Really in trouble
 

Hi folks. I'm in a bad way. Been drinking about 3/4 bottles of wine a day. Tried to reduce it, so 2/12 today. Now scared of withdrawals. It's2.20 am here. Am I in danger?

Noone here can tell you that for sure Sally - there's simply too many individual variables.

The best thing to do, if you feel ill or concerned is to see your Dr, or your local hospital if you feel you need help now and it's out of hours.

What happened with you and AA?

D

(((Sally))) - I'd really recommend talking to a doctor about this. Withdrawals can be really serious, even fatal. Be honest about your drinking because the doctor really can't help you if they don't know the truth. If your doctor isn't helpful or seems judgmental (NOT what I've found in my doctors) find another. If you need to, go to an ER.

It's not my intention to scare you, but I really do hope you check with a doctor. There is a ton of support here, but you need to make sure you're physically okay first..the rest? We're here.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

It's not something you can do in the uk. Doctors dont come out in the night to alkies, and my nearest hospital is 20 miles away. Also they dont take kindly to alcoholis showing up.
Dee - I have been too demoralised to go back to AA, tho I know thats the best place for me. I still have to sort things out with my soonsor, and have just been lacking the courage to do so.

Sally was that three quarters of a bottle or three to four bottles a day?

I'm not in the UK so I'll take your word for it Sally - nothing to stop you seeing your own Dr in the morning tho, is there?

And you need to do something about getting some recovery help now.
This is no way to live Sally - you deserve better.

If you know you should go back to AA, then do it. Don't wait...

D

Yes, which is it?

I was assuming you meant 3 or 4 bottles per day which is what I drank when I was trying not to drink vodka. If so, you must feel like an awful, bloated mess right now.

I'm going to be honest, detoxing from that amount is not pretty. Please eat as much as you can now because at some point you may not be able to stomach anything. If you won't see a doctor, please drink lots of ginger ale and eat small amounts whenever possible. Post when you need to.

drinking daily, regardless of the amount, is teaching your body to expect alcohol.

alcohol depresses your body. stopping abruptly releases formerly depressed systems. kinda like a tea kettle releasing steam.....

see a doctor before you shock your body!

I read it as you've been drinking three quarters of a bottle and decided to switch down to one half.

if you're feeling off then get to a hospital right away. If you've already gone through a half a bottle and your usual is 3/4 a bottle then get some food into you, put a bottle of water next to the bed and sleep. Wake up tomorrow, call the doctor and make an appointment to see him/her.

Should add, that if you've gone from 3 or 4 bottles down to 2 bottles I think the above advice is OK - if you're worried or feeling "off" go see a doctor right away, otherwise make an appointment tomorrow. Much better to be embarrassed at the doctor's office than dead at the coroner's office.

Thanks everyone. Yes I meant 3 to four bottles a day. Normally I can taper off, but this time its been impossible. My doctor is going to ring me any minute, so will see what he says.

Thank God you called your doctor. I normally have tapered off with a benzo a couple of times a day to keep me from going into seizures and then stopped the benzo after 5 days - I more or less mimicked what they would give me in rehabs the past few times....but in looking back this is a horrible idea and I hope your doctor can help you safely detox. 80% of the reason I put off quitting was I was terrified of withdrawals....that shouldn't be a reason to not stop.

Good luck to you and keep us posted (you are the first woman I've 'seen' in a very long time who has drank as much as me, and while i know it is no p*ssing contest, I am admittedly very interested to see this go smoothly for you because I relate so much to where you are probably at right now). You've been reaching a BAC of almost .4 each day if that is how much you're drinking, and that can be lethal.

Hi,
Well the doctor phoned and prescribed me one dose of Librium. It doesnt seem much, but I am already on 20mgs a day. Shd said it would be safe, though I do feel like crap. Especially as I have been in bed all day.
Somehow I have got to get back to. AA.

Are you o.k Sally??

Librium is what they almost always gave me when I would go into detox (God, that sounds sad).

Hang in there.

Feeling better, but succumbed to getting one last bottle of wine. IF I can make that last until tomorrow I should be out of the woods.

You are just wasting the detox script your doctor gave you by doing this. The librium is cross-tolerant with alcohol, which is why it is used for tapering off, but it also means that if you mix it with alcohol, you amplify the effects.

Glad you're keeping it honest at least. I think you should tell your doctor tomorrow though so you can get some more Librium (as long as you are not going to drink again). I guess this is why in the states it is very rare that a doctor will prescribe you the librium for home use when you say you are doing a home detox...

I know. You are all correct. I just couldnt resist the temptation to drink a bit more. Crazy addiction this is.. I will call my doc again tomorrow. Btw what does cross tolerant?

I think it means you will build up a tolerance to the librium and it won't be very effective when you try and use it for what it was intended for, without the alcohol.

My darling younger son has just discovered that I bought another bottle of wine. He is in despair of me, and my heart aches for him. He recently lost his father to cancer; now he must feel he is losing his mother.