Withdrawal

[MissCheese]

I was a very shallow sleeper when I drank, now that I dont my sleep is much deeper and I do go into dream cycles which I hadn't really done for years.

[Chris_m]

This is my first day of withdrawal after a monster 5 day bender that nearly pushed me to suicide. Last night's sleep was horrific. During spells, I was having problems breathing and my heart was racing. Apparently I was also making shouting noises in my brief periods of actual sleep.

Perhaps the worst feeling was that I seemed to lose the ability to function. Twice I thought about shouting to my wife to ring 999 as I couldn't open my eyes and I thought my life was ending (ironic given my suicide thoughts during drinking)

Today, I've been filled with a mix of emotions and I owe so much to posters on here for keeping me going. When your standing in the kitchen with a can in hand in floods of tears you realize just how bad things have got. Today I poured my drink away and ran a bath rather then entering day 6 of the session

[Topcat]

Hi Chris, that sleep paralysis thingy is terrifying. Had it a lot over my drinking life. There is a technical name for it (probably very long and impossible to spell so I won't bother trying). In simple terms we actually go into a state of semi-paralysis when asleep so we don't act out our dreams and harm ourselves (i.e. really get up and walk out the window whilst 10 floors up). Sometimes, in stressful periods, it goes haywire and we half wake up during the paralysis and this is when we are aware of surroundings, but cannot move (sleepwalking is very similar, but we move about a bit). It is really frightening at the time, but don't worry Chris. It will pass together with all the other withdrawal symptoms - honest injun .

You're doing great Chris. Well done, TC

[Jake.]

i once had it where I could open my eyes and look around my bedroom but couldnt move. Scary!

[koalaBear]

Hi Guys,

I not sure if I’m posting this in the right place but here goes.

I’m on day 14 and physically feeling ok now, mentally it’s been a rollercoaster but on the whole nothing too unmanageable.

But, I look like utter sh*t! My skin is pallid and blotchy and I’ve got dark circles under my eyes. My OH took some pictures of me last night and I look about 45 (I’m 30)

Could this be a part of withdrawal? If so how long will it last???

I wasn’t excepting to be the picture of radiance, but I look worse than when I was drinking

I’ve been eating loads of vegetables, although to be fair lots of chocolate too. Could that be it? Getting about 7 hours of sleep a night.

I’m seeing my parents tomorrow and I don’t want them to worry (they suspect I have a drink problem). Ironically they will probably attribute my appearance to a binge last night.

Koala xx

[koalaBear]

Hi Oneday,

I kinda thought the healthy eating would be enough, but i’ve taken your advice and picked up some Berocca today, lets see if that helps. It’s got 900% + RDA of B vitamins in it!

I think perhaps sleep is a contributing problem as well. I was reading an article earlier about Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome which suggests that those in recovery need 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night. I guess when I think what I’ve put my body through, it makes sense that I/we need more rest than your average Joe. 10 hours is out of the question though, but will aim for 8

[Guyver]

Hi All

Had my first ever withdrawal after doing about a month of a litre of 40% vodka each night, woke up a little weak and felt fine and then had some coffee(could this have triggered it?) and throughout the entire day I was weak as a kitten, vomited everything up even water, had fever and sweat attacks, I'm still awake and haven't slept in 2 days and I have heart palpitations which I am scared they will somehow heart attack me. I ditched the vodka and am now on 2 Tennants Supers a night which is exactly twice the average recommended male unit limit but miles better than the vodka I was doing - as I read that going cold turkey can actually kill you?

Well I took some vitamins and drank a load of water throughout the day and got my strength back, stomach recovered mostly and the sweat attacks stopped, I took 10mg of diazepam to calm my shaking my hand down and lessen the palpitations... I caved in and had the 2 supers but everything except the insomnia has since disappeared but this might only be due to the tablets and drink.. I am scared if I do actually get asleep I will awake up in the same hell I was in yesterday with my life potentially at risk.. doctor told me to quit drinking for a month because of a test he got back about my liver but I have a highly stressful life and the only peace I get is at night time with a good drink so I don't know if I am willing to give that up. I am not a mental drunk as I don't feel a "need" for alcohol per-say but I want it to relax and forget my woes for a while.

Hope the heart palps don't turn into something serious

[silvergirl]

although i suspect you are a spammer, i'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

coffee(could this have triggered it?)

no. it is the alcohol not the coffee that has triggered your symptoms.

I read that going cold turkey can actually kill you?

yes, it can.

might only be due to the tablets and drink

quite possibly.

I have a highly stressful life

welcome to the club.

a good drink

I am not a mental drunk

perhaps not but it certainly sounds like you are a physical one.

I don't feel a "need" for alcohol per-say but I want it

whats the difference?

Hope the heart palps don't turn into something serious

fingers crossed, hey?!

what are you doing here? this is a website for people who abuse alcohol and want to stop. your doctor has told you to quit for a month because your consumption is affecting your liver. you are correct, stopping cold turkey can have serious consequences. were you honest with your doctor about the amount you drink? if you would like to stop then cutting down on your consumption over a few nights rather than stopping dead is safer. this is called tapering off (more info here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=489 and http://hamsnetwork.org/taper/) and allows your body to adjust to having less alcohol slowly. drugs - valium or librium - can also help but i don't know anything about them.

sgx

[Jon]

Guyver, I've gone through the same thing a few times, just larger quantities and longer periods in my worst days.

