leeside

Sparkling juice has no caffiene or water in it. Just the best juice you can get, because it hasn't been heated to remove water IMO. It is also less runny than regular juice, that isn't from concentrate. Concentrate is probably heated to remove water.

WineLiker

^Sorry, Leeside, I didn't mean I thought juice had caffeine in it, I just was saying that I had altered my 'normal' drinks throughout the day and it was kind of helping with the way I feel, especially anxiety-wise. I was a massive coffee drinker and swapping it for water with the occasional tea thrown in definitely helps to reduce the anxiety, especially under the influence of a 'mind' hangover.

I eat quite a lot of fruit, anyway, so don't have juice (unless it's in vodka...!)

chip

Welcome to SR, WineLiker.

Congrats on seeking answers that work for you.

I tired to control and moderate my drinking before I quit. This was a hellish experience for me because I always wanted more than I was allowed. I broke my own rules several times. This experience was good for two reasons:

- It made me realize that I am an alcoholic and have no control over my drinking.
- It slowed down my drinking a bit. It might've been easier for me to quit because the suffering I was experiencing from forced moderation was worse than anything I'd ever experienced. It really made me want to clear my system out and start with a clean slate.

With all that said, I am not a doctor or an expert. I also smoked marijuanna during my inital alcohol withdrawal period. This may have eased the pain at the time.

Today I am 100% clean and sober, and I've been that way for a full year.

I suggest you see a doctor about your drinking issues. I suggest that you are honest with the doctor.

Keep posting, and don't stop trying to do something about these issues. Remember that you arn't alone, and these problems don't just fix themselves.
chip

leeside

I thought sparkling juice might help, but if all you do is destroy its' goodness with vodka then it was useless for me to share it.

GlassPrisoner

A lot of alcoholics are, it's one of the reasons we drink Wineliker.

WineLiker

This is another update. On the second night of 'tapering' I had a similar amount of booze to the night before. I got a good five and a quarter hours of sleep, then some insomnia at around 6am with sporadic amounts of sleep inbetween. Woke with slight headache but better than the night before. Had to go to a place I've never been to before that day and my anxiety levels were pretty low, though I was still a bit light headed (I've been getting agoraphobia a lot recently so this was a bit of a bonus for me.) Last night I stuck to the same amount again and managed even more sleep, with about two half hour periods of restlessness. Feeling pretty OK today, though it's the weekend now and the temptation for more might be high tonight.

PS: Chip, thanks for the info. I'm finding if I've woken up early, and I start drinking fairly late, that the temptation to drink more booze kind of lessens as I'm pretty much ready to go to bed. I know it's not the ideal situation, but the 'urge' tends to bother me more if I start drinking earlier ("just one more drink...")

I appreciated your suggestion, actually. I was just being honest.

Mongo

Hi Wineliker, thanks for posting your progress.

Yep, it's Friday and weekends were always tough for me.

I did try tapering to beat the withdrawal in the past but found it didn't work for me. I was a heavy drinker and tried to cut my consumtion by half. That worked ok, but still felt mild withdrawal at that level. Cut it again, and the withdrawal symptoms increased. This went on for a week or two and then tried abstinence. I still suffered the full blown withdrawal pain that I was so familiar with. It seemed that I was only delaying the inevitable, but maybe I stopped completely too soon.

For me withdrawal lasted about a week withthe first 3days being a nightmare, but, the last time I quit I HAD to stop drinking immediately because of job pressure. Once this withdrawal was over I began to experience all the positives of abstinence.

I need to mention too that each withdrawal was worse, whether due to age or just the natural progression of alcohol abuse.

Perhaps seeing your doctor and getting it all over with quckly would work best, it did for me. Anyway, good luck with tapering, it may work well for you.

Ron

Ps. Taking a few sick days from work to detox might be an option . After all, withdrawal is a legitimate medical condition.

kats

I've decided to and begun tapering but I decided for it to work I'd have to do it slowly so I've made a written plan modeled after one that my son's doctor prescribed when we had to taper him off of a medication that was dangerous to quit cold turkey. I'm drinking the same amount a week at a time, and each week reducing it by half a drink (I drink shots, so half a shot). My husband suggested I keep some nickels by a jar, each nickel representing how many shots I'm allowed that evening, and pennies representing half-shots. The first night, I allowed myself eight, but stopped at seven as that was what I had actually been drinking (didn't really keep track before, but guessed it was 8-10). So, seven is my starting point. Starting Sunday I'm dropping down to 6 1/2, then a week later, 6. Each drink I have either a nickel or penny goes into the jar.

It seems sort of adolescent, but I think worth a try. With this slow approach and if I'm able to stick to my plan, I'm thinking I should be able to avoid withdrawal.

