documenting cold turkey withdrawal
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Around and About
Posts: 1,254
(((((((((Harry)))))))) We have all been through so much of this; I hope you will find recovery here. It is my belief that the "most gifted" are also the most vulnerable.
Please stay with us for your journey...
Pamel
Please stay with us for your journey...
Pamel
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
harry i had many of the same symptoms you are experiencing along with the auditory halleucinating...(for me it was a choir singing when i drove home from work in the car). the salt craving too and then sugar. lots of chicken broth with cooked carrots worked and many mugs of hot tea with lemon and sugar...(decaff).
on day 4 i started to sleep better and sober sleep is the best thing....give yourself a little time and try to get some fresh air during the day, go to bed the same time at night, you will get into a routine.
thanks for documenting and telling us....you are doing great. if you could start taking a picture of yourself, you are going to see a huge difference weekly too.
on day 4 i started to sleep better and sober sleep is the best thing....give yourself a little time and try to get some fresh air during the day, go to bed the same time at night, you will get into a routine.
thanks for documenting and telling us....you are doing great. if you could start taking a picture of yourself, you are going to see a huge difference weekly too.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
You may not believe this but you have helped a lot of people with this detox diary. I am sorry you have to go through this but I am glad I am reminded again why I absolutely do not want to go back. To think I was eyeing the Liquor store today. No Thank You!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 26
Doing great Harry. Thanks for checking back in. The nightly sweating subsided after a few days for me, but I would like to echo the others on this thread, please see your GP asap if possible. If only for him to know what you are putting yourself through and surely in case you don't trust the physical symptoms.
Drink plenty of water, take a multivitamin and a B-complex, try to get some nutrients in. You are doing that already, solids might be a bit of a struggle, but maybe start easy with some toast.
Drink plenty of water, take a multivitamin and a B-complex, try to get some nutrients in. You are doing that already, solids might be a bit of a struggle, but maybe start easy with some toast.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 11
day 4: 23:16 pm my sleep hasn't changed and all of the usual symptoms remain which i honestly thought would have subsided just a little by this morning, if anything i would say the shaking is worse. i think when i say day 4 it is really less than that because of the time i had my last drink so hopefully that explains it.
7 am start with eggs on toast and orange juice followed by a bath and then a twitchy sweaty semi-asleep day in bed with the radio on quietly.
around 21:00 pm i had my first cigarette since day 1 and it made me feel awful i think it is highly likely that i only ever smoke when i drink, maybe i will kill two birds with one stone. this evening i had two plain chicken breasts with a little broccoli and a glass of plain tomato juice. as usual i drank water slowly throughout the day.
23:27 pm i am now considering day 3 and i can say it was a better day than today. i couldnt play my instruments, not one of them. i have never felt so physically and mentally useless.
7 am start with eggs on toast and orange juice followed by a bath and then a twitchy sweaty semi-asleep day in bed with the radio on quietly.
around 21:00 pm i had my first cigarette since day 1 and it made me feel awful i think it is highly likely that i only ever smoke when i drink, maybe i will kill two birds with one stone. this evening i had two plain chicken breasts with a little broccoli and a glass of plain tomato juice. as usual i drank water slowly throughout the day.
23:27 pm i am now considering day 3 and i can say it was a better day than today. i couldnt play my instruments, not one of them. i have never felt so physically and mentally useless.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: The Emerald City
Posts: 434
Congrats on day 4!! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us. You are inspiring others as well. Glad to hear you are doing well and updating us on your progress. Also remember, like others have mentioned, call ER if you need to.
You are awesome Harry!
You are awesome Harry!
Recognizes the Beast
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In the kitchen, cooking up a storm
Posts: 704
Hey Harry,
Thanks for documenting your detox. It brought back some powerful memories of myself, around your age, when I would binge and drink all night, sometimes for 2-3 days at a time. I would feel invincible and then the hangover would come and I would just want to jump out of my own skin.
Your family meeting sounded exactly like one I went to. Everybody had a few glasses of wine, I couldn't manage even one. My cousin asked why not and I told her I had been drinking the night before. She asked where and I had to say by myself in my room. I'm sure it broke my parents hearts to hear that.
