bovinePieBear

Like buses tend to be, it came late, since I expected it on day 2 or maybe day 3. But it came last night, at the end of day 4, and man it really hit me.

I got out of the bath feeling really weird, light-headed, nauseous. Then shaky. I sat down on my bed, and bam! it hit. Cramps in my stomach and legs, throbbing in my head. My breathing got hard, my heart seemed to be pumping air - like it just slipped a valve and was leaping out of control. For a while, the fear of death was there. I lay on the bed. I didn't call anyone, I didn't want them to see. I didn't know what to do.

I don't know how long it lasted. Maybe five or ten minutes. It past. I was left drenched with sweat. I was weeping, but I didn't feel emotional. My legs and stomach felt like I'd been set about by a bunch of angry midgets with baseball bats. I was tender in every muscle, but my legs felt bruised. My joints ached. My head was in shock.

And I wanted a drink. Bad.

I lay there for another half an hour. Then the kids came into my bed and watched a DVD with me. I say with me, they put it on and then pretty much ignored me. That was fine by me. Eventually I fell asleep.

I slept fitfully. I am seriously aching this morning. I've missed an appointment with the alcohol recovery guy because I didn't get out of bed. I still haven't got out of bed.

I'm not craving right now, and after all, I guess I'm ok, despite the aches. Mostly I'm shaken up. I don't want that to happen again. I guess there's not a lot I can do about it though. I really don't want to tell my wife about it - I don't want to scare her. Thanks for letting me tell it here.

Taking5

How long have you been sober and what was your DOC?

CAPTAINZING2000

Going to take a little time. You made it past your first tset

Good for you, it will get better

bovinePieBear

Hey dgillz - alcohol, and this is day 5.

Thanks Captain. Yeah, I guess I made it through, but now I have to stop myself thinking about how to prevent another one... And besides, I never said it in the post above, but I mean what the hell happened!!!

jsml1234

Sounds like a chemical imbalance, very common for us after quiting. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get some blood work done-liver enzymes, folate, potassium, magnesium... etc.
I suggest lots of water. Vitamins- B6, B12, thiamine and folate so on.

flutter

Whew I'm glad you're ok.. and I'm so happy you're sober I read the title of this thread and my head automatically started generating a "this site seems more and more like a revolving door lately" response. I don't know what might have caused you to feel like that, I hope that's the worst of it if it's related to alcohol. Obviously we all go through withdrawal differently, I didn't experience much at all (which shocks the hell out of me considering the 5th of vodka or 2 I was drinking every day) when I quit. I hope you see your doctor, and the addiction person, please tell them this happened, withdrawal is fatal for some people....

geekorunique

I know it's not easy but whenever you feel like this you need to remind yourself that "This Too Shall Pass"...this is something that I can forget as well and I have it tattoed on my arm!

If you believe in a Higher Power I think you have to believe in a lower power and it may well have been a test.

Get to some meetings? Share how you're feeling and in time it really will get better xxx

Samsonsworld

My day 3 and 4 were pure hell. It's been much better since. I guess it's your bodies way of healing itself. Congrats. You've probably made it through the hardest part.

ps - keep some juice and hard candy handy. Helped me.

Taking5

jsml nailed it, take care of your body. Alcohol depletes needed minerals from our body.

I experienced very similar issues to yours during my alcohol withdrawals. Have you been to a Dr? Alcohol withdrawal is the most deadly of all withdrawals, much more so than opiate withdrawals as an example.

Here is a link:

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

bovinePieBear

Thanks everyone.

And now would you believe that I've also crashed my car today? Yup. Never had a crash before in my life.

It's not bad, some wheel arch damage from a side to side bump, but my kids were in the car so I was scared for them. I didn't need to, they seemed to think it was all hilarious.

The lady in the other car was fine. We exchanged details.

I didn't even need to go out in the car. But my wife's out with her friend, so me and the kids are together alone. I just thought rather than keeping them couped up in the house we'd go out and do something. Like, oh, I don't know, crash the car. I should have known better, really. I should never have got in the damn car, I so know it.

Before all that, I also saw the nurse. She said I should just keep things simple right now while I'm in early stages of stopping drinking. I have to cut down on obvious things like salt and fat, but nothing too drastic for now. I found out that I weight 19stone 5lbs (271lbs), which is really shocking. I may be 6'2", so I can carry some weight, but still, that's ridiculous. I have, oh, about 6stone (84lbs) to get to my "ideal" weight. Sheesh.

Anyway. Hit by a bus? Pffffft. I ache. I'm tired. I'm shaken and upset. And I'm trying to keep it together with the kids. I'm NOT having a good time right now. Big tough guy bovine, huh? Somehow, I don't think so...

Edit:
Forgot to mention: I now have some Lorazepam for if I get overcome with that hideous shaking thing again. I've also got a multivit with high B complex and mineral content.

louis

Hey Bovine

Take care of yourself mate....
Take one thing at a time.... You try over whelming yourself and you'll be in a pickle.
Take it a day at a time.... slow and steady.... and hey... i dont care the height, age, gender or weight of someone..... emotions are emotions... we all have them and imo it takes a truely big man to express them and one i respect.

Sorry to here about your car.... but at least your safe.

