How long do the alcohol withdrawal symptoms last?
 

My AH quit drinking about a month ago, and he's been doing really well except he gets horrible cold sweats some days that last a day or less. To him they are very upsetting and scary and uncomfortable. He gets very agitated. We called an advice nurse and a pharmacist to ask them if they thought it might be a pain medication he is taking and both of them think it's alcohol withdrawal symptoms still. Did any of you ever experience this symptom this long after having stopped drinking? Is it anxiety? What should he do for it? He has xanax, and it seems to help a LITTLE. Maybe he needs something stronger? Help please if you know!

Is it possible that he is abusing the xanax? What "pain medication" is he taking? Is it a narcotic and could he be abusing those? The physical withdrawals from alcohol should be over in a week. Xanax is a benzo type drug that effects the brain in a similar manner as alcohol.

I felt sick (cold sweats, shaky etc) for almost a month after my last binge...may be shorter or longer for others. But for me, it was always around a month..

I had symptoms for 6 weeks, the first 4 being the worst. My doctor kept assuring me it was due to withdrawal, as I kept thinking it wasn't as alot of people seem to say about a week. Even now at 8 weeks I get an occasional attack of anxiety but for the most part I feel ok now.

Sax

my withdrawals didn't begin for almost 2weeks, well, I didn't feel too bad till then....and persisted till around the 90 days mark..lessening in severity as the time progressed. anxiety was one of the worst symptoms.

Here is information on PAWS....perhaps you are unaware

http://www.tlctx.com/ar_pages/paw_part1.htm

I think the fact he is taking 2 drugs
pain med + Xanax
also have a part in this situation.

As you can see...there is no definate time line.
By day 4 my physical symptoms were finished.
I was not using any drug..my health was good.

Blessings

The anxiety can last quite a while and my sleep patterns took at least 2 months to return to somewhat normal. The shaking and sweating subsided within a week.

The benzos, valium, librium etc. can actually be very beneficial in getting through the early stages of withdrawal. I have done it cold turkey and with meds and know from experience that cold turkey can be very dangerous.

BackToSquareOne....Welcome to SR!
:)

Thanks so much all of you!
I am positive he is not abusing his pain medications - he's taking them as directed and the dosage has not changed since before he quit drinking. And also he is not abusing the xanax - he only takes one when he absolutely needs one.
It must be the alcohol withdrawals still.
I read somewhere on this board (I'm not sure where now!) that the alcohol gets into the spine and the body can hold onto it for up to a YEAR after quitting drinking? If withdrawal symptoms last that long - YIKES.
From what all of you have said it doesn't. That is a big relief.
Thanks again!

I quit alcohol 15 days ago(cold turkey) when i finished college and got my diploma after 4 years of heavy drinking. The day i got my diploma i drank from morning till late in the evening. The first days i was feeling very anxious and depressed. Today im feeling less anxious and less depressed, but i think i'm freaking out. I read that anxiousness can come when someone ends college, but from alcohol too. So i don't know what of the two is getting me crazy(i think i'll go mad lol). Any one got the same problem? How much do the withdrawal symptoms last after 4 years of drinking?
Thank you very much from what you told here, got a lot of relief

Hi Grandma :)

I didn’t have the cold sweats, but I did have serious dry drunk symptoms. I am still getting symptoms but they are less intense and farther between.

Be sure and read the information on PAWS that Carol gave you above. Read all of it. The parts two and three will give you some very important information on what you can do about it (PAW). That info has been a life saver for me. I would not have made it these 26 days without it.
Ed

I had the sweats, depression and the anxiousness for a few weeks and then they just stopped. They go in time, sometimes it just takes some of us a little longer. Good luck. Might want to go to a doctor and get blood work done just to be sure.

Shawn

Graduating itself is stressful. But if you're an alcoholic, then suddenly stopping alcohol could make you more stressed out.

It could be a combination of both -- but only you can know whether you're an alcoholic.

I was an everyday drinker for a long time and would also "binge" on the weekends (drink a lot more than I would on the weekdays). The last time I had withdrawal symptoms they lasted less than a few days (the sweating, tremors, upset stomach, etc.), but the constant insomnia went on for WEEKS and I remain somewhat of an occasional insomniac. Having said that, being tired during the day is far better than being tired and hung over.

