Alcohol Withdrawal
The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are exceptionally unpleasant, as I’m sure you know. There are physical symptoms and emotional ones. Let’s start with the most extreme to get it out of the way – death.
Yes, if you’re physically dependent on alcohol, then a sudden withdrawal as opposed to a gradual detox can actually kill you or leave you with brain damage, usually via a seizure (a bit like an epileptic fit). Heart palpitations are the milder form of this. But lets hope you’re not quite that bad just yet (if you are drinking over 70 units per week for a woman or 100 for a man, then at least try to cut down gradually, or better than that – see a doctor).
On to the less fatal withdrawal symptoms then, we have hallucinations (usually unpleasant – spiders or snakes are common), the shakes, nausea and vomiting, oh and diarrhoea of course. Particularly unpleasant is waking in the middle of the night soaked in cold sweat, or alternatively, your own piss. It’s not sounding like a party exactly, is it?
Then you might have a splitting headache, often from severe dehydration and dilation of blood vessels. Basically the brain shrinks away from the lining of the skull. Ouch!
Hypoglycaemia, caused by the inability of the liver to metabolize sugar, can then leave you feeling irritable, nervous or aggressive, and weak.
You might end up with a few more emotional effects too, like mood swings, depression or confusion. Basically feeling like the lowest form of life on the planet.
So how can you make alcohol withdrawal easier?
- Electrolyte replacement might help (the sachets you can get for diarrhoea are the best), along with plenty of liquids.
- Complex carbohydrates (like brown rice, wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals etc.) will help to slowly stabilize your blood sugar levels.
- Eggs contain Cysteine, which can help the liver to metabolize Acetaldehyde (the toxic by-product of alcohol).
- B-vitamin supplements are essential, as they help your nerve cells to recover from the damage you’ve inflicted.
- We all know about the healing powers of caffeine – this constricts the blood vessels and can therefore alleviate the headache.
But to be on the safe side, if you’re drinking most mornings in order to get through your hangover, or you often get the shakes and sweats if you haven’t had a drink for a while, then you really should get some medical support before you consider withdrawing.
So how is every one in the world today…Ummm oh lets just think about that for one second,,,,,Relax…Breath in deep and exhale for 50 times…Oh man i am so relaxed….I don’t have palpitations and i don’t have an anxious feeling umm i am not having panic attacks and i am not twitching or jolting ..I am not starving hungry because i eat my dinner and the reason why i eat my dinner is that i have no anxiety well not today any how thank god…..And i am not siting here trying to hold down booze long enough for the stuff to kick in and Relax me….No i am relaxed like a free bird……Yet i was born to be wild…..Now for some people that are not regulars here at Sean’s…Holy Baloney Bar… you may be reading this with a smile i hope…But you will have a bottle or 6 in the house hid some were maybe in the kettle or dustbin or they could even be in the grass box off the grass cutter..If they are in the grass box well hid my son you take after me because that’s were i always hid them…But were are you at this moment in life are you with out a job because of drink or will you soon be with out a job because of drink or maybe your house will soon be gone because you spend it all on drink…Do people still talk to you or talk about you….LMFAO don’t worry i have been there and still am in a way….But i don’t drink very often now…I can now drink when i want one or i can drink 5 but that would be me mashed…Why is that you may think….Well don’t ask me ask me doctor Mr Couchforme….You to could be like me…So if you would like to be like me then just pop a bob or 2 into my pay pal account lol and i will send you details of how to do it…..Hhahah no don’t do that because i will only put 2 words in it STOP DRINKING….Now that leads me to some thing else the word stop is a nasty word to a boozer….So i like to use the word abstain from the juice for a short time….How long is a short time….Well i don’t no we are only here for a short time so how short a time do you want it to be short or shorter or shorter still….Well that bits up to you Good luck you can do it…I wont say its easy but you find a way
Well shit, here I am on day 1 AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you’re all doing better than me.
Ramona
Hi Ramona,
I’m on day 4, but I feel good. I hope it wasn’t too bad for you this time, what happened? I went out of town for an office conference and everyone was drinking every night and I caved (so stupid, I swore before I left that I wouldn’t do it). I didn’t drink too much the very last time I drank a few days ago (only 3) so I really didn’t have withdrawals. I’ve got a lot of motivation to keep going, it was just because of that work trip. I work with about 20 other people that are like us.
Rebecca
Well, Rebecca am not quite sure what happened, however when I look back I should have seen it coming. Would like to blame it on the rain and wind but I know I need to be stronger than that. I have withdrawls, but not too bad. The worst part is the embarrassment and everyone knowing. Oh well, back in the saddle again.
