Zube

I'm happy to be on day 3 sober. I am. I'm on day 3. But last night was brutal. I have never had a worse case of insomnia, SEVERE leg cramping, stomach cramping, night sweats, and joint pain. Tonight is "night 3". Any advice on how long these severe nights will last, and how to make it through them (OTC medications, home remedies, ANYTHING) without breaking down and drinking. Last night was a rough one. God, grant me SERENITY.

Dime

I hope you will seek medical assistance if you haven't already. It is not worth the risks of detoxing on your own. I was hospitalized and received medications to make me much more comfortable and reduce the risks of having a seizure. I also received meds to control my blood pressure which went through the roof the first couple of weeks. Knowing I was being treated by a doctor relieved a lot of the stress of worrying about getting through the detox process.

Congrats on you decision to get sober!

zac33

Zube, I feel your pain! Day four for me. SR forums helped me on nights 2 and 3, I just read and read. Hundreds of people just like us did it. So can we! Hang in there!

BullDog777

be forewarned...cold turkey is dangerous dangerous stuff. i did it a year ago, and i had multiple seizures. my bp was so high at one point, i started getting vision imparement.

i recomnmend going to an immediate care center, you know like the ones you can go to for bronchitis, etc(there are usually quite a few in the phone book) and call them and ask if they treat alcohol withdrawal. most do.

however, if you must white knuckle it, there are some things to do to make yourself more comfortable.

1. the leg cramps are a lack of potassium...i had it too- eating banannas will help make it go away.

2. eat alot of fruit...oranges are your friend.

3. the insomnia is a bitc#. I used unisom sleep gels. some people have good results from it.

4. drink lots of water. it'll help the stomach cramping.


i really hope you reconsider medical treatment.

good luck,
BD

DayTrader

I had the leg pains (like crazy) and joint pain as well. I just did a LOT of praying for the courage to persevere and, like Bulldog mentioned, ate bananas and took multi-vitamins each day.

Because I was trying to quit (but failing consistently), my overall consumption was dropping prior to my last drinks. By the time I quit, I wasn't really drinking anywhere near like I ordinarily did.

I'll tell ya......I didn't "believe" in prayer. I was pretty sure it wouldn't help at all. Whether it did or whether it was just the natural course......I don't know....but things did get better, it seemed, the more I prayed (asked God for help).

Jeffery

The second night is always the worse. The third night will suck too but should not be as bad as the second night. At least for me it never was. Good Luck

cakeeater

I don't remember exactly how long it took. I went through detox without medical attention or really knowing what to expect. Which isn't recommended and dangerous. The first night I was seeing stuff. The first couple of days are the worst, and then it lessens day by day. For me it was a few weeks before I felt quite right, but it was only the first couple days that I was really messed up. The thing I recall being the most annoying was the insomnia.

Just think of it as a flu. It'll get better eventually.

Zube

Thanks Everybody...I have decided to set an appt. with my family Doctor for this evening, he's willing to see me after his usual hours so it does not interfere with my work hours, which had already been scrutinized to hell and back by my boss due to my increasingly frequent "alcohol flu's". That's pretty cool of you, Doc. The Lord keeps working in mysterious ways.

Hooped

Great call to see the Doc tonight Zube.
I'm only 16 days in but your description of what you are going through is identical to my detox.
I can tell you that now I'm feeling pretty darn good again.
Keep it up, day by day, it gets better.

viavai

I'm so glad you're going to get to see your doctor, and I'm so glad he's willing to accommodate you; that should relieve at least some of your anxiety. I don't know if he'll give you anything for the withdrawal or the insomnia, but do make sure to ask if he doesn't offer (and ask about OTC sleep aids before you take any). I am not giving you advice, I just want you to make sure you cover all your bases; and make SURE you are honest with him about how much you were drinking prior to stopping; he's there to help you. Let him.

You should be well on your way to a safe and tolerable (though not entirely pleasant) detox. Good for you for taking action. Take care of yourself, and BTW mushrooms (the kind you buy at the grocery store!) have loads of potassium, too.