bymyself

Hi Everyone,

Last Tuesday, 2/21 was the last time I drank alcohol. On Thursday while I was driving I experienced a couple of palpitations and then an overwhelming feeling of weakness, turned pale, severe shakiness and a feeling of wanting to pass out. I got so scared I pulled over and called 911. I was brought to the hospital. Dr. asked questions,which one is about how much you drink, of course I lied about how much I drink. EKG was normal, my potassium was a little low but not enough to cause any problems, all other bloodwork was normal. I was diagnosed with palpitations and sent home. He gave me some Xanax to help with my anxiety, which has helped because I am so afraid it will happen again and when I think about it I can feel my anxiety level increase. Do you think this was because I didn't drink for two days? Has anyone else experienced this when they stopped drinking? I'm really scared. I feel OK now.
I haven't had any alcohol since then and I won't. I am so AFRAID to drink anything right now.
Thank you,
Theresa

Cap3

Hi Theresa,please be totally honest with your doctor,no matter what.He cannot treat your issues,properly,if he doesnt know all the details of your health.Give him a call,or go see him again.This is very important.
I know that what i think about,e-x-p-a-n-d-s.
My prayers are with you,
God Bless,

Linda C.

HI bymyself.. Sounds like a panic attack to me. I had them for years. It seems we find many of us have anxiety disorder in some form and/or depression.

Fear can work for awhile. If your not alcoholic it may work forever. If you are you may find like many of us -- the cunning, baffling and powerfulness of this disease leads us back to drink no matter what.

I had so many things happen to me to cause fear of drinking. Yet, each time I did drink again only to have worse things happen..

I hope you stay stopped by whatever method works for you..

Linda C.

In memory of miracle

Go to the alcoholism forum and check out the "quitting what to expect thread" lots of good info!
Bless, Trish

Beachbabe

Sounds exactly like my first panic attack. I too was driving and called my husband. He was close and rushed me to the hospital. Nothing is more terrifying than a panic attack, not even death itself. Anyone thats ever had one knows the terror.

I have literally had millions of them. They are a part of me. At least now I know Im not dying and just need some cold water on my face and to 'talk myself down'.

Its the times, like while sleeping, they come on though and you arent given that time. That really sucks.

Panic attack = as far as you are concerned, you are dying. Noone can convince you differently. But I started seeing each attack as a good thing... a way to practice 'talking myself down'. Now, I never make it further into it than splashing my face and announcing "Im have a panic attack'. Works wonders because now I know panic cant kill me. Only scare me and thats only if I let it creep in and win.

The first yr was hell because I didnt tell anyone. I thought I had something horrid... cancer, aids. This stems from anxiety. Most with anxiety issues dwell on death and dying.

earlybird

I had this happen to me 5 different times when I tried to quit drinking without medical assistance. Panic attacks brought on from alcohol deprivation is a symptom of Delirium Tremens. I cannot stress enough how important it is to seek medical help if you are going to stop cold turkey. Delirium tremens type anxiety attacks kill 6 out of 10 people who dont seek a doctors care. I remember like it was yesterday, the first one I ever had. It was TERRIFYING . The last time I had one was in the hospital. I had waited until the very last minute to seek help and it was almost too late. They staff could do nothing to calm me down. No drugs were working, no comforting, nothing.....My heart stopped in the ER. They tell me I was technically dead for 47 seconds. They almost went out to tell my Mom and brother I didnt make it. You actually DO feel like you are going to die. You cannot walk, stand, crawl, dial a phone, think clearly, your speech is bouncy and chattered like you are really cold or something. Its terrible. Never in my life have I ever been through ANYTHING like that, ...and Ive been in Desert Storm in the first Gulf War being shot at. That was NOTHING compared to this. Your own body attacking you???? No way. Ill take Saudi Arabia any day. The best way I have been able to describe it to people is this........

It like all your internal organs are crying out in pain all at once. You feel like you are going to literally explode. Your eyes dance. You see things. You hear things. Awful things.

2dayzmuse

My anxiety was high after the first few days after quitting alcohol. It is a symptom of the after affects of heavy drinking.

laurie6781

You also need to be aware that only on the 2nd day without alcohol and even further into not drinking, what seems like an anxiety attack "I experienced a couple of palpitations and then an overwhelming feeling of weakness, turned pale, severe shakiness and a feeling of wanting to pass out." can also be a rapid rise or fall in blood sugar.

Many of us on first sobering up can be hypoglycemic and not know it. It is very important to start eating healthy and to keep some high protein food handy at all times, dry roasted peanuts work great.

Above all you must be completely HONEST with your doctor.

JMHO

Love and (((((to all))))),

bymyself

Thank you all for your advice and support. Today has been six days without one drop of alcohol and I feel so much better. I still experience some anxiety but not half as bad as that day. Also when I feel it come on the small dose of Xanax really helps. The funny thing is, is that I truly miss having a couple of glasses wine but I think back at that day and say NO to my self. I hope I can keep this way of thinking.

Thanks to all and God Bless,
Theresa

OVERIT

Like someone before me said, it sounded like my very first Panic attack, which is the scariest thing I have ever experienced.

My second day of alcohol withdrawal was the worst.

Be careful of Xanax, it can be more addictive or worse (from what I have heard) than alcohol. I am on Paxil for my panic attacks.

Take care!

xoxoxoxo

Ang

Kellye C

I went through this when sobering up and it was miserable. My mom doled out a few xanax over the course of several days just so I would not totally fall apart. After the withdrawals passed I then quit taking them as I had no desire to replace one addiction with another.

Panic attacks are horrible. I had them before becoming alcoholic, during sobering up and occassionally still do today. My doctor has put me on wellbutrin for anxiety/depression and also in the hopes that I'll quit smoking one of these days.

I'm glad you're feeling better but please do be careful with the Xanax.

Hugs,
Kellye

bymyself

It's so hard right now. Today is the end of day six and I want a drink SOOOO BAAADDD! I don't want to take any Xanax either, I'm so afraid I'll get addicted to that. Please does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can and should do to get over this horrible craving. I literally feel like I can jump out of my skin. Will this get better or will it get worse before it gets better?
I am so thankful for this website and all of you. No-one else knows that I'm feeling this, even my husband in the other room.

Theresa

Justme57

Hi there By , welcome to SR

I remember that feeling SO well. I found that several things helped me in the early days with cravings. i was advised about these from my friends in AA, and they worked ! LOL

* large choccy milkshake

* go for a walk, or a swim

* I could noty concentrate when I was like that, but I did find that ringing other members ( alkies) and talking about it helped me a lot

* Changing my routine. I used to take a different route home from work. I sometimes cooked my evening meal in the morning, to avoid that 5 pm wine while cooking. I went for a walk or worked in the garden at the time I would usually crave

* and for me, I went to meetings at night , which was a huge help

HUGX
Lee

ps the biggest thing I did for myself was to get a little dog, who is a joy to live with, and loves to walk. he Mr Spot has been an invaluable sobriety tool for me

CarolD

We;come....
Cravings....

In early recovery . I timed my cravings.
Mine were 5/7 minutes in duration.
I can overcome most things for that short time!

I took action during that space.
Brushing my teeth...eating a Lifesaver...drinking water
(notice the oral connection?)

The longer I stayed sober they lessened in both frequency and intensity.

Keep going forward...