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Withdrawal help

Old 03-12-2016, 01:35 PM
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Withdrawal help

Hello all. I'm a few months new to the group and have had some unsuccessful tries at getting sober. The longest I have gone is a month. I'm 32 years old and have been abusing heavily for about ten years. I started dealing with the withdrawals for the first time when I was 28.

They are very painful to deal with. Sometimes I get them and sometimes I won't...they always surprise me every time I think I might be "in the clear". My symptoms are as follows:

-high blood pressure
-racing heartbeat
-anxiety (probably my least favorite symptom of them all), feeling scared like you're going to die each time, afraid to reach out to family or friends for fear of judgment
- clammy feet but hot and sweating everywhere else
-vomiting and nausea
-restless/pacing
-inability to focus
-depression, want to cry but can't
-seizures
-difficulty breathing
-the shakes

I had my first seizure from withdrawal last February. I didn't even know what had happened. I've gone to the ER for detox eight times, uninsured for three of the visits which I am still paying off. The visits are always the same. They give me a saline drip, are stingy with the Ativan etc and a few times they have sent me to another inpatient facility for addicts to be monitored by nurses for a few days. The doctors always ask the same questions. It is both embarrassing and expensive each time.

I am currently detoxing/having withdrawals at home right now. I can't afford to see a doctor at the hospital because I have to work to make a living and am getting ready to start a new job. My last drink was at 3am of last evening and I started getting the symptoms at 1pm today. Again, I felt "fine" as I woke up and was getting ready for work. Then the anxiety and vomiting hit me like a ton of bricks. "Oh boy", I always think to myself. "Here we go again". I informed my family and called out of work. My father kept scolding me that he was "so sick of this godd&%$# sh@t". So i felt even more guilty.

Can anyone else share their experiences with withdrawal or offer me some tips? Every time I think I get past this that I can stay sober but I always fall back into my old patterns, I'm desperate for help and can't keep doing this to myself or my family. Thanks everyone so much for taking the time to read.
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Old 03-12-2016, 01:39 PM
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The safest way to deal with alcohol withdrawal is to get medical help. I've done it myself, at home alone, and don't advise it in case you have an emergency.

Once you've detoxed, I hope you'll develop a plan for staying sober so you won't have to keep going thru withdrawal.
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Old 03-12-2016, 01:42 PM
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Please get medical help, especially because of your history
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Old 03-12-2016, 01:50 PM
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If you don't seek medical help at least have someone there to watch you. Drink water or even better coconut water for your BP and electrolytes for seizures. Calming teas help along with calming herbs you can get at any drug store. Bananas are good, too. I googled alot about detoxing at home but, with your seizure history I would get to an ER.
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Old 03-12-2016, 02:04 PM
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The tip I can give is go to a doctor. I accidentally withdrew and it almost killed me. You don't want to quit drinking by dieing
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Old 03-12-2016, 02:07 PM
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I totally relate to your post!

First, as others said, given your history (seizures) you probably really need a medical detox.

Second, my experience is sometimes you can't get one, other times the cost is HUGE.

At a MINIMUM you need to have someone who is in your house with you in case an ambulance needs to be called!

For me, my son and cell phone where my back up when I have tried to detox at home.

If you can locate an advocate (and it might surprise you who will step and do this) it is helpful. Someone who can just go to the hospital with you and INSIST on a medical detox and proper care, that would be helpful. I've used my son, a fellow worker.... there are people you may not realize will help you get through the detox.

The cost is very hard to deal with, but in the end I always knew I wanted to live more than I wanted to worry about the money (not that I don't worry about it ... just want to live more).

It doesn't matter how many times you have tried and ended up in the same position. What matters is that you step back up and do the deal again

After a severe close call in the hospital Christmas day, and another fail after treatment, I am 2 weeks sober and dealing with life better than I have. You can do this! Medical help, I believe, is really important. But come out of that with some hope that you can do this this time!

Nands
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Old 03-12-2016, 02:26 PM
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Lots of good advice already here, and I'll echo that you need medical help especially with your history. My other advice would be to get serious about staying sober this time. All of those ER visits were 100 percent preventable, and you can make this your last detox ever.

We cannot give you advice on how to detox at home however as that would be medical advice and against forum policy.
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Old 03-12-2016, 02:41 PM
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Thanks everyone for their help and advice. I have a long road ahead of me. Will keep posting and visiting and trying. Sometimes I have to take it by the minute, or even seconds. The support I'm being given by everyone is helping me continue.
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Old 03-12-2016, 05:00 PM
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If it were me and I couldn't afford to properly detox, I would have tapered off over the course of a week or two,, but most people find it hard to do that. But seriously, you can die from suddenly going cold turkey. Please be careful.

I just read a couple of your earlier posts and saw you have tried AA. I hope you will consider it again. For those who drink heavily and find it hard to get and stay sober, face to face AA support can be a miracle. I have witnessed several make it into longer sobriety that way. If you gave your local AA chapter a call someone will come and meet you and provide support.
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Old 03-12-2016, 07:18 PM
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It's good to see that you are on-line right now--let us know how things are going!

Here's a couple good threads to join:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post5847375

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post5846459
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Old 03-15-2016, 11:54 AM
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I hope you are still around.

Please check in when you can
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