Looking for real advice
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 69
Looking for real advice
I'm really at the end of my rope and ready to quit drinking. I drink 500-600ml of Vodka a night. I have taken 1-2 nights off the past few weeks to recharge but currently am on a bender. Am I safe to quit cold turkey? Or should I taper off? Medical detox is not an option as I can not compromise my professional life.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
Noone can give you medical advice here proud - it's against the rules.
Your safest bet is always to consult with a Dr.
I realise you feel that will compromise you professionally but you're already compromising and risking your professional standing drinking that much.
I really think it will compromise your career less to see a doctor, bound by confidentiality, than drinking 500-600 mls of vodka nightly does.
D
Your safest bet is always to consult with a Dr.
I realise you feel that will compromise you professionally but you're already compromising and risking your professional standing drinking that much.
I really think it will compromise your career less to see a doctor, bound by confidentiality, than drinking 500-600 mls of vodka nightly does.
D
Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 9
***I'm not giving a medical advice... Just sharing my situation**
I was in a similar situation 7 months back, I was binge drinking vodka, only during nights/evenings. I'll give 2 days off in a week. I wanted to quit badly but did not want to seek medical help.
I went cold turkey, its been 7 months I have not touched alcohol.
I was in a similar situation 7 months back, I was binge drinking vodka, only during nights/evenings. I'll give 2 days off in a week. I wanted to quit badly but did not want to seek medical help.
I went cold turkey, its been 7 months I have not touched alcohol.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 374
I was consuming around the same volumes you were at the end. I've tried quitting 100+ times over the past five years, both cold turkey and tapers. Both have pro's and con's. I will echo the above, if I were to do it all over again, I would've gotten a doctor involved. It would have made things more comfortable for me.
Mr
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: FRANCE
Posts: 5,230
Get off the bender.
You are at the end of your rope.
You are probably risking your life too.
Yet you can not compromise your professional life...
Hummm sorry for being blunt but you sound like me a year ago...
I went cold turkey, withdrawl was horrible but doable.
Take care !
You are at the end of your rope.
You are probably risking your life too.
Yet you can not compromise your professional life...
Hummm sorry for being blunt but you sound like me a year ago...
I went cold turkey, withdrawl was horrible but doable.
Take care !
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Just so you can relax a bit...
"Medical detox," does not necessarily mean you have to go to an inpatient facility.
You may be able to do a home detox with just a week's worth of inexpensive meds. It's worth talking to a doctor. The meds take care of the most dangerous symptoms.
With that said, you mentioned tapering. That's how I quit. I went from years of daily drinking of 12-14 ounces of hard liquor a day (close to your intake, and I'm a smallish female) down to two ounces on Day One, one ounce on Day Two and then about a half ounce on Day Three. The next few days were uncomfortable but I'm fine now.
The problem with a taper is that once you get started, you may not be able to stop. I was able to do it that way because that's what I decided I wanted to do. I really wanted to be DONE. If you can't do it (taper) within a couple days then I'd call the doctor. Meds would make it comfortable and safe.
No matter how you quit, just quit.
"Medical detox," does not necessarily mean you have to go to an inpatient facility.
You may be able to do a home detox with just a week's worth of inexpensive meds. It's worth talking to a doctor. The meds take care of the most dangerous symptoms.
With that said, you mentioned tapering. That's how I quit. I went from years of daily drinking of 12-14 ounces of hard liquor a day (close to your intake, and I'm a smallish female) down to two ounces on Day One, one ounce on Day Two and then about a half ounce on Day Three. The next few days were uncomfortable but I'm fine now.
The problem with a taper is that once you get started, you may not be able to stop. I was able to do it that way because that's what I decided I wanted to do. I really wanted to be DONE. If you can't do it (taper) within a couple days then I'd call the doctor. Meds would make it comfortable and safe.
No matter how you quit, just quit.
Life Goes On
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 6,069
I've quit any number of ways - rehab, short-term inpatient detox, supervised outpatient, cold turkey, tapering. The most comfortable by far was the supervised outpatient route. It was done through an IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) which may not be attractive to you given your hesitations.
For inpatient detox, I appeared at the hospital ED and was admitted for 3 nights. It's highly confidential. They won't (are prohibited by law to) acknowledge you are there to anyone without your express consent. I work within the hospital system I was admitted to and had virtually no worry that anyone else would know I was there. Additionally, bonus for confidentiality - if your local hospital uses an electronic medical records system (almost everyone does), you can ask to be admitted using an alias. They'll still bill your insurance and all, but no one will need to know your real name. I would NOT recommend going the route of appearing at the ED - it can be a very long wait. At my hospital, you can also make an appointment in advance - the only drawback with that route is that you need to wait a few days, depending on how booked they are.