Working with 20 other people like us must be tough. Stay strong Rebecca. We can do this.
Ramona
Ramona,
Maybe it helps some that it’s all out in the open. Nobody cares if I drink, that’s why I always come here to get reeled back in!!!!
Rebecca, you seem like such a great person, I’m sure people care. How is your new buisiness plan coming along? It sounds great, don’t give up on it.
Thanks for asking, Ramona. I asked a personal trainer what is the best certification to get without going to school, she told me exactly what to do. I’m also helping train people for marathons, it’s like a makeover program. I told my friend that owns her own salon about it and told her I wanted to pick someone to do a full makeover on at the end and she said she would do it. She says I’m VIP because I helped her open it.
Well, I hope you feel better soon Ramona, let’s do it! I know who cares whether I drink or not – the people I have to train, or I won’t be able to get up in the mornings to help them! And you and Sean care.
Withdrawal response team put the can down NOW…..How strainge that just as you get a pair of shoes that fit you some one seems to take them of you….And just as you have saved enouth money to buy a new pair a letter comes though the door…. Fraud squad stop the car now…YOU OWW US PAY UP OR WE WILL DO YOU YA TROLLOP…Hahahaha no i am talking about a RED LETTER…..I also must be a super star as i had some one tail me in my car on 5 or 6 ocations now over the last month….2 men in one silver car and a ugly woman in a blue car….Its fun in a way because i try to slow down then speed up and slow down until people are beeping them because they are trying to stay to far behind me…And then on Monday i completely must have done there heads in by pulling in to the opposite lane with oncoming traffic and reversing right on by them then popped behind them…..Hhahaha so much fun….I no why there doing it but i cant tell you…But if you can work it out dont post it on here please….Armed Response put that Pot Noodle down now…If your going to live life try to be ummm not like me…Break every rule in the good book and chainge the rules in the bad book…..Thanks for reading my hub lol….. Its over and out from Sean’s Holy Baloney Bar…..c yazz when the mist lifts
Ramona,
How are you today? I’ve only had very mild cravings since I stopped.
Sean,
I hope you don’t drive like that after pint nite!
Rebecca
I think only an idiot would admit to that
Sean, you’re crazy. You never talk about your withdrawls that I can tell. Sometimes I wonder what the heck you are talking about. Do you get them bad after pint night?
Rebecca, thanks for asking, I’m pretty good. Day 3 and my cravings are almost over. I didn’t pull anything too bazaar this last time.
Where is everyone? Hope you’re all doing ok.
Ramona
Sometimes I wonder what the heck you are talking about.
Are you pissed when you are reading it…And lets clear some thing up about when you get withdrawals from drink………….If you have drank for say 1 month 10 pints a day then stop you will get very near to proper withdrawals ….If you have drank for say 1 or 2 maybe 3 years as a proper alcoholic as in topping up every hour or half hour and then trying to get a sleep only for your body to say oh no you don’t i want more booze then you would and i have done got major withdrawals witch is very near to a person coming off heroin and personally i think they get away light with there withdrawal….Now if you say go out on Friday 8 pints…Then Saturday morning bad head maybe spew a bit and the odd palp now and then though out the day and by about 2 o’clock you feel like you did Thursday normalized but a bit distant……Go out Friday Saturday and Sunday on the lash and then think right its Monday back to normal back to work then for a big drinker as in a ex alcoholic then yes the head don’t hert but the crushing chest will and the palps will be there if they want to be and you will probs feel a wee bit jittery like you cant sit still but are to tired to get up…And most of the time those persons can be seen back in the bar about 9 o’clock or 10 o’clock on Monday night …Maybe drinking about 5 or 6 pints to nurse them selves……Done it times me self….And then the next day feel like crap then the next not to bad and then the next day you feel shattered and then the next day your normal again but the trouble is its then Friday again booze night…No i don’t talk about my own withdrawals because there not withdrawals there just a normal crap feeling like most people that have a drink on a Friday or Saturday night get….Not were your sitting in a hospital bed with liver failure and your loosing a lot of blood from a hemorrhage and your to frightened to tell them your alcohol dependent and your laying there having convulsions and at the same time trying to find a way out of there to get a drink to normalize your self again no that’s a hole different ball game…..Dipped me toe in that water to a few to many times…..2 pints and yes can now go home but i prefer 5 but most of the time i stick with 3 pints and Cream Cracker’s with cheese when i get home….And they say every man kneads a breast for a pillow but i still use a breeze block…Hahahaha oh no i think i just wet my self…Ohhh no false alarm i only crapped me self lol c yazz when the mist lifts
Tobin you have the eye of a Tiger lol……………………I bet you by now your singing it in your head…No probs its cool its a right good tune NOT lol…Hope all is well on the home front…Be good chap
Hi guys,
Just wanted you to all think of my dad, he’s a geologist and civil engineer and his firm is going to try to help with the oil leak in the gulf of Mexico. He’s (his firm) been working on the levees that broke from Katrina when he had to go work on this. I know it’s not to do much with alcohol, but admin please let it through. He doesn’t drink, if that helps…it’s a bad time down here.