Hunter....:wave:
Welcome to our SR Alcoholism Forum

Well done on your graduation and your decision
to find a healthy sober future.
Sobriety Rocks!

You could check with your doctor ...and be honest about your
past drinking patterns ...to get a professional opinion.

Good to see a new member...please post again.

soidog ...good to see you again...:wave:

Please see if this link is useful to you

Insomnia? 41 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep - Insomnia treatment, cures

Keep in foxus...:)

Welcome to SR, I would suggest he see a doctor and be totally honest with the docotor about his drinking, and also whether or not he is taking his Xanax and other prescriptions as directed.

Xanax is called alcohol in a pill form by some folks.

It is VERY important that all of his doctors be aware that he is a recovering alcoholic, because as mentioned many meds can really mess with an alcoholic, especially if they are not being taken as prescribed.

BTW when it comes to withdrawals every one is different, another reason to see a doctor, this may or may not be withdrawals.

Itching skin part of withdrawal?
 

I can take the insomina and the nightmares, the sweats and the anxiety (now on day 6 of recovery) but the itchy, almost burning skin is driving me nuts.

I have been drinking really heavily for the past 4 months : 13 standard shots of gin almost every day - sometimes almost 20! Things just escalated and got out of hand. I've always been a drinker but not at that level. I was also smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, and usually finishing the night off with a couple of Tylenol with Codeine. I realize that I am lucky to still be alive.

Is this hypersensitive skin thing normal?

I have had bloodwork done, and by some miracle nothing is out of range. So this sudden itchiness I am presuming is part of the detox.

Does anyone else know of this experience? And how long do you think this could last! Would really appreciate your input!:c020:

The itchy burning skin was something I had too. I think it was a byproduct of dehydration. Once I put enough water and gatorade down me, I felt fine.

Welcome to SR Trying2009

It's always best to check with your doctor :)
but having said that, Tex's advice about keeping hydrated is good advice - burning skin or not.

here's a link to some of our members' detox experiences

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

D

Trying.....:wavey:
Welcome to our SR Alcoholism Forum

Glad you decided to join us...:yup:

Thanks TexasBlind and Dee74 and CarolD

It certainly helps to know that someone else went through this as well - and that it shouldn't last forever.

I did see the doctor - hence the bloodwork coming out OK - but his solution for the itching is cortizone and I really don't want to spend my days with my whole body slathered in that stuff.

I guess it's just a question of getting through it. Its been suggested that probiotics would help the immune system recover - that the source of the itching is the damaged intestines.

Still be interested in other comments.

Thanks for your support:thanks

Hmmm....
Unless a medical condition is diagnosed by my doctor
and a healing plan recommended
I let those types of suggestions alone.

Often they are given by people wishing to sell me a product.
:)

aGrandma,

I’m by far no expert and I can only give you what I went through just days ago. I drank for the past 22 years up until last Tuesday and was about 1-2 cases of BEER everyday. I’m an Alcoholic and was also on Zanax for 30 days. My Dr. put me on it for Insomnia. He knew I was struggling with my Alcohol, so I was very open with him. I took the exact amount as he prescribed. I was taking 0.5mg 2-3 times a day, just like the bottle said. It worked great, however, I started to notice about 2 weeks ago that I was getting very addicted to it. I needed to have it, no matter what. I craved it. I did some research on the internet and found that it was very addictive and just about as bad as Alcohol. I hate to say this, but it does it’s job great. However, it’s a HORRIBLE drug to get addicted too and it comes very fast !!!!

What I did last Tuesday was most likely not recommended by any doctor, but I joined an AA group/Specialist for One-On-Ones and went COLD TURKEY on the Alcohol and Zanax. This was done all at one time. I just hit DAY 7 (OH YEAH !!!!!) of being CLEAN from both. However, I had some severe withdrawal symptoms hit me all at once.

Day 1 – No Problem
Day 2 – No Problem
Day 3 – No Problem
Day 4 – Started to get some withdrawal symptoms. They included Cold, Clammy, Constant Swets, Shaking, Ears Ringing, Very Jumpy (Everything seemed like it was 1 foot away from me and seriously LOUD)
Day 5 – Absolutely The Worse Day Of My LIFE. Symptoms included all of the above times 10. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I had no idea what to do and just about ended it all. Either go back to Alcohol, Zanax, or just end everything. It was the scariest day of my life !!!

