Number1

Hi everyone,

Based on medical advice I am tapering off alchol rather going cold turkey. I have three relapses in three months and the last one I binged on 6 bottles of wine a day for one week.

On the eighth day I contacted my GP who told me to taper from 4 bottles down to 0 over 4 days. On the last day of that taper (this Monday) I saw a specialist doctor who told me that that was too much. She said I needed to go back up 2 bottles of wine and hold it there until I have my bloods done and then see her again on Friday to decide if I can taper or need a detox.

I do not want a detox and have controlled the tapering as suggested. My question is I am still having moderate withdrawal symptoms through the tapering. The anxiety etc seems to be getting better during the daytime, but night time is different and I am having huge sweat attacks. I had a hallucination the other night, but this seems to be replaced by more sweating!

Anyone else been through a similar experience? Any advice you could give would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dee74

Unfortunately until you stop ingesting alcohol, I don't think things will get much better.

Is it this Friday you mean? the 27th?

I hope that you get some clear guidance on what to do Friday Number1.

D

Inca

Detox isn't all that bad, especially since it helps with seizure prevention and made me much more comfortable as I was going through withdrawal. Might want to contact a doctor and give that a try.

hypochondriac

I can understand why the NHS supports the tapering method, it's cheaper than booking everyone into detox for sure, but in my non medical opinion it drags out the withdrawal process, especially as they often get you to do it really slowly and gradually so that it becomes harder to keep to target. It sucks. If you feel you are struggling please tell your doctor and they could book you into detox. I am afraid it is impossible to avoid any withdrawal symptoms but I would be concerned about the hallucinations. I tapered over a week and had bad night sweats throughout that period and for a couple of weeks after. My only advise would be to be honest with your doctors and don't rule out anything. You need whatever level of medical support you need... x

EndGameNYC

Not all detoxes are alike. Even when we attempt it at home under a doctor's supervision, there are no guarantees that all will go well. Tapering may be medically approved and work for many people, but inpatient detox is designed to manage major withdrawal symptoms, and provides for a trained medical staff should things go wrong. You can't binge or otherwise overdo it while you're under twenty-four hour care.

Following my relapse, I'd screwed up my health so badly that, one way or another, I wouldn't' have survived detoxing at home; and I don't believe I'd have been able to taper.

PurpleKnight

The NHS actually telling someone they're not drinking enough, increase the amount of bottles, despite going and asking for help due to alcoholism?! . . . anyone else think this is madness??!!!

The best thing would be to stop ingesting alcohol and have some meds to deal with the withdrawal symptoms!

But they will pass Number1 given time, hang in there and you'll feel much better for it in the long run, keep it going!!