mf150

Hello,

I am an alcoholic, it seems. I didn't think drinking would be so hard to quit. I'm no stranger to quiting substances. I quite smoking tobacco on December 30, 2008. For that I used Nicoderm patches, which worked.

For the past year or two, I have been drinking 4-6 beers a day. Some days I would finish half a 750 ml bottle of hard stuff (Hennessy). I started drinking daily in grad school to self-medicate and to deal with my anxiety.

I found this site via Bing search for: " How long to alcohol withdrawl symptoms last?"

Seems like a great place for information and support.

This is the first time I have experienced withdrawls from not drinking. Before I'd have hang-overs that would last a a few hours (had the shakes once when I was younger).

My symptoms include:

cold clamy hands
mild stomach cramps
anxiety
twitchy-ness
aches (all over-my neck is the worst)
insomnia
restlessness

My family and significant other are all supportive of my choice. They have all expressed concern for my drinking habits.

Thank you for being here.

I haven't had a drink in 24 hours (quit date: 6-14-10)

Kmber2010

Welcome to SR. Glad you found us and know that you have plenty of support here and much information/experience to read through.

Using booze to self-medicate and the length of time and amount of alcohol you have been drinking pretty much leads one to believe you have a problem.

I know it is tough and I am proud that you have made it through the critical first 24 hours. Over the next days and weeks your withdrawals will lesson and you will begin to feel better.

You definitely need support and a program of recovery to stay sober. I did counseling which is quite helpful in understanding my underlying issues and helping me understand alcoholism.

I would suggest consulting your doctor as I kept mine in the loop. There are various treatments available for anxiety if that is something you had prior to drinking.

All the best and keep posting. By reading and through posting....I have gained so much and is an essential part of my recovery.

nandm

Welcome to SR. I hope you find the encouragement, strength, and hope I have found here. Congrats on your decision to try sobriety. I know it has changed my life. It can be a tough road at times as life continues to happen but it can be done without having to pick up a drink. Once again welcome to SR, hope you stick around for a while

artsoul

welcome mf! Glad you're here. Things WILL get better - I had all the same problems with withdrawal. The only one that didn't go away after a few days was the insomnia. It took a couple weeks to get a full, restful sleep. But it's different for everyone, so if you need help during this initial stage, it's best to see a doctor.

Otherwise, keep reading and posting. This is a great place and has been a real lifeline for me!

Krys_wyo

24 hours right on, get some kind of chocolate LOL
I craved sweets so bad the first few months but hey it it gets easier
i know that seems like a crock of stuff right now but it is true.
keep it up

Margareth

Hia MF,

Welcome here. I just made the first 30 days and I did so with the support of the good people over here. You've come to the right place.

sampar

Welcome to SR, Its a great site, with great people!!!!! Do what u have to do to get sober, read the forums, join the chat speak with ppl who can identify with your addiction. Good Luck on your journey

TwelveSteps

Welcome, and congratulations on making it this far!!

I had really bad withdrawal symptoms, so I know how you feel -- but the good news is it gets better!

GG

mf150

I just want to say thank you (everyone) for the overwhelming support!
Early this morning, I joined the "June Bug" group.


Had my first bout off insomnia last night/this morning. I was tossing and turning...good thing this is my vacation from work.

I've been drinking water and eating chocolate (it does seem to help) LoL. I've been eating cherrios, too.

DAY 2!!!

Keep tha faith!!!

mf150

The second day seems a bit worse as far as withdrawl symptoms.

Add to the list:

Nausea
general feeling of restlessness
overwhelming feeling of exhaustion
head and body aches

How long does this last!!!

I've been drinking water and tea. I recently took two advils, and I'll be going to bed early for the first time in a long time.

I feel like I need to run, sprint, or drive...I'm crawling out of my skin!!!

Hot showers seem to help. My arms, hands, and legs seem cold to the touch.

artsoul

Hi mf - Are you eating OK, taking vitamins, etc.?

