sharp75

Hi everyone, i am a 27 year old female and have been drinking for 9 years. 2 years ago i tried to stop for a week and had a bad panic attack so carried on drinking as it would stop me feeling panicky. i never actually thought til last week that that attack might have been down to withdrawl.
Recently I have been so ill its tearing me apart. i spend allday fighting myself from having a panic attack and the worst thing is, if i havnt had a drink and try and go to sleep, just as i am about to drop off i seem to stop breathing for a bit and jolt awake which. it doesnt seem to happen when iv had a drink. at one point i was up at 3am walking round my house panickingand crying.
At the weekend i was in hospital with stomach pain and i have told everyone about the sleep issue and they all say its panic but i went on a forum today about sleep disorders and i got a response from someone who has made me more panicky, dont wanna say what he said, cant bear to repeat it cos it scares me(wasnt evil just made me feel worse). iam now awaiting detox but i just wonder if all of this is normal.

FredG

I think you should really talk to your doctor about this. No one here can offer medical advice and this is most definitely a medical issue.

About the only thing I can say for certain, is that apnea is not normal, but that being said, you have no way of knowing whether this only happens when you're not drinking, or if it happens when you're drinking and you just don't notice.

Everyone reacts differently to withdrawal, but some withdrawal symptoms are serious and need to be treated that way. Go to a doctor.

hypochondriac

It sounds very similar to some stuff I experienced Sharp. Have you ever tried using CBT to help with the anxiety. I found that helped me a lot. Panic attacks are really scary. I know mine seemingly came out of nowhere and there seemed like no way of controlling them. Stopping drinking was the cure all for me Are you cutting down before you go to detox?

Sapling

Welcome to SR sharp75...At the end of my drinking I got panic attacks and had crippling anxiety...All alcohol driven....After detoxing with medical supervision and cleaning up in rehab for a couple weeks I entered into the program of Alcoholics Anonymous....The more sober time I had...The less anxiety...At almost a year without a drink I have no more anxiety than what any normal person has...I take no medication at all....I'm sober and happy. Check with your doctor...Detox safely...And see how it goes for you living without alcohol.

epskie

Hi sharp, one of my main reasons for not quitting was how would I ever sleep? You may not believe me right now but I sleep 100% better sober than I ever did drunk. Have you stopped today or have you been quit for a few days? Try not to panic about what the guy said to you, I'm sure whatever it is not that bad. Hugs xx

epskie

Yeah, I'm similar to sapling, my anxiety became unbearable (it's a miracle I didn't lose my job because of it!) It's gone now, after just 72 days x

artsoul

You said you were "awaiting detox" - are you going to treatment or otherwise getting medical help for withdrawal? I had similar symptoms to what you described (awakening with a jolt, extreme anxiety) plus more, like heart palpitations, sweating, tremor in my hands...... It all went away (the depression, too) after I got sober.

I'm glad you're wanting to get out of the vicious cycle and that you're reaching out today. Keep reading and posting - none of us can do this on our own!:ghug3

IndaMiricale

Between passing out and actually going to sleep, its great to sleep and wake up not come to.

MentalLoop

when you go to the dr. make sure to tell them about the drinking.

sharp75

thanks for all the help, whats CBT? im on sertraline at the mo and when i told the doctor about my sleeping issue he gave me beta blockers to have at night but i havnt took them as im still drinking and i read that you shouldnt drink with them.im still currently drinking as was told not to stop and im doing a diary. im at the point where im scared of drink yet scared not to drink and its making me ill. i drink lager 6-10 cans a night but iv done it for 9 years after the death of my dad in a road accident then falling pregnant 3 months later to a druggie that walked away when i was 5 weeks pregnant(i never drank whilst pregnant but when he was born id tell my mam i was going shopping but would go to a pub get drunk and go home and fall asleep leaving family to care for my son). when i was in hospital they gave me withdrawl tablets for 1 night and it made me feel so much better. i stayed up til late watching telly even though there was rubbish on because it was the first time i had felt so relaxed in a long time and wanted to make the most of it. unfortunately these tablets arent allowed to be took home so i have no medical help as yet just drink. i have a meeting with a nurse on monday who will assess me and send me into detox but i feel like i could go right at this very moment. the sleep thing has only start happening the last 2 weeks and it scares the crap out of me. im a mother of 2 and love my kids so much so i need to get better and will do everything in my power to get better and and be the mum they need and deserve and when talking to a woman she asked if i wanted to be a social drinker or abstinance and i chose abstinance as when i get better i never wanna touch the evil stuff again.iv had family members die through drink and many with alcohol issues at the mo and i dont want to be like them.

