UTgirl20

Hi everyone! This is totally new territory for my husband and I. We have come to the conclusion that we must stop drinking. It has gone from a fun hobby out with friends to sheer work just to make it through the day without shaking and 20 times of going to the bathroom to be sick not even holding down ice. My husband has gone 2 days now without a drink and I am so proud of him. He is helping me so much. He doesn't get the bad hangovers I get so he can survive the day without having to drink. Myself on the other hand gets horrible hangovers. I vomit all day, shake, have panic attacks. In order to subside this, I start drinking again which just masks the pain. Gone from drinking half of a 1.75 liter bottle down to half of a 750 mLiters of vodka. It's gone from something fun to do, to just being sick of being sick. I am going to slowly wean myself off it, I have read that's not a good thing to do, but it's my only choice. So, anyways just wanted to introduce myself. Any tips, helpful info, and support would be much obliged!

Ghostly

Welcome to SR UT! Congrats on the decision you and hubby have made. You will hear this repeated, but please consider talking to a medical professional about safely detoxing. From what you wrote, you could make yourself sick or worse without medical consultation. Please consider that. People die from withdrawal.


Aside from withdrawals, I don't think people have too much of a problem when people try to wean off. The main issue is that it usually doesn't work. You would basically being moderating your alcohol for a short time. That is hard to do.

Good luck and keep us posted.

UTgirl20

I'm gonna try this. Seeing my husband sober makes me motivated. Thanks and I'll keep you guys posted!

sailorjohn

Welcome!!!

See a medical professional.

Antiderivative

It is not the only way. You can seek medical help. They have some means to help out with the withdrawal symptoms, especially with the panic attacks. Coming off of alcohol can be deadly and you are taking an unneeded risk by drinking.

Some people have weened themselves off of alcohol with alcohol. It can be done, but it is an unnecessary risk. Is that something you would (hypothetically) ask your child to do?

I wish you the best of luck. You will find plenty of support here.

UTgirl20

What kind of doctor to see? I only have my current OBGYN and I don't think that is the kind of doctor to see? I also heard that if you seek medical treatment for detox then the term "alcoholic" is always on your medical record, and can halter medical insurance and even cause you to have trouble being employed.

Antiderivative

You can contact your health care provider, a local detox facility, or the emergency room.

I have never heard that "alcoholic" goes on your medical records, but I could be wrong. However, I do believe that medical records are private. Employers cannot access them without your consent. In many states, this is still illegal. The most they can ask you to do is get a medical exam before they hire you.

I do believe that medical records can be accessed for security clearance jobs; either with the government or a subcontractor for specific government jobs.

Dee74

Welcome to SR

I'm with everyone else - medical supervision is advisable - especially if you're sick.
Detox can be a problem for some of us.

I figure nothings more important than your life or your health UTgirl.
D

silly

Your withdrawal symptoms sound really bad. I strongly suggest detox. Detox is not a horrible place where they lock you away and make you suffer it out. It's a place with medical staff who will make sure you're safe, physically comfortable (sooooo many people die withdrawing from alcohol) and you can leave whenever your'e ready.

As far as finding a doctor, call your local clinics or hospitals and ask around. They don't know your name or who you are so be honest and get some information under your belt. Then, ACT. Weening yourself off might work... but I doubt it. There's a reason you drink as much as you do. You can't stop. One drink just to "stop the shakes" will easily turn into two. You know the drill. It's a slippery slope.

Having "alcoholic" on your medical record isn't much of an issue anymore now that HIPAA laws are getting tougher and tougher. I'm no expert though. I just know it's the least of my worries.

silly

Also, I'm going through a 6 week intensive outpatient program and have had to ask my employer for some accommodations. i.e. leave work a little early, no travel for 6 weeks and I didn't ever need to tell them why. I just said I have a medical problem that requires daily treatment for 6 weeks, I can't miss a day so no travel. And I come in early so I'm still working 40 hours.

julez

My main reason to quit drinking was also my horrible hangovers. I felt just like you, sick as h*ll aaaalllllllll day.
I tried moderating, and weaning. Worked for a month. I ended up blacked out, then hung over.
I had to quit cold turkey, for good.

artsoul

Hangovers are actually withdrawal symptoms and your's sound pretty severe, so I hope you go with medical help. Here's a link to what others have been through:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

It's great that you and your husband are supportive of each other. We need all the support we can get! This forum has been immensely helpful to me, too. I never thought I hear myself say this, but sobriety is the best!

