Tapering off with beer?

General health and lifestyle
1

Okay. I know that everyone on this forum has been in this situation.

It gets to the point where you know you need to stop, but the thought of stopping is a major step.

Two weeks ago, I decided that enough was enough. My three bottles a day habit was starting to get out of control. I would wake up in the morning and my husband would ask me if I was okay. "Yes of course I'm okay. Why?" "Because you fell over last night." The blackouts were starting to scare me.

Sunday I decided that I would start tapering off the following day. Luckily I have a supportive husband and admitted my problem. He bought me very small lagers and printed out the tapering off method from the internet.

Monday: I had the shakes in the morning after three bottles of wine the day before. Luckily I work from home. I had six beers and stopped myself from buying a bottle of wine in the evening. Really bad sleep, nightmares, palpatations and a constant craving for what I knew would help me.

Tuesday: Didn't really wake up okay as I hadn't slept much. Started work. Had four small beers and didn't crave for wine in the evening. I felt shaky and strange. Went to bed and slept for three hours which was unusual for me.

Wednesday: I woke up feeling different. Almost human. I got loads of work done and didn't want a drink. I had one small beer with my dinner and went to bed. I slept for about four hours, had some water and went back to sleep. Amazing.

Thursday: Well I've been a good girl this week. I'll treat myself to a glass of wine. Big mistake. Two bottles down.

Friday: We're going away this weekend. I could just not drink during the week surely? Another two bottles of wine. A few shots at the local........

A week later I'm back where I started.

My problem is that I am scared of stopping. I now know that I can get through the tapering off method without life threatening withdrawals but I contradict myself constantly. My mum has Alzheimer's. I'm helping her, so I need a drink. Oh, I've had a bad day so I deserve a glass of wine, or six. My child is disabled. I deserve a drink because I've had a bad day. The cycle is endless.

I went to the GP yesterday and cried. I told him (it was a locum) that I had a problem. I explained that I couldnt sleep without a drink. I have nightmares (because of my PTSD) and my stomach is playing havoc with my life. He said, "Obviously you have IBS." I said, "Obviously?" He said, "Well yes. you don't drink enough for it to affect your stomach." I walked out of the surgery saying, "Well thanks anyway."

Sorry for the long post but I am really trying and wanted some advice/encouragement to try this tapering off again next week. Does it work? Has anyome done it successfully?

I have already applied to be a patient for a different surgery and will be honest with them too. Hopefully they will point me in the right direction.

2

There are many facets to living with alcohol.

From your post, you are addicted and are suffering withdrawal symptoms, that make it very unpleasant to come off alcohol - cold turkey. Tapering doesn't work for most people, because once they've had a couple of drinks, they get the 'buzz' and their will power disappears.

If you want to come off the alcohol, you need to detox, diazepam. Unfortunately what you will find is that GPs and the alcohol recovery centres that they direct you to, are woefully inadequate and they really don't understand/want to understand, heavy daily drinking/alcoholism.

When you say, stop, could you define that. Stop for ever, stop for a while, be able to cut down to a sensible drinking regime?

The three bottles you mention, is that wine or beer?

3

My crutch is wine, red wine. I did ask the doctor for Diazepam because I always had that on repeat prescription for PTSD. We moved house and the new surgery don't prescribe it anymore.

I was totally honest with the GP. He seemed to want me out of the room so that he could get his next patient in. He said that if I didn't feel any better by next week to come back! I lay my heart on the line and feel a bit let down at the moment. I have social phobia because of my PTSD and it took a lot to get me to the surgery. I'm not sure if I can go again.

I've looked up Selincro on the internet and can buy it. It's expensive but worth a go. Hopefully they are a genuine supplier. I'm going to order some today. Fingers crossed.

4

A GP can prescribe it, and no GP does not prescribe it any more. They may be reluctant to prescribe for detox, but that is different. Not let them had behind regulations, there are no GMC/NHS rule that forbids them from prescribing it.

My GP wasn't overly happy, but I'be been prescribed it twice in the last seven months. Unfortunately, if you are the non confrontational type, that is of no help to you.

Selincro (nalmefene) and naltrexone are almost identical. Before you order, wait for someone to comment on here on online pharmacies they have bought from. Or at the very least, list which ones you are thinking of buying from.

Later on, you may want to go to an alcohol recovery service, where they may give you a prescription for it.

5

Yesterday I took 1 pill Naltrexone 1 hour before I was going to start to drink. I have noticed that when I eat Nalterxone I dont get so drunk al with not eating it. Last weekend I was away and I got so drunk at a hotel that I was going naked in a lobby in a hotel. Lucky I have 2 dogs at home so I am always drinking at home. I usually drink 6 beers a day and I got a big belly and I hate it. I work full time, luckly if I was going to work from home I would be drinking all day. I use to now try to buy beer with lover alcoholgrade like 3,5% but then I drink a lot more but dont get so drunk. I dont want to stop because I cant imagine in the summer going out for walk and sit on a restaurant and drink a soda gud so boring. I did not know that I had to take the pill one hour before drinking, I use to take it almost every morning together with Cymbalta. I am 50 years old, no children, 2 dogs, and a twin brother who is alcoholic to ...still functioning alcoholic...