Last Sunday was DAY 5 for me. Like I said, I had NO IDEA what I was doing. Now the next thing that happened I cannot explain no matter how I look at it. Some call it “BLIND LUCK” or “DIVINE INTERVENTION”, but in either case, I did a search on Google and typed in something like “Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Timeframe” and the very first site that came up was SR’s. It pretty much saved my life that day. I posted a thread on Sunday called “Help !!” and that is exactly what I got. I spent the next 6-7 hours on-line in the OPEN CHAT room with a bunch of people that got me through the day. By that night, I was feeling very normal with NO ALCOHOL or ZANAX. Again, they SAVED MY LIFE !!!

Now, I still have the insomnia pretty bad. I just came off of a 37 hour stint of Insomnia and the people here recommended Meletonin and I must say, I just got 7 hours of sleep that was much needed. It was GREAT !!! No More DRUGS !!!

With that all being said, DAY 6 (Yesterday) was the BEST day of my life. I felt 100% NORMAL and I have NOT felt that way for months. It was a breath of fresh air, NO WITHDRAWAL symptoms of any kind. It was like the world was lifted off my back. I really can’t describe the feeling, but it was a complete 180 of the MESS Sunday was. All I can say, it “THANK GOD” that I found this place. I really do not know what I would have done on Sunday had I not found SR.

I hope this helps and welcome to one of the best places on earth.

John DeRocker

to piggy back on some others: sounds like nothing more than untreated alcoholism. But obviously he should consult a doctor. Just because you take the alcohol away doesn't mean that he will somehow change into a different person, in many ways he will become more irratible and discontent because he no longer has his usual way for dealing with stess. That is why it is important to go to recovery meetings and work a program.

Please be aware gang - the OP in this thread is from 2007 :)

D

For the Original Poster—

I second what Tazman said. I think it is really important that your husband be really frank with his doctor. Does his MD know that he was a heavy drinker who recently stopped? I am pretty sure that when you take the alcohol out of the liver that drugs start being metabolized at different rates or differently. For example, my antidepressants finally got a fighting chance. So, perhaps these cold sweats have something to do with the change in his body coupled with the pills he is taking. The doctor needs to know all the information.

As for the xanax, I have taken benzos many a time in my life for real serious medical situations (panic attacks). This has included Xanax. However, I realized when I got sober that I really liked xanax because its short half-life made me feel exactly like I was drunk. I told my doc this and no more xanax for me; this is a good thing. As a recovering alcoholic, I am not opposed to using benzodiazapines for medical reasons, but I do think that there are ones that are better (ativan in my case) because they make you feel much less like you are drunk. But all of this needs to be discussed openly and honestly with a doctor who knows about addiction issues.


---Just saw what Dee wrote, ha :)

The start...
 

It's amazing that I find myself on this website today. Only 3 weeks ago did I begin to realize I had a problem and I've been drinking heavily for 5 years.

I always found a way to justify it but when my craving became intense 3 weeks ago and I went for drink when I didn't even want it I knew I had a problem. I was out of control.

Amazing as 5 years ago when I began heavy drinking I didn't even realize you could become addicted. I thought alcoholics were a special breed of people i.e. not people like me I just liked a drink after work...but then I went to Thailand with $20,000 and nothing to do for 3 years but a correspondence degree. I ran every day, I wrote a book, studied and at night totally unplanned slipped into the nightlife scene, everyone else was drinking (group norm) I had the money, I could get a bottle of whisky (half litre) and mixers for $5 I could then listen to live music chain smoking cigarettes and no one said a word in fact it was what everyone else was doing.

5 years on I've gone from being a fit 28 year old to a barely functioning 33 year old. I've been off booze just a week and it's so frightening time has just opened up.

So funny how you never see it happening. I thought i just liked a drink.

Ironically I'm also the fittest person in my friendship group in that I can run 10kilometres at a clip and have muscles from my boxing training but underlying that I'm an alcoholic fossil. One thing to note no matter how well you box after a litre of whisky when a gang set about you there's nothing you can do. this happened to me last year I thought I was unbeatable and there I was beaten to a pulp.

I feel I'm about to get my life back and I'm totally excited no more booze and hopefully I'll finally be able to publish a book. I've written 5 but never been sober long enough to do anything about publishing them.

Brightsid,

Welcome. This is a very old thread (started in 2007). Why don't you start a thread in the newcomers section so we can all get to know you?