No one can tell you if you can go cold turkey without having terrible consequences. When I went that route (definitely not recommended), I had to be prepared for a couple of truly horrible days (& nights) and should have made sure that someone knew what I was doing. My stupid pride got in the way. I did know what to watch for, though, and like to think I would have called for an ambulance had things gone really south.
The most important thing is to stop.
THEN the most important thing is to stay that way.
We can help if you let us.
O
For inpatient detox, I appeared at the hospital ED and was admitted for 3 nights. It's highly confidential. They won't (are prohibited by law to) acknowledge you are there to anyone without your express consent. I work within the hospital system I was admitted to and had virtually no worry that anyone else would know I was there. Additionally, bonus for confidentiality - if your local hospital uses an electronic medical records system (almost everyone does), you can ask to be admitted using an alias. They'll still bill your insurance and all, but no one will need to know your real name. I would NOT recommend going the route of appearing at the ED - it can be a very long wait. At my hospital, you can also make an appointment in advance - the only drawback with that route is that you need to wait a few days, depending on how booked they are.
No one can tell you if you can go cold turkey without having terrible consequences. When I went that route (definitely not recommended), I had to be prepared for a couple of truly horrible days (& nights) and should have made sure that someone knew what I was doing. My stupid pride got in the way. I did know what to watch for, though, and like to think I would have called for an ambulance had things gone really south.
The most important thing is to stop.
THEN the most important thing is to stay that way.
We can help if you let us.
O
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 774
Originally Posted by sugarbear1 
Alcohol withdrawal can be lethal; please seek medical advice.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 307
Cold Turkey here. After a bottle a day for 6 years, and numerous attempts to stop - all Cold Turkey and by myself. I've said it before and I'll say it again: No matter which route you decide on, the single-most-important part of quitting is the WILL to stop. REALLY STOP. Once you're there - sometimes, unfortunately, at desperations door - you'll stop. No matter what aids you use - or not. Meds, groups, doctors, family. They're all good, but YOU have to do it.
It's easy also, methinks, when we fail, to say -Oh well, the "medically assisted" way did not work...perhaps I'll give AA a go next time.
It's easy also, methinks, when we fail, to say -Oh well, the "medically assisted" way did not work...perhaps I'll give AA a go next time.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 69
So needed that day
Originally Posted by advbike
How are you doing proudtobehere? Still hanging in there?
I managed to take a night off on the 30th. Slept like a deadman recharging his body. Sheets felt so soft. Was pure bliss. Unfortunately tonight is New Years Eve and I justified drinking with a New Years resolution to stop. TBH I am getting messed up earlier and earlier. I started at 7pm tonight and have drank 450ml of Vodka. It's 8.29 pm. I'll maybe be able to stretch that last 150ml until 9:30 then I'm done. 600ml in 2.5 hours. Not so fun
I seem to need milestone days to make a run at sobriety so what better day than New Years Day. Wish me luck.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
I was an expert at quitting tomorrow, but unfortunately tomorrow never came in that respect. I'd recommend cutting your losses if you can and dumping out the rest of the booze. Last hurrah's have a way of getting out of control quickly, how about finding some water and some food and calling it an early night? Yes, it's new years eve but it's just another day with 24 hours like the rest of them when you really think about it.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,909
My milestone day didn't occur with any prior planning nor did it start with a bang, more of a whimper, but it did start when I declared NOW, this is not a run at sobriety, this is it, I want a better life, I deserve a better life starting now!
Proudtobehere, you can do this! There are lots of people on here as living breathing examples that it can be done. There may be variations in the experiences, but there is an underlying commonality, we all have a day one; that and people that stay the course share the opinion that life gets better.
I believe in you!
Proudtobehere, you can do this! There are lots of people on here as living breathing examples that it can be done. There may be variations in the experiences, but there is an underlying commonality, we all have a day one; that and people that stay the course share the opinion that life gets better.
I believe in you!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
I'll wish you luck but lucks not really what you need.
I quit with a willingness to change and a commitment to do whatever it took each day to stay sober.
If I could do that, you can too Proud.
Like Scott, says I hope you cut your losses and don't drink all night- it will make it easier to keep your commitment to stay sober tomorrow.
I quit with a willingness to change and a commitment to do whatever it took each day to stay sober.
If I could do that, you can too Proud.
Like Scott, says I hope you cut your losses and don't drink all night- it will make it easier to keep your commitment to stay sober tomorrow.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 69
Originally Posted by ScottFromWI
I was an expert at quitting tomorrow, but unfortunately tomorrow never came in that respect. I'd recommend cutting your losses if you can and dumping out the rest of the booze. Last hurrah's have a way of getting out of control quickly, how about finding some water and some food and calling it an early night? Yes, it's new years eve but it's just another day with 24 hours like the rest of them when you really think about it.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Originally Posted by proudtobehere
I did dump the rest last night and feel pretty good today. Going to take it day by day now.
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