OldTomato

I woke up this morning feeling a bit odd, my cheeks felt fuzzy and I didn't feel like I was really there if that makes sense. My hands were fuzzy and cold and I had pins and needles in my legs. Then my head started shaking and I found I couldn't sit up, my left forearm was stuck up at an odd angle and was stiff and started shaking violently, my legs were also twitching pretty badly. It probably only lasted about 20-30 seconds but it felt like a lot longer until I could control my body again. My arm was still twitching on and off for a little while afterwards.

Now my head hurts and my cheeks and hands are still fuzzy, this is about 3-4 hours later. I can move around and I'm actually getting ready to leave for work in half an hour so it can't be that bad. I was also completely aware of what was happening to me, I didn't black out or anything.

I'm currently waiting for outpatient detox (it's taking a while because I have to wait for a keyworker to become available) so I've been set a drinking limit as it's too dangerous for me to quit on my own. I've been doing really well with it the past 2-3 weeks, a few slips here and there but nothing major. But last night I drank 330ml of straight vodka in half an hour. I've done it before but it had more of an effect on me probably because my body was adapting to the limit I'd been working with.

I was drinking heavily for about a year and daily for half a year, not much in comparison to a lot of people I've spoken to. I wouldn't expect to be getting major withdrawal symptoms. The worst I've had in previous attempts to quit was sweating and shaking. Plus it had only been about 10 hours since my last drink. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this? I'm worried I might be at risk of having a seizure, even though that doesn't make much sense to my current situation... I have a doctors appointment tomorrow to talk through other symptoms and sort out vitamins, I feel I should bring this up also.

least

Yes, do bring it up to your doctor. I hope you can get some help to detox safely.

mecanix

Doesn't sound fun OT , i'd go get checked at the Dr's or as you're in the UK phone 111 the NHS medical advise line, tell them whats gone on this morning.
Go with what the Dr's and caseworkers say, they are the experts.

I hope you get help soon .
m

Ariesagain

That sounds like seizure-like and scary. I know in my experience withdrawal symptoms are much worse as I'm getting older, even though I was drinking much less.

I wouldn't ignore this...can you go to an emergency room or call your doctor?

Soberwolf

Good job seeing the Dr if things worsen in the meantime seek further medical help

sva777

I would see if you can get assistance now, while you say your drinking was not as bad as others you have talked too it is still extremely bad. You don't want to have a seizure while alone or at all obviously.

I hope you get the help you need.

Chinaski

That sounds very scary. 330 ml in a half hour is a crazy amount of alcohol. If I'm doing the math right, that's like 10 or 11 shots. I think there are around 330 ml in a standard soda can. I second or third or fourth what others have said and think an immediate doctor or ER visit is a good idea.

Dee74

I would definitely see your Dr - and yeah 330 ml in half an hour is pretty hardcore

I really hope you get that place soon, OT.

D

OldTomato

Hey guys, the doctor said there's not a lot he can do for me and that my best bet is to wait on the detox place to get back to me (should be a matter of days now). He said that I had a bad withdrawal episode because of my inconsistency with drinking, sticking to a limit, then under-drinking, and then bingeing is just making things worse for myself. He suggested I set a drinking schedule and see it as something I have to do, like getting up for work in the morning.

It sucks, my first instinct when I got out of there was to find somewhere I could drink to oblivion. But I stayed sober. I told my friend and my sister that I just wanted to chuck out all my alcohol and make a go of it by myself again but with AA this time, but they both told me not to do that as it could be too dangerous. It's just really difficult to stop drinking when I start, so I end up avoiding my limit altogether for hours on some days and then playing catch up later on. By body can't deal with it. I'm just gonna have to hold on until I get this phone call.

RallyAly

It sounds like it can be super easy for you to drink a good amount of spirits. Have you considered changing your "delivery system" for the interim, before you can access detox help? This is assuming you are out of options for that, not just delayed for the preferred detox option? And that you're not able to get medications to help detox from your doc?

In my reading up on tapering a few weeks ago, the typical rec seems to be to taper on beer or light beer in order to better deliver smaller, sustaining amounts of alcohol and make "accidental" over-dosing less likely (and not blur the lines between drinking for medical reasons and drinking for drinking). If your vodka was 80% proof, it would take like 8-12 beers to equal what you consumed in a half-hour (or like 18 if you use an ultralight options such as MGD 64). That would be tough to reach the same binge. And beer makes it arguably easier to stick with a specific amount - no measuring, just a beer and hour or whatever. If you don't really like beer-all the better.

I did a very short and minor taper and used beer and liquor. When using liquor, I precisely measured an ounce, then diluted/mixed with a lot of Gatorade. But I wasn't really high risk for serious withdrawal issues; your episode this morning sounds scary. I would keep trying to find medical support if I were in your shoes.

UhZoomZip

Yeah, try and only drink to keep withdrawal off. I had slightly similar experiences when I quit cold turkey several years ago. My face and hands and arms felt very tingly and numb and weak unless I was laying down. I could barely type. That's typically neurological deficit from your brain struggling to adjust to not having the alcohol in your blood as far as I understand it, and it's scary. Hang in there, follow your doctor's advice, and try and get into inpatient.

Dee74

Have you tried ringing the detox place again, OT?
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the most grease

D

OldTomato

The letter and text I received said I'm not allowed to contact them directly. I've spoken to the charity twice and I also went to Advocacy for help, I got a lot more info through it but there's nothing anyone can do to speed up the process. Seems like the only thing I can do is wait!