A funny old business
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 11
A funny old business
I've been drinking too much for 20 yrs. I'm let thirties now. Mainly binge drinking, work hard play hard.
I started drinking most days about 5 years ago. Anywhere between a bottle of wine and ten pints, depending on the day of the week . It quickly made me I'll elevated lfts, gastric ulcers and chronic diarrhoea .
This made me moderate my drinking and I thought that it was under control. Drank at most a couple of times a week. Rarely got drunk, 6 pints in a night happened only once in a while. Holidays were a bit of an undoing, drinking every day for a week, up to a couple of bottles of wine ( usually just one ).
I was hospitalised twice the week following holidays. Both times following a few days abstinence. Vague symptoms, feeling awful, hi pulse, 'shocky', abdominal pain, diarrhoea. Appendicitis and pancreatitis were suspected , discharged with no treatment or diagnosis.
Since then, I haven't drunk much. I've had months of total abstinence, and a few low grade benders (6 pints) cHowever, I've noticed if I drink too much, bottle of wine, or drink a couple of glasses a couple of nights running then I suffer tremendous anxiety, sweats, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
It came to a head recently, following a frantically busy work and family time, following a weeks holiday.
I drank a bottle of wine every day for a week. Then stopped ready for work. Bottom fell out of my world. Awful anxiety, sweats, shakes, diarrhoea, abdominal pain. This progressed to being ultra sensitive to repetitive noises (the kettle, washing machine, alarms). My ears were literally twitching. I had subtle disturbances of vision, mistaking simple objects on the periphery of my vision for something else.i kept working.
The following weekend, I drank a bottle nada half of wine on the Saturday, 2 glasses Sunday and Monday. Que a slightly milder version of the above.
I now haven't had. Drink for nearly 2 weeks. I feel better.
I am sure that I suffer from kindling. I think both hospitalisations were moderate withdrawals, and that I've suffered minor - moderate withdrawals on many other occasions. I've clearly wired up the circuits that lead to convulsions, and have come to the conclusion that I run the risk of death if I drink again. All this is without any real medical input, although I have phoned my gp, explained the above, and gp agrees.
I think I'm fairly lucky, as I have taught myself, over the last few years, to enjoy nights out without drinking, Christmas etc. However, it is clear that moderation , and periods of sobriety are not enough, I must stop completely,
All thoughts gratefully received .
X
I started drinking most days about 5 years ago. Anywhere between a bottle of wine and ten pints, depending on the day of the week . It quickly made me I'll elevated lfts, gastric ulcers and chronic diarrhoea .
This made me moderate my drinking and I thought that it was under control. Drank at most a couple of times a week. Rarely got drunk, 6 pints in a night happened only once in a while. Holidays were a bit of an undoing, drinking every day for a week, up to a couple of bottles of wine ( usually just one ).
I was hospitalised twice the week following holidays. Both times following a few days abstinence. Vague symptoms, feeling awful, hi pulse, 'shocky', abdominal pain, diarrhoea. Appendicitis and pancreatitis were suspected , discharged with no treatment or diagnosis.
Since then, I haven't drunk much. I've had months of total abstinence, and a few low grade benders (6 pints) cHowever, I've noticed if I drink too much, bottle of wine, or drink a couple of glasses a couple of nights running then I suffer tremendous anxiety, sweats, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
It came to a head recently, following a frantically busy work and family time, following a weeks holiday.
I drank a bottle of wine every day for a week. Then stopped ready for work. Bottom fell out of my world. Awful anxiety, sweats, shakes, diarrhoea, abdominal pain. This progressed to being ultra sensitive to repetitive noises (the kettle, washing machine, alarms). My ears were literally twitching. I had subtle disturbances of vision, mistaking simple objects on the periphery of my vision for something else.i kept working.
The following weekend, I drank a bottle nada half of wine on the Saturday, 2 glasses Sunday and Monday. Que a slightly milder version of the above.
I now haven't had. Drink for nearly 2 weeks. I feel better.
I am sure that I suffer from kindling. I think both hospitalisations were moderate withdrawals, and that I've suffered minor - moderate withdrawals on many other occasions. I've clearly wired up the circuits that lead to convulsions, and have come to the conclusion that I run the risk of death if I drink again. All this is without any real medical input, although I have phoned my gp, explained the above, and gp agrees.
I think I'm fairly lucky, as I have taught myself, over the last few years, to enjoy nights out without drinking, Christmas etc. However, it is clear that moderation , and periods of sobriety are not enough, I must stop completely,
All thoughts gratefully received .
X
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Scandinavia
Posts: 1,344
Welcome to SR.
I came to the realization that giving all the trouble and hardship alcohol was causing me the thought about trying to moderate it was madness.
I do not want to waste more time and energy to moderate this substance.
Congratulation with the two weeks, you will in continue to experience improvements if you stay of.
I came to the realization that giving all the trouble and hardship alcohol was causing me the thought about trying to moderate it was madness.
I do not want to waste more time and energy to moderate this substance.
Congratulation with the two weeks, you will in continue to experience improvements if you stay of.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 705
I think your body is telling you that alcohol has become poisonous for you. Glad you know about kindling...it's a newer concept, but it makes relapsing all the more dangerous. So you now have to avoid alcohol. Would you drink drain cleaner? Cyanide? Arsenic? It's pretty much in the same vein. You are making a wise decision.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North of England
Posts: 1,442
Thoughts? You need to stop drinking long term. You appear to be trying to find a way to drink despite the fact that you can't moderate. Your symptoms would alarm me if I had them and have me running to the doctor quite frankly.
They will in all likelihood subside if you quit drinking.
I think you know what you need to do.
They will in all likelihood subside if you quit drinking.
I think you know what you need to do.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 8,335
Welcome,
It sounds like you realize you need to stop drinking for your health. I think some of us have trouble believing we'll never drink again.....but honestly it gets easier and your life may depend on it.
It sounds like you realize you need to stop drinking for your health. I think some of us have trouble believing we'll never drink again.....but honestly it gets easier and your life may depend on it.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,780
to SR! You've made a wise choice to stop drinking. I had bad withdrawals toward the end of my drinking too. Each worse than the last.
I'm glad those days are gone now.Congrats on two weeks and here's to many more sober weeks.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