6

But now is weekend I live in Sweden and I have bought 8 beers 5.3 %

7

Have you tried to stop drinking? I'm not sure what you are saying. If you hate drinking, which we all do, are you asking for help?

8

I have tried to stop for one month but everything was so boring but I dont know if everything is so fun drinking. I cant stop drinking but I drink less with the Naltexone I think, but I would like to stop drinking and only drink little on fridays and saturdays but I cant...I am alkoholist so they cant stop but at the same time I want to drink but I want to drink little, I am getting fatter and poorer...and uglier...

9

Hi.  It's so so hard to get into the right frame of mind but you have to keep trying, like myself, or the alternative is a that we lose everything, at worst our lives. Demon drink makes us so depressed and worthless too. 

But we have to try and stay strong and win this battle. 

I would go for naltrexone rather than nalmephene as after reading so many posts on here, there are less side effects and it's cheaper. Though you will need to have a liver test. 

Keep posting as we are in this together jbgf and bibi xx

10

Thanks Paper Fairy. How are you doing? Are you totally sober now? I can't get the medication needed from my GP. I'm going to change GPs and see if they will help me or order the meds online. If you have any recommendations of where to get them from, let me know. Good luck with your journey xx

 

11

No I'm not sober!! Wish I was. I've been taking naltrexone on and off for a few weeks. I am determined to see this through as I know that I can't stay totally abstinent, I just haven't the willpower. I'm on my own which makes it harder when I have a trigger. The longest I've ever stayed sober was 5 months and I was happy but was in a relationship with a man that didn't drink. (3 n half years). 

I think RHGB is the best person to give advice on how to approach your dr and online chemists, though river pharmacy springs to mind. 

Anyway I felt so rubbish today that slept until 2 pm, took a naltrexone at 3 and drinking white wine, with loads of ice to water it down, from 4 pm. I'm wondering if I feel so rubbish the following day is to do with my antidepressants, 50 mgs seroxat, not good with naltrexone ?? I'm sure Joanna will be able to advise me on this. 

Sorry ive not been much help xx

12

Vickiilou, just curious, have you started the naltrexone yet?? X

13

Thanks for your reply. I was given seroxat a while ago and it didn't work for me, it made my depression worse. I'm on 30mgs of mirtazapine now. It's meant to help me sleep. It doesn't work.

I was sober for five years when I had my daughter. I was in hospital for four months with her and didn't have the time to drink. I didn't even think about it. I stayed sober after that until my mum got Alzheimer's. I picked up a bottle to numb the pain of what I was going through. My dad had already passed away and I helped myself by drinking.

Now I can't stop.

PM me. It would be nice to know if you drink as much as I do. Just the thought that I'm not on my own would help. I do try. I had a day a couple of weeks ago when I only drank one unit. I was so proud of myself. The next day I treated myself to two bottles of wine.... The cycle goes on. I have a bottle of my favourite red wine next to me now. I'm trying to take it slowly but keep thinking, sod it.....

14

Thanks for reply. I always liked to drink, red wine was fav too. I controlled it for many years as I have 3 children...now age 23,20 and 16. Also ran a successful biz for 15 years. Then I crashed in 2007. Kept going as a functioning Alcohol user until 2012 and went in rehab. Been on and off the drink since then plus sold biz in 2013. I used to drink 1, 1 n half, 2 and 2 n half of white, depending on mood. Since taking naltrexone I'm on a bottle ( sometimes 3/4 or sometimes a bottle and a glass or two more. What ever I drink I still feel rubbish the next day tbh. So there you go xx

15

mean btw(by the way) !! X

16

I wouldn't wish Seroxat on my worst enemy. About 15/16 years ago my wife took that for depression.

It really made her into a bit of a zombie, didn't mix with alcohol at all. She was always passing out and falling down. So she came off of it after two months.

There's plenty of bad publicity on the internet about it. Last time I looked it was withdrawn from being given to adolescents because of suicidal thoughts.

17

Yes I know all about the bad publicity but to come off it after many years is as bad as aws. Incl brain shocks/zaps and vertigo plus more. Then the panic attacks when you think you're going to die. So to stop both drink and drug is impossible for me. Misssy knows all about that. But is the combination of seroxat and naltrexone a reason why I feel ill the next day? If I didn't I'd stop. Idk x

18

I've been on naltrexone for 2 weeks now and I have no side effects.Ive drunk as much as 2 bottles of wine and had no hangover,maybe it's the combination making you have a hangover?

19

Thanks for that Nicole. I'm starting to think that there is something else giving me the symptoms the next day as no one else does on naltrexone, but do on nalmephene. I've always suffered with vertigo, when I'm ill