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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,097
Starting today
A decision to turn my life around - I am killing myself and my lifestyle through alcohol.
I've been a heavy drinker for a while now and have tried a few times to cut down but have failed each time. I have up most mornings with the shakes and dry retching, so my solution is to have a drink to get rid of the sick feeling. I promise myself that I will then wait until the end of the day before having another, but by the end of the day, I've already had 10 more drinks.
I started reading SR posts yesterday and got inspired to make a more serious effort to quit the drink. But, I am nervous about cold turkey having drunk a lot for a long time, so going to try and ease of for a few days gradually reducing the amount I consume. It's now been 12 hours since my last drink, which doesn't sound great but its better than the eight hours over night that I usually achieve.
Any hints on how to stay strong and beat the shakes and tingles without drinking?
I've been a heavy drinker for a while now and have tried a few times to cut down but have failed each time. I have up most mornings with the shakes and dry retching, so my solution is to have a drink to get rid of the sick feeling. I promise myself that I will then wait until the end of the day before having another, but by the end of the day, I've already had 10 more drinks.
I started reading SR posts yesterday and got inspired to make a more serious effort to quit the drink. But, I am nervous about cold turkey having drunk a lot for a long time, so going to try and ease of for a few days gradually reducing the amount I consume. It's now been 12 hours since my last drink, which doesn't sound great but its better than the eight hours over night that I usually achieve.
Any hints on how to stay strong and beat the shakes and tingles without drinking?
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,759
Welcome to the family. 
I had to promise myself that I would not drink no matter what. The first few days were rough with a lot of anxiety, but the longer I stayed sober, the better I felt. Hang in there, it gets better. 
I had to promise myself that I would not drink no matter what. The first few days were rough with a lot of anxiety, but the longer I stayed sober, the better I felt. Hang in there, it gets better. Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 308
Coz, you sound exactly like me when I was drinking. Shakes and dry heaving with the only solution being another drink. Don’t miss those days. I thought I could gradually taper off ass well and I failed miserably.
Alcohol withdrawals are nothing to mess around with. I needed to detox in the ER and then take a benzo for a week to rebalance my body. Sounds scary but it wasn’t that bad and it saved my life. I don’t know your drinking history but I would at least suggest talking to your doctor before you make drastic changes to your drinking habits. Withdrawing really isn’t that bad with the help of doctors.
Congrats on making the first and hardest step towards sobriety: admittance of a problem. It only gets better from here!
Alcohol withdrawals are nothing to mess around with. I needed to detox in the ER and then take a benzo for a week to rebalance my body. Sounds scary but it wasn’t that bad and it saved my life. I don’t know your drinking history but I would at least suggest talking to your doctor before you make drastic changes to your drinking habits. Withdrawing really isn’t that bad with the help of doctors.
Congrats on making the first and hardest step towards sobriety: admittance of a problem. It only gets better from here!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 517
Hi Coz
I got to the same place.
Possibly a little further, I started vomiting blood and yet, still pouring in the booze to cope with those mornings and my body would auto reject it and I would just keep going till one stayed down.
After I got sober I googled those symptoms and it's the first stages of what is called 'end stage' alcoholism.
This is really serious.
I got to the same place.
Possibly a little further, I started vomiting blood and yet, still pouring in the booze to cope with those mornings and my body would auto reject it and I would just keep going till one stayed down.
After I got sober I googled those symptoms and it's the first stages of what is called 'end stage' alcoholism.
This is really serious.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 308
Originally Posted by Derringer 
Hi Coz
I got to the same place.
Possibly a little further, I started vomiting blood and yet, still pouring in the booze to cope with those mornings and my body would auto reject it and I would just keep going till one stayed down.
After I got sober I googled those symptoms and it's the first stages of what is called 'end stage' alcoholism.
This is really serious.
I got to the same place.
Possibly a little further, I started vomiting blood and yet, still pouring in the booze to cope with those mornings and my body would auto reject it and I would just keep going till one stayed down.
After I got sober I googled those symptoms and it's the first stages of what is called 'end stage' alcoholism.
This is really serious.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,097
Thanks least and Vinny
I appreciate your advice on detox, but I keep thinking I should be able to have the willpower to carefully reduce and give up without doing the ER bit. I have spoken to my doctor and have got some naltrexone to reduce the craving and some benzos for taking if any signs of DTs.
