Take care of yourself, drink lots of water, gets lots of sleep and take it easy on yourself. This is not easy but it is SO worth it!!!

[Astro]

Of course we'd accept you Tony, we don't turn away other alcoholics, we're here to help each other. Glad you've decided to join us, I hope you stick with this and find the support you need here.

Please take the time to read this http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html (Quitting..What to expect ..What we did)

[aasharon90]

Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

By the grace of my HP and people
like you here in SR I havent found
it necessary to pick up a drink of
alcohol since 8-1190.

For that and you I am truely grateful.

After countless times trying to
quit drinking on my own and many
failures, my family stepped in with
an intervention seeking help for
me when i couldnt do it for myself.

I spent 28 days in rehab allowing
that toxic, poisonious alcohol to
get out of my system and allowing
a good start with a clean slate to
begin my recovery journey one
day at a time.

I was handed the tools and
knowledge of my disease and
willingness to go to any lengths
to stay sober. I listened intentively
in meetings to the many before
me that have stayed sober a many
one days at a time.

I heard and followed many
suggestions and held on to
dear life as i managed to put
together a many one days at
a time together to help me
stay sober some 19 yrs later.

Reflecting back on the latter
stages of my drinking I recall
my hands shaking as i wrote
checks at the grocery store
or signed in at the doctors
office.

I was very self conscience of
that. However while in rehab
each morning during exercise
time, i walked a track sweating
profusely getting that toxic crap
out of my system.

Today i dont have the shakes
and glad to have gotten rid
of that in early recovery.

Welcome to SR. and keep coming
back. It works if you work it.

[Clutch B]

Welcome, nvguy!

I'm glad you're here -- you're not alone.

Please consider talking to your doctor about the withdrawls though. People die from alcohol withdrawl.

[nvguy]

My Dr.knows about my addiction.I'm taking adavan and if something goes wrong i will go to the hospital.You guys are cool and i appreciate you all..
Tony

[CarolD]

Hi Tony.....
Welcome to our SR Alcoholism Forum

I;m really glad to know you are heading into a
better sober future. Yes! you too can win over alcohol.

Please do keep posting....we understand and care

[aqua4017]

I'm glad you have talked to your doctor, and Ativan helped me tremendously while detoxing, so hopefully it will do the same for you. Read through the detoxing thread-it helped me so much while I was doing it this last time. Please keep us updated and good luck!

[BrianT72278]

Glad your here, I to was a lurker and only started posting once I got sober. You say you are taking ativan, that should help in the detox after my last bender I had to take xanax at first to detox but they made me sick so while I was in rehab they gave me ativan and that helped. Good luck in your journey because it is so worth it and also go to AA meetings for more support.

[TheSunAlsoRises]

Hey I use AA in my recovery and would advise anyone interested in stopping to check out several different meetings--not all AA is created equal. Of course there are other ways to stop and you should look into those as well...

Of course we want you here, this is the best place for ya! I know it helps me as well to see new people coming in... Best of luck... it gets better

Clayton

[rondfw777]

Good choice by going thru your doc. I was on a med that helped with detox and I still managed to nearly die and ended up in the ER. Just when you think it can't get any worse,it might! Just when you think it will never get better it does! Endure the storm and then you will come out shining Brightly!

Hang tough,keep posting

Ron

[keepcominback]

Dear Tony,

To ask for help is the first step towards creating your new life. I realized that I wanted to be different, to feel better, look better, change, and so like you, it starts with one day, then another, just keep trying, never give up. You will be feeling better very soon, so just hang on, alright?!

[TheMaster]

While I'm not exactly sure what detoxing is, good luck with it.

How frequently do you have to drink to need to detox? I only drank on weekends, but I would down a 5th each night. But when I stopped, I just stopped. No shakes or anything...

Can someone explain this detox to me?

