jessiessong

Hello everyone,

It's 2am here and I was just reflecting on some progress I've made in the last few days. Having drank about 300ml of vodka daily for the last few years, I've been feeling like a failure, despite my accomplishments along the way. I've been wishing I could break the cycle and stop lying to everyone, but it's been so difficult, as I have been dealing with this alone.

Over the last year, I don't remember one day that I wasn't drunk at night. I was able to go a full 20 hours without drink, but then I would be afraid of withdraw and have a shot, which would inevitably lead to a bottle. Well I've recently decided to try tapering and work slowly, reducing gradually. Needless to say, it didn't work well with vodka, but I've switched to beer and I am noticing a difference. Most specifically, I haven't been able to get even slightly drunk with beer, as it takes a while to drink. For the last 3 days drinking only beer, my desire to drink has gone down, as I am not really feeling the drunk benefits, and I don't quite like the taste of beer.

I am visiting my family in two weeks, and I would love to have my intake down to only a couple units per day by then, or even have alcohol free days. I really want to be a good, clean person again, and feel like this is my opportunity to do so, and kick the habit by myself.

I will keep trying to gradually reduce my intake. I started with 13uk units daily, and am at 10 now. I plan on reducing by 2 units daily until I'm at 4 units, then holding steady for a couple of days. Then for the drink free day, I will make sure to have a little bit of alchohol nearby in case I get nervous and start feelign shaky. If anyone else has had experience with tapering with beer, I would appreciate any advice you can give.

Thank you for readying!

Dee74

Hi Jessiesong

Tapering never worked for me but I wish you well with it. I do think, if you're worried about withdrawal at all, you're better off seeing a Dr than having alcohol around 'just in case'..

I'd have probably drunk that and gone out for more.

D

biminiblue

I tapered, but I went from 12 units to 1 in three days. Then I had the one for one day.

Any longer of a taper and I think I would have caved and drank regularly. I wouldn't drag it out - any more than two a day and I was off to the races, I just didn't stop after two.

To be fair, I didn't know withdrawals could be dangerous. I was going by feels. :-|

I may have just been lucky.

least

If you do that, it negates the taper as you end up drinking again. The whole point is to get to zero alcohol, not 'some'.

If you ask your doctor for help, s/he can prescribe a short term benzo or similar drug to get you thru the first few days, when the shaking and anxiety are at the worst. Be safe, but get it over with. By saving some "just in case", you are continuing to drink.

jessiessong

Thank you for the response! May I ask, was it UK or US units you were drinking, and for how long? Did you notice any withdraw effects? I haven't yet, and have gone about 36 hours longest without drinks sometime, but I also suppliment with a good maount of B complex vitamins and alpha-liopic acid daily.

jessiessong

Thank you least, and you are right. I did ask for some, but the doctors here are very apprehensive about giving benzo's out. I have some that were previously prescribed for anxiety, which I never took. They are apparently very strong, which is why I never tried them, but I assume if things get rough, I can take a quarter. I'm hoping it doesn't get too rough though. I'm in my 20's, can get through the day without shakes or sweats, and never experienced withdrawal. I drink, though, because I have anxiety, and right now I am anxious about the potential of negative reaction.

biminiblue

Well it was definitely uncomfortable for several days to a couple weeks. I was drinking 12 ounces of hard liquor (sometimes more, sometimes a little less) per day for a long time. So like 10-12 bar drinks.

I had racing heart, racing thoughts, probably high blood pressure because my blood pressure was borderline all the time anyway, anxiety, couldn't sleep, fogginess in my thinking, hallucinations, paranoia. I don't think we get off with no side-effects. I used to stop drinking for a week at a time on a fairly regular basis...no dangerous withdrawals...but I didn't even know it could be dangerous. Blissful ignorance.