Sapling

They told me to do the same thing...Keep drinking till I went in to detox...I couldn't sleep either...I was terrified...The thought of living without alcohol was beyond my grasp...I was so loaded with fear... that if I wasn't drinking I'd panic....If I was running low on beer I'd panic...Once I went to detox and I got the meds in me...I slept the better part of five days...There was no looking back for this alkie...I haven't had a drink since.

2granddaughters

Are you going to AA meetings in your area?

I wish you the best.

Bob R

Anna

I also felt the same panic attacks, continuous anxiety and absolutely no idea how to get through a single night without a drink.

First, please talk to your dr.

And then, remember that you can do this. It's overwhelming at first, so take it slowly. I remember the first day was an hour at a time for me, and I thought it would never end. But, there are no shortcuts. Getting through each day, makes the next one easier.

sharp75

same here sapling i hate to admit it but at times i have resulted in drink driving to get a few more beers when im running low, i have spoke to my doctor and he is the one that referred me for detox. i see him regulary and told him about the drink in the past but i made out it was just a recent thing but i broke down to my boyfriend last week and decided i needed detox so i phoned my doctor up and explained in great detail about everything and he referred me and has listed me as a priority so basically my dr has been fantastic through this.its got so bad that even tho my kids arent neglected bills arent being payed as im drinking bill money and i even stooped so low to borrow loads of money off my mam and was making out the money was for petrol or food or nappies when infact id just buy drink. thats not the person i am.i never used to be a liar i used to be someone people could rely on and trust but the drink has turned me into this evil little person that lies to people to get money for drink. when i acknowledged my problem, i admitted to my mam about it all and that the money id borrowed was infact to buy drink and asked her not to lend me anymore money and she was so understanding and has been brilliant about it. my boyfriend has even resulted in having to take loans out to pay bills, its absolutely horrendous and im disgusted in myself

hypochondriac

CBT is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It's a talking therapy which I found helpful for anxiety. You can get pretty good books on it these days too.

Sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my dad 10 years ago in a road accident too. Glad to hear you're headed down the abstinence route, it will be a great new life for you and your kids x

Sapling

When it gets it's claws in you like that sharp...It is downright fricken terrifying...Just know...There are ways out of it. And never lose hope...You have support here...Get more support when you get out...And hang on to it tight...There is a new life out there for you...You just have to grab it!

Payton

Get to a doctor! I was medicating my anxiety/depression/PTSD with alcohol and drugs. I am now on Celexa and feel like a completely different person. Your doctor can help you - panic disorder, anxiety, PTSD - all are treatable conditions!

sharp75

iv had that but as i had my head up my backside i told her about the debts i was in but nevr admitted it was through buying drink so when i told her id been offered a job she said she didnt need to see me anymore. she also said that i had so much going on she didnt know where to start helping me and as its done on the nhs they only have a set amount of time with each patient (think its 6 weeks) i was asked if i could afford private help but i cant so im now back on the waiting list to see this councellor again. i always thought i was drinking through anxiety but im praying my anxiety is through my drinking so then once im detoxed the anxiety will go

Sapling

Not if you're waiting to go into detox...They treat you for it when you get there...I had to wait like three days to get a bed...They told me to keep drinking...I was drinking in the back of a cab on the way there....That was my last beer.

Sapling

There is only one way to find out....Quit drinking....Praying doesn't hurt...But like I said...My anxiety was alcohol driven...And cleared up a lot within weeks...Just keep close with your doctor...If you need meds for it you can get them...I didn't. I just had to stop drinking.