Rebecca
All the best to your Dad Rebecca. I sure hope they get that fixed soon. Did you see the video of the giant squid latching on to some of their equipment?
Hope you are having a good weekend.
Hi Ramona,
No, I didn’t see that! I saw them cleaning the oil off of birds yesterday. How are you doing with the drinking this weekend? I had some beer yesterday, but I do ok with beer, sort of. I don’t like it as much as other things and get tired of drinking it. I’m stopping again tomorrow and I need to get serious, it’s only been a week since I last drank this time!
Hope your doing better than me,
Rebecca
Rebecca, I am doing well but only because I have had to get some help. Day 7 again. Am seeing a counselor once a week now and Friday I started going to a Recovery Anonomous (RA) meeting. I think that will help. I have also started to get help via e mail to my husband’s cousin – she is a recovering alcoholic. I just can’t do this by myself like I thought. Don’t think will power is enough.
Hang in there Rebecca!!!! You can do it.
How is everyone else doing?
Luck & love
Ramona
That sound great Ramona, I can tell you’re doing all that you can to be successful. Let me know if the support group helps, there is something I could go to here, but I haven’t decided if I want to or not yet. I’m still trying on my own, I’m giving myself one more chance. I don’t understand how I can go weeks with no problem and then all of a sudden have a short bender, then I’m ok again. I can cut it on and off and now I’m so used to it that it doesn’t scare me anymore, but I don’t want to keep doing it. I’m tired of it!
How is everyone else? Sean?
I know Rebecca, I was tired of it too. Just remember that life is so much better sober.
I’ve got my resolve back, day 1. It was an ok day 1…
I hope everyone is doing ok. Jax, Dolly, everyone else, how are you doing?
Hello Rebecca me Darling and how the devil are ya come on now sit on me knee…..Say it like a paddy would and it will make sense ……Me rebecca well i am not to bad i have a bout of depression trying to kick in and i feel like i could rip the walls around me down like they were made of sand…..I will try to explain with out saying to much…..You no when you see some thing slipping away that some one has worked so hard for and you cant really help them….And you cant say one of the things you should have done is wat that prat said months ago……And you did not do wat you said you was going to do with that money….Had that person done that i think that person would have been a bout 10.000 in credit now and not nearly back at the same stone they was sitting at not to long ago………I don’t no maybe its pride stopping them but they had no pride when they first started doing it they reached out and pulled every trick from every card……..As i all ways say i can see other peoples mistakes but i cant really see my own but i am aware of them….Its a bit like when your flush and you keep buying the guy at the bar with no money a drink thinking one day he may send me a crate of beer to my door but it never happens and your left skint….But you keep getting him a drink just in case he comes good one day and it proves every one else wrong….Big risk ahhh……Bit by bit you will loose things ie car or house things until you have to sell up and make a start some were else….May be a cheaper house…..But if you continue to do wat your doing and not wat every one else is doing more so in the way the uk is at the moment you then run the risk of loosing every thing until your back in a b&b were it all first started all those years back….And strange as it is i think the conservative scum was in then…..Oh there all scum its not just them….Wat do you get if you give a poor man power…..A poor man that acts like a rich man but the rich man never spends like the poor man…Becks your SPECIAL dont ever forget that
Smashed,
im all rhaa but its good< sting i i feel so low lol feel so alone, but im smashing the fucking granny out of life, you know i just dont care ?
i always thought i would wake up and be ll good, do you kow we are all gonna die. its just about what
Sean i drink all the time, drink like a fucking fish, love you though man xxx yo im in the wavy bit where noone likes but i live thereno one talks about the good bit do they its the grooviest thing ? we shall slander you tomorrrow
I dont think that the fredom of speech help me i ccant stand looooooosing
How do you mean Steve……..I mean say you said black is black to a person that says no its not its a dark African shade and you say no m8 its black….Some people may ask and think well who would be rite in that case but the word black was made up and the real term would most likely sit in the other mans hands but most people would then be on your side and say no m8 black is black mainly because it was installed in there head from a child to an adult and this is wat they believe to be true even tho it is not,,,,,,,So that takes us to the loosing party well they was right but the party that says no black is black win the argument even tho they are wrong………..And if you have read down as far as this you will now no it has nothing to do with wat you said lol lmfao just thought i would show how a loosers mind works as in mine lol….Any way how are you
Hey Rebecca, how was your day 2?
