Withdrawl Seizures
I have been through withdrawal/detox more times than I can count. I don't have to worry about that stuff anymore as I have stopped abusing myself. What do you need to know? If you are worried about your symptoms, it would be best to go to your Dr. or urgent care. Withdrawal from alcohol can harm or even in extreme cases kill you. The medical profession is able to treat your symptoms with anti-anxiety meds which will prevent seizures and make you more comfortable. This is nothing to fool around with!! Best Wishes
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
Oh no, I already had a couple of them earlier this week. I should've put that in the top of the thread. Scared the hell out me. Just recently left the ICU. I was just curious about other people's experiences.
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Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 108
I had two seizures both at work. One I fell off a ladder and broke my shoulder, the other I passed out hit my head on a table saw, woke up in an ambulance. Both from alcohol withdrawal. Terrifying. Don’t remember hardly anything before or shortly after. That, among other things, is why I said enough is enough.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Yes, mainly in my legs. I went through a lot in the weeks following quitting, some things taking months to truly resolve themselves. Not drinking and taking care of myself has to be my one and two priorities.
Baby,
I am pretty sure i had them.
2 times while driving. The world went side ways. I think i got a huge adrenaline shot both times because i didn't pass out.
It took several seconds to go away. I got serious driving ptsd from that. I am now over it 99%, but i still sometimes feel like a seizure is coming on. Pretty much anxiety any more.
Itbis easier said than done that stopping being a drunk fixes everything.
We of sr are very aware the enemy is only ever quelled and never defeated.
We happily work our recovery every day in a sober journey.
Sobriety is my biggest success and would be my biggest failure if i chose to relapse.
No way, God help my sorry soul.
Thanks.
I am pretty sure i had them.
2 times while driving. The world went side ways. I think i got a huge adrenaline shot both times because i didn't pass out.
It took several seconds to go away. I got serious driving ptsd from that. I am now over it 99%, but i still sometimes feel like a seizure is coming on. Pretty much anxiety any more.
Itbis easier said than done that stopping being a drunk fixes everything.
We of sr are very aware the enemy is only ever quelled and never defeated.
We happily work our recovery every day in a sober journey.
Sobriety is my biggest success and would be my biggest failure if i chose to relapse.
No way, God help my sorry soul.
Thanks.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
I am not currently working with a doctor. I had two seizures this week, the first 15 hrs after my last drink - one at home and I woke up in an ambulance, the other in the ER. Stayed in the ICU for a day and a half and was released. The detox isn’t going well. I need to find a doctor. It’s been 87 hrs since my last drink, and I still feel like death. Waiting for the detox to be over and then plan on entering an outpatient program. Scared the hell out of me and my family (which I feel unbelievably horrible about). I have absolutely no intention of drinking again. I had only been drinking heavily/daily for less than two months so I guess I was naive enough to think the strong withdrawal would never happen to me.
Glad you were able to get some medical help via the ER, if you don't have a regular doctor maybe you could call back and ask one of the nurses who they might recommend? I'm sure they would have suggestions for inpatient or outpatient programs too.
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 230
Hi glad you re making it. I never had sezuires and thanking God as i had to detox alone in house . Every time i asked i was deniad any medical support as was alone and stopped asking . I also was denied hospital . And if you look at nhs page it states clearly do not detox by yourself as it s dangerous. I went through terrible palpitations and withdrawal anxiety. And couple of times knowing i d need to do it myself did not stop from lapsing.I was lucky Thanks God . Worse thing i always tried to do was to clean house so if am found at least no shame. What stupid reasoning. Also i was advised by GP do not stop drinking ahaha actually that made me stop as stuborn. Seuizeres usually appear 48 from last sip but its not a rule . Doctors did not even knew such simple thing . So best and safe thing not to need have to go through withdrawals . I ve been answering people today as was really feeling rotten mentally and depressed and not posted for a while . So today catching up . I remember at moment of lapse i was never scared of any withdrawals as my brain was in such pain that any withdrawals would be better. Well i was scared when was going through them totally alone . Best advice not to have to do again and remember your worst one x Good luck xD
I'm lucky to have never experienced them, but I certainly always feared them. Alcohol withdrawal is something that can be incredibly dangerous and many people aren't aware of that. It's always best to do it under medical supervision if possible.
The second time, my Mom was handing me some food to take to a Christmas party....the next second I woke up in an ambulance.
In both cases, I was taken to the hospital, re-hydrated, and given vitamins and some benzos to taper off. I have no memory of the actual seizures, but I don't recommend it. I ended up going to inpatient rehab and got my head screwed on straight.
Oh yeah, in both cases, I almost bit my tongue off, and had trouble eating and speaking for about two weeks..
It's no picnic, but the seizure itself is not so much a big deal...its more a symptom of a bigger issue.
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you.
I had a seizure 3 days after I stopped drinking...I was out shopping and I actually felt pretty good. Suddenly I was lying on the floor with a woman telling me to stay down. I couldn't understand why she was saying that. She told me she was a nurse and that I had had a seizure. They had called an ambulance and I went to the hospital. They said it was probably a withdrawal seizure and I would be okay. I had hit my head really hard on the concrete when I fell...that hurt for a couple of weeks or so..