I'm sorry today seems worse. It really does get better, but see a doc if you think you can't deal with it. Alot of people drink herbal tea with Chamomile in it - it's good for sleeping, and calming both the nerves and stomach.

I hope you find some ways to cope. I basically spent the first couple days in my bed (with my laptop fixed to SR). I just tried to treat it like I would if I had the flu. Hope you feel better soon.............. hang in there!

mf150

Day 3

Artsoul-

Thank you!

Today is the first day my desire to eat has disappeared. My stomach was messed up this morning. The headache is horrible, and my energy level is nearly zero.

I did take your advice. I drank some Chamomile. First time. I can't say I like the flavor too much, but it did calm my stomach a bit.

I've been focusing on drinking lots of water.

I'm banking on the fact that I will feel normal some day soon, and that this is what I get for abusing my body.

The good thing about this is I don't want to ever touch a drink again!

I want to take an advil to help with the headache, but it might be hard on the stomach...I wonder what would happen if I took an antacid prior to taking an advil...

Gawd! how much longer!!!

artsoul

Yeah, the energy level thing really sucks..... It may be a week or two before you feel some of that come back. I know it's hard to hang in there, but I noticed that alot of things were better after day 3. Be patient with yourself and be proud of yourself too! Getting sober is a really big deal for us, you know?

mf150

Artsoul-

Making the choice to not drink is a big deal. I just didn't realize how big it was until I started withdrawls! LoL

I can deal with the low energy level, but the stomach upset, headaches, and cold sweats, hot flashes, etc is really annoying.

I hope those symptoms subside in the next day or two.

Thanks for listening to my complaining...in some strange way it helps.

TwelveSteps

Mf, hang in there. Every day you don't drink is a day further out from withdrawals. You can do it!

GG

mf150

TwelveSteps-

The headache has subsided a bit, the stomach isn't liking anything I put in it...I guess it's better than barfing stuff up.

I'm actually feeling a bit better tonight!

Keepcomminback-

Chicken soup sounds great right now! Maybe I should defrost a chicken...maybe just crawl into bed...I wish I had the energy.

For now, the withdrawls seem a bit better. I don't want to say that and feel even worse later (as if there is some causal connection).

If the symptoms don't get much better tomorrow or Friday, I'll make an appointment. I wonder if pepto bismal (sp?) works...the pink stuff.

I'm keeping hydrated with water and tea.

As far as drinking, I hear and understand your warning. If it's anything like cigarettes, just one with put you back into the danger zone of relapsing.

As far as future drinking, I made a promise to my girlfriend to not drink anymore. I've gone through enough pain/discomfort (hell) over the past few days to dissuade me from picking up another beer.

I'm through with that stuff.

health is a gift that should not be taken advantage of...

Thank you both so much for your welcome and support!

NewBeginning010

You are doing great, this too shall pass

A hot bath with some epsom salts helps to get rid of those toxins that are left over. Hope you are feeling better soon, Take care

artsoul

mf - Have some compassion with yourself, too, OK? We really need to start being a little more caring towards ourselves (especially when we feel we've screwed everything up). So... if you can't wait to get into the kitchen and cook, go for the homemade soup. If not, get a can or (better yet) order out something wonderful and pick it up in your car.

My withdrawals weren't quite as strong as yours, but I still had to keep every kind of stress to a bare minimum that first week.

mf150

Hey everyone!

Day 4 is almost done, and I feel MUCH better!
The only remaining symptom is my GI upset, which is getting better.
I've lost 5 lbs, too!

I'm still hydrating.

I made the chicken soup today!

I actually got some sleep last night (8 hours!!!).

whew, I think the worst of the withdrawls are over!

I'm happy!

mf150

Hi, Everyone!

I hope you all don't mind...I'm treating this thread as my sobriety journal.

I've been reading through a lot of threads recently, and a recurrent theme has jumped out at me...

many feel the urge or a craving to drink again.

I am wondering if something is wrong with me for not craving beer or hard stuff...

Why haven't I had any cravings, yet?

I'm going to bed by starting Day 5!!!