studio

Hi alll - this is my first post. I have spent the last 6hrs visiting various sites and the info and comments here seem to be very helpful.

I have been drinking quite heavily for the last 3 or 4 years - between 1/2 and 1 litre of Vodka every day.

In January I decided enough and started tapering off the qty to the point where a bad day was just less than 1/2 litre and at this point found it really difficult to reduce further due to the shakes, lack of sleep and night sweats.

I went to the Doc's 21st March and explained the problem. He gave me vitamins and told me to continue at that level of drinking and referred my to a support group.

My first meeting with my councillor is 6th April and I did not want to continue drinking for another two weeks so I decided to go cold turkey on 25th March.

I had a bottle on standby just in case it got too much.

I haven't had a drink since the 24th (4 days) and apart from the first few nights with cold sweats and a little insomnia I've felt fine. My emergency bottle remains unopened.

Is this the calm before the storm - has enyone else experienced this?

Any advice gratefully received.

ImReadyToQuit

First, find a new doctor if he told you to keep drinking a half a liter a day.

Second, its quite possible the worst is behind you, I was drinking that amount and didn't experience any significant withdrawals.. You might have lucked out..

But really, get a new doctor asap.

Reset

It affects everyone differently. I didn't have night sweats or shakes and felt pretty good for the first few days, but days 6-10 were pretty bad on an emotional level.

It's also possible you're almost out of the woods at least on a physical withdrawal level.

Anyway if it were me, I'd put the notion of going back to drinking out of my mind. You're never going to quit if you keep thinking that you have to go back to drinking even small amounts just to stave off the withdrawal. All that's going to do is perpetuate the cycle of dependency. You have to break it and that means committing to quitting for a good amount of time. You don't have to say "never again" but you need to give yourself at least a month or so.

CarolD

Please take the time to read this link...

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

There are just too many other factors to consider..other drug use. general health...your age
to be certain on your question. there is also something "Post Acute Withrawal Syndrome"
that can give you trouble

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

Congratulations on chooseing sobreity...Welcome...

JTele

Hey studio.....welcome to SR! If you're on four days without any severe physical withdrawal symptoms, I'd say you're doing really well and that the brunt of the storm has probably passed! My first few days of sobriety was filled with crazy anxiety attacks, and I wouldn't wish that onto anyone. However, after nearly seven weeks of being sober, I still experience minor withdrawal issues, so I wouldn't go as far as to say that you're entirely out of the woods just yet.

I agree about the doctor, though. It seems quite odd that he'd suggest the idea of continuing to drink. My doctor said just the very opposite.

LexieCat

My guess, too, is that the physical withdrawal is passing.

Just an FYI, if you go back to drinking, even at a lower level, you can't predict what the next detox will be like. Some people have sailed through one, gone back out to drink some more, and then had a horrible withdrawal.

You may still have some symptoms for awhile--mood swings, sleep problems, eating problems (sometimes too much!), and some general mental fogginess can last for awhile.

Glad to have you aboard.

MattM316

If you've gone past 2/3 days then it's unlikely you will get any majorly serious effects from withdrawal as they usually happen within 48hours after stopping drinking.

I was having anxiety attacks at night (everytime i laid down and shut my eyes) with muscle spasms on and off for about a year before it finally came to a head and I had a full blown seizure.
But going cold turkey is the worst thing you can do, so seeing a specialist alcohol doctor is the best bet.

Jesse7277

Congrats on 4 days sober!!!! Each day is a miracle

Jesse7277

I like what lexiecat said. Just cause this ones gone well the next one could kill you.

OklaBH

I was shaky, anxious, didn't sleep well and had weird dreams. I consider myself lucky! I never want to go there again.