jgee

First time..this forumn has helped me alot!..but:

Heavy drinker, 10+yrs, picked up last yr 12/nght every night.

Had a terrible bender late last week, about 30/day 3days.

I could feel this going real bad..so I quickly went to taper off

15..13..13..10..and now i feel confident about 8 today

I have never tapered/detoxed/cold none of it

My questions:
i had some minor hallocinations, all the other 'shakes', sweat ect, but is the worst behind me?

do i taper all the way, or can i stablize at 8? until i can propery get better medical help. Vodka is my chosen drink. I was planning on a slower taper, until this ugly binge.

Any advice is appreciated..thanks

Boleo

Hallucinations are the stage just before seizures which can cause heart failure and even death. My attempts at tapering nearly always failed because once I got a few drinks in me, all my rules went out the window and I ended up in another of many black-outs.

Cold Turkey might be better - IF you survive it? Getting medical help really is the best and only safe way to withdrawal.

jgee

i thought the minor ones, where you know its not real was only moderate?

jgee

also I have gotten only 3hrs sleep past 72? I have insomnia..and never been thru this. my heartrate is up but not to 100?

jgee

Thanks Boleo

Boleo

Moderate compared to what? I used to watch TV with the power cord in my hand to remind me that it was not even plugged in. The images that I saw sure looked real.

If you are waiting for the phantom images to scare the death out of you, the seizures might just beat them to it.

jgee

true..im having problems getting care. Only detox around wants $5500..thinkin getting dumbed at an er?

Shining~Again

ER, stat.
They'll get you in a place faster than you trying to do it on your own. At least very least would be able to give you meds to help with detox. Scary stuff you're going thru now. Very dangerous!
Am sure others with experience in this will post very soon.

karate

Look up "odds of going through withdrawal" -it will tell ya what you need

john44

Ummm, yeah, what he said. I've detoxed many times. It can get bad very quickly. Please get to an ER. Not only may they save your life, your detox will be much more comfortable.

Dee74

There are a lot of free or low cost clinics around - if there's one in your local area you might get some medical advice there?

Free/Low-Cost/Sliding-Scale Clinics
2-1-1 Call Center Search

D

Rock2534

I've been in your place many times. Ed is always the best solution but its a tough thing to commit too. I always take a lot of vitamins, milk thistle, melatonin to sleep and drink tons of Gatorade. I've had one seizure due to alcohol and would never want to go through that experience again. I always thought once I got through 72 hours, things got a little better but slowly. But when you are going through withdrawels, 72 hours is a loooooooong time

jgee

thanks everyone..just back from ER, but not much of a story. My vitals leveled off rather quickly, no IV,and meds only when I left after 4hrs, but safer than sorry. Thanks again.

MattyBoy

I had hallucinations due to withdrawal but predominantly, according to the doc, sleep deprivation too. Hearing music, seeing shadows morph into faces on the wall. I'm sure I was close to a seizure even though I'd only been on a binge for 10 days. People often say you can only get seizures and dt s if you've been a round the clock drinker for years. Total BS. Ten days of a litre of hard stuff a day and you're in seizure DT territory and should really go to the ER.

MattyBoy

You're right to an extent. People confuse alcoholic hallucinosis with DTs all the time. Alcoholic hallucinosis is what I had and involves usually auditory hallucinations that you are aware are not real.

Delirium tremens as in proper full blown dt s are where you're life is at serious risk. People in this stage can't tell if they're asleep or awake or dreaming and often don't know their name, the date, the presidents name or be able to identify family members. This stage the mortality rate is1/3.

Alcoholic hallucinosis is still bad though as it indicates a seizure may be coming your way so be wary!

karate

You are correct ,I researched it as well .

longbeachone

I remember seeing robotic spiders, mostly out of the corner of my eye, in withdrawal. Very scary stuff.

jgee

The problem with the hallucinations I had was that I didnt mind them, the specks on the ER floor turning into maggots..maybe it was the fact that I had VERY similar experience on LSD years and years ago and kinda knew how to handle them...doesnt mean I'd like to 'try' that again. Crazily similar.

Carlotta

I am glad you are ok Jgee. So what is your plan now?
You NEVER have to go through it again but it will take some foot work especially at the beginning

bigsombrero

Smart move with the ER visit. I had horrible seizures and nearly bit my tongue off and worse could have died. I'm glad it was no big deal but you might have dodged a serious bullet.

What are you going to do to keep sober? I know with my old habits, I'd have probably picked up again pretty quickly. Do you have a plan in place to keep this sobriety going?