Thanks for documenting your detox. It brought back some powerful memories of myself, around your age, when I would binge and drink all night, sometimes for 2-3 days at a time. I would feel invincible and then the hangover would come and I would just want to jump out of my own skin.
Your family meeting sounded exactly like one I went to. Everybody had a few glasses of wine, I couldn't manage even one. My cousin asked why not and I told her I had been drinking the night before. She asked where and I had to say by myself in my room. I'm sure it broke my parents hearts to hear that.
All is Change
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,282
Yes thank you Harry. You are helping a lot. Keep at it. If you hit any bumps figure them out before anything else. Don't let anything stand between you and a full sobriety and a wholeness. You strike me as someone who is very open to your inner life and has the capacity to deal with it soberly in situations that may prove more difficult for others.. Naturally at times reread past posts to check where you change your perspective and why that has been so and keep posting. Watch out for the curve ball.
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 223
Go Harry!!! You can do it Champ!! I say quit the smokes too, you feel like shite anyway so you might as well ey? Go ahead kill the 2 birds with one stone. We're all cheering for ya here, keep us updated, you're an inspiration and you're helping lots of us more than you know. Youll start to feel better soon I'm sure.
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 20,458
I agree, smoking is going to make you feel craptastic, if you can quit now too, you are doing your body a favor. Remember that you have stopped ingesting a lot of empty sugar calories that were in the alcohol. that may be part of the shaking? How about some hot decaff tea with honey? or sugar? herbal tea? Good that you are eating healthy. You will start sleeping better soon.
I see that your heavy drinking history is under 10 years, you are a younger person and you ARE going to have a much better life once you get through this de-tox. You never have to feel this craptastic again...please remember this. I hope that you get some decent sleep and feel a bit stronger when we hear from you again.
I see that your heavy drinking history is under 10 years, you are a younger person and you ARE going to have a much better life once you get through this de-tox. You never have to feel this craptastic again...please remember this. I hope that you get some decent sleep and feel a bit stronger when we hear from you again.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 11
day 5, 23:00 pm : my sleep last night was particularly bad for nightmares, i think down to the fact that i was unhappy yesterday and my thoughts continued in to my "sleep". night sweats as usual but my towel is working out well.
i decided to give day 4 another chance so around 7 am i had eggs on toast and orange juice again. i didnt, however spend the whole day in bed, i went back to bed until around 8 30 am which is an improvement. i have been assuming that everyone who reads this has been experienced withdrawal but for those who haven't i guess the general feeling is a hangover but consistently for days and with worse shakes. that is why i have been going back to bed after eating these last few days, it makes you feel nauseous and it drains all of your energy just eating a small amount. anyway i am sure 99.9% of people reading this know what i mean from experience.
i got out of bed at 8:30 am and i went for a walk which went ok, there is no one around here in the day. a distant car alarm nearly gave me a heart attack as if someone had just burst a balloon next to my ear. so nervousness, anxiety and extreme sensitivity to sound and light are still very much an issue although i have been inside a lot and i like my radio so quiet that i have to concentrate to listen to it so perhaps i will turn it up tomorrow and go for a walk again.
i returned home by 10 am and i had a mug of green tea in front of the tv, naturally the tea set off the sweats but only for a short while. i had lunch at 13:00 pm which was tuna sandwiches with cucumber on the side and a big bottle of water, after which i did return to bed. i stayed in bed from around 13:30 pm and slept from approx 17:00 pm to 20:30 pm i think these few hours were the best i have had for two years.
since then i haven't eaten, i have remained in bed and have had no desire to either smoke or drink. i have for a few seconds at some points during this process thought momentarily about alcohol, it is hard to document exactly when though. in fact it is now 23:36 pm these updates are taking me nearly 40 minutes to write so i know i am still having difficulty thinking clearly. e.g i just forgot how to spell clearly. i also have to re-read my own posts to know what i did the previous day although they are pretty much blurred in to one.
status update: much the same as yesterday but i think i am shaking less (i thank the food) and i feel happier today (i thank the walk, it felt like an achievement). lets see what tomorrow brings.
thank you again for all of your messages
i decided to give day 4 another chance so around 7 am i had eggs on toast and orange juice again. i didnt, however spend the whole day in bed, i went back to bed until around 8 30 am which is an improvement. i have been assuming that everyone who reads this has been experienced withdrawal but for those who haven't i guess the general feeling is a hangover but consistently for days and with worse shakes. that is why i have been going back to bed after eating these last few days, it makes you feel nauseous and it drains all of your energy just eating a small amount. anyway i am sure 99.9% of people reading this know what i mean from experience.
