babycat

Nothing too crazy, but I ended up going to the ER for withdrawal. Really glad I did. I have had mild withdrawal before but I would pop an ativan or xanax and pretty much be fine. Not so this time. I had drank everyday around the clock all month and since I was out of any medication, I was scared to stop. Very stupid, I know.
Anyway, I got a hold of a xanax. It did **** this time. I was laying in bed with my husband and just started to feel worse and worse. I have never shaken so bad in my life and my heart was beating out of my chest.
I think I was close to a seizure.
Anyway, it was scary but the nurses and docs were awesome, as was my husband, They pumped me full of ativan and gave me librium. I almost immediately felt better. They gave me librium to take home but I only needed a couple doses.
I feel great here on day 6.
Anyway, just wanted to share. Kindling is real!!

yinzer

I hope that’s the last withdrawal you go through, babycat! Welcome back.

dafunbra

Bonniefloyd

Anna

I'm glad you knew to go to the ER and that you are feeling better now. Day 6 is fantastic.

neferkamichael

Babycat , 6 days is FANTASTIC, congratulations, rootin for ya.

gettingsmarter

Glad you are ok. What's your plan to keep this from happening again?

ScottFromWI

Glad to hear that you are safe and got help Babycat. I too ended up in the ER after my last self-detox. Kindling is a very real thing and unfortunately now that you are at that point subsequent cycles of drinking and withdrawal will likely be even worse. Congrats on Day 6 - please do whatever you can to keep sober as the consequences of drinking just got bumped up to a whole different level.

WhoDeyPI

Sheeesh. I'm glad I didn't have these serious withdrawal symptoms. I braced myself for it, but extreme weakness, shaking, and sleepness nights with drenching cold sweat was all I got. Glad you're okay!

HeadEast

I'm also glad you are OK. Keep up the good work!

tomsteve

i might be different but to me ending up in the ER for withdrawl is beyond crazy.
what are you going to do to not let it happen again?

Dee74

I'm really glad you went to the ER.
Kindling is a fact, not conjecture.

D

Hevyn

6 days sober - how wonderful, babycat. Keep it going and never return to that awful place.

Zebra1275

Glad you went to the ER!

The good news is that you never have to go through this again. Just don't drink.

Delilah1

I glad you went to the ER, and you're starting to feel better. You are almost at the one week mark. Do you have a plan to help you stay sober?

ScottFromWI

How are things going Babycat?

Aliceiw

What is kindling, Dee?

ScottFromWI

Kindling is the concept/theory that with each subsequent cycle of drinking/quitting that the withdrawal symptoms get worse each time. And that sometimes the more severe withdrawal symptoms can show up completely unannounced, even if the previous detox was not as bad. I don't think there's any medical hard proof for it, but it's very real to a lot of people here.

I drank daily for decades, but towards the end I experienced it myself. My detox used to be mostly just like a really bad hangover, but then all of a sudden one time after a memorial day weekend of drinking pretty much 4 days straight I ended up in the ER with dangerously high BP and heart rate and heart palpitations. Babycat's story is similar and there are lots and lots of others who have experienced the same thing.

babycat

Things are going really well! I am on day 14 I believe. I have been working out hard and eating clean. Best of all, I just got hired at a new job yesterday. It is my first job as a massage therapist in Cali. I was one in Michigan for many years but getting my licensing out here took forever. In the mean time I had just been walking dogs, which I love but that left a lot of free time which is dangerous for an alkie.
I apologize for not responding to others sooner but the truth is/was I really don't have a plan in place. But, at the moment there is no desire to drink, tho I know that can quickly change. But for the time being, I have just really poured myself into reading the forums, going back many years even. Same problems, different times and just reading literature in general.
So, just taking it one day at a time for now. Maybe I will give AA another shot but I was not crazy about it before. I found my sponsor a little over zealous and judgmental. But, there are meetings literally a few buildings down from me.

Anna

Day 14 is great. I'm glad you're doing well and congratulations on getting settled into a new job.

I do encourage you to come up with a plan that will work when you're feeling vulnerable. I suspect it will happen, as it does for most of us, but if you're prepared with how to react, you will be able to get through it.