Cassie6

Hello Again.

I posted a while back, about drinking too much. Firstly I am aware that no one can give medical advice

Well, long story short, I was made redundant from I job that I had put my heart and soul into, with only 2 months wages. Well things got worse I felt very low, and as the soul bread winner have no idea how I'm going to live or support my family...

Anyway, I quit yesterday, and felt quite 'fuzzy', dizzy and breathless. Today I have chest pains, palpitations, and dizziness and I am very short of breath.

I suffer from severe panic attacks, and have had a battery of tests, which all come back fine. I have been honest with my Doctor, who's advice was to carry on drinking, and taper off slowly, despite me asking for something that would help me go cold turkey. I've been to A&E for a similar thing, and was told it was an anxiety attack, and again, the same by the Doctor...

I drank because of the anxiety, and as you know it comes back 10 times worse!

Could this be a symptom of withdrawal? Did anyone else experience this? (I am a hypochondriac!) I know it's pointless going back to the Doctor a third time to hear the same thing!

Have a great day all!

Dee74

Hi Cassie - it certainly could be drinking related - especvially if thats what a DR told you.

Chest pains tho, really deserve a look at - the very best idea is to see a Dr again I think?

D

Soberwolf

^^^

Cassie if you explain to your local hospital that you are alcoholic and going cold turkey can be fatal because of WD they should help have you spoken to your GP

it's recommended you take a friend or someone who knows what's happening with you

least

I always had crippling anxiety and heart palpitations during withdrawal. One more big reason not to go back to drinking.

Stay sober and they should go away.

GnikNus

The anxiety and the other symptoms are definitely alcohol/ withdrawal related. I experienced such bad anxiety I once thought I was having a heart attack, and sought medical help. The anxiety was one of the biggest reasons I quit. Impending doom/ death thoughts. Once I experienced heart palpitations as well. Very scary and concerning.

Both things are gone now that I'm sober.

notgonnastoptry

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ime-worse.html

thomas11

It sounds like withdrawal. The really ugly thing about it is that alcohol will both make it better while simultaneously making it worse. Its just putting off the inevitable. Once withdrawal is complete, you never have to do it again.

notgonnastoptry

I will link my thread tomorrow, or you can search my name. (It's recent). That's why I ended up in the hospital. same symptoms. I would seek medical help and believe me, I'm not one to be saying that because I tried to avoid it each time. This was only 3 weeks ago.

Forward12

I deal with severe depression and anxiety as well and have been there. I've gone to the urgent care numerous times for having the same panic, palpitations, tight chest, etc. And the same, always said I was perfectly fine, but it was just my anxiety. It is common for people in our shoes to turn to alcohol as it temporarily will relieve the pain, but it will come back 10fold making things even worse. I would not agree with your doc as tapering is almost impossible to do. I would ask them to get you on proper meds and that should help out quite a bit.

GAHaley

In my experience, yes, those were all a part of my withdrawl and just as the disease is progressive, the anxiety only got worse with each detox. This last one was so bad that I really don't know if I could do it again. I thought I was losing my mind.

Of course the best thing to do is consult your doctor. But I know you already know that. Other than rehab and my 2 ICU stays (in which I passed out and was taken to the hospital) , I didn't consult a doctor during my withdrawls either.

It should lessen within a few days. Hang in there!

Cassie6

Thank you for all the responses, and thank you notgonnastoptry for the link - I cannot imagine going through what you went through, but if I slip again...

I am on 'Day 2' and have had only a couple of mild palpitations, light headiness and a couple of sharp chest pains (but nowhere near what I was feeling yesterday!)

Yes, I was honest at the height of my drinking with my Docotor, and was presuming he would prescribe something to help me 'get of' minus the drink. And, as I stated above his exact words were... 'As Doctors we don't usually advise drinking alcohol. However, in your case I would recommend to carry on drinking, and taper it down each day.' The problem is once I have the one...

Having heard that some of you have been into ICU, I know if I don't stick with it it will be me. I ended up in A&E a few weeks ago (for anaphylaxis) and my many, many blood tests came back fine (apart from one).

The Doctor has prescribed me Prozac (it has a different name here in the UK!) and then Zoloft (again, it has a different name here), I've given them both three months to no avail...

Thanks for everything, x