skyline

Dear all,

I was told withdrawal from alcohol would only be a week, but I've been having hallucinations, depersonalization, violent shaking, vertigo, and dis-coordination for weeks.

Has this happened to anyone else? I'm trying so hard to commit to sobriety, but my physical symptoms are so intense that I can't concentrate. How do I get the help I need?

Anna

I would strongly advise you to go to your dr or to an ER to discuss your symptoms.

Done4today

Go to a doctor. DT's and other withdrawal symptoms can last for months (extremely rare). Don't drink the process will just start over.

Hevyn

Skyline - Anna & Done are right. It's cause for concern that such intense symptoms have lasted for weeks.

I'm glad you posted - welcome.

skyline

Thanks guys. I relapsed last night with a bottle of wine and now I'm really nervous. I'm afraid it will take another month again for me to recover. It's been 24 hours and I've only had shaking so far, but I'm so scared the withdrawals will get worse. After one bottle of wine, do you think my withdrawals will be back in full swing?

I'm also afraid I am just stringing the symptoms out longer taking the ativan my doctor gave me. It does get rid of the shakes though.

ChloeRose63

Stay hydrated with water, sports drinks, coconut water or pedialite. Call your Dr. Try to stay calm. Maybe try calming teas.

DontRemember

I'd go to the ER/doc asap! Luckily I never had hallucinations. I was extremely paranoid at times though for a few weeks. How long since you quit?

Done4today

You'll probably have withdrawal symptoms but how intense or grave no one can predict since they are unpredictable. I personally would consult an MD since you have had DT's in the past. At worst you will be given good medical advice.

Good luck

Nowsthetime

Hello!

What happened last night? Why did you drink? I think identifying that and making a plan is the next thing to do. Read around and participate. I have learned so much here and I atribute that to the great progress I have made in my journey.

Welcome to the fam. Hope to see you around.

Dee74

Getting some professional medical supervision and advice would be my first suggestion skyline.

Let us know how you get on

D

skyline

Still taking Ativan as needed, which has mostly gotten rid of the shakes and elevated heart rate. I feel so much better know, but I'm really worried about tomorrow because isn't that supposed to be when things get bad? I hate that withdrawal for alcohol isn't linear. I don't like this symptoms popping up after you already feel better.

Ken0331

So, did you make a call to your doctor yet?

I agree that with symptoms that bad, you need some pretty immediate medical attention. Please consider having someone take you to the ER, or call for an ambulance.

Verdantia

Hey, skyline. I hope you are feeling okay this morning and that you call your doctor soon. Withdrawal is such an unpredictable thing, and I find the longer I drink each subsequent relapse becomes harder than the last--it's called kindling and is a real phenomena.
I did have utterly terrifying hallucinations during withdrawal, starting 12 hours after quitting--I thought demons were in my house, that spiders and creatures were crawling up the walls and over the ceiling--I would see bright flashing lights in the windows and I thought people were breaking in and painting all these elaborate hieroglyphs on the walls--alcoholic hallucinosis was the diagnosis. This went on for 4 days, until I could stand no more and drank to make it go away. I then limped along for another month until having a moment of clarity and going to inpatient detox. Maybe detoxing in a supervised medical setting would be best for you. I couldn't have done it any other way.
Wishing you all the best. You can get through this and things will be better, no matter how hard it seems now. You can do it.