Medical: Dealing with Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?
Related Topics
Clever Nym cle...@nym.org
I fully expect advice to join AA from this newsgroup, and I have nothing against that. AA is a wonderful organization which has done great good in this world. It is on the list of options for me. I drink too much.
However, my questions are pretty specific, and don't have to do with maintaining abstenance, merely getting there in the first place. I really need some useful medical advice.
For the last year I've been drinking pretty heavily, pretty regularly.
For the last six months or so I've averaged approximately 12 beers a night.
Deciding that this sucks, and that I should really quit, I've made a number of attempts to quit cold turkey. However, it appears that I'm conditioned enough to alcohol that I have extremely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when I stop.
No bugs under the skin, but other symptoms which sound a lot like AWS, and pretty much interfere with my life much more than the morning fuzziness does.
So short of checking myself into a clinic, I was wondering if there are other ideas some of you might have as to how I can at least get to the point of having no alcohol at all in my system, and allowing my brain to recover enough to make the next step.
I'll print my symptoms below, and if there is anything you can suggest by way of vitamins or nutrition (or just white-knucking), I'd be grateful.
Background: 40+ male, weightlifter exercising 4 times a week, current supplements include a daily multivitamin, whey protein shakes, Fish Oil capsules, Milk Thistle + Dandelion. I eat six times a day, and including the beer am slightly over my caloric requirements.
Self-employed, so I set my own hours, but am working upwards of 60 hours a week.
The problems are: 1. Insomnia. For a few days after I go cold-turkey I cannot sleep at all. At least drinking I could get a messy REM-less sleep that allowed me to go to work sometime the next day. I've tried Benadryl, warm milk, Nyquil, 5-HTP and various herbal "sleepytime" supplements to no avail. I would lay in bed, sweating and panicking - all night long.
2. Anxiety attacks. These are probably the worst - though I work part time on my own, I do need to interact with people occasionally. And when I do, after going cold-turkey, I'm often seized with the urgent need to GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE. Not very constructive.
3. Tremors. Not full-blown, late-stage Parkinson's, but irritating nonetheless. There are times when I can't even really type.
4. Loss of appetite. After sweating four days of the above symptoms, I found I couldn't get a forkful down. It occurred to me to get ahold of some marijuana (though in most interpretations of my condition, that would be held to be counterproductive). This led to more anxiety attacks and ..
5. Severe loss of energy. QED.
Now I understand the effects of chronic alcohol abuse - that the body compensates for the narcotic effect by producing more stimulants like adrenaline n such. This seems to be the bulk of my problem.
Problem is, I can't figure out a way to ameliorate these issues without employing another drug with similar or worse properties than alcohol. I have to say, after a horrible back injury a few months back I was prescribed a fairly serious painkiller, which allowed me to go cold turkey without effect for a couple days. Then I became frightened of the appeal of the painkiller, stopped it, and was treated to a full return of these symptoms.
Again - I suspect I'll just have to take a vacation and sweat this crap out. However, I would also suspect that among the community of people dealing with alcohol abuse, that some tips may have been discovered to dull the pain.
Thanks for any suggestions you can give. =) CN
"Bonnie" boois2sass...@cfl.rr.com
~~~~~^^^^^~~~~~^^^^^~~~~~^^^^^~~~~~^^^^^ "May the road always lead, where you need to be." snip snip ************* half a large gl*** of orange juice mixed with half a gl*** of honey works wonders, you'll be groggy the next day but by gosh you'll sleep!!
************** ***** I would say admit yourself to the hospital for detox, sometimes it can be dangerous to detox on your own, especially with all the above symptoms you are having.
And a 30 day vacation never hurt anyone... :o) it can be quite helpful and also help you with some of the anxiety, etc, give you a starter on some tools to use to help you out. And you definately have plenty of time to sleep. Try no caffiene too, it alleviates some of the stress and alot of B complex vits with minerals helps too.
hope this helps a little bonnie
"John Droge" jhdr...@earthlink.net
"...conditioned enough..." "..merely getting there in the first place" Only you can truly give yourself a Meaningful diagnosis of being "..as alcoholic as we are" But sir you is waddlin' and quackin' and you just maybe a duck You could try some controlled drinking. Go to a bar and just have 3 and leave (no more at home-that's cheatin') You could try going to some open AA meetings and hear if you hear yourself mentioned (focus on the similarities, not the differences in what's said) Or not Peace John PS plenty of maltose in the brew if your looking to bulk out
"rosie read n' post" readandp...@yahoo.com
are you able to cut down SLOWLY on the amount you are drinking daily?
it would reduce the "withdrawal" symptoms.
have you talked to your doctor about your anxiety disorder?
that could be a SEPARATE issue.
your dandelion herb can be a stimulant to the system and aggravating your ability to sleep!
--
rosie http://www.moveonpac.org./ http://www.codepinkalert.org/index.php ...
"Mike" elz...@yahoo.com
Dear Clever, It's not likely you would get medicated for 12 beers a day. What you describe is what some dead guy called 'a bad case of the jitters.' Heck, if that's how much I was drinking I probably would not have stopped. In my experience, tapering off does not work. You might want to consider a seven day just to keep the stuff away and learn a few things. Do it in a hospital so you can get medicated if your blood pressure and pulse register on the Richter scale. Otherwise the orange juice with a sugar turbocharger works well. Or, take some time off work and get a bunch of valium. I won't tell.
