Just finished a 5 day librium detox
2 detoxes down, 0 to go
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
Just finished a 5 day librium detox
I just need to ramble for a bit, and if this belongs somewhere else, mods please move. This will probably help me more to write it than it will anyone else to read it, but what the hell.
I tried to quit cold turkey but had withdrawals that I would say were beyond mild. At one point my arms and legs were shaking and my balance and equilibrium were off and I was afraid I was going to have a seizure. Managed to drive one block to the liquor store and 5 quick shots of vodka and about 20 minutes later I felt better. That's when I realized how bad it was and that all this cold turkey and tapering off stuff wasn't going to work. I mean, even while tapering I had shaky hands, sweats, insomnia, loss of appetite, etc. At the urging of my sponsor, I finally (and it took a LOT of searching) found an outpatient detox center that would give me librium and B vitamins if I came in every morning so they could check my blood pressure and pulse and symptoms.
So that was Monday and today was the last day. If anyone is considering a librium detox, I cannot tell you how much it helps. I still had insomnia and night sweats, but the shakes stopped completely, the headache was much milder, and the anxiety was greatly reduced. It had a very calming effect; not sedated or anything, just relaxed instead of filled with anxiety. I'm very glad I listened to my sponsor and didn't try to power through those withdrawals on my own.
I realize that I'm not out of the woods yet and I have a long way to go and some rough days and nights ahead. But it feels really good to be through the acute, potentially life threating part of the withdrawals. I feel like I can make it now.
Anyway, that's where I'm at 5 days into sobriety. And I'm going to two meetings a day the next two days to make sure I stay that way.
I gotta tell you, this feels pretty good.
I tried to quit cold turkey but had withdrawals that I would say were beyond mild. At one point my arms and legs were shaking and my balance and equilibrium were off and I was afraid I was going to have a seizure. Managed to drive one block to the liquor store and 5 quick shots of vodka and about 20 minutes later I felt better. That's when I realized how bad it was and that all this cold turkey and tapering off stuff wasn't going to work. I mean, even while tapering I had shaky hands, sweats, insomnia, loss of appetite, etc. At the urging of my sponsor, I finally (and it took a LOT of searching) found an outpatient detox center that would give me librium and B vitamins if I came in every morning so they could check my blood pressure and pulse and symptoms.
So that was Monday and today was the last day. If anyone is considering a librium detox, I cannot tell you how much it helps. I still had insomnia and night sweats, but the shakes stopped completely, the headache was much milder, and the anxiety was greatly reduced. It had a very calming effect; not sedated or anything, just relaxed instead of filled with anxiety. I'm very glad I listened to my sponsor and didn't try to power through those withdrawals on my own.
I realize that I'm not out of the woods yet and I have a long way to go and some rough days and nights ahead. But it feels really good to be through the acute, potentially life threating part of the withdrawals. I feel like I can make it now.
Anyway, that's where I'm at 5 days into sobriety. And I'm going to two meetings a day the next two days to make sure I stay that way.
I gotta tell you, this feels pretty good.
Jules
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 279
Congrats on your sobriety. I'm glad you are feeling better. That is some scary stuff you went through.....its good for me to read.....its good for all of us to read....just what can happen if we refuse to accept the fact that we are truely alcoholics. Thank you.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Between Meetings
Posts: 8,997
Yeah...I detoxed with librium in my rehab....And I went to two meetings a day for my first 90 days...And worked the steps with my sponsor. That's what lengths I was was willing to go to..To change my life. 17 months later...I wouldn't change this life for anything.
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Glad you went the medical route - it takes courage to get honest with a doctor, so good for you for doing that! It wasn't until I got sober that I really started reading about alcoholism..... apparently, even mild/moderate withdrawal is really hard on the body. I never knew that.
Anyway, glad you're back with us and working on recovery!
Anyway, glad you're back with us and working on recovery!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 603
Hi, AnotherPaul,
Thank God you got the help you needed. I'm so happy for you. I'm a maintenance alcoholic and when I try to quit there are serious medical consequences. I was prescribed librium once and it was great. Stopped the shakes, but no other side effects and no desire to continue using it.
I'm looking into detox/rehabs, but being short on funds, the most affordable combo goes the non-medical route, which seems like insanity to me. Their only recourse if I have a seizure is to send me to the emergency room. I fear I will still have to pay because I'm not completely broke.
I'm currently working a part time job that will finish the end of the year, so I am open to either inpatient or outpatient rehab.
How did you the find the place that got you a prescription for librium at? And which vitamin B has been recommended to you? There is so much conflicting information out there. I've been using vitamin B1 to replace nutrients depleted by alcohol based on a non-professional's recommendation. But since starting using it, I've read other things about vitamin B12 being the way to go.
Anyway, I'm glad you're still with us. Since I was doing stuff and I knew I would need to drive, I didn't drink until I was done with my driving errands at 10pm. No withdrawal today. I never know if I'll get the jones or not.
You can send me a personal message if you'd like and I thank you in advance.
I've had 3 seizures. These days I only drink to feel normal. Not to get wasted. Although, to be honest, there have been times when I've gotten wasted. Being employed again precludes that right now.
Thank God you got the help you needed. I'm so happy for you. I'm a maintenance alcoholic and when I try to quit there are serious medical consequences. I was prescribed librium once and it was great. Stopped the shakes, but no other side effects and no desire to continue using it.
I'm looking into detox/rehabs, but being short on funds, the most affordable combo goes the non-medical route, which seems like insanity to me. Their only recourse if I have a seizure is to send me to the emergency room. I fear I will still have to pay because I'm not completely broke.
