Zimbo

I've been drinking heavily for a week now, pretty much around the clock and I am struggling to stop because of the anxiety. A couple of hours since a beer and I can feel it beginning and I'm fighting off sleep because I don't want to wake up to the 'fear'. I went to the doctors yesterday and he suggested that I taper but it all seems like such a long process (he said 6 weeks) and I find it hard to do. I inevitably feel a bit better and drink too much again so I feel like I'm going round in circles. Plus I have a work meeting on Friday and can't go in smelling of beer. I happen to have some clonazepam here- would that be the best option? One of those for a couple of days and then possibly free from this.

Surrendered19

Nobody on SR knows the answer to that Zimbo. Only your Doc knows the answer to that. And not Dr. Google either. He's an idiot.

FYI it is against SR rules to give any sort of medical advice and whether or not you should take clonazepam definitely comes under the umbrella of medical advice.

Talk to your Doc again. If you can do it safely, it might be best just to stop, if it is medically safe to do so. You won't smell like booze on Friday and you'll have 48 sober hours under your belt.

Let us know how things go.

Zimbo

I find the advice by the doctor and one or two others I've spoken to a bit confusing as well, basically saying keep on drinking the large amount which I have (stupidly) been drinking for the last week and come off it very slow. I'm a binger- nothing for ages and then madness for a week, just because I went to a concert and figured I'd be ok. Wish I hadn't bothered but now finding it hard to just stop because of the damn anxiety I get after alcohol.

Forwards

Hi Zimbo,

Regardless of whether you taper or use medication the plan needs to be tailored to you and monitored by a health professional. As your doc has suggested, stopping drinking suddenly can be dangerous as I can personally attest. Tapering is enormously difficult in practice - another reason why qualified supervision is a must.

Good luck. Forwards.

Colin1

Zimbo, please do not try clonazepam without talking it over with your doctor first. Some of these drugs do not play nice with alcohol in your system. I understand about your meeting on Friday, but if it were me I wouldn't risk it on my own.

Steely

Think carefully about the Clon, Zimbo. As you already have some in the house, you must know it's a benzo, and highly addictive. Awful withdrawals if caught up in it, and it doesn't take long.

I withdrew from Valium 3 years ago and it was the worst experience of my life. I'm not suggesting this will happen to you, but if you suffer anxiety and intend stopping drinking easy to be seduced by the benign promise of a benzo. It speaks with a false tongue.

Just my cautionary tale.

Six weeks seems a long long time to taper. I couldn't do it for similar reasons to yourself.

There are better ways to deal with anxiety Zimbo. CBT, for example. Lifestyle changes. Seeing a counsellor, therapist.

I wish you the best Zimbo. You can do this.

I hope you continue to post.

Anna

Zimbo, I agree that tapering is all but impossible for us alcoholics. I ended up worse off when I tried to taper. For me, stopping completely was much easier. That's not to say the first few weeks weren't quite miserable, but tapering just wasn't working for me.

It would be best to talk to your doctor before you take the clonazepam.

Zimbo

Thanks for all your kind replies. Much appreciated.
I don't particularly suffer from anxiety. It's something brought on by alcohol; however, from being able to sort it out with a couple of curers it's now taking me longer to get over it. I wake up in a panicked, shaky and nervous state when I have been drinking and my only concern at that moment is sorting that out.
Plan for tonight (I'm in the UK). Going to go and buy some beers- I know people will say no, that's crazy, but I feel better knowing it's there. I'll get some isotonic sport drinks and a huge, unhealthy McDonalds (a treat)! I'll try and not drink anything- if I'm anxious I'll have a beer and then wait at least 3 hours before another one.
Going to AA on Friday evening for the first time. Until now I've refused any help, but I need to something and stop this before it gets worse.

Dee74

Hi Zimbo and welcome

Advising you to see your doctor is the best advice anyone can give you here, man.
If you are unsure of the advice they gave you, ring them again, go back - or see another one.

I’ve never heard of a six week taper for booze, but taking benzoes you’ve got lying around, on top of drinking, is not a great plan either.

The anxiety when quitting can be bad - but the support here at SR can help

I hope you can get a medical professional who knows a bit about this who can help,

D

Zimbo

Thanks Dee,
I'm quite a long time lurker here as I've noticed this problem mounting over the years. I often go months without alcohol because I know it is bad for me, but when I slip because I have a flight (nervous flyer) or special occasion it's like I fall into a hole which is increasingly difficult to get out of and I find myself blacking out more and doing stupid things which are just not me. These benzos are actually for flying, although I usually choose alcohol once I arrive at the airport and start to get nervous. I wouldn't mix them with alcohol, only perhaps have one on Friday for the meeting if I'm still feeling stressed and by the time it becomes Saturday I should be out of it as long as I stick to my plan. What a mess this is, I really hate the stuff.