i got out of bed at 8:30 am and i went for a walk which went ok, there is no one around here in the day. a distant car alarm nearly gave me a heart attack as if someone had just burst a balloon next to my ear. so nervousness, anxiety and extreme sensitivity to sound and light are still very much an issue although i have been inside a lot and i like my radio so quiet that i have to concentrate to listen to it so perhaps i will turn it up tomorrow and go for a walk again.
i returned home by 10 am and i had a mug of green tea in front of the tv, naturally the tea set off the sweats but only for a short while. i had lunch at 13:00 pm which was tuna sandwiches with cucumber on the side and a big bottle of water, after which i did return to bed. i stayed in bed from around 13:30 pm and slept from approx 17:00 pm to 20:30 pm i think these few hours were the best i have had for two years.
since then i haven't eaten, i have remained in bed and have had no desire to either smoke or drink. i have for a few seconds at some points during this process thought momentarily about alcohol, it is hard to document exactly when though. in fact it is now 23:36 pm these updates are taking me nearly 40 minutes to write so i know i am still having difficulty thinking clearly. e.g i just forgot how to spell clearly. i also have to re-read my own posts to know what i did the previous day although they are pretty much blurred in to one.
status update: much the same as yesterday but i think i am shaking less (i thank the food) and i feel happier today (i thank the walk, it felt like an achievement). lets see what tomorrow brings.
thank you again for all of your messages
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Newcastle, UK
Posts: 571
Hey Harry, nice to hear from you. You really are a trooper.
I'm sure alot of us here know exactly what you're going through feels like. Just remember you never have to go through this again. Good call on the walking, the same always has helped me in the past when coming down from a particularly bad bender. Might be an idea to try get some sugar down you if at all possible. I know we're not meant to give medical advice on here but I don't think this classes as that. (Isotonic sports drinks worked especially well for me).
Look after yourself, remember to call someone if you start to feel worse,
Take care
B
I'm sure alot of us here know exactly what you're going through feels like. Just remember you never have to go through this again. Good call on the walking, the same always has helped me in the past when coming down from a particularly bad bender. Might be an idea to try get some sugar down you if at all possible. I know we're not meant to give medical advice on here but I don't think this classes as that. (Isotonic sports drinks worked especially well for me).
Look after yourself, remember to call someone if you start to feel worse,
Take care
B
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: The Emerald City
Posts: 434
That's great that you were able to get out and walk, and that's awesome that you got in a few hours of very sound sleep. Am staying tuned for updates in your progress and congrats on 5 days Harry!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 31
You are doing quite well. In my amateur opinion I don't think you'll have to go to the hospital, but you might. Everyone is different. Your withdrawal seems to be middle of the road in terms of severity. Difficulty sleeping, sweats, shaking, disorientation and mild hallucinations.
I remember the first time I tried to detox. I was drinking equivalent to 18 beers a day in whiskey. Severe withdrawal. In fact, every time I tried to quit, I went to the hospital to get help through withdrawal. Every time I went to quit I was drinking between 12-18 beers a day, either in beer or in whiskey(equivalent). I remember seeing melting walls and spiders and stuff through withdrawal. Was not fun.
In my experience you should start to see greater improvements the longer you are sober. After a week the sweating should probably go away.
I remember the first time I tried to detox. I was drinking equivalent to 18 beers a day in whiskey. Severe withdrawal. In fact, every time I tried to quit, I went to the hospital to get help through withdrawal. Every time I went to quit I was drinking between 12-18 beers a day, either in beer or in whiskey(equivalent). I remember seeing melting walls and spiders and stuff through withdrawal. Was not fun.
In my experience you should start to see greater improvements the longer you are sober. After a week the sweating should probably go away.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,369
Your withdrawal seems to be middle of the road in terms of severity. Difficulty sleeping, sweats, shaking, disorientation and mild hallucinations.
There's nothing 'middle of the road' about it IMO, and that is why we have our medical advice rule.
D
Last edited by Dee74; 04-06-2013 at 07:13 PM.
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