Hang in there - it gets better!!:ghug3

UTgirl20

Thanks for all the replies! Today is a MUUUUCH better day! I threw up and maintained dehydration throughout noon today. Then, I took a small shot and continually drank gatorade. I have had less than 5 ounces of liqour since noon, and have ceased throwing up. I ended up finally sleeping for about 4 hours. I have drank 4 bottles of water, 2 bottles of gatorade, eaten some Raisin Bran and about 20 cheese nips. I am feeling so much better, so much more hopeful. It was just hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel last night and this morning due to the severe vomiting and dehydration. Since I have become rehydrated I no longer feel like puking all the time. Just the typical shakes, hot skin, and tired eyes due to the small amount of liqour in my system, but that is expected from what I read. I think I'm gonna get out of the house tomorrow and go get some Lego's, LoL. I am a sucker for tinkering with things like that since I was a kid. That and the new Crayola toys. I'm a kid at heart, always will be. I just wanted to update you guys, because I was pretty sick and feeling very very desperate. I see hope now, my husband and I are so excited about being sober. Doing normal things like walking in the park or going to see a movie. Drinking became a problem for us when it was no longer social. We would hole up in the house for weeks and weeks. Some, like him, can kick it cold turkey, maybe this weaning technique will work for me. So wish me luck and thanks for the support. One minute, one hour, one day at a time. That's what I keep telling myself.

Missybuns

curious... Is that what you say when you drink the "less than 5 ounces" of alcohol? (scratching my head)

I do hope your plan works.
Wishing you well,

Missy

littlefish

yeah, I would have to agree with most of the posters here: drop the weaning. Seek professional help with detox.

I tried weaning over and over again and the only thing that happened was that the weaning turned into a new drinking bout. I woke up the next day hungover again.

Peter G

Weaning might work for you, if you have enough horseshoes handy and eat Lucky Charms every day for breakfast. Otherwise it's not gonna keep you sober long. Sorry, I'm just going off statistics and personal experience.

UT, you're currently conversing with some pretty hard core drinkers, and we know how this whole thing works. The advice you've been given already is golden. Your "weaning" process is prolonging agony and leaving you susceptible to relapse, just making it ridiculously easy to screw the pooch once your alcoholic mind decides to give up trying and get tanked again.

Get medical help. I almost died giving up on my own - twice - and also tried weaning with disastrous results. Medical professionals will help keep you sound, safe, and able to rid your body of these toxins. The work after your detox is up to you, but it sounds like your ready to be done with this crappy illness. The clarity you currently have inside you doesn't always last UT, and having booze still pulsating through your system when your alcoholic mind steps up again makes it too damned easy for you to say "f#%K it, I'd rather be loaded".

Seriously, 5 ounces is weaning? Nope. 5 ounces is an attempt to facilitate your body's requirements, to feed your disease while appeasing your sensible desire to be sober. You're feeding your beast in an attempt to persuade it back in a cage with broken locks. That's a double edge sword if I've ever seen one.

Get medical treatment and jump on the wagon completely. All you're doing right now is running a little faster to catch up to the wagon, and while you might be close, you're not taking the final leap yet to get on board sobriety's funky bus

Do the work UT, make the hard choice, be done with it NOW, not weeks from now. We're here pulling for ya.

UTgirl20

Well it's working for me. Haven't had a drink in 10 hours. Thanks for all the hateration. Figured recovered folks would be supportive in anyway possible. Oh well. Wishful thinking.

Dee74

All anyone can offer here is their experience UTGirl.

It wouldn't really be support if we just told you what you wanted to hear.

I wish you well - I hope it all works out for you

D

least

It's not hate, it's our own experiences. And we are supportive... of your efforts to stop drinking. Weaning off is not stopping, it's just prolonging the misery.

mtnmagic

First congratulations to both you and your husband, and welcome
to SR! 10 hours without alcohol is fantastic.

I'm one that could in no way wean myself off of alcohol, although
I sure did try it a zillion and one times. There are a few fortunate
people who can, and who have done it successfully. I believe
Lexie is one and I think her post is in that detoxing thread that
was linked in a previous post. Might want to give that a read through.

Just a gentle different point of view. I don't see the responses
that you have gotten as hating. Amazing place SR is and I'll
tell you that I believe what is being written as genuine concern
for your well being. From those of us that tortured ourselves
far more then we needed to upteen times.

If this is working for you fantastic I say. Hope you continue
to post about your progress. There is priceless support
on this forum. Even in the information that might not be
something you want to hear. Take care and all the best!