Abraham

Well since his doctor is a doctor and we are a bunch of recovering drunks who are not supposed to be dolling out med advice I think he will be just fine. At least thats my take on the matter. Grimes is a past master. Besides the past is gone now. Taper it is. I think its best myself. I had minimal withdrawals from going that route.

ReadyAtLast

This. I genuinely do not understand how you had a seizure last week and ended up in hospital, haven't had a drink since Saturday but your doctor has now given you diazepam AND told you to start drinking again?

Tapering isn't something you do after a few days of cold turkey it's something you do gradually before you stop completely.

Did you get a second opinion from another doctor who does know about alcohol addiction and seizures? Honestly, it just sounds like you just want to keep on drinking and saying your doctor has told you to do it makes it ok.

And drinking whilst taking valium can be fatal

Abraham

babycat

Sorry, but this. There really is no reason for you to start drinking again nearly a week after having stopped and having spent 4 days in the hospital. These are steps backwards. I am so glad you are ok and I am glad you have a compassionate doctor as many are anything but, however, I think it would greatly behoove you to seek a second opinion.

August252015

This is insane alcoholic thinking to me. I hope it works out better this time than it did last time (which sounds a huge alarm bell for me, that you tried this before) - and that you indeed don't drink and drive.

"I think I wanna follow my doctor this time" translates to me as "he's telling me it's ok to keep drinking, just adjust my amount, and cool!" Or some version of that baffling kind of thinking our addiction gives us.

Let us know how it goes.

I hope it isn't fatal.

August252015

Abraham....this really isn't funny. We get that your tapering worked beautifully - and I'd ask if you quit and stayed sober after that, and are now?

This site is not about moderation, and we are all sharing our experiences with the aspects of this, not medical advice.

This is a life or death matter when we are talking seizures, and meds and "less drinking" likely mixed and...denial....and the idea that we get chance after chance.

sva777

I was disturbed by the popcorn emoji, I do not think this is the right place for jokes.

SR helped me with my recovery in 2015 with comments of compassion, I definitely did not need any snark.

Abraham

Sorry about the emoji but it was offered. It was about the conversation not his/her personal situation. I too only have the best wishes for the original poster. Tapering is not a long term thing. I mean its a few days max. Its not weeks or months of drinking. I just found it interesting that we are not supposed to be giving out med advice but here people are discounting what his/her dr said. My apologizes if you were offended. And it was not intended as a joke, nor is it. Not sure on your question august nor do I wish to discuss it on someone elses thread but yes I am sober and have been for a whole 10 days. the administrators and rules told me this site is for people who want to stop drinking. I want to stop drinking and I have. I merely was inferring that I thought this was going to be an interesting read. If I'm not welcome here I can leave.

Strugglingto

I don't think anyone here is giving specific medical advice. Everyone is just speaking from experience. I had a seizure. It is a medical emergency and is treated as such. I was hospitalised for two weeks. And after medical care and properly supervised detox in a hospital where because of that treatment I was physically set up not to go through prolonged torment heath wise, only the psychological stuff. But what did I do? I started again and it boiled down to one simple fact. I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP.
And Abraham with all due respect, if tapering "worked beautifully" for you how come you are 10 days sober now? Short answer it was a bandaid solution prior to relapse if you are truly honest.

Dee74

Lets all take a deep breath folks.

I think Grimes got some really bad advice - but I'm not a Dr, I'm not Grimes Dr, and even if I was, I wasn't in the room looking at his chart,

Grimes has indicated he's going to follow this advice.
I hope it works out for you Grimes - if not you know where to go.

Second, it's not medical advice to share concern about another member, or to suggest they either get clarification or a second opinion on something that seems 'off' to those of us who've been through the experience.

and thirdly - it's 'offered' because people use it and context is everything - but I never use the popcorn emoji myself.

It can come off as smug or capricious, or even down right non caring.

I know Abraham, you're none of those things

and lastly lets not be picking apart others ways to recovery or squabbling about it.

lets all just chill a little instead and get back to helping others

I reserve the right to remove posts now I've laid down some ground rules.

Dee
Administrator
SR

Abraham

Edit: I had not read the above posts before posting.

Grimes

its only day 3 and im getting stir crazy as hell. fixed the back brakes on my car yesterday and ive got one more thing to fix on my car but almost wanna talk to my boss and see if i can go back to work next week.

it is kinda weird he would prescribe a benzo and still want me to taper, but in canada it is totally hard to get a doctor never mind a second opinion. even then if he got in touch with my doctor, my doctor would probably drop me as a patient.

entropy1964

I'm not a dr but I am an alcoholic. For a dr to tell one of us to start drinking again after 4-5 days of being dry is nuts. Go see another dr. Ask the dr about ativan/librium to ward off seizures...the medication will do far more than booze. Valium is in the same class of meds but isn't normally used for detox. It'll help but its not the same. Make sure you didn't misunderstand the dr...like he said something more along the lines of "IF you start drinking again you have to taper...do not cold turkey".

Fricken drs.

Strugglingto

​​​​​​I think the point people are trying to make is you never want to have a seizure ever again. Once you have had one the chances of another are higher.
I mentioned a paramedic in my day nine update. He showed me footage of a woman having a seizure in the ambulance on the way to hospital. She died before they got there. Every muscle in your body contracts. And that includes your heart. I kinda credit that conversation with saving me from myself because it scared me straight (touch wood).

August252015

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^That.

Grimes

ya the next day every muscle in my body hurt, and could barely walk for the next few. they couldnt give her a shot of ativan. they gave me that one time at the er when i was badly withdrawing, half an hour later i felt almost fine.

Strugglingto

I was in agony immediately afterwards I felt like I had been hit by a bus and I was lame for weeks

nadt

Hello, Grimes. I hope things are going well for you and that each day keeps getting a little better.

Grimes

ya gonna try to get into the withdrawl managment place in my area, why bother keeping on drinking. i phoned an hour ago she told me to phone tomorrow at 9, i'm like, **** its not like i gotta go to work next week or anything. even if its against what my doctor told me he dont's have to know. will let you guys know if i get in. **** i could stay all week this time. last time i went there i had to be back at work for monday.

Delilah1

Hi Grimes,

I’m sorry you went through that experience, it is really scary what drinking can do.

It sounds like work won’t let you back without a doctor’s note, it might be worth going back to the doctor to talk about the plan for your return to work.

However, if you’re still drinking/tapering you do not want to return to work right now, that could cause lots of other problems at work. Giving your body time to recover physically might be a good plan. I also do not understand why the doctor would prescribe Valium and recommend you continue to drink, and think it’s worth following up with them about.

You mentioned you are working on your car, and in the past had to get your license back. As much as you want to be able to drive to get to meetings, or out of the house you shouldn’t be doing this while drinking or taking Valium either. Maybe you can have a friend take you, or an Uber.

I hope you’ll continue to post, and that you’re able to get sober for good this time. It really is worth it.