KAD65

Hi Zimbo, speaking from personal experience, tapering made me feel like I was going out of my mind. It was like prolonging the agony of withdrawal and my anxiety was through the roof. My advice would be to see another doctor if you're not satisfied with what the current one is telling you. When I went to mine, he prescribed meds to help me withdraw safely. There is also the option of your local ER. They can't turn you away.

Dee74

my point about mixing benzoes and booze was based on me: I used to drink round the clock and it would have been very hard for me to pick a point where my BAC wasn’t sky high. If you’ve got that covered, good

Yeah, we can only give our opinions here, Zimbo, it’s you who has to go with a plan.

KADS point about A and E/ ER is a good one to remember tho, if you were to find yourself in trouble,

good luck with the plan Zimbo

D

Mummyto2

Hi, 3 weeks ago i went through horrible anxiety, but i am so glad i just pushed through and with the support ive had on SR has been great, i am now waking up refreshed, no anxiety and feeling so much better, good luck with AA

Obladi

I was afraid of the anxiety too, Zimbo. It's crazy how our alcoholic brains convince us that we are literally not going to be able to live through the withdrawal. But that's exactly how it felt for me, so I can relate - in spades. You know that your addicted brain is lying though, right? I was absolutely able to get through the anxiety without that "freeze-dried alcohol" (that's what they called benzos at my treatment program). It just really really sucks. I've been through the long long days and nights of pacing, wishing I could just crawl out of my skin. But it does end. I've also been through medical detox, which was better than going it on my own, but I understand that's not the favored route in the UK, more's the pity.

It's always best to have your doctor in on your plan and to know what to watch out for in case you need to get to the A&E. I support the McDonald's plan as well. When going through withdrawal, I believe that some crap food is perfectly permissible as long as it's balanced out with tons of fluids and some decent food as well.

Also, my vote is not to take the clonazepam to make the AA meeting tolerable. That's like stopping at the bar before you go to a meeting. No one would (should) be surprised or offended in either case, but it really just doesn't set the best stage for yourself. You know what I mean? Like... I could easily get the mind set that the only way I could handle a meeting is with a little bit of a buzz on, even if I only planned to be chill for just the first meeting.

Glad you've joined us on the posting side. You can do this.

O

RunningScared

Clonazepam is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. So is alcohol. Mixing these two can lead to death. Talk to your doctor, like everyone is saying. Tell him you want another option besides trying to taper the alcohol.

Zimbo

Well it's 9.00 in the morning and it's 12 hours since my last beer. I actually slept well. I woke up a couple of times but I didn't feel tempted to drink. Maybe that's because I wasn't black out drunk. I was drinking steadily round the clock for a couple of days, but I remember everything. The worst for me is when I wake up and can't remember what the hell I have done- that is really panic-inducing.
Anyway, in the past I've always found if I can get through the first 24 hours then I've done it, so I'm halfway there. I'm living in a hotel at the moment for work so I'll stay here all day doing some work online, which I don't really feel like but I need to keep up.
Not sure what to with all of the empties, though. I've got bags full of empty beer cans need throwing out but I don't want the cleaners to wonder what I've been doing.
By the way, I'm curious to know what medical detox is if it's not coming off it with assistance of benzos for a day or two.

Forwards

For me, medical detox consisted of Librium (chlordiazepoxide) and other supplementary meds administered very carefully, at a high level at first then tapering off over the course of a couple of weeks. My vital signs were monitored by nurses several times a day in case of any problems. This was in an inpatient setting where 24/7 medical support was available as is required.

Do be careful if you've stopped drinking suddenly... Forwards.

Steely

Ditch all of the empties Zimbo. You'll feel heaps better with no reminders and a clean slate.

Cleaners might recycle all empties to make a few bob. You'll be assisting someone on minimum wage.

Zimbo

25 hours now and I feel so much better. I even went for a swim today and I've been catching up with the work I've neglected over the last week.
The important thing to do now is create that mindset that I never drink again. My main trigger is flying, although I did slip this last time by drinking at a concert with an old friend. I usually go to concerts and don't drink because I like to remember it well and not have to go to the toilet every 20 mins, so this was more a case of being with an old friend and thinking we are 21 again.
I sneaked the empties out before under cover of darkness...
Anyway, thanks for your help yesterday.

doggonecarl

Congrats on your first sober day.

The alcoholic's biggest trigger is the first drink. After that, all bets are off.