Advice on 'tapering'? (Cutting down before quitting)
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 873
Cutting back in any form worked for me for a while, many times, but eventually I'd always end up back at full throttle.
As far as quitting altogether, I can understand why you might not want to do that (I was scared of all of the social ramifications, the "new life" etc.) but it's really not that bad on the other side. It's better actually. And you'll realize that a lot more people don't drink than you thought.
As far as quitting altogether, I can understand why you might not want to do that (I was scared of all of the social ramifications, the "new life" etc.) but it's really not that bad on the other side. It's better actually. And you'll realize that a lot more people don't drink than you thought.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,372
Welcome to SR Charlie45 
AlcoAbroad - a bottle of spirits is a fairly considerable amount, so again I'm glad you're seeing the Dr.
Like Dave, I was a prestigious drinker with little or not apparent effect for years...and then suddenly I 'lost it' too....so you're wise to look at this now.
D
AlcoAbroad - a bottle of spirits is a fairly considerable amount, so again I'm glad you're seeing the Dr.
Like Dave, I was a prestigious drinker with little or not apparent effect for years...and then suddenly I 'lost it' too....so you're wise to look at this now.
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: South of France
Posts: 19
Thank you for your advice everyone - really useful.
It seems that the vote against tapering is pretty overwhelming and I started to rethink this strategy based on what you've all been saying. I haven't heard anyone say that they tapered for two weeks and then quit completely on a set date, which was my plan.
It's tough when you've spent weeks planning something and then have to do a rethink. I had my mind set on a reduced intake starting on Monday but instead of that I've started just now, 6am on Saturday where I am.
Last night I brought my plan forward and it's started today, thanks to you guys. It's not exactly what you advised, but it's a lot closer. Basically my reduced intake starts today - as I said, it's 6am here and I've just started my first drink.
Last night we followed my original plan and my wife lined up 6 drinks for me for today (large vodkas) and they're in a cupboard. Believe it or not that represents much less than normal. Today and tomorrow I'll drink at 6am, and then at 3-hourly intervals. Unlike many people, I've never drunk much in the evenings, so I don't mind having my last drink at 6pm.
After your advice, I'm now almost certainly going to quit altogether on Monday, which is when I see the doc. Previously this tapering programme was going to last two weeks, not two days. I'm talking myself into the two day approach, and to be honest each time I read a post or chat, it helps to reinforce that I should quit on Monday.
I'm going to visit this site often during this weekend and I expect my new resolution to get stronger.
Heartfelt thanks to all of you who have posted on this thread. I don't feel so alone with my problem and I'm also considerably better informed than before I joined. Don't be surprised if you see me in a chat room regularly throughout this weekend!
Kind regards,
AlcoAbroad
It seems that the vote against tapering is pretty overwhelming and I started to rethink this strategy based on what you've all been saying. I haven't heard anyone say that they tapered for two weeks and then quit completely on a set date, which was my plan.
It's tough when you've spent weeks planning something and then have to do a rethink. I had my mind set on a reduced intake starting on Monday but instead of that I've started just now, 6am on Saturday where I am.
Last night I brought my plan forward and it's started today, thanks to you guys. It's not exactly what you advised, but it's a lot closer. Basically my reduced intake starts today - as I said, it's 6am here and I've just started my first drink.
Last night we followed my original plan and my wife lined up 6 drinks for me for today (large vodkas) and they're in a cupboard. Believe it or not that represents much less than normal. Today and tomorrow I'll drink at 6am, and then at 3-hourly intervals. Unlike many people, I've never drunk much in the evenings, so I don't mind having my last drink at 6pm.
After your advice, I'm now almost certainly going to quit altogether on Monday, which is when I see the doc. Previously this tapering programme was going to last two weeks, not two days. I'm talking myself into the two day approach, and to be honest each time I read a post or chat, it helps to reinforce that I should quit on Monday.
I'm going to visit this site often during this weekend and I expect my new resolution to get stronger.
Heartfelt thanks to all of you who have posted on this thread. I don't feel so alone with my problem and I'm also considerably better informed than before I joined. Don't be surprised if you see me in a chat room regularly throughout this weekend!
Kind regards,
AlcoAbroad
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: South of France
Posts: 19
"Spirits" = "hard liquor"
Originally Posted by Fandy 
what's "a bottle of spirits"? a bottle of wine? a bottle of hard liquor? a liter, a quart, a 1/5?...a gallon?