Again take care and take it easy

Be well
louis

bovinePieBear

Cheers Louis - I've cheered up a good bit after spending the last hour or so here on SR!

Music man

Hey B.P.B , man sounds tough, and kinda late into it, I would talk to the Dr and make sure it wasn't a mild heart attack or something more dangerous. That is one of those situations you call the DR for.

Surlyredhead

BKP

We all live so far away from eachother, but coming here we are so very close. Thank you all!

CarolD

Bear....
you know we have discussed withdrawal problems in earlier
threads. Your "bus" was those symptoms and you are really
fortunate they were quickly over.
Drinking was not something positive..good you did not.

Sorry you had a car crash but glad to know it was not serious.

You can keep moving forward...
It's your time for health and healing.

lovinmenow

Hey Bear,
How are you today?

bovinePieBear

Hi all. I'll try and give some answer to everyone now, but this might take a while!

jsml1234
Well, I just had (like last week) a lot of tests run on me - comprehensive blood and urine and an ECG. Everything was ok (!!) except for high cholesterol. I also have high blood pressure. However, yes, I've upped the water intake, and I'm taking a multivit with a high B complex and mineral content.

flutter
Thanks flutter. I started to learn how we all withdraw so different, and even different each time we go through withdrawals. Good to hear that you made it through - there is no "easy."
Yes. There's really no joke there.

geekorunique
PHOTO!!! PHOTO!!!

samsonsworld
Well, they were gradually worse days for me, but I think kind of day 5 and today, day 6, have been my worst. I just feel... wrong. All over. And the cravings have come thicker and faster too. And I keep tripping over the carpet / my feet / the dog / the cat / the kids / my tongue / the air / &c...

By the way - what's "hard candy?"

dgillz
Yes, I saw my GP this week, but I don't know if she really believed me when I said I'd stopped. I think she either thought I was kidding her (!!) or she thought I was still doing the "tapering" thing. Either way, all the tests have been run on me because of my alcoholism.

louis
Thanks Louis. It's been a strange ride this week so far - I wouldn't say a "rollercoaster," more of a sort of House of Mirrors meets the Ghost Train! I'm certainly trying to take it steady, but there's the feeling that things beyond my control are starting to come at me more quickly now... I'll post a little more about it all later!

HardwiredFlaws
Well, I saw the nurse the day after, and told her about it. She checked my recent results, which included an ECG, and looked me over. After a chat, I didn't feel like I needed to go further at that time, so she got me some Lorazepam and told me to keep my wife in the picture, and ring the emergency services if it happened again.

continued....

bovinePieBear

Surlyredhead
Aw, thanks! Y'know, turns out you're sooo not surly after all!

BKP
Yeah, when the web's used to it's best, wow - we really are one big family, all fighting for the remote and space on the couch...

CarolD
Yes we have discussed withdrawal, and I thought I was doing so well... ! I could cope with the skin crawling, the hot flushes, the boiling and even those early cravings pretty well. I never felt as though I was being overpowered, no matter how crappy I felt. The "bus" was something different - it floored me, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. As you say, I think I have been very, very lucky. And yes, I'm really glad that I did not drink, and that I have not drunk today.

lovinmenow
Well, I'm doin' surprisingly... ok, thank you very much for asking me through those very, very sparkly red lips. Right now, I am very gladly distracted by imagining the many different ways that those very, very sparkly lips might sound when saying the words... "Hey Bear, How are you today?" ..... .... .. ....... ahhhhhh, that's better.

gravity

I have had anxiety attacks while driving and had similar symptoms. Scary stuff. I checked online and found a great website that helped me immediately:

SUMMARY

Following is a brief summary of key principles and actions necessary to minimize anxiety and eventually eliminate anxiety attacks.

KEY PRINCIPLES

Anxiety is a warning signal similar to a trouble light on the dash of an automobile. Anxiety is intended to be observed and utilized, rather than controlled, in order to prevent or correct problems.

Trying to force unpleasant feelings to go away is like trying to put a grease fire out with water--it just makes things worse.

Although anxiety may occur in association with a particular event or situation, the situation itself does not cause an anxiety attack. Rather the manner in which a person responds to the situation or to feelings of anxiety, determines whether the anxiety symptoms subside or intensify.

The body has a natural ability to calm itself after experiencing a wave of anxiety.

Feelings do not change facts. For example, the fact of having a healthy body is not changed because of feeling otherwise.

Personal security depends more on how you manage yourself and your circumstances than on how secure you feel.

Important decisions are best made with 90% head and 10% heart.

KEY ACTIONS

Avoid self-defeating goals designed to control anxiety ("Feeling" goals). Instead, set "Doing" goals, focusing on improving what you do with your thoughts and actions. In doing this, you will gain better control over yourself and eventually feel less anxious.

Seek ways to minimize anxiety and eliminate anxiety attacks by trusting your body's natural ability to calm itself down rather than by trying to fight or control the anxious feelings.

Use your imagination in positive ways. If it is desirable to think about unpleasant things on occasion, describe the event in your mind with objective words, rather than with vivid pictures.

Develop strategies for dealing with anxiety attacks in three different areas: before, during, and after their occurrence.

Anxiety Overview