All you have described is pretty much normal for a withdrawl and I'm afriad it'll get worse. That's not a reason to keep drinking though, I never found trying to cut down worked, no matter how much I hated how I felt, week, lack of sleep, vomitting etc

2 days into it was ok, maybe a step back by having the 2 supers. You can expect up to 5-7 days/nights without sleep if you have been on that drinking cycle for a while I'd imagine. Best be warned, you'll get (maybe) hallucinations towards the end which is the scariest part; at least by then you'll be able to eat small amounts and keep something down.

Go to the doctors, sleep was the best cure for me although sleeping tablets no longer work. I could tell you day by day how your body may feel for 7 days after your last drink, but that would be putrely from my own experience so not really the answer and may scare you back into drinking.

Others I'm sure will have far better advice; im not sure Ive given any other than to not resort to drink as an easy answer or thinking it will keep away any withdrawl symptoms. It wont!

[MissCheese]

It is not advised to go cold turkey, if you are honest with your GP about the amount you are drinking they should be able to offer you help with going cold turkey, i.e. referral to the NHS addictions team for an assisted detox, either at home or hospital, with medication, usually Librium & vitamins, prescribed to help you through the initial withdrawal period, 10 days.

[Guyver]

The only reason I am dishonest with him is because I fear he may put me back in hospital, which I have had 2 horrible experiences with (not related to alcohol), so I have decided to limit myself to exactly the recommended 4 units a day NHS guidelines and hopefully that will give the liver a chance while also giving me some type of "break" from the daily stress

Staying on the diazepam to relax the tremors and heart palps but I will make sure I take the diazepam hours and hours before I touch the 1 can as mixing both together comes with its own set of risks.

Will keeping to the recommended NHS guidelines repair the liver abnormality the doctor detected or will it just keep it from getting any worse?

[MissCheese]

Your GP isn't going to put you back in hospital, they will refer you to the Addiction's Team with whom you can talk through your options for cutting down or quitting.

I may be wrong but the NHS guidelines are maximums per day for the average person, sticking to these will not give your liver a break or give it time to repair the damage that has been done. It wont stop it from getting worse either. What abnormality did your GP find?

[Day]

Withdrawal, its a bugg@r.

On day 7 and have horrible flu symptoms. Dry mouth though drinking fluid constantly. Joints aching, headbelongs to someone else. Sweats and itches. Exhaustion and insomnia. Have booked next week off work and will needit.

Not tempted to drink at all currently, though i know that wont last, feeling too sorry for myself!

[chriscole]

still? on day 7? wow, i must be lucky as mine never go past day 3. mine is always sweats,high anxiety,insomnia,
then constant salivation,and night urination

this is when i stop abruptly though. i plan to cut down then stop this time around.

keep up the fluids,food and vitamins

[Day]

Yes Chris, the aches didnt start til day 5 bizarrely. The other stuff, night sweats and anxiety, thirst and shabbiness been my friend since start. Ive gone round the loop of stopping and relapsing quite a few times. Each time the withdrawal has been different. And i believe, worse. Lets hope i learned my lesson this time.

[MrsCrumbs]

Day7 for me today too Day & I'm with you on 'my head belongs to somebody else'... I think it's currently with the AF, hanging out in the aisle of the off licence,wondering what's taking me so long to come & pick them both up. Actually,I bet the staff are also wondering that too

I'm sorry to hear about your other symptoms too though. Have you planned something for your week off work? Something to look forward too, like a few days away?

[Day]

Hi Nomies,

Withdrawal is easing now. But Day 7 was my killer this time. I was in bed all day bar trips to kitchen for more fluid and trips to loo to recycle!

Nothing fab planned this week. Got two children changing school in Sept and am just planning to get their uniforms, shoes, etc all in order without stress so this will just be a homey easy time and I think thats what i need. Would be lovely to think of getting away somewhere warm at half term but not sure the pennies will stretch to that!

[MAC]

Day 11 for me and I have just spent a most horrendou 30 hours confined to bed hot/cold, intense shivering, aches and pains and finding it hard to walk as far as the bathroom. I want to say I have never felt so ill before but suspect I've said that before! Is it possible that those were withdrawal symptons? I have felt absolutely fine up to this point. 10 days is the most I've ever gone without drinking in a very long time. Thoughts appreciated.

[Biggles]

Crikey MAC...You didn't get a reply
We were wondering where you were on the two weeker.
That doesn't sound like withdrawal as you wouldn't have a drop of alcohol in your system by now.: You're probably plain , old-fashioned ill!
Sounds something like flu ?
Do you have kids? They always bring weird illnesses in at the start of autumn term...

Take care,

Bigglesxx

[MAC]

Thanks Biggles!

I'm calming down now, think it was just 30 hour bug, but all I could think was perhaps this is withdrawal and how long will it go on for! You're a trooper, looking out for other people with all you've been through.