It is scary trying to quit on my own, so appreciate this forum to make it less lonely. So wish I didn't have this dependency to deal with.
Oh - typing this is really hard with my shaky hands!
I appreciate your advice on detox, but I keep thinking I should be able to have the willpower to carefully reduce and give up without doing the ER bit. I have spoken to my doctor and have got some naltrexone to reduce the craving and some benzos for taking if any signs of DTs.
It is scary trying to quit on my own, so appreciate this forum to make it less lonely. So wish I didn't have this dependency to deal with.
Oh - typing this is really hard with my shaky hands!
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,526
It's great to have you with us, Coz! You found an encouraging & friendly place. I felt so much better when I came here & opened up about my drinking. I'd been at it for 30 yrs. & it had caused chaos in my life. Those first few days are rough, but soon you'll begin to feel better & less anxious.
I'm glad you talked to your dr. Good move. Weaning isn't recommended or suggested here, but I was drinking all day when I decided to quit- so I tried it. I was successful in gradually cutting down, & ended up pouring my final drink down the drain - it tasted like poison at that point. I think I was able to do it (and not have it turn into yet another binge) because I was absolutely determined to stop & knew I would lose my life if I didn't. I never picked up again. I was too terrified to risk it.
Be proud of yourself for coming here and taking steps to get free. You can do it!
I'm glad you talked to your dr. Good move. Weaning isn't recommended or suggested here, but I was drinking all day when I decided to quit- so I tried it. I was successful in gradually cutting down, & ended up pouring my final drink down the drain - it tasted like poison at that point. I think I was able to do it (and not have it turn into yet another binge) because I was absolutely determined to stop & knew I would lose my life if I didn't. I never picked up again. I was too terrified to risk it.
Be proud of yourself for coming here and taking steps to get free. You can do it!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,373
Hi and welcome Coz
SR really helped me turn my life around. Post as often as you need to.
I could never taper worth a damn - but if you're going that way, make sure it not an endless process - get down to 0 drinks responsibly and then - stay that way
SR really helped me turn my life around. Post as often as you need to.
I could never taper worth a damn - but if you're going that way, make sure it not an endless process - get down to 0 drinks responsibly and then - stay that way
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,911
Any hints on how to stay strong and beat the shakes and tingles without drinking?
Get medical assistance. I went to a Prompt Care clinic (or whatever they call the walk in medical places in your town) and told them that the reason for my visit was the shakes from alcohol withdrawal.
They took my vital signs, etc. and wrote me a prescription (non refillable) for some Valium. That stopped the shakes and relived the anxiety, and I felt "normal" within a couple of hours.
Unfortunately, I'm apparently a slow learner, and I needed to do this again about 3 months later.
Get medical assistance. I went to a Prompt Care clinic (or whatever they call the walk in medical places in your town) and told them that the reason for my visit was the shakes from alcohol withdrawal.
They took my vital signs, etc. and wrote me a prescription (non refillable) for some Valium. That stopped the shakes and relived the anxiety, and I felt "normal" within a couple of hours.
Unfortunately, I'm apparently a slow learner, and I needed to do this again about 3 months later.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 517
Long story short, took the 12 steps of AA.
The more servere the problem, the more aggressive the treatment needed in my opinion.
You are probably in a bit deeper than you realize.
Plenty of articles out there on the 4 basic stages and you can have a look for your self and see if you can see yourself at the stage you're at.
The more servere the problem, the more aggressive the treatment needed in my opinion.
You are probably in a bit deeper than you realize.
Plenty of articles out there on the 4 basic stages and you can have a look for your self and see if you can see yourself at the stage you're at.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 68
I was very worried about going cold turkey also. I drank daily for 12 years. And often very heavily. A light day was 8 beers and a heavy day was however much I could drink until passed out, 20 beers, 3/4 bottle of 80 proof liquor, whatever.
I tried gradually cutting down like 12 beers, 8 beers, 6 beers, 4, 2, none. That worked for 2 days and then there was a birthday party and I wound up drunk as hell again.
So a few days later, I told my wife, I'm just quitting, I'm scared, but I'm doing it.
That was 19 days ago.
Not sure how much you were drinking or for low long, but I definitely would not recommend anyone do it because there's no doubt it could be dangerous.
What I did was there was, still is, liquor in the house, so if I got real sick, I was just going to drink my way out of it. Fortunately, I got sick, but not that sick.