I just thought it might be useful to explain, as there are some other people on here who'll use the term.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 6
You can die from alc withdrawal. (i didnt know this). People say "consider" seeing your doc, but really I wish someone told me that I should go to the hospital. I had a couple days before I contacted doctor who said "we should hospitalize you."
There they monitor heartbeat and possibility of seizures and taper you slowly with medication. Just don't try and quit on your own before seeing your doctor. The couple days I did t call doc turned out to be extremely dangerous
There they monitor heartbeat and possibility of seizures and taper you slowly with medication. Just don't try and quit on your own before seeing your doctor. The couple days I did t call doc turned out to be extremely dangerous
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 216
Echoing many here, and speakiing Just for myself.... All it takes is that first or second drink to impair our better judgement and throw out that nights "tapering off" plan out the window. Alcohol impairs better judgement, no two ways about it. If you have alcohol in your system, tapering off is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Sounds very attractive, but... Most of us know where that leads to. I'm just saying...
...Mike
...Mike
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 107
Your dr can prescribe medication that will "mimic" the tapering and help you avoid withdrawals. It might be a good idea to schedule a followup after your first visit on Monday, like 24 - 48 hrs later just so he can take blood pressure, etc. Tapering would be a controlled nightmare and your dr has plenty of tools to help.
Good luck!!
Good luck!!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: South of France
Posts: 19
Thanks to many great people on here, in forums and in chats, i'm going cold turkey. The only depressing news is that I just found it it's a public holiday here in France on Monday! I'm now having to wait an extra day.
To those of you in the US who know your public holidays, I should explain that if you're European (British in my case) and you live in another European country, it's very easy to miss a fact like this.
I'm still going to check with the doctor's surgery on Monday but I think it will be emergency cases only.
For the record, I had one private message from someone who tapered successfully for a couple of days, the rest of you said to quit completely.
I'm going to do this with the doc's help, because I've listened to you all. I'm scared to death but I'm going to do this. If he's not there on Monday, it will be Tuesday, but I'm now set on doing this.
I can't thank you all enough for taking the trouble to help someone on his first step. I hope others in my situation will also have found the advice of so many people useful.
To those of you in the US who know your public holidays, I should explain that if you're European (British in my case) and you live in another European country, it's very easy to miss a fact like this.
I'm still going to check with the doctor's surgery on Monday but I think it will be emergency cases only.
For the record, I had one private message from someone who tapered successfully for a couple of days, the rest of you said to quit completely.
I'm going to do this with the doc's help, because I've listened to you all. I'm scared to death but I'm going to do this. If he's not there on Monday, it will be Tuesday, but I'm now set on doing this.
I can't thank you all enough for taking the trouble to help someone on his first step. I hope others in my situation will also have found the advice of so many people useful.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
please be very careful/aware of your physical condition through the weekend. you're going to have elevated HR, BP,sweats and nausea...(at least i did)...along with a good dose of extreme lower GI upset..(i'm speaking delicately here). you might have night-sweats and trouble sleeping...i'm remembering all my experiences and it is still painful.
if things get too extreme, have someone take you to the emergency services and tell them what is going on. you don't want to risk a seizure.
on a practical note, treat yourself as you are recovering from illness....keep hydrated and a light diet,rest....i used a lot of clear soup and fruit,toast, yogurt etc. when your stomach balances, start on a good B-complex vitamin.
i'm around today so feel free to PM me if you like....i hope you have a good day with this and feel better! getting started is somehow the hardest part sometimes, but you are going to feel 10 years younger and healthier in a few weeks.
one of the most helpful things i did was take a picture of my face at weekly intervals..WHAT a difference.
if things get too extreme, have someone take you to the emergency services and tell them what is going on. you don't want to risk a seizure.
on a practical note, treat yourself as you are recovering from illness....keep hydrated and a light diet,rest....i used a lot of clear soup and fruit,toast, yogurt etc. when your stomach balances, start on a good B-complex vitamin.
i'm around today so feel free to PM me if you like....i hope you have a good day with this and feel better! getting started is somehow the hardest part sometimes, but you are going to feel 10 years younger and healthier in a few weeks.
one of the most helpful things i did was take a picture of my face at weekly intervals..WHAT a difference.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Up, Up and Away
Posts: 434
I'm glad you are starting to take some action, Alco. Keep us updated on how you are doing, we care. And if you start feeling really bad, please go immediately to an emergency room. Like others have said, unsupervised alcohol detox can be deadly.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
so, i've calculated that your time is 8 hours later than mine (i'm on daylight savings time for the northeast US)...it must be about 10:30PM your time?
hope you are feeling well this evening. i'm a little confused in reading through the postings.....did you already quit or are you tapering through the weekend until Tuesday?
i don't think i can forget the holidays here....i'm usually off from work! long weekends are a big deal especially in good weather.
hope you are feeling well this evening. i'm a little confused in reading through the postings.....did you already quit or are you tapering through the weekend until Tuesday?
i don't think i can forget the holidays here....i'm usually off from work! long weekends are a big deal especially in good weather.
