medievalknievel

I've been sober for 2 days after averaging about 6 drinks a night on weeknights, much more on weekends. I won't say that I'm feeling good right now, but physically it's not much worse for me then quitting smoking was, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, mood swings. I'd recommend cold turkey. I know for me, once I have alcohol in my system I don't stop drinking until I'm drunk or out of alcohol / money, if you really think you can limit yourself, all the more power to you. Good luck!

Bob

baggervance

I can respect that you dont like people preaching AA I am guilty because it is all that ever worked for me. After all it is attraction rather than promotion.If you find something eles you can use Im all for you.

doitforjohnny

Hello,
I am new on this forum. I have recenlty posted a topic about all my post withdrawal symptoms that I have been getting.

Anyways I didn't mention this on that post but my last bout of drinking was me trying to taper off. It originally started as a 2 day solo saturation party. Then I decided that I wanted to slowly taper off. Boy was I dumb! I drank more and more everyday! And when I tried to drink a little less on a day I started to get anxiety! So I had to drink more. Also, I had people bringing me alcohol because I couldn't leave the house. I told them that I was tapering off and that I wil be fine in a few days! Well it got to a point where I realized that the tapering wasn't working. So I just quit! Cold Turkey! Plus nobody would bring anymore wine!
It wasn't easy but it was the only way to stop the madness! I felt pretty bad with anxiety and depression the first day but after that it was just tiredness and body aches. On day four I was in the gym and things were back to normal. You may not even get anxiety. Not everybody does. You can always get a Benzo or something.

I just recently started going through PAWS. It's a bumpy road ahead but I hear that the bumps turn into yellow bricks and then where back in Kansas city! I wish you luck!

Johnny

NoMoBeer

I must really like your posts O32, maybe b/c I see so much of myself in them!

I have a question, though. Once you "taper" off of beer, then what? What are you going to do when you are sitting watching TV one night... and your brain says .... "you tapered down to 2.... and of COURSE we could just stop at 2..." What then?

That's where I used to get in trouble. I was a beer drinker only as well. But I have a disease called alcoholism -- and that's alcohol-ISM, not alcohol-WASM, so I still have to watch out to this day. I have a disease that tell's me I don't have a disease... I have a physical allergy to alcohol -- once it gets in my body I want more. I also have a mental obsession (see above -- 'we can stop at 2')...

My treatment is AA and the 12 steps... BUT -- I would try and get some medical treatment if you are having physical withdrawals. Be careful...

Have to run, but let's discuss more later...

Ken

Tazman53

Is any one here a doctor?

If you are not a doctor the only advice that should be given when it comes to detoxing is SEE A DOCTOR and BE HONEST!

When it comes to detoxing every one of us is different, one of us who has been drinking a 6 pack a night for 20 years may be able to go cold turkey and have no real problems, some one else who drinks the same amount may die from withdrawals!

There are WAY WAY to many factors that come into play when detoxing:

Blood Pressure
Previous number of detoxes (Each one is worse then the last)
Heart
Liver
Etc.

One reason maintenance drinkers live longer then binge drinkers is because maintenance drinkers do not go through detox as often as binge drinkers do.

Are you a gambler?

Willing to bet your life?

If the answer to both questions is yes then go cold turkey without consulting a doctor, most people win and survive, but others die!!!!!

I am a gambler, but I am not willing to bet my life on anything!

I saw a doctor about my drinking and was honest with him. I was an idiot, I figured oh I will tell him about these anti-craving drugs or antabuse, he would prescribe one and I would get sober!!! LOL

The doctor after an exam told me flat out "Mr. Price you need to go through medical detox." He was able to do this because he knew my medical history and my full drinking history!

It was not until my 3rd day in detox being pumped full of blood pressure meds and anti-seizure meds that I started to get the shakes, they upped my meds!!

BTW I was a beer drinker 99% of the time!

In regards to tapering off, for me the only thing that 10 years of tapering off led to was me being unable to go even one day with out HAVING to drink! Can it be done? Of course it can, but if I was to place a bet on it I would say that 95% of the folks that try it fail.

For me AA was my salvation, I had tried every way possible that I knew of and doing it my way did not work for me.

