for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

[JRons13]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I've been drinking heavily for 6 years. A few years before that was only 2-3 cocktails per month if any at all. In these last years I started drinking half a liter then a liter a day. Then every 2 days I would buy the biggest bottle. I tried cold turkey a few times but failed because of the sweats, vomiting, chills, hallucinations, etc.

The worst for me was the feeling of bugs crawling and biting all over my face and body. I even felt bugs crawling up and around my nose! That really was one of the things that made me relapse.

I decided to taper. I did well yet got bad again. Tried again and then got down to a quarter bottle a day. Then decided to go cold turkey. I'm starting on my 5th day as of now. I still have aches and insomnia. I'm so happy the bugs are gone! This sounds weird but when I had those crawling feelings I rubbed tiger balm all over and even up my nose to make everything burn so I can't feel that crawling sensation any longer.

Now I feel a lot better than I did days before. But I'm still scared I might take another drink to get some energy back...

[gettinitright]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Horns I'm right there with you. How are you doing?

[booze head]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I need advice and a bit of help plz.

I'm a 34 year old wowoman who dinks a 750 a day of booze. I've detox ssooo many time I'm sadly not up for it again. I've got mental and physical health issues and have no job or insurance at this point. sadly again I'm loosing much more then my job self respect I'm loosing my family and myself. I am not afraid of home detox but I'm tired if that makes any sents. so I'm pleading for a permanent solution as well as a kinder more functional way to be set free from this 20 year nightmare. I've tried it all from rehashing to aa to self control to antabuse. I'm tired I'm loosing and I'm reaching out. please for give spelling I'm on my phone and this has taken me 45 minutes do to ya phone complications I'm not a drunk I function I'm just a slave to my addiction. I actually am a good mom partner daughter sister and lady and I try my best to be a functional person but from time to time the booze catches up or inorder for me to function I've got to drink away the dts so I loose jobs I and ya sadly no one get I'm not trien to get drunk I'm just trien to stay well and function maybe none of this makes sents but I need advice please. I'm not a bad person I'm just a slave to this hell. I can escape and I'm failing. I want and need better I diser it and so does my family. I'm open to suggestions. thanks for listening.

[Alky]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hi BH, since you mention insurance as an issue, I'm assuming that you live in the United States. This state-by-state list of agencies that handle substance abuse issues would probably be a good place to start:

State Substance Abuse Agencies

You may want to check and see if detox centers in your area are willing to provide services on a sliding scale. You might be surprised, but you'll never know unless you ask. If you're having to drink to keep the DTs at bay, you definitely need inpatient help and should not be attempting to detox at home.

[mlnt]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hey everyone, I just came across this board and finished reading all 19 pages. I wanted to give my story. I am 27 years old, I started drinking daily about two years ago. I was working full time while going to grad school at night, and in the middle of that I had a breakup from a five year relationship. I would get to work at 7am and get out of class at 10pm. I started drinking so that I could just fall asleep and not think about work, school, or the fact that I wasn't with the girl I thought I would marry anymore. I told myself that once I was out of school and had more time, I would stop drinking. No surprise to anyone here, when I graduated the drinking did nothing but pick up. As of last week I was around a 3/4 - full fifth a day. A full fifth would give me a blackout, where I didn't wake up until 4-5am. I was never really close to my family, I alienated most of my friends, and that was somewhat on purpose. I didn't want them to see me like this, and didn't want to drag anyone into my life, as sad as it is right now. Throughout this, I kept going very well at work. That was the one area of my life I didn't screw up. Just last week I had an opportunity that wouldn't come around again, and it hit my all at once that there is no chance I can keep going drinking the way I do. I am on a very real path to lose work as well (which might sound like a sad thing to cling onto, between work, family and friends, but it is the one good thing I have left). Two days ago I started tapering. I drank 10 beers each friday and yesterday, and was amazed at how good it feels to wake up sober and not hungover. I am going to my parent's house for christmas, and my goal is to be free by then. For the last few years I would sneak a bottle in my suitcase and get my fix at night when everyone thought I was asleep. That is not happening this year. I have been drinking shakes made of 1/2 cup spinach, 1/2 cup yogurt, fruit, ice and water, blended together for breakfast and lunch, coupled with additional fruit. I have also been taking vitamin supplements, and drinking a lot of Gatorade.

My plan is to go down by one drink every three days, and see how it goes.

Regardless of if someone sees this between now and then, I will keep updating my progress between now and Christmas.

[simpleton]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Hello everyone, I have read this entire thread a couple times and decided to sign up an post. I am afraid I need help. I used to have a few drinks every night after work (I own a small business). It started to affect my marriage and we agreed I'd stop drinking during the week, and I did. But now when the weekends roll around I find myself drinking way too much. On several occasions on Monday morning, I'm not able to work. My heart rate is elevated, I shake, sometimes I sweat real bad, and I don't sleep sunday nights at all. The ONLY thing that calms this tornado of physical issues is a couple of belts. My question is: can I really develop alchohol withdrawal symptoms after drinking a couple of days? I do not drink at all during the week, but I'm getting a bit scared. Not working on Mondays (although its only been a few times) is not a good situation.

[soberturkey]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

simpleton;1590078 wrote: My question is: can I really develop alchohol withdrawal symptoms after drinking a couple of days? I do not drink at all during the week, but I'm getting a bit scared. Not working on Mondays (although its only been a few times) is not a good situation.

Yes absolutely. I did two past tapers. Both after mega binges. The second one I did too fast and ended up having daytime hallucinations. Seeing snakes and ants in the carpet and walls and of course a sense of impending doom. Waiting for my heart to burst, a stroke, DTs, etc.

I have mostly stopped drinking. 4 drinking episodes in 8 months but always only just one night. This weekend i drank a fifth over Saturday and Sunday.

I could not sleep and had the hypnic jerks and head rushes last night. You can imagine the terror I felt. I am hoping I will not hit bad withdrawals, but I also had the heavy sweating and feel slightly shakey every now and then.

I think once you've crossed the line, it is not possible to ever drink the same way again.

For those wrapping up tapers, its not over. You will have good and bad weeks sober. I had one week where I felt shitfaced but had not drank in months. It's aweful.

I should add that I got drenching night sweats from a single beer after just a month sober, but that did go away until last night. I think its probably a good idea to go multiple months without booze.

Also if you guys haven't looked up post acute withdrawal, do that so you are prepared. I don't eat sweets yet had a few candy bar binges in addition to feeling like shit.

[soberturkey]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Just as an update.

Yesterday night I started having the hallucinations so I said screw it and sat in a brightly lit hospital room.

I was also unable to sleep and had a real unsettling addition to the hypnic jerks, this time I would get jerked awake and it would feel like my brain was having a seizure. Like it was stuttering for about 2 seconds as I was jerked awake. My thinking and senses felt like they were starting and stopping very rapidly and it made me feel very weird. It would be interesting to be hooked up to a brain monitor and see if it was something like an epileptic fit or something.

The good thing is that my pulse was very normal through the whole ordeal, so I don't think I was ever at risk for any major withdrawals. This is opposed to my last full detoxes. For whatever reason, I do get alcoholic hallucinosis though with the auditory, tactile, and visual hallucinations/disturbances.

e.g. a leaf turns into a squirrel and runs down the street, random flashes of light in my vision, hearing random noises (like car doors slamming) behind me, feeling bugs crawling on my neck

It's probably my own physiology + hallucinogens that I've done in the past that maybe make it easier for my brain to trip when going through withdrawals, I'm not sure.

Anyway, it took about 5 hours and everything returned to normal, my tests came back good, and I was able to sleep when I got home.

I very well should have just stayed home and rode it out, but I wasn't sure if I might suddenly get a rapid heart rate and seize.

So looks like I'm done even thinking about drinking alcohol ever again. This was pretty much the last straw. Good luck folks and just because I experienced this doesn't mean you will. I have family that have boozed their entire lives and never had to go through this.

[paulywogg]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Thank you for writing so much detail in your thread soberturkey,vey honest and helpful,yeah put drinking on hold,not worth it

[ifell100stories]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

hey everyone, first time here.

i will briefly outline my recent bout with booze. for the last 5 months or so, i've been drinking more than i should...probably an average of 6-8 beers a night, sometimes more, sometimes less. i have had days without any alcohol at all, and didn't have any problems, until recently. i started getting the "fog" which totally freaked me out and caused a few panic attacks (if you've ever had one, you know how absolutely terrifying they can be). anyway, i had about 10 drinks two days ago...and then i had 4 yesterday, and so far i have had 2 today, but i think i may need more as i've had pretty severe withdrawal symptoms today and yesterday, including about 3 panic attacks, one severe. based on what i've read in this thread, i may be tapering off too quickly, so maybe today i will start with 5 and gradually go downwards. aside from panic attacks, i've had sweating, rapid heart beat, palpitations, etc, but those are often also associated with regular panic attacks. thank god no hallucinations. anyway, just looking for some support as i am not in a good place right now. i will obviously also offer support and help to the extent i can. i would appreciate a reply for some advice, thanks much!

