Has anyone ever called the 24 Hour AA Hotline?
 

I'm been trying to find the number for anyone local to me ... But to no avail ... If I call them, can they help me connect with someone in my local area?

My area has plenty of meetings that I could find online ... But none 'right now' ... And I would really like to get this ball rolling ... Maybe a local doctor recommendation. I want to know what to expect and whether or not a supervised home-detox is possible/typical.

My insurance will cover me ... I'm just being selfish and wanting to handle this on my own terms ... Inpatient scares me ...

AA West Virginia Statewide Phone Number
(800) 333-5051

Beckley, West Virginia
District 3 Answering Service
Answering Service: (304)252-9444

Morgantown Telephone Answering Service
Answering Service: (304)291-7918

It's Sunday morning, and the helpline is a volunteer position.

iamme, any doctor can help you with this. I am the one who suggested AA, but that was just one route. If you leave a message, someone will call you back from AA - but I wouldn't count on them to be the only answer. They are volunteers who are going to want to get you to meetings once you are detoxed - which is a very good idea, you'll meet others who have gone through it.

They won't be able to tell you if you can do it at home. That's going to be a paid doctor's call. But the longer you drink the less likely that will become anyway. You're still functioning now, but that could end any day without warning.

Call your family doctor, go to Urgent Care. There are many paths to sobriety. The detox process is very straight forward.

There are likely hotline numbers listed for AA and other crises lines in the front of your local phonebook. Or just google "aa" and your local zip code. There are also online AA meetings, just google "aa meetings online".

Thank you ... That was exactly the info I needed :)

...and yes, if you leave a message and include your city someone from your local area will call you back.

I have to add...the level of alcohol you are intaking is really dangerous. If you can't go three hours without shaking (withdrawal) - you are really close to the tipping point.

I urge you to get help today. This is dangerous. It could all go sideways at any time.

Any luck?

Once you get a local lady calling you back they might agree to meet you for a chat (somewhere mutually safe).

When is the soonest meeting in your area?

BB

The outcome is that I have decided to try and tackle this today and seek help.

I talked to my husband and he is currently calling urgent cares and anyone who is open on a Sunday ...

And I just heard from my husband that he spoke to a doctor who wants to help me today ...

Shower time ...

Oh, thanks for letting us know.

You're going to do great. Many good thoughts and prayers coming your way.

Hopefully, it isn't as scary as I have made it out to be in my mind ... I envision myself sobbing in the doctors office ...

I will keep everyone updated on the outcome ...

Sobbing is allowed! I did plenty of that when I was newly sober. I think they are tears of relief!

No one can be strong forever. :hug:

What great news! Good for you for getting on it and involving your husband, I am glad to hear that he is being supportive and helping you find a solution. I think that with his support too you can explain to the doctor that you would prefer to do this at home if possible. You may need to stay in the hospital for a few hours to do some initial blood work and maybe get the first IV of meds/vitamins but after that they may send you home with some prescriptions. Be totally honest with the doctor and don't be afraid if you cry, it is very normal. As bimini said, they are often tears of relief.
Do be aware that detox is the first step in recovery, after that you need to work up a solid plan to make sure you do not go back to drinking. That can be accomplished many ways, but AA is a great place to start if you are open to that and it sounds like you are. Again, good for you for attacking this head on, you are doing great and should be very, very proud of your strength.

SR at its best.

aint nothing wrong with crying, iamme.
there was 2 days between my last drunk and first AA meeting. in between i did a LOT of crying- because it was the very first time in my life i was lookin at my past without trying to stuff it. it was the first time i was looking at the wreckage i had caused, the people i had hurt, and the wreck i had made of my life.
when i finally got the courage to go to that first meeting, it took every ounce of energy i had to not walk in balling.
then it was my turn to share. all i could say was,"im tom im an alcoholic and i cant take it any more."
and cried the rest of the meeting. i didnt have to say anything more- those people knew exactly what i meant and where i was.
i did a lot of crying for some time after that- still in an alcoholic fog and still hating myself. then one day a man said to me,'quit kikin yourself in the ass. youre not a bad man, just a sick one and there is a solution."
it was shortly after that that the fog started lifting, i was starting to really hear what was said at meeting AND understanding what i was reading in the big book.
and shortly after that i decided i wanted what the program had to offer and was willing to work for it.

life has taken on new meaning and been pretty darn good.
through the years ive had times where ive cried at meetings AND outside of meeting.
and thats ok.
because im human.

So happy to hear you are getting help TODAY! That is very inspirational.
Thanks to this forum post I now know i can do online AA meetings and I am doing one right now. I missed the one i would normally go to due to work today and i truly needed one.

best wishes iamme - update us when you can :)

D

My Update ...
 

I actually did it ... I went to the doctor, admitted my problems and got the help that I needed. I thought I would cry my eyes out ... But admittedly, the doctor I found to help runs a private urgent care practice ... And I am relatively certain that his nurses and intake staff had never had anyone walk in looking for help with alcohol dependency.

So I spent most of the time I was there being looked at like I was an alien with two heads, as I explained that I could drink a liter of vodka a day ...

But the outcome was fantastic!

The medicine is helping tremendously ... I actually had a full nights rest (I can't even remember when I could last do that). My muscles ache, my body feels weak and I'm a bit shaky ... But I feel soooo much better than I have in a long time ... and I didn't have to reach for the vodka bottle to achieve it.

Now I feel foolish for not looking for actual help sooner.

But now this is just the beginning. This is only day one ... I'm not sure what obstacles I will face as my journey continues ... But I am sure that I have found lots of good support here.

And he referred me for counseling ... And now, I know I can attend AA meetings online.

I have a job in sales (I travel an insane amount), which requires me to spend quite a bit of time alone with my thoughts ... So, I may be here quite a bit lol.

I am just so happy for you.

Once you break free, you'll never want to go back to that Hell you were living. Whatever thoughts you have of drinking, come here and ask us if you should do it. LOL, I think you know what we'll say. :)

Well done, you.

Well done. What an amazing story. Love it.

You know, the great thing about AA meetings is that you gt a ready-made world-wide fellowship. You can go to meetings anywhere. No advance booking, you just rock up. So actually that could be pretty useful while you're travelling for work. You just do an online search for meetings in the area and make sure you have good directions for getting there and you're sorted. I'm always a bit enviousof the more well travelled folk who get to do that regularly. I've only done it on holiday as I just work in the same place all the time.

Anyway - that's all for the future.

Again - well done for taking action.

BB

iamme3

Your story keeps getting better and more interesting with every post.

:You_Rock_