Ramona
I was tired! Tomorrow should be better….hope you’re doing well.
Well i have come up with a plan to make loads of money……I say lets sell are underpants on ebay as modern art….We could call it the drunken mans splatter….It would make a mint telling ya
The Love Cats
10 hours into Day 1 yet again. Feel dreadful. Why do we do this to ourselves? Hope all are ok. J
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach
with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene,
he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonged to him, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me. The Lord replied, My precious, precious child,
I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints, it was then I carried you.
Into day 2. Had appalling night. Still got the shakes but I think they slightly better. Looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully being over the worst. It is a beautiful sunny day and I’m stuck in bed – so annoyed with myself. Incideentally does anyone else get itchy when detoxing? It was dreadful last night. I think it’s all the rubbish coming out of me. How’s everyone else doing? Have good weekend
Into day 2. Had appalling night. Still got the shakes but I think they slightly better. Looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully being over the worst. It is a beautiful sunny day and I’m stuck in bed – so annoyed with myself. Incideentally does anyone else get itchy when detoxing? It was dreadful last night. I think it’s all the rubbish coming out of me. How’s everyone else doing? Have good weekend
Into day 2. Had appalling night. Still got the shakes but I think they slightly better. Looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully being over the worst. It is a beautiful sunny day and I’m stuck in bed – so annoyed with myself. Incideentally does anyone else get itchy when detoxing? It was dreadful last night. I think it’s all the rubbish coming out of me. How’s everyone else doing? Have good weekend
Jackie, are you in bed with the withdrawals or do you have the flu? When going throught the withdrawals I always found that being in the sun and trying to do things helped me the most. I never got itchy, but guess it makes sense. Hang in there and remember things will get better every day! The worst is over.
I’m doing great – day 12. I’ve been going to counselling and a group Recovery Anonomous – RA. I think it really does help.
Sean – I love the footsteps story.
Ramona
Hay you get off of my cloud i payed for that cloud in the sky so remove your chunk from it NOW…….Man thank the good lord of the universe for that bit of rain tonight….My depression is fantastic at the moment….I am right in the deep part that feels great you no…..Wat can i say i lost my hart to a star ship trooper in outer space…..I have smoked 70 fags today….Smoke on the water fire in the sky….I think i may have to take a break they say hotel California is such a lovely place any time of year……And they say it takes away the moments that make up a dull day…..But personally i would love to go down to the paradise city were the girls are pretty….Jackie It may well be that you are allergic to one of the many chemicals that are in the drink you are drinking……Do you have a rash or a small red clump or clumps like you get when you get a drug reaction…..Or just itchy on the arms…..Well i have had that itchy thing before me self but it was because of my liver…..But from wat i have read you can sort of send your body into a shock like mode when coming of booze and it can come out in all different ways…And it may well be its just your own nervous systems way of fighting the crap out of you…..But but but but i don’t believe any thing until i have asked a GP or a professional in that field so take your chunk up to the GP and ask him for his advise…..The script will may be go like this……Tap tap on the door….( Come in…..Please take a seat wat seems to be the problem Jackie…THIS TIME….( Well Mr Kabullshatit i got hammered the other night and i stayed hammered for a week or was it 2 weeks i cant remember but any way when i stopped and finely sobered up i began to itch to the extent were the only way i could calm the itch was to give my self hand relief with a wire brush…..( Ummmm I SEE Jakie would you just slide your self onto my Ummmm couch for a minute or two were i can take a peek and maybe i may be able to give you some thing far far better than a wire brush to cure that itch…..Oh yes oh yes i can see how red and inflamed it has become ………Jackie i better stop here lol or it may not get though lol
Sean,
I’m at the Hotel California right now, everyone is drinking except me….I wish they hadn’t had that spirit since 1969, but that’s not true.
cheers everyone. Into day 3. shakes almost gone. Got some sleep last night. Just weak tired but once I start eating will help with that. Yes, I will take your suggestion about getting outside a bit. You should see the weeds in my garden!
Ramona and Rececacca you are a few days away ahead of me, so I am reading your comments for inspiration. Well done. How r u now?