[NeverLookinBack]

Themaster,

Detoxification of alcohol can range from moderate shakes/anxiety/uncomfortableness, to full blown delerium tremons. It occurs in people who have been drinking heavily and daily for some period of time (usually months-years, but in some cases can involve heavy drinkers who binge). Alcohol is one of the few drugs on earth which can cause death if stopped abruptly by an alcoholic. If detox is bad enough and delerium tremons are present, the drinker will find himself confused, disoriented, having hallucinations, and may go into seizures. The worse the alcoholism is, the more severe the detox. It can cause death if untreated (in about 5-15% of people I believe who have DT's).

This is why people tell a heavy drinker who decides to quit drinking to go see a doctor. Proper medications, mostly benzodiazepines, stop seizures from happening and calm a person down. Medications such as ativan help alcoholics go through detox safely and more comfortably. These medications usually are taken for up to a week. Alcohol withdrawal is nothing to fool around with. People have horror stories about going through untreated withdrawal. It can be hell.

Alcohol withdrawal also varies from drinker to drinker. Some heavy alcoholics are able to stop one day after daily drinking for decades. Others drink heavily only for 10 months, but go into full blown delerium tremons. Detox varies widely, but should always be taken seriously and treated with the upmost precaution. Any alcoholic who decides to quit and has been drinking heavily for any prolonged period of time should see a doctor or get medical advice. Emergency rooms are legally required to admit and treat alcoholics going through withdrawal, no matter if they are insured or not and no matter what the circumstance.

I hope that I was of some help explaining this to you.

[mirage]

Welcome Tony...glad you found SR!

[nvguy]

Hi everyone.Day #1 was a bitch,but it's done.I read on here before that day #3 is really hard.What is the best way to keep your mind off of it?I thank all of you for your wisdom and thank you very much.
Tony

[Clutch B]

Originally Posted by nvguy

I read on here before that day #3 is really hard.What is the best way to keep your mind off of it?

I went to lots of AA meetings. Three or four a day. I would force myself to make it to the next meeting.

Have you tried AA yet?

[Wolfchild]

[nolaspiral]

Originally Posted by nvguy

Hi everyone.Day #1 was a bitch,but it's done.I read on here before that day #3 is really hard.What is the best way to keep your mind off of it?I thank all of you for your wisdom and thank you very much.
Tony

I'm a veteran of several "day #3"s. Yes, they tend to be a common point for suffering as it's when your body starts rebelling. "Hey man, you think you can keep alcohol from me? Well, I'll show you."

Even if you are not insured, it is not too expensive to see a GP / family-type doctor. Any of them will issue a short-term prescription for a mild sedative. In my case, I used librium. It's old-school and generally effective. Your DTs (if indeed you have serious ones...not everyone does!) may not be erased, but they'll be mitigated enough to likely keep from giving up immediately.

[barb dwyer]

welcome nv guy!

thanks for the info about your doc =-
it's so refreshing not to have to post about that for once!

I hope you'll consider a program of recovery, something in 3-D
to compliment your time here on SR.

Keep posting! We need you in order to stay sober!

[chango]

The hardest day is the day before day 1. Getting the courage and resolve to decide to quit drinking is much much harder than continuing to not drink. If you can do day one, you can do any day.

[c49999]

Welcome aboard and good luck with the detoxing. I am also a frequent day 3'er however the last detox was some time ago.

I've had detoxes from hell and some detoxes came from Heaven despite no changes in my absurd amount of drinking. You know this can be the last one you have and trust me that is a great thing.

Experiences vary tremendously on this so do your reading and hopefully others will hop on to share their stories and wisdom. Whatever you do BE SAFE!

Things that helped me ALOT in early sobriety were and still are running, walking, biking, MY ROCKING CHAIR LOL, good reading and involving TV... don't forget AA - like it or not you will be sober for that hour!

[nvguy]

Yesterday was day #2 AND I WAS SHAKING so bad i had a couple of glasses of wine to try and stop shaking.I haven't had anything today,but the shakes are alot better.So i guess i'm back to day one.I couldn't stand to be shaking that bad.Maybe i should have weened myself more better....
Sorry everyone
Tony

[Asta1]

Doesn't matter if you are on day 1 or day 100. You didn't drink today. Plan not to drink tomorrow. No need to be sorry or apologize. We all understand what you must have been going through. Keep reading here and keep posting to let us know how it is progressing. We care!!