Newcomer, unsure what to do
 

Hey guys, was referred here by another member.

I've had terrible insomnia (i.e. completely sleepless nights) since an anxiety attack out of nowhere in May. Before this I drank (sometimes heavily at parties) semi-regularly but no more than a couple of days per week. Then the insomnia hit and I tried to fix it myself for a while which just caused the drinking to go up (about 6 5oz glasses of red win) a few times per week. I finally went to my doc and she gave me Lunesta which absolutely sucked so I drank more often. I borrowed benzos but never took them often enough to get dependent. I got a prescription for xanax but only 30 so I stretched them out over a couple of months. A couple of times I would drink to the point of blacking out (again, about 6-8 glasses of wine) and then my dumbass blacked out self took a benzo. I ended up peeing my pants a couple of times, then while on a vacation drank lots of beer for 16 days straight. I came home with the intention of stopping drinking and did for a couple of days but since then I've drank every other day (about up to 8 drinks now). In the last week I've drank 5 days straight (up to about 10 drinks now). I woke up every single day after drinking feeling extremely anxious. It lasted all day and continued until I had a couple of glasses of bourbon. I finally had enough and think I should self taper, reducing my intake by 2 drinks per night. I had 6 last night, and didn't sleep all night. Right around 5:30 AM the anxiety started pouring in. I've been going back and forth all day about asking my doc for a medical detox but they close at noon. My plan was to have 4 drinks tonight, then 2, then sober. With my level of drinking/duration do you think this is wise or should I go to urgent care? There is a really good doctor there.

If you read all that and offer advice I'll be extremely grateful. I'm a male that weighs 180lbs if that helps. The drinking has really packed on the pounds.

If a medical detox is available why the hesitation? It seems like a no brained really. I would definitely go.

Oh and my last drink was at 11:30 last night. My heart rate and BP are good.

Money. My health insurance has a really high deductible.

Well withdrawal is going to cause a lot of anxiety and insomnia and the way you've been doing it is not helping you. Best thing is to just quit.

The medical detox (it can most likely be done inexpensively at home) is of course the way to go - that would be my first recommendation, always see the doc.

It's going to be miserable, no matter how you cut it. Been there, anyone who has quit has gone through it - if we can you can.

The 6-4-2 then 0 plan doesn't really work for any of us cantsleep123. I don't expect it will work for you either. Unfortunately sleep is one of the last things to return to normal apparently after we are rid of the poison and insanity. I am on Day 16 and although my sleep is, by any sleep doctor's measurements, crap all the way, I don't care. Even in the middle of the night I am calm, satisfied, happy that when the morning comes I will be able to read the paper and have a cup of coffee. I think even if your sleep is non-existent at first, dealing with what is causing your anxiety (besides alcohol) will be so much more effective without being in a state of toxic shock.

Thanks for the replies. I've contacted a facility that does outpatient detox waiting to hear back about insurance.

Detoxing is unpredictable. Some people can drink as much as you did and quit cold turkey without much issue, others have seizures and die. Sorry to be blunt, but my point is, it's always a good idea to have some sort of medical supervision or at the very least, someone who can be with you for a day or two at your home to make sure you're OK. Sometimes people feel ok for a day or so, and then suddenly start having problems. If I had known how dangerous it was when I quit cold turkey, I would not have done it alone. I didn't know. I was probably lucky. I never even considered tapering, but maybe it would work for you. Best idea is to find out what you can do about a medically-supervised detox.

Even if you go to just a regular general doctor, they know what drugs to prescribe. It's a pretty straight-forward deal. Maybe start there. It's better to be sober and pay a little than to be dead or disabled...both of which could happen if you keep drinking.

It could be as simple as an office visit and a $20 prescription. Don't put this off because of money.

How much are you spending on alcohol every month? I'm guessing it's in the hundreds of dollars. It won't be half that to get this done.

The very things you are using to help you sleep are likely contributing to the insomnia. Vicious cycle and most of us have been there. Medical detox if possible is the best solution. I wish you the best.

It would have to be done at an urgent care. I'll call them now.

Why urgent care? Expense wise, urgent care will be about double or triple the cost of an office visit. Even so, worth it!!

I bet you can find a regular doctor or nurse practitioner who can see you today. Start with your insurance carrier and ask them for help...you don't have to say what for, just you need an appointment today or tomorrow.

My alcoholism came at a high price. My recovery is priceless.

Nobody can get me in today as a new patient so it looks like I'll probably have to wait until Monday morning. Ughhh.

..and keep reading around on this site...you'll see it is possible and that the first few days are uncomfortable, but necessary.

If you don't get an appointment today, what is your plan? Don't spend the weekend drinking.

Here, join us in one of the ongoing Weekender threads in Newcomers if you'd like:
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...er-2019-a.html

Also, here is the "Class of December 2019" thread. It was a huge help to me when I first quit to post in my Class thread.
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-part-1-a.html


*edit, I see you didn't get an appointment. Stay busy, drink gatorade, eat, sleep. You don't have to drink. Do anything BUT drink. Stick with us.

My plan was to buy a small controlled amount and stave off any symptoms until I can get to the doc on Monday. If I don't I'd be going cold turkey. I'm just very confused about what to do. An in patient treatment plan is like $7500 which I can in no way take on at the moment.

I've dealt with that. I can relate to your post because I had exactly the same thing. Go to your doctor and be totally honest about your drinking. Some of the medications out there shouldn't be used with alcohol.

This is why I'm so freaked out about not having any drinks tonight, tomorrow, or Sunday, because nobody can say with certainty that cold turkey would be OK. My wife would be home with me (or at the very least her Mom) while I was doing the detox. I'm assuming my primary would prescribe valium as I've seen it's the most widely used method. 4 days I think.

^^ what Headeast said.

I just experienced the very same thing. Needed to detox, concerned about doing it safely and discussed with my GP. It was open kimono - brutally honest about my drinking quantities, history and the need to have some medical assistance to get through the withdrawal.

I had high anxiety about it too, but the meds he prescribed helped tremendously. Ultimately it was all very manageable and was the right choice for me.