Just my thoughts...

sofoclese

Sipping hot tea was always a good alternative for me

Tazman53

Kats and Wineliker all I can do is share my 10 years worth of trying to moderate, cut down, and or quit drinking experience I have under my belt.

I drank for 40 years all total, I am an alcoholic, no ifs, ands, or buts. I tried every way imaginable to quit or control my drinking for 10 years, guess what? It never worked, oh yes I would cut down from a case a day to a 6 pack a day over the course of a few months, I was a miserable SOB that no one wanted to be around, but I figured I had it licked this time!!!

What told me I had it licked this time was alcoholism!!! Long story short, I always wound up drinking more after I tried to quit then I did before! I have never met a sober alcoholic who "WEANED" himself off the sauce.

Maybe one or both of you will be the first, I wish you all the luck in the world in trying to do so. I went through de-tox and the meds they gave me releived the vast majority of the withdrawal symptoms and the worst part was over with in about 5 days. Why in the world one would want to even try to unsuccessfully put thier self through months and months of slow withdrawal I do not know, I only know that I tried over and over again and failed every time...... Why? I am an alcoholic!

kats

Tazman,

Thanks for your input. I can certainly understand what you're saying and the wisdom in it. At this point I am trying to wean myself because I don't want to have to go to the doctor for assistance with the withdrawal symptoms. I'm simply not comfortable talking about it with him and I doubt with any other doctor. Too afraid of being judged? Probably. I mean, I feel bad enough about myself that I don't need to get it from somebody else -- I don't think my skin is thick enough to deal with it. I'm not saying that that's the response I would get because I just don't know -- but at this point in time, I'm not willing to risk it.

I very well may be setting myself up for failure (wouldn't be the first time I failed at something!)... but I want to give it a try, anyway.

Emotionally, I'm ready to quit -- but physically my body doesn't seem able to handle a "cold turkey" approach, which is why the weaning. Now... as the alcohol slowly leaves my system my emotional state could change and I may discover that I'm not as emotionally ready as I thought. If that happens then I guess I'll have to rethink my strategy.

Again, thanks so much for your sharing your thoughts and wisdom on the matter. You obviously have much more experience than I, which is why I come here.

Happy New Year!

Tazman53

Kats if your doctor is up on the current (Last 20 years) studies he will know that alcoholism is a disease and will not look down upon you any more then he would if you went to him with cancer.

Please read the book "Under The Influece" which was published in the early 70's, it spells out that alcoholism is a disease, not a lack of character.

I am an alcoholic, there was a time when I was like you and ashamed that I was one, knowing that it is a disease and not a moral weakness or lack of will power made a huge difference to me.

If I was going to a doctor that looked down upon me for having a disease I would find another one real quick.

Broccoli

Hi Wineliker! Hi Everyone!

I have been a bit of a lurker on here and probably drink as much as you do (not every night, but most nights in the last year or so). Except for the spirits our drinking habits sound quite similar and I also suffer panic attacks etc.

Anyway, Wineliker, I just wanted to let you know that I have been 5 days sober now and I feel pretty good. I went cold turkey. On day three I had crazy emotions all over the place - at one point I attempted to tell my boyfriend a joke and found myself laughing and crying at the same time (and rather hysterically). I also found myself getting a quite irrationally angry at sounds and noise (eg.the bass from my neighbour stereo made me really want to go up there and hit him). A little of the same yesterday but today it has settled a bit and I am looking forward to waking up tomorrow morning (Saturday) not feeling scuzzy. If anything my sleep is deeper at the moment. It wasn't on the first night (I tossed and turned and was too hot all night) but that is all so far. Don't know if the scary dreams are yet to come, though.

I feel a little bit spare with all my friends down at the pub tonight, but I elected not to go just to be on the safe side.

Anyway, all the best, my friend. We are with you all the way. XXX

GlassPrisoner

Kats, this just dawned on me.

If you taper, you're still gonna experience withdraw symptoms. Just not as intense, but over a longer period of time. Why draw it out ?

And I'll second and third the concerns about losing control. I know I couldn't stop drinking by, well, drinking

kats

Glass Prisoner,

If I taper slowly, whatever withdrawal symptoms I have *should* be mild and not require medical care -- which is my goal. You're right -- I'm drawing it out and maybe in the end I'll regret it, but I'm going to try it.

Hey listen, I realize that I'm taking an unpopular approach to this, and that's okay. Everybody is different and the great thing is we get to choose our own path to sobriety. If I stumble this time, then I do, and I'll pick myself back up and try again.

Thanks for caring enough to write, though. I really do appreciate it!