Horrible withdrawals
 

Hello everyone, I'm new here and a bit nervous!

I've been a binge drinker, on and off (not a drop during my 2 pregnancies) for about 10 years - I drank to self medicate for bipolar disorder. I relapsed by bingeing all of last week - prior to that, I'd managed 4 months of sobriety, and I loved every second of it. I started drinking again due to numerous life issues and a violent ex finding out where I lived.

I drank horrific amounts of vodka over last week, and now I'm having withdrawals so bad I'm frightened. The night following my last drink, I lay in bed terrified - I was pouring with sweat, I couldn't stop rolling around, I was agitated, all the usual.

Three days on, I don't feel much better. Blurred vision, sleeplessness, high temperature, depression, anxiety, lower back pain, weakness. Whenever I've withdrawn before, it's lasted no longer than 3-4 days, and always improved more each day. This just feels like one thing's improving one day, and some other symptom makes up for it the next day.

I can't go to the hospital because they'll alert social services, who have already been involved with my family due to my mental health and alcohol abuse. I HAVE to stress that I never drink around my children, they're always safe with my husband.

Is there anything I can do to ride this out at home? I'm drinking 4 litres of water per day, eating plenty and trying to move about and be busy. I already take propranolol for anxiety, and lamotrigine for the bipolar. Are there any vitamins I can take to get me through this?

Thank you!:thanks

Welcome, Gingerbreadfrog!

I'm sorry, we can't give medical advice here and you really have a medical situation. Some alcohol withdrawal symptoms may persist or appear after several days. Some of these symptoms may even be fatal. Is there someone nearby who can keep an eye on you?

Good for you for quitting. I'm sorry you're suffering though. Can you see your GP as opposed to going to the ER? As I understand it the only way to 'safely' detox is with benzo's to calm the CNS, heart rate and blood pressure.

When I am detoxing, and when I'm simply being healthy, I take a product called NUUN....its just a simple electrolyte tablet. I also take a b complex, additional b1, b12, folic acid....among other stuff. But you really need to talk to a dr, get your blood work done, before you get into too much supplementation.

For me detox generally gets worse, the more times I do it, the older I get. Google kindling.

I didn't realize that hospital would alert social services without any indication that you are endangering your children, or history of such. Dr/patient confidentiality and such.

Hang in there.

For me, day 4 was my last day of feeling sick. Everything started getting better on day 5.

I've never heard of a hospital alerting social services like that Gingerbreadfrog.

Are you sure that's the case or are you just scared it might happen?

I hope you'll reconsider if you need medical help - good health is one thing we can't get back if we lose it.

D

Thank you all so much for your replies and support.

Today I don't feel quite so rough. I'm still quite weak and wobbly, sweaty and hot. Last night I managed to get a pretty decent amount of sleep, bar one particularly vivid nightmare that woke me up. The lower back pain has mostly gone, it's still there a bit, but not as bad as it was. I'm hoping I'm like Starflyer, and that I start to really improve on day 5!

Dee74, I guess I'm scared it might happen, although I know it does happen over here sometimes. My children and husband are my world, and every time I sober up, I do it for them. They need me to be healthy. I do it for myself too, naturally, but they're my driving factor.

I so want to recover. I don't want to do this anymore. I want to be sober and normal and happy.

You should write this on a card and keep it in your pocket.

I hate to say this but,
you are taking serious chances drinking like that.
Please stay on the sobriety bus with us.
Vodka has proven to be overwhelming for many.
I have had friends die with a vodka bottle in their hand.
It seems to be the drink of choice for many hard core drinkers ?
Only wish to encourage you today -- to do the right thing.

And most of all -- hoping that you get well soon.

M-Bob

Mountainmanbob, I have every intention of staying on the sobriety bus - this latest withdrawal has frightened me far too much to make me want to do anything else.

Today the lower back pain has gone, as has the blurred vision. I'm still sweating a lot and feel tired during the day. My appetite is good, I'm drinking a LOT of water, and urine/bowel movements are all completely normal. I'm not shaking at all, I'm just a bit weak and fragile.

I'm hoping this gets better soon - I want to get on with life and make the most of each and every day.

Hi Ginger,

It sounds like you are feeling better. Perhaps write down in a journal what this last withdrawal was like and keep it handy. It seems hard to remember it after a few weeks go by when we begin to feel better.

Now that you are sober, what is your plan to stay that way? I found that Allen Carr's book on alcohol changed the way I view alcohol. I have no desire to drink I at all now that I see it for what it really is. Regardless of the path you choose, I'm glad you made it here.

Glad to hear things are improving Gingerbread. It takes time for our bodies to heal and get used to the alcohol being out of our system. The good thing about withdrawals is that they are only temporary and hopefully you'll be out of the woods soon. Do keep in mind that for many of us, each subsequent withdrawal gets progressively worse so making this your last time would be a good thing!

This!

It will be worse each time if you drink again. I found this out the hard way.

My withdrawals got worse each time too--glad you are feeling better Ginger

Glad you are feeling better! Keep up the work and make it just another day. The only way is one day at a time. You got this.

Thanks everyone :) Day 7 today, and I'm 99% back to normal, just a little tired and achy still. I'm going to my doctor for LFTs next week, and although I'm more than a little afraid of what they'll show, I know I need to do it - I need to beat the addiction monster once and for all.

I haven't touched a drop all week. I look at my husband and children, and they spur me on. We all went for a really nice walk in the sun by the river today, and my 2 year old loved the swans and was pretending to be one - how could I possibly want to miss out on those memories, all because I put the drink first? I can't do it anymore. I want to LIVE.

That's the spirit and desire that will keep you sober Ginger

Perhaps it is time to consider a plan for permanent sobriety. Personally I found remembering the last disaster was not effective for long. I seemed to forget so easily, and revert to old habits.

Looking at your own experience it seems that sobriety was great for you as long as everything was going well. But when life threw you some problems, which it is guranteed to do again, you instantly reverted to your old solution. Perhaps it is time to lock in a new soltuion so that when bad things happen, you can handle them without the need to pick up.

Hi. I'd send a personal message but this site seems to think I need to communicate with everyone before doing so. Hopefully this will count as 1 of my 5. geez..

I'm sorry for the inconvenience Marissa but it's better that than you, and everyone else, being bombarded with spam PMs from a new member.....

You should be good to go now :)

D

Hi Ginger,

I'm glad you are starting to feel better. It also sounds like you have a pretty amazing family.

Four months is a good amount of sober time, what helped you to remain sober during those four months? I know life can throw us curve balls every now and then, and being prepared to deal with them is important. Try reading around here a little to see what you might add to your recovery plan. Even just coming here and posting can be therapeutic. I love that I have an entire community of caring people all around the globe to encourage and support me, and that I can do the same for someone else.

Looking forward to continuing to hear how you are doing!!