So I'm on my third day of my alcohol withdrawal. I've drank pretty heavily before, but not for too long of time periods. But this time I can't remember the last time I stopped drinking. Took some breaks over a few months. Anyways, I'm past those critical 72 hours with DTs, but I haven't slepped for 2 days now and I'm worried it's going to be the same tonight. Plus I think I entered a portion of stage two, or at least the fact that this is giving me anxiety, absoulety no sleep, and paranoa (thought I was going to die cause the first day was intense). I experienced slight auditorial hallucinations, and it makes sense cause just the fact of no sleep you can get hallucinations. Anyways, long story short... Any advice for sleep? I don't have insurance at the moment, crazy time, but it was driving me insane. And I don't even feel like I haven't slepped for two days, but it makes it so much harder when you can't take a break from alcohol withdrawal with sleep. Feeling better, but I am exhausted. New here, thanks for everyone's time!
Make sure you drink plenty of water and taking thiamine and a b1 complex. Others on this forum will have more advice for you I'm sure. They are a good bunch of people
Kind Regards
JulieAnne
hi Billy. Hang it there!! it is never easy and you have a lot of problems the first month at least. Sleeping is hard but drinking a lot of water helps and you are doing this!! well done and keep trying. Robin
Just try to sleep out the rest, you are pretty much at the end now.
If you are going to do cold turkey, it is helpful to have a friend/partner to help you out. Just keep resting, keep re-hydrating and if you can open a can of soup, try to have some. Benzos are the only real help in detoxing.
@JA When going cold turkey, taking vitamins is the last thing on your mind, you feel like you are dying and getting out of bed is problematic.
Please be aware that the OP is in the US.
Thanks RH I try to be helpful but I have no idea what it actually feels like. Don't they have thiamine in the states then?
Regards JA
Hello Billy, it's OK TO SLIP. There is a lot of help,to keep you from slipping or relapsing again. There is treatment that can help you get thru the DT's which can be life threatening . See a professional you need not suffer this. There are meds to help u thru the withdrawals.
List of meds used to help you this is a illness a physological & physical disorder. Your body craves alcohol and meds now are used to block the craving centers the opiate receptors.
See the the two boxes above in alcohol by C3Europe and Emis the moderator above under alcohol consumption.
Do research find the reasons for becoming addicted to alcohol. Understand the science of addiction and relapse. You don't need to go thru complete abstense but with naltrexone the options for meds available the receptors are blocked , after over 2-3 months it's called pharmacudical extinction occurs and slowly the cravings have been decreased. The opiate receptors have come to a point that the brain is no longer hyjacked by alcohol and cravings for alcohol have been decreased.many here have used this method with great success. "The Sinclair Method", has been 78% clinically proven to stop the opiate receptors from controlling your life and alcohol,cravings.
List of drugs to ask about and research to block the opiate receptors for alcohol addiction TOPIRIMATE (Topomax),BACLOFEN (Lioresal or Gablofen®
,NALTREXONE.,CAMPRAL (Acamprosate)ONDANSETRON (Zofran)
CHANTIX (Varenicline)GABAPENTIN ,VIVITROL
Take heart there are many good GP's and alcohol counselors.to search for in your area. Never give up leave the helplessness mentality that many have because they have been rejected for help so many times. You can ask for help it's very important to find docs that will treat ALCOHOL USE DISORDER. this is not a moral failing or a weakness this is a illness just like diabetes and medication is clinically proven to help AUD.
Listen to PAUL TURNER on u tube alcohol advice video.look it up on u tube.YOU CAN LIVE ALCOHOL FREE OR SLOWLY CUT DOWN THE DAILY AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL your choice.
I care very much for each of every one on this site. I have been here a long time. My son has been a victim of many years of abusive relationships almost killed due to his irrational decisions due to AUD. Black out binge drinking .
NO ONE deserves to live with addiction and there is help you must fight for yourself!
Alway fight. It will eventually become easier on medication once the brain has had time to be untrained by the opiate receptors alcohol creates. The more you drink alcohol the more the opiate receptors . Slow down cut down the opiate receptors will recede.
HOPE4CURE 👍
Hi RH again just been thinking back when hubby has been 'drying out' and I've nagged him a bit to take all his prescribed meds- I do feel guilty about that now from what you are saying he must have felt like cr*p 😞
Your post made me smile. I can remember that even trying to drink water or thinking about it would make me throw up! With the very best of intentions, my husband would always try and make me take my medication and would keep saying you need to eat, I'll cook you anything, you'll feel better with some food UGH!!! I've gone for three days before without any food, sips of water day l, bottles of lucozade day 2, milkshakes or complain Day 3 then soup.
glad to see your husband is getting on with campral. Like RHGB, it worked for me and in my case it stopped me obsessing over alcohol, till I realised I'd gone a day without even thinking about a drink.