Mike the Drunk "rosie read n' post" <readandp...@yahoo.com> wrote in message ...
: are you able to cut down SLOWLY on the amount you are drinking daily?
: it would reduce the "withdrawal" symptoms.
: : have you talked to your doctor about your anxiety disorder?
: that could be a SEPARATE issue.
: : your dandelion herb can be a stimulant to the system and aggravating : your ability to sleep!
: : --
: rosie : http://www.moveonpac.org./ : http://www.codepinkalert.org/index.php : : : : : : : "Clever Nym" <cle...@nym.org> wrote in message : ...
: > I fully expect advice to join AA from this newsgroup, and I have : > nothing against that. AA is a wonderful organization which has done : > great good in this world. It is on the list of options for me. I drink : > too much.
: > : > However, my questions are pretty specific, and don't have to do with : > maintaining abstenance, merely getting there in the first place. I : > really need some useful medical advice.
: > : > For the last year I've been drinking pretty heavily, pretty regularly.
: > For the last six months or so I've averaged approximately 12 beers a : > night.
: > : > Deciding that this sucks, and that I should really quit, I've made a : > number of attempts to quit cold turkey. However, it appears that I'm : > conditioned enough to alcohol that I have extremely unpleasant : > withdrawal symptoms when I stop.
: > : > No bugs under the skin, but other symptoms which sound a lot like AWS, : > and pretty much interfere with my life much more than the morning : > fuzziness does.
: > : > So short of checking myself into a clinic, I was wondering if there : > are other ideas some of you might have as to how I can at least get to : > the point of having no alcohol at all in my system, and allowing my : > brain to recover enough to make the next step.
: > : > I'll print my symptoms below, and if there is anything you can suggest : > by way of vitamins or nutrition (or just white-knucking), I'd be : > grateful.
: > : > Background: 40+ male, weightlifter exercising 4 times a week, current : > supplements include a daily multivitamin, whey protein shakes, Fish : > Oil capsules, Milk Thistle + Dandelion. I eat six times a day, and : > including the beer am slightly over my caloric requirements.
: > Self-employed, so I set my own hours, but am working upwards of 60 : > hours a week.
: > : > The problems are: : > : > 1. Insomnia. For a few days after I go cold-turkey I cannot sleep at : > all. At least drinking I could get a messy REM-less sleep that allowed : > me to go to work sometime the next day. I've tried Benadryl, warm : > milk, Nyquil, 5-HTP and various herbal "sleepytime" supplements to no : > avail. I would lay in bed, sweating and panicking - all night long.
: > : > 2. Anxiety attacks. These are probably the worst - though I work part : > time on my own, I do need to interact with people occasionally. And : > when I do, after going cold-turkey, I'm often seized with the urgent : > need to GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE. Not very constructive.
: > : > 3. Tremors. Not full-blown, late-stage Parkinson's, but irritating : > nonetheless. There are times when I can't even really type.
: > : > 4. Loss of appetite. After sweating four days of the above symptoms, I : > found I couldn't get a forkful down. It occurred to me to get ahold of : > some marijuana (though in most interpretations of my condition, that : > would be held to be counterproductive). This led to more anxiety : > attacks and ..
: > : > 5. Severe loss of energy. QED.
: > : > Now I understand the effects of chronic alcohol abuse - that the body : > compensates for the narcotic effect by producing more stimulants like : > adrenaline n such. This seems to be the bulk of my problem.
: > : > Problem is, I can't figure out a way to ameliorate these issues : > without employing another drug with similar or worse properties than : > alcohol. I have to say, after a horrible back injury a few months back : > I was prescribed a fairly serious painkiller, which allowed me to go : > cold turkey without effect for a couple days. Then I became frightened : > of the appeal of the painkiller, stopped it, and was treated to a full : > return of these symptoms.
: > : > Again - I suspect I'll just have to take a vacation and sweat this : > crap out. However, I would also suspect that among the community of : > people dealing with alcohol abuse, that some tips may have been : > discovered to dull the pain.
: > : > Thanks for any suggestions you can give. =) : > : > CN : :
"Jason Mulkey" h.mul...@comcast.net
Go to a detox/treatment center. Withdrawal from alcohol CAN kill. I never had the symptoms you brought up, except for a little sleeplessness, but I wouldn't suggest you tough it out on your own. Get professional help.
...
El Greco mike_elgrec...@hotmail.com
Hi CN, Physically we sound pretty much the same, I also do cardio which may or may not help. I have not had the problems you describe in these few sober days so far. I also may have more body m*** at 6'2".
I've felt a bit dry drunk I guess. Benadryl helps sleep at night.
Asked doc for some xanax in case tension sets in. If it has I haven't noticed too much! But like you, I don't want to have yet another addiction to deal with.
I also upped a general multi vitamin high in B complex, and take electrolyte complex religiously. Instead of drinking I do my exercise or read. I have this routine down after only three days, wow.
Read a book last month called 7 Weeks to Sobriety which goes into reformulating the chemical balance of the brain through nutrition/sups.
I have not tried it, but it was recommended to me by a friend who did and found it worked well to control cravings etc. Lots of vits C, B, etc., and includes plenty of amino acid therapy to stimulate serotonin, hgh, etc.
We'll see how this goes, eh?
| To Top |