Not sure where to start
 

I have been drinking pretty much daily for about 6 years. At times it was only a beer, maybe two a day, and there were periods of sobriety without really trying. However, in the past year or so, I feel as if my drinking has gotten out of hand. I want to quit, but am worried about withdrawal symptoms. I realize that medical advice cannot be given out, but was wondering what others' stories were like. On average, I drink one big bottle of white wine a day. Every couple of weeks there will be an event with friends that leads to binge drinking vodka. I haven't had a drink in 13+ hours and have felt rarely any symptoms, but some tummy troubles. I know the road to total sobriety will be tough, especially emotionally, but do I need to continue to worry about physical symptoms if I have basically none at this point? I also wondered if it has been better for some to taper off in their personal experience. I have quit for a week at a time as recently as a few months ago, but have found that the habit creeped back up and into my daily routine.
Thanks for any advice regarding your personal journey. I realize the whole ER and AA thing, would just like to get some personal advice regarding how detoxing worked for you without a doctor and if I am fooling myself thinking that perhaps I'm getting lucky regarding withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawl symptoms can take up to 24 hours from the time of your last drink to manifest. Sometimes longer. From personal experience, i found that my severe symptoms lasted for about 5 days and i didn't feel quite right for nearly two weeks. Last time i sobered up i got my rear in gear and got to an AA meeting as soon as i could hold down water. Feeling less alone made the withdrawls a lot easier to deal with as did just getting out of the house. Seeing a doctor is important even though you're not having withdrawl symptoms. You've been abusing your body for a long time and you need to get a baseline read on your health. Start taking a multivitamin and be sure to stay hydrated. Don't poopoo the doctor and AA thing. There's a reason a lot of us SOBER posters recommend it. We might know something.

Yes, you do need to still worry about withdrawl symptoms and they could start at any time. I suggest talking to your dr or going to an ER. Detoxing from alcohol can be dangerous and no one can predict how it will be for each individual.

Yes, I appreciate the AA and DR thing :) Was just trying to get a feel for it. I have had no symptoms when I stopped in the past, other than perhaps hangover like ones-aka minimal withdrawal symptoms. Is it possible to feel completely fine and unaffected then suddenly have symptoms tonight?

Hello, and welcome!

See a doctor, would be my advice. Withdrawal if different for everyone. But with the amounts you've been consuming, I would highly recommend see a profresonal.
Be brutaly honest about your drinking.

I went through withdawal so many time I can not reocmmend it.
Don't mess with your health. There is help to get you through it out there.

Keep us posted.

It seems like it's different for everybody (from what I've seen in life and read here). The variables seem to include baseline health and fitness (including mental health), nutrition, drink/drug of choice, other drugs being regularly taken, other issues of stress including work, family, finances etc., and sleep.

Don't be afraid that your head is going to explode if you quit and don't feel awful on day 1.

But I personally think a visit with an MD is very beneficial: frank talk, advice, bloodwork maybe, a plan and possibly a referral if judged to be useful.

Great reality check! And getting your MD on your side is generally beneficial, unless you have some judgmental old toad and then you should dump him anyway.

Yes, you can definitely have symptoms even up to several days later. If it has only been 13 hours since your last drink and you drank a bottle of wine a day, it is doubtful you have even metabolized all the alcohol from last night yet.

You should see a Dr. at the very least, IMHO.

Welcome to SR Chick :)

I saw a doctor a week after I stopped drinking...it was the only time I could get an appointment and I didn't want to keep drinking! I was getting withdrawal symptoms before I stopped too and I was a bit freaked. It was reassuring just to get checked out and obviously helped with any anxiety. My doctor gave me supplements too as well as blood tests and an ECG so it's not just withdrawals you need them for. I'd highly recommend a trip to the doctors :) x

I guess my only comment from my experience is the withdrawals never get easier and often get worse and can be life threatening from the literature and experiences people have posted to SR. In my 20's it was a hangover , 30's a long hangover and 40's a whole different world of misery. Nearing 50 its living hell and as a lot of folks do , I question why I ever bring this all back again. I am no doctor but I sure see one who knows the regime on dealing with withdrawal and she has my back when I am flat on my ***.

Hi Chick

I always recommend seeing a Dr - I didn't and I really wish I had.
Whats more important than your health really?

here's a thread to read if you want to hear about others experiences :)

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

D