I was one of those people that hated AA even though I had never tried it (Well one time while I was drunk on my ass), I listened to all the people who said it did not work, that it was a religous cult, that it was nothing but a bunch of miserable alcoholics who sat around and whined about how they can not handle thier liquor any more and a whole bunch of other BS.

Well when I put myself into detox alcohol had kicked my ass savagely and I had no idea how to quit so I was willing to do anything they told me in detox to stay sober.

Well they told me in detox that if I wanted a CHANCE to stay sober I needed to go to at least 90 AA meetings in 90 days and get a sponsor!!!

Ah.... as it says in the book Alcoholics Anonymous "We stood at the turning point." I stood at a turning point in my life, I was either truly ready to get and stay sober or try it my way again.

I could turn away from AA and try it my way as I had the last 10 years and failed or I could prove I was willing to do what ever it took for me to get and stay sober!

I thank God today that I chose AA!

Why? This may surprise some folks, but even though my sobriety is my number one priority in my life, I am the most thankful to AA for teaching me to become a far happier & better person then I have been in over 30 years!!!!
From what I have heard they are more addicitive and harder to get off of then the booze!

parentrecovers

i agree with taz...k

NoMoBeer

Taz...SO well put!

I know what worked for me, and that's all I can share...

I detoxed without medical help, but I would advise seeking it -- if you are not comfortable going to your regular MD, find a clinic or alcohol rehab unit somewhere.

I know when I spoke to my doc indicating I thought I might have a problem, he kind of brushed me off... I have found out over the years that docs don't know everything about everything!

Taz, I really like "we stood at the turning point." I stood there for a long time, and until I MADE A DECISION to be sober, I did nothing about it. I had to be willing to go to any length for sobriety, and I still must be willing on a daily basis to do that.

NMB

inneedofchange

Yep...that's exactly what happened all the times I've tried tapering. I sit there at the computer and say...oh what's one more going to hurt. Then when I look up at the tally on the counter I've gone from my "allowable" two beers to six or eight instead.

I'm just now trying again and realize I'm going to have to do it "the hard way". I'm sick of the yo-yo quiting though and I'm gearing myself up for this commitment.

NoMoBeer

"We thought we could find an easier, softer way, but we could not..."

The longer I am sober, the more I find that THIS way is the easier way -- it was hard to keep up with my drinking. The health issues, the obsession (I was a beer counter -- I used to keep tabs on how many beers were left in the fridge and how long it would be until I passed out or blacked out) -- now I work a simple program.

I have found that for ME to change, I must:

1. Be Willing to Change (Step 1)
2. Change my Beliefs (Step 2)
3. Make a DECISION (Step 3)
4. Take ACTION, which leads to RESULTS (Steps 4-11), which leads to FAITH (Step 12).

"Simple, but not easy -- a price had to be paid..." I think I have to pay a price one way or another -- either I kept on drinking and paid that price, or I have to move out of my comfort zone and take action to stay sober. Now I do whatever it takes to stay sober (one day at a time, of course)....

So, inneedofchange, while getting sober is hard, and may seem like the "hard way" at first, eventually it becomes the easier way -- a way of life, or I should say how we deal with life....

Whatever program or system one decides to work -- the key is to work it as if your life depends on it, because it does...

NoMo

Budfrog

Hi, I practise moderation management albeit with mixed results.

In order to maintain a record of my consumption I adopt a very simple system which may help you 'Taper Off' as you say.

Here in the UK the recommended maximum for a man is published in units - 28 per wk to be precise (24 for the girlies). The calculation for units consumed is very straightforward - quantity (ml) x strength (abv %) devided by 1000. So a 500ml beer of 5% would equate to 2.5 units.

Now to make this work I keep an Excel Spreadsheet which details my daily consumption and works out weekly units and running averages.

Like I said earlier I've had mixed results and when a session involving freinds and family starts it can be difficult to remember things let alone keep an accurate record ... but I will persevere as for the vast majority of time I control alcohol and not the other way around,

GlassPrisoner

I laud your efforts Bud, but 10 beers a week ? My daily comsumption, using your formula, would have been 49 units a day. Roughly 1225 ml of 80 proof Vodka. (Note, I think your formula is off. I based mine on your example.)