Sean I don’t have a rash; just felt itchy particularly on my face. A wire brush was just what I needed! Yes could been the chemicals from the stuff I was drinking leaving body. I did have a concern that when my grandmother had pancreatic cancer her skin got all and itchy and that scared me a bit.
Keep going everyone.
sean, super cool, all i got
I am sitting here thinking about wat to say and to be honest i am a little stuck…I dont no may be i could talk about how my day went and i could walk you though it,,,,But i cant do that but i will say it was a good day ..In fact the last ten days have been good…Money is a worry and when i say money is a worry i mean when i say i am skint it means i am on my last 5 pounds and not that i have got down to my last 10 grand…..Hay but still a fiver feels like 10 grand some times lol…..Strange in a way this is…..when your drinking as in bang on it you are all ways skint but got a few bob you no….You then stop drinking or cut back to one night a week and when i say that i mean well that takes some years but you would think you would have a right nice little sum under the floor boards but no you get even more skint………I think for say 25 years i had no respect wat so ever for money…I mean when you think about it its a bit of paper……You no do you no wat i mean its nothing more than a bit of colored paper….But that paper says you eat or go hungry and i still think that’s just pathetic really…How behind times we are…..We are all caught up in a rat race…..If the kings of this world and some queens had not got so power hungry and greedy with money and also a kneed to keep people like chickens just feeding them enough to live on well we could have all lived happy enough of the land you no the natural land ….No stupid world wide government…….Jesus it makes me so mad….Take A alcoholic that is say on the dole…………….Now we all no why he or she is on the dole but say they want to get there life back on track……No infarct let me talk about my self here when i was on the dole 15 or so years ago ….I don’t have to go though all the drill i was a alcoholic and still am all ways will be and i don’t like the word so i use alcohol dependent…..Well i had hit rock bottom and there was no way out but to kill my self and i was very close to going though with that ye even old don’t give a dam sean was on breaking point ….Lost control you no me head was shattered…..Well i rang my sister up and thats some one i would never ring up….But there i was crying me eyes out saying i cant go on and i think i was maybe hours away from ending it all ….ell she drove a long way in her big car and bank cards…..She took me to all sorts of doctors and trists and gists trying to get me sectioned.. But they seemed to think i was all cool a cry for help as they say but well they really don’t no me as i am a impulse man…..Well in all the places we went to with all her money no one would give little baby jesus a bed for a week….Oh there is so much more to that but i am making my self angry and i cant be crapped with saying any more so be good and arrrrrrrr just do your best c yazz
Sean,
I’m sorry to hear about this, I’ve completely run out of money before too and had to write a bad check at the grocery store just for food and was nowhere near my family to help me. Times are good for me now, I’d help you if I can, you have my email.
Rebecca
Grrrr! I was peacefully sitting around at the hotel bar eating edamame after my husband has passed out from running a marathon. So some guy comes up to hit on me and says he has 50 grams in his room if I want to party. I told him what he can do with his 50 grams! And I think you can imagine what I told him…dammit!
You hang in there girl!
How did we all do over the weekend. Off worst of withdrawals now and going to work today. This is always a difficult time for me. I feel almost fine now and think that a little drinkie wouldn’t hurt………….so I sit for hours arguing inside my head. Trying to remember all the bad stuff, but thinking how nice just one small lager would be………..Ahggggggggg – cravings – will they ever go away. Ramona what day are you on now? Hope it is going OK. Jx
So Jackie you must be on day 4 – a little drinkie would hurt I’m sorry to say. I get that arguing inside my head to but try not to listen to it. You can always rationalize why you can drink, but if you resist you won’t be sorry. The cravings will get less and less. Don’t know if they will ever go away.
I’m on day 14 and doing better every day evern tho it is still hard. I just try not to think about it and stay busy.
Hang in there all.
Im new to all this do I just start typing
When you say your new to all this Paul do you mean computers as in its your first computer and your not to shore wat your suppose to be doing…..If its not that then you are here because you looked up alcohol …..If that’s because you drink to much or maybe you use to drink to much then just type a little post on here saying how you use to drink or how you are drinking now and how you dealt with it or are dealing with it…..You can type as much as you want but please try not to put any links in and obscene words….If you feel you have to put obscene words in to be able to get your story over then well that’s fair enough i have had to do it my self….
Six Months Folks!! Six Whole Months!!!
Celebrated at the weekend with 2 pints of beer in the sunshine of the pub beer garden…And I turned down a 3rd pint with no problems, and haven’t felt the need to continue drinking at all…So yes, the cravings do pass!
I’m a very happy (and clear headed!) bunny!!
Love To All xxx
Gillian, I’m so proud of you!!!! Congrats.