DDay plus 3
 

8:43 AM [Steadwell] Day 3 of WD, took half an ibuprofen PM last night and finally got some very much needed recuperative rest. What a difference good sleep makes. Though still somewhat shaky and foggy, plus my eyeballs feel like sore globes, I am starting to come around. Visiting this site, makes the whole process tolerable. Need to focus on setting up measures for preventing this, ie, someone trustworthy to account for money, at least til I once again get some sobriety and stability back, that's been a big part of my problem in my recent meltdown.

8:47 AM [Steadwell] Just can't imagine anyone having a worse time with detoxing than me, though I'm sure there are many who do and would consider me a wimp for whining. Eventually, everones' experience will progress until the ultimate one which will result in death. Only complete abstinence is the answer, for sure!

8:49 AM [Steadwell] Reading excerpts from "Under the Influence" as posted in the forums here, was invaluable in helping me to clear up some of the chemical causes and effects of the phenomenon. Knowing what is truly happening physiologically is interesting, informational, and downright terrifying.

Saturday, I was shaking so badly that I had trouble operating my PC mouse even using both hands. I nearly poked an eye out trying to pick my nose (just an attempt to add a little touch of humor though it is not funny). Getting my blood sugar up started to alleviate the shakes. I'm pretty good at drinking a lot of cold water, then tea, lemonade, even pickle juice during the first hours of the dreaded process. Forcing down food in any form was an important first step and helped some with the shaking.

Glad to hear things are improving Steadwell. Don't be afraid to seek some medical help if you need it, I scheduled a full checkup for myself about a week after quitting just to see if there indeed was any damage to my body.

Regarding other's having a worse time than you, it can happen. I personally ended up being taken to the ER with dangerously high BP & heart rate along with heart palpitations. My coworker thought I was having a heart attack. In some extreme cases, WD's can cause seizures, strokes, even cardiac arrest - so it's nothing to fool with of course.

That is the kind of self pity that leads us to think that we are worse then others and therefore it is not your fault that you can't quit like everyone else- That kind of thought process ends up ultimately with "If I only had withdrawals like so and so then I could be sober too"

I am not saying this to be nasty, I am being blunt because I have done the same thing millions of times and I would have liked someone to just tell me that.

Thanks for your message of encouragement ScottFromWI!

Stay strong and this will be the last time you have WDs. Around day 5 my symptoms started easing up. I did the pickle juice thing also.

Whatever It Takes
 

Thanks Done4today. I'm going to take every step humanly possible to ensure this won't happen again, including getting back into AA meetings. When I'm up to it in the next day or so, I'm going to get a Dr to check me out, though I'm afraid of what will turn up!

Sounds like you are doing all the right things Steadwell, and always remember SR is here 24/7 should you need extra support or want to discuss anything at all related to your recovery. If you were in AA before and it worked i think getting back to some meetings is a great idea as well.