To me, that would be sheer torture. I'd think abunt nothing but when I could have my next drink, and how much I could drink. And, invariably, I'd just say screw it, or "forget" to write it down....

Besides, I can't moderate. Once I pick up, "It's On".

overcomer32

Well, Im still tapering.... lots of ups and downs...

Bottom line, I dont recommend this unless u have someone else there in person to help you with it.

I went down to 4 and then 2.... then up to 4.5..... then 2.... now Im on beer number 4 or 5..... with 3 more in the fridge and I dont think Im gonna be able to NOT drink them....... ug.

Oh well.

Try, try again...

overcomer32

I am currently tapering off a benzo..... Someone here mentioned those.

I would recommend taking them for THREE DAYS MAX>... with a withdrawal off alcohol, but thats it. Your body will become hooked on them even if u dont (I know, it happened to me). I dont crave or desire them but i cant cold turkey stop taking my particular benzo or else I feel the most awful symptoms, that I could die.... it is truly horrid, and all from taking a medication just as prescribed from a doctor.

Ive never had a problem with drugs in any form, so i am OK in tapering off the Benzo. It is very slow, but steady, but I do not recommend this class of drugs to ANYONE, alkie and non alkie. They are just way more trouble than they are worth!

I continue with the benzo taper and shoudl be off by OCtober, according to my water titration schedule.

The alcohol.... ug..... is a lot more difficult.

GlassPrisoner

Yeah, I don't know about Benzos from experience, but I've read and heard tapering is recomended.

Thanks Bud. That web site also siad I was drinking 49 units day. The formula should be quantity (ml) x strength (abv %) divided by 10 (not 1000)

baggervance

If I were to taper lets see
First day
pissing my pants and shitting myself in a blackout wrecking my car\
second day
well that first day wasnt really that bad so Ill start taper in few days when things get really bad.

NoMoBeer

Definition of Insanity = doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Boleo

I tried it hundreds of times. My result was 4....3....2....35

winterwar

My problem is the withdrawal symptoms are so bad, I can't quit for more than 2 days.

I got up to 8 tallboys a night, then I had to have 10, then 16...

I can't sleep when I quit, and if I do, I have horrific nightmares.

I feel like ****...my health and my mental state...

I develop a fever and my blood pressure skyrockets.

I get the shakes.

I have stomach problems; diarrhea and vomiting.

I can't seem to eat ANYTHING but chicken soup.

I'm not suicidal, but I get so depressed, even though I would never do it, sometimes I think it's the only way out of this.

People will say, go to the ER, but that will wreck things at home for me.

I don't have a doctor or medical insurance, so I'm just stuck in this Hell, but I wish to God I could just quit once and for all.

I quit on the 25th (early morning 26th) and I had 5 tallboys left under my bed.

Today, my blood pressure and pulse rate were off the hook, so I caved in and now I'm halfway into my first beer, just to get rid of the withdrawal.

I already feel a little better.

Just watch, I'll finish them all tonight and go get some more---wake up fealing like **** tomorrow, and need a beer just to end the sickness.

Dee74

Hi winterwar
Welcome to SR.

I was a beer drinker too - I've been in your position.

Here's the thing - if you think your life is crappy now you won't believe where you could end up.

Things aren't going to get better if you keep drinking to get over withdrawal. Drinking is a one way ticket. It never gets better.

Not going to the doctor because it will 'wreck things at home' for you is self defeating - and pretty futile cos if you're like the rest of us you'll end up wrecking things anyway...

I don't mean to be harsh - but like I say I've been there. If you're like me, tapering is just not an option - it was an alien concept to me and never worked once in 20 years.

Stop the cycle now - get yourself to the ER, or a free clinic, winterwar.

D

needhelpbutstuk

Have to agree with Boleo on this one...when I tried tapering, I would get to the two beer stage and say, see I can do it, so why is it going to hurt to have one more tonight...
then another...
then another...
and so on and so forth.

Im convinced the only way for me to beat this thing is to 100% stop cold turkey and deal with the hand I am dealt