Let us know how it's going, wishing you the best.
I tried gradually cutting down like 12 beers, 8 beers, 6 beers, 4, 2, none. That worked for 2 days and then there was a birthday party and I wound up drunk as hell again.
So a few days later, I told my wife, I'm just quitting, I'm scared, but I'm doing it.
That was 19 days ago.
Not sure how much you were drinking or for low long, but I definitely would not recommend anyone do it because there's no doubt it could be dangerous.
What I did was there was, still is, liquor in the house, so if I got real sick, I was just going to drink my way out of it. Fortunately, I got sick, but not that sick.
Let us know how it's going, wishing you the best.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,159
Originally Posted by Coz
I keep thinking I should be able to have the willpower to carefully reduce and give up without doing the ER bit. I have spoken to my doctor and have got some naltrexone to reduce the craving and some benzos for taking if any signs of DTs.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,097
I did OK yesterday - not fantastic as still had a few drinks. Plan today is to keep reading and have fewer drinks than yesterday.
That voice in my head is already saying just have one to stop the shakes and trembles so that you can do something useful - but I am serious in getting to a day 1 before this week is over.
Feeling a bit isolated as don't want to go out as I look and feel like a wreck, and despite being 'sober', I don't feel confident driving in my messed up way.
Appreciate you asking Hevyn
That voice in my head is already saying just have one to stop the shakes and trembles so that you can do something useful - but I am serious in getting to a day 1 before this week is over.
Feeling a bit isolated as don't want to go out as I look and feel like a wreck, and despite being 'sober', I don't feel confident driving in my messed up way.
Appreciate you asking Hevyn
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 2,426
Welcome Coz. How you doing tonight? The first few days were a bit of a blur. I became like a small child again and focused on a small set of tasks. I cleaned up and shaved, washed my hair, made some good food, ate anything I wanted, and didn't worry about going anywhere. I snuck out on day 3 or 4 and got a short haircut, got the oil changed on the car and ran it through the wash, picked up a load of groceries, then went back home and ate more, and watched lots of tv. I made some medical appointments a week or two out. The real simple tasks were all I could work on at first. Can tomorrow be your Day 1? If so keep it really simple.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 652
Welcome, Coz.
Sticking close to this board helped me feel less isolated with this one. I hope you do the same as clearly you are going to be a great asset to this community. You have a real nice openness about you.
Warm wishes
Lucinda
Sticking close to this board helped me feel less isolated with this one. I hope you do the same as clearly you are going to be a great asset to this community. You have a real nice openness about you.
Warm wishes
Lucinda
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,097
Surrendered19 - it sounds like you are more together than I!
I set myself some little tasks today but probably the wrong ones. I have recently moved house to aid in a fresh start and hung some pictures on the wall. Unfortunately, they are not particularly straight.
Still not feeling like eating, but forced down some fruit and yogurt and a piece of toast.
I did put the robot vacuum on, but other than that, I have mostly been reading posts on this site to be well inspired and know that the first weeks are going to be challenging.
I really appreciate this forum for all the support and information.
Day one is yet to come. I am at the end stage of alcoholism and really want to survive withdrawal, so cutting down each day to improve my chances. I am committed to quitting, but I think I need a few more days of reduction before I make the commitment to day 1.
I have a doc appointment on Tuesday to get the results of pathology and ultrasounds, so will have to leave the house. Thinking that this will also be a chance to talk through my day 1 and then forever plan.
Thanks for your support - much appreciated
I set myself some little tasks today but probably the wrong ones. I have recently moved house to aid in a fresh start and hung some pictures on the wall. Unfortunately, they are not particularly straight.
Still not feeling like eating, but forced down some fruit and yogurt and a piece of toast.
I did put the robot vacuum on, but other than that, I have mostly been reading posts on this site to be well inspired and know that the first weeks are going to be challenging.
I really appreciate this forum for all the support and information.
Day one is yet to come. I am at the end stage of alcoholism and really want to survive withdrawal, so cutting down each day to improve my chances. I am committed to quitting, but I think I need a few more days of reduction before I make the commitment to day 1.
I have a doc appointment on Tuesday to get the results of pathology and ultrasounds, so will have to leave the house. Thinking that this will also be a chance to talk through my day 1 and then forever plan.
Thanks for your support - much appreciated
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