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 318
I've been working on quitting for 9 years...once I made it nearly 5 years, the 5 months and then 9 months...each time I started again I wanted to monitor and then got out of hand...then to taper once it was already out of hand was like a starving kid in a third world contry with a juicy steak in front of him and being told he could only have one bite...and then stop...not going to happen, at least not for me. IMHO it just doesn't work but as you say, everyone is different. I just wouldn't look too hard for solid proof that it can't work for you because sometimes that solid proof can be a horrible occurrence that makes you have to stop...just my thoughts.
D.
D.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 55
tapering def didnt work for me. its not fun for me to just have 2 or 1. i would end up not caring and convincing myself i didnt have a problem and that i should just keep trying to drink without blacking out, or screwing things up in some way. i think its definitely better to just quit. if you know you have a problem, why drag out fixing it?
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,526
I was the one who successfully weaned myself off I am so glad you made that decision, though - that makes the most sense, & I know tapering is not advisable. It could have easily gone wrong for me, & why chance it?
We'll all be thinking of you.
I am so glad you made that decision, though - that makes the most sense, & I know tapering is not advisable. It could have easily gone wrong for me, & why chance it? We'll all be thinking of you.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: South of France
Posts: 19
I have just today (Sunday) and tomorrow, before I can see my doc. I now see medical support as essential, just to be safe. Thanks to all of you who strongly recommended this.
I can also now see that tapering for 2-3 weeks wouldn't have worked for me. I'm cutting down today and tomorrow. However doing a full stop as soon as I can see my doc on Tuesday is the only course of action - for me at least. You all helped me to see this, so I thank you again.
Today and tomorrow are all about positive reinforcement. Writing out more cards to have on my desk (I work from home) will help. They're just short messages, reminding myself of all the benefits. Hey, and guess what? I'll soon be able to drive again! I've never driven when I know I'm over the limit, which is almost all the time.
My list of things to do (when the worst of the detox is over) is growing longer by the day. It's amazing how much you can find to distract yourself. My wife thinks all her Christmases have come at once, with all the little jobs she's got lined up for me!!
We're also going to drop everything sometimes and just go out, when I really get a bad urge. A change of scene will help I think.
I'm not yet a member of this 'club' and haven't yet earned any right to say much at all. On Tuesday I'll be joining you, though. Of course I'm scared - of the detox, and also of letting myself down. I just can't do that.
I'm fully functioning, no relationship problems, no anger, no outward signs, no binges, never visibly 'drunk', and I run successful companies - but I drink steadily from early morning, so I'm an alcoholic. My liver will be shot if I carry on like this, and I want to live happily and love my wife for many decades to come. That's my motivation.
Best wishes to all,
An alcoholic Brit in the South of France
I can also now see that tapering for 2-3 weeks wouldn't have worked for me. I'm cutting down today and tomorrow. However doing a full stop as soon as I can see my doc on Tuesday is the only course of action - for me at least. You all helped me to see this, so I thank you again.
Today and tomorrow are all about positive reinforcement. Writing out more cards to have on my desk (I work from home) will help. They're just short messages, reminding myself of all the benefits. Hey, and guess what? I'll soon be able to drive again!
I've never driven when I know I'm over the limit, which is almost all the time.My list of things to do (when the worst of the detox is over) is growing longer by the day. It's amazing how much you can find to distract yourself. My wife thinks all her Christmases have come at once, with all the little jobs she's got lined up for me!!
We're also going to drop everything sometimes and just go out, when I really get a bad urge. A change of scene will help I think.
I'm not yet a member of this 'club' and haven't yet earned any right to say much at all. On Tuesday I'll be joining you, though. Of course I'm scared - of the detox, and also of letting myself down. I just can't do that.
I'm fully functioning, no relationship problems, no anger, no outward signs, no binges, never visibly 'drunk', and I run successful companies - but I drink steadily from early morning, so I'm an alcoholic. My liver will be shot if I carry on like this, and I want to live happily and love my wife for many decades to come. That's my motivation.
Best wishes to all,
An alcoholic Brit in the South of France
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