I'm currently working a part time job that will finish the end of the year, so I am open to either inpatient or outpatient rehab.
How did you the find the place that got you a prescription for librium at? And which vitamin B has been recommended to you? There is so much conflicting information out there. I've been using vitamin B1 to replace nutrients depleted by alcohol based on a non-professional's recommendation. But since starting using it, I've read other things about vitamin B12 being the way to go.
Anyway, I'm glad you're still with us. Since I was doing stuff and I knew I would need to drive, I didn't drink until I was done with my driving errands at 10pm. No withdrawal today. I never know if I'll get the jones or not.
You can send me a personal message if you'd like and I thank you in advance.
I've had 3 seizures. These days I only drink to feel normal. Not to get wasted. Although, to be honest, there have been times when I've gotten wasted. Being employed again precludes that right now.
2 detoxes down, 0 to go
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
renaldo,
I also thought I had no medical recourse, being that I am currently unemployed and have no health insurance.
If you do have health insurance to cover the office visit, any PCP can prescribe librium, and the medication itself is very cheap. But you my find, as I did, that most of them won't. After hearing that answer several times and getting frustrated, I asked the nurse why not and she said it's a liability because it can be abused. Yeah, but they'll give Xanax to anyone who says they have bad days sometimes. Personally, I think the inpatient rehabilitation industry makes billions of dollars and doctors help other doctors, but maybe I'm just a cynic.
Anyway, I found this program through something called OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment, Referral). They are funded by the state of Texas and they referred me to Ambulatory Detox, which is also state funded. This treatment program didn't cost me a cent! The only requirement is that I showed up every morning for 5 days to get checked and get the meds and now I have to attend their meetings for 6 weeks.
The department in Texas that funds all of this is called the State Department of Health Services. I'm sure your state has something similar, so call them and tell them your story and I bet they can point you in the right direction.
Good luck.
I also thought I had no medical recourse, being that I am currently unemployed and have no health insurance.
If you do have health insurance to cover the office visit, any PCP can prescribe librium, and the medication itself is very cheap. But you my find, as I did, that most of them won't. After hearing that answer several times and getting frustrated, I asked the nurse why not and she said it's a liability because it can be abused. Yeah, but they'll give Xanax to anyone who says they have bad days sometimes. Personally, I think the inpatient rehabilitation industry makes billions of dollars and doctors help other doctors, but maybe I'm just a cynic.
Anyway, I found this program through something called OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment, Referral). They are funded by the state of Texas and they referred me to Ambulatory Detox, which is also state funded. This treatment program didn't cost me a cent! The only requirement is that I showed up every morning for 5 days to get checked and get the meds and now I have to attend their meetings for 6 weeks.
The department in Texas that funds all of this is called the State Department of Health Services. I'm sure your state has something similar, so call them and tell them your story and I bet they can point you in the right direction.
Good luck.
2 detoxes down, 0 to go
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 284
Just told an AA group that I had just finished a detox program and thanked them for inspiring me to do so by sharing their stories and so on. What an amazing response! Applause, hugs from strangers afterward, offers of phone numbers. I don't agree with AA on everything, but what an amazing fellowship.
I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that for the first time in about 15 years there is no alcohol in my body at all.
I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that for the first time in about 15 years there is no alcohol in my body at all.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MA
Posts: 269
I went through those same withdrawal symptoms.... SO SCARY!! I would drink as soon as I got up until I felt "normal". I went on like that until I finally agreed to go to the hospital and inpatient detox. You were so smart to do what you did. We could be dead, or severely mentally impaired from a seizure. It is so important that people know how serious this is, and that they seek medical help when it gets this bad. Congrats!!!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 603
Originally Posted by AnotherPaul 
renaldo,
I also thought I had no medical recourse, being that I am currently unemployed and have no health insurance.
If you do have health insurance to cover the office visit, any PCP can prescribe librium, and the medication itself is very cheap. But you my find, as I did, that most of them won't. After hearing that answer several times and getting frustrated, I asked the nurse why not and she said it's a liability because it can be abused. Yeah, but they'll give Xanax to anyone who says they have bad days sometimes. Personally, I think the inpatient rehabilitation industry makes billions of dollars and doctors help other doctors, but maybe I'm just a cynic.
Anyway, I found this program through something called OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment, Referral). They are funded by the state of Texas and they referred me to Ambulatory Detox, which is also state funded. This treatment program didn't cost me a cent! The only requirement is that I showed up every morning for 5 days to get checked and get the meds and now I have to attend their meetings for 6 weeks.
The department in Texas that funds all of this is called the State Department of Health Services. I'm sure your state has something similar, so call them and tell them your story and I bet they can point you in the right direction.
Good luck.
I also thought I had no medical recourse, being that I am currently unemployed and have no health insurance.
If you do have health insurance to cover the office visit, any PCP can prescribe librium, and the medication itself is very cheap. But you my find, as I did, that most of them won't. After hearing that answer several times and getting frustrated, I asked the nurse why not and she said it's a liability because it can be abused. Yeah, but they'll give Xanax to anyone who says they have bad days sometimes. Personally, I think the inpatient rehabilitation industry makes billions of dollars and doctors help other doctors, but maybe I'm just a cynic.
Anyway, I found this program through something called OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment, Referral). They are funded by the state of Texas and they referred me to Ambulatory Detox, which is also state funded. This treatment program didn't cost me a cent! The only requirement is that I showed up every morning for 5 days to get checked and get the meds and now I have to attend their meetings for 6 weeks.
The department in Texas that funds all of this is called the State Department of Health Services. I'm sure your state has something similar, so call them and tell them your story and I bet they can point you in the right direction.
Good luck.
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