The next time was worse...it was three weeks after the first one...this time I was drinking...I remember nothing except that I was at home watching TV having a few...then woke up in the hospital..when they were about to release me I had another one...they then kept me overnight. They took my driver's license and put me on Dilantin.
Over the next few weeks I had multiple back to back seizures...each time ending up back in the ER...the last one they couldn't stop without an anaesthesiologist... the Neurologist figured the very first one had triggered all this brain activity..
it's very scary...you can't really do anything or be anywhere on your own. Then there's the fear of falling...down stairs, into traffic...off the subway platform...drowning in a bathtub...
Eventually they went away..it's been 3 years since I've had one...but it is forever in the back of my mind. I guess I'd say...be very careful when quitting drinking...it can damage you neurologically...and then you can have a whole lot of problems you do not want...and really...it can kill you.
The next time was worse...it was three weeks after the first one...this time I was drinking...I remember nothing except that I was at home watching TV having a few...then woke up in the hospital..when they were about to release me I had another one...they then kept me overnight. They took my driver's license and put me on Dilantin.
Over the next few weeks I had multiple back to back seizures...each time ending up back in the ER...the last one they couldn't stop without an anaesthesiologist... the Neurologist figured the very first one had triggered all this brain activity..
it's very scary...you can't really do anything or be anywhere on your own. Then there's the fear of falling...down stairs, into traffic...off the subway platform...drowning in a bathtub...
Eventually they went away..it's been 3 years since I've had one...but it is forever in the back of my mind. I guess I'd say...be very careful when quitting drinking...it can damage you neurologically...and then you can have a whole lot of problems you do not want...and really...it can kill you.
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 67
I’ve experienced many seizures as I’m a habitual relapser.
The theory of kindling is true in my experience as almost every time I withdraw from alcohol I have one (I go from hero to zero - not to be recommended).
They come without warning signs. The last time I was 4 days sober and happy, eating well, fit, working, not tired. Nothing that could give one any warning that anything was wrong.
I found myself on the floor of my living room, legs as jelly, brain not functioning, unable to move, but i’d hurt myself physically so somehow called the paramedics for that reason - not knowing the reason for my fall until a good 30 mins later - when you are able to start piecing the puzzle together.
ive had seizures everywhere from a golf course to my bathroom.
the main dangers are 1, physically hurting yourself from the sudden fall, hitting your head etc, and 2, because the body can become incontinent, choking on your own vomit, as seizures can induce vomiting (not drunken vomiting, it’s just the brain can’t control the gag reflex.
For those who live in England - your GP cannot do anything to preempt this, the ONLY prescription available for alcoholism on the NHS is to refer you to an alcohol service.
The alcohol service can arrange a medical detox but be prepared to wait months.
if you go to an nhs hospital - sure they’ll check you over after a seizure but they aren’t allowed to give you a detox and will almost certainly send you home.
there is one way to bypass this for an emergency NHS hospital detox - and that is to fake the symptoms of DTs - and have a trusted friend fake that you’re going thru them - they have to advocate for you.
this information is all available publicly via published nhs treatment documents.
envy of the world? Rubbish
only real way in England to withdraw safely, if you have a history of seizures, is to taper off very slowly over a couple of weeks. But for alcoholics tapering off is purgatory
The theory of kindling is true in my experience as almost every time I withdraw from alcohol I have one (I go from hero to zero - not to be recommended).
They come without warning signs. The last time I was 4 days sober and happy, eating well, fit, working, not tired. Nothing that could give one any warning that anything was wrong.
I found myself on the floor of my living room, legs as jelly, brain not functioning, unable to move, but i’d hurt myself physically so somehow called the paramedics for that reason - not knowing the reason for my fall until a good 30 mins later - when you are able to start piecing the puzzle together.
ive had seizures everywhere from a golf course to my bathroom.
the main dangers are 1, physically hurting yourself from the sudden fall, hitting your head etc, and 2, because the body can become incontinent, choking on your own vomit, as seizures can induce vomiting (not drunken vomiting, it’s just the brain can’t control the gag reflex.
For those who live in England - your GP cannot do anything to preempt this, the ONLY prescription available for alcoholism on the NHS is to refer you to an alcohol service.
The alcohol service can arrange a medical detox but be prepared to wait months.
if you go to an nhs hospital - sure they’ll check you over after a seizure but they aren’t allowed to give you a detox and will almost certainly send you home.
there is one way to bypass this for an emergency NHS hospital detox - and that is to fake the symptoms of DTs - and have a trusted friend fake that you’re going thru them - they have to advocate for you.
this information is all available publicly via published nhs treatment documents.
envy of the world? Rubbish
only real way in England to withdraw safely, if you have a history of seizures, is to taper off very slowly over a couple of weeks. But for alcoholics tapering off is purgatory
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 230
Hello flyagain . Thank you for discussing withdrawal situation in UK. I thought maybe i was denied as not too advanced or whatever reason . So best choice is not to go through withdrawals for safety reasons. As many people know addiction is chronic relapsing condition till the recovery plan is properly implemented and a person works through on many levels to prevent relapse . Mental health is very much neglected. I a saw a picture on SM showing a person standing on the edge of bridge and police saying please do not jump ...crisis intervention team will see you in 8 days. It was a joke but really sad truth. Good night all. Hope all stay safe x
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