[badger]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

hi ifell100stories,

welcome to MWO, you've come to a good place

first off, I'm not medically trained, but I've tapered a bunch of times on AL (alcohol), & a couple of times on benzo's in medical detox. as always, advice on the Internet is worth the $$ you pay for it

second off, tapering on AL isn't easy. if you're the sort of drinker who can't stop after one or two, then it's probably not for you. if you're freaking out & can just drink a beer or two (don't drink anything stronger, it's too easy to over-shoot), then that might be an option. just don't drop yourself back into the cycle again

maybe you're hyper-sensitive to withdrawal, but I would have thought that you're not going to get yourself into serious DT territory on the basis of two night's drinking. you're probably not going to feel good, but it will likely pass by tomorrow

things you can do are:

1. drink*lots* of water - you're probably seriously dehydrated

2. eat - nutritious food, not crap - even if you don't really feel like it - your blood-sugar is probably through the floor

3. do whatever works for you to relax & stave off the panic attacks

4. sleep if you can

if you do go this route, try to have someone with you if you can

if you're really struggling, do please get medical attention. a medical detox is *much* safer (& a damn sight more comfortable) than trying to go solo on AL

best of luck. I'll be checking in on the Forum for a few hours yet (I'm in the UK) if you need any help. Private-Message me if you prefer

-badger

[ifell100stories]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

yeah, i wouldn't be worried if it wasn't for the fact i've had a good 5 months of 6-8 beers average before that...i rarely drink hard liquor, but i have indulged maybe 5-10 times in that period..nothing TOO crazy though. i hate this so much...

[Kickapoogirl]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I'm in the process of trying to detox from AL, was doing a lot of beer and whiskey. What seems to be working for me at the moment is wine diluted well with water. Not waking up horridly hung over, but the craving is around the corner. Ordered my first baclofen today.

[Zax]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

Yup, been a while but i screwed up again after almost 2 years free. Been drinking 750ml vodka for the last 2 months. Lots of drama/worries going on at the office as far as layoffs and i just cracked and didn't want to think about it anymore. My wonderful understanding girlfriend called me out again. Why oh why do we alcoholic buttholes love to hide it?! I really need to marry this girl since she's way too good for me.

Now a little background for anyone who cares. I got as bad as drinking about 200ml in the afternoon to get through the day and chug down about 500ml in the parking lot next to the house before coming home. I tend to have it pretty much together (nobody really knew, nice house, nice job, nice life, well educated, supporting family, ect). I'm not one of those go sleep in the alley drunks and really have no sane reason to be drinking. I just do. I use it to shut my brain off since im extremely high strung. The rational side of my brain knows this. I'm not saying i'm "better" than my brothers and sisters here just that i seem to be really good at hiding it. Hell, even my girlfriend (who knows me in and out) didn't know until i went on a little bender above that 750ml on my day off. Who knows, maybe my 270lb 6"5" ass just has a high tolerance. Eitherway, we are all human and sure as rain i got addicted (again) just like anyone else.

Alochol really is a cruel mistress.

Anyways, back to my point. I've tapered several times at this point. It can be done. I'm sharing incase it gives hope to anyone else that it CAN be done. It does require a ridiculous amount of willpower. I've had doctors tell me to my face that it is impossible to do yourself. Well, shows how much they know. Now, staying off the sauce is a whole other matter :H. Still haven't figured out a good method for me. Tried abstience (worked for a while). Tried acting like a normal human only drinking a few (worked for a while). Tried anti-depressants / other meds (worked for a while). I just seem to ping pong every 2 years or so . But i digress...

What i typically do is taper down roughly 50ml (45ml = 1.5 oz shot) a day. If you dont want to measure it out, just get a water bottle and a sharpie. Mark a new line downwards very slowly. Make a commitment to yourself NEVER to go above the line. Always striving to slowly move it down.

If you do it in this fashion, from my experience you will very much minimize your withdrawl symptoms. Don't EVER go too fast, listen to your body. I'm not saying you won't have any symptoms. You will have some racing heart, high BP, trouble sleeping, sweating, pins and needles on your body or face. That is where the iron willpower comes in, dealing with the minor discomfort and your brain telling you to DRINK DRINK DRINK. However, the severity of those symptoms is 90% reduced compared to if you were to go cold turkey (or even worse, the seizure/DT's). You do NOT want to go that route. Dont do it.

Go slow. For me that's roughly 50ml a day (sometimes leveling off for a day or two). Just dont let your brain trick you. It's gonna tell you to drink. It's gonna convince you that your elevated heart rate or sweating means an impending seizure and you chug-a-lug away. Just follow your plan and know it does get better.

My log from the last few days:

750ml
700ml
650ml
600ml
500ml
450ml (i dont even realize im tapering until here)
400ml
350ml
300ml (this is where i start feeling better than being drunk)
300ml
250ml
200ml (brain says DRINK, but body feels ok)
150ml
100ml
100ml (really want a drink, shutup brain! f-you)
50ml (today, posting here as a cathartic exercise and to remind myself the goal is in sight)

Sorry for the long post, for me it helps to share the story. I should come here more often and start going to the open AA meetings. Note, i don't particularly like AA or subscribe to the philosophy, but i like hearing the stories just like i enjoy reading them here. It's nice knowing your not alone

[TJAF]

for home-detoxers: How to Taper off Alcohol

I was 750 ml or more of vodka a day and was really good at hiding it too Zax...but boy was it rough when I went cold turkey. My advice is to get professional help and forget the warrior approach. If I had to do it again that's what I would do. If that isn't possible than have plenty of support around you. As for tapering, I could never make that work.