I did have a few binges after I stopped taking it, but nothing like before. I now only drink socially, very rarely spirits and never alone.
Ive turned down several friends daughters hen dos, depending which friends (rather acquaintances ) were going, mainly because I don't trust myself and would not enjoy the night, or weekend with just a couple of drinks.
I feel the fear of never being able to drink again is what stops a lot of people getting help and addressing their drinking. Once I knew that I could still have a few from time to time helped greatly. For example yesterday was family Sunday lunch out. Previously I'd have had at least half a bottle of wine beforehand, gulped down a few glasses before the meal, wine with it and a brandy coffee to follow and wine once home, then spend the rest of the afternoon asleep.
good luck in your mission and do admire the way you're supporting your OH
wish there was an edit button! Should be complan not complain! Although I felt like complaining about forcing it down lol!
I really don't think billy that you will sleep well without some benzos or something like Benadryl....antihistimines make some people tired.
My friend takes Benadryl during dry outs..i always took Benzos.
Yes, the us has Thiamine but I have had a lot of anxiety/sleeplessness and I also think you should get some L-Theanine and Chamomile tea....these will definetly help you relax if you don't have benzos.
Yes, the first 72 hours are the crucial time to hope we dont have a seizure. But, it takes a couple of WEEKS to regulate back to a normal sleep cycle.....I have been thru this many times....so do WHAT YOU CAN to achieve the best sleep.
Strongly suggest the L-Theanine (supplement) and Chamomile tea....and if you are in the US...Look for "OLLY Restful sleep" these gummy bears really work for putting you to sleep.
Hi Vickilou,
Glad you seem to be doing well. I'm wondering if you get any withdrawal symptoms for having an occasional drink of acohol. I tried to go back after 60days sober and even 3 drinks sent me into mild WDs for a few days.
If you are detoxed from alcohol, with diazepam or similar, the experience is not unpleasant for most people. However if you are a heavy long term drinker and you go cold turkey, it is like hell for most people.
Yes they do. I was meaning that thiamine won't help with the withdrawal symptoms. The bit about the States, was merely to warn people that the OP wasn't in the UK and obviously their system is different. I do believe that their version of A&E will actually take people in and detox them.
Oh god JulieAnne years and years and years ago (30) my drinking was well out of control and that first 3 days of stopping was hell on earth ..I never had D'Ts but boy I can't describe the horrendous feelings of fear, unease, tremor sweats it's nightmarish ...not to mention the guilt.To keep drinking water ( if it stays down is sound advice 😷😷 .Thankfully I got thru by stopping for a long time and never ever want to go there again ..hence deciding on the nalmefene recently as the little binges that have popped up were beginning to take their toll... little beasties lol Yep there comes a time when you just can't take any more
I am sure you are doing the right things with hubby purely because you care so much ...keep chipping away xxx😍
excellent reply Nat and how hard is has been..you have been through hell and persevere..well done. You are in inspiration. Robin
Thanks vickylou. Glad to hear that Campral has worked for you too. I am still on edge and hoping hoping Campral is going to work for him. I do have a supply of Naltrexone in as a failsafe, but he has got to be honest with me. I need to know when he first picks up.
Ive never made him or tried to make him eat when he has cut down at home, it would be pointless anyway as he vomitted a lot.
Just don't want him to go thru that again. I only tried to get him to take his meds because I was worried about his brain 😶 I think he has forgiven me x
Thinking of everyone on here always x
Poor you forcing it down x
Aww thanks Nat. I certainly don't want to give someone some duff advice. I know it's silly, but I look at when the person posted and I think oh dear everyone's busy and this person is in a bad way, what can I say what can I do to reassure them? 😞 I think maybe my job has something to do with it, not that I believe people with AUD dont have capacity, 😊 its just I feel the need to reassure
I think you are brill and very reassuring to everyone you reply to JulieAnne ..Also it's I think it's great to get input from someone who doesn't have AUD .Lets face it you too have been to hell and back too struggling with hubby's addiction... so we are all on the same journey kiddo 😊
What we do as work sometimes does play a huge part in our reaction to threads .I completely get that from what I do.. Kind words mean so much to people
Sooooo is hubby ok ? xx
Thank you again Nat. Yes hubby seems ok. I try not to keep quizziing him as all that might do is remind him. Anyway he did go to an AA meet tonight, he still cant find his higher power, however, he does know the group and gets support. I know he never shares though.
The only side effect from the Campral is a lot of farting. I thought the cats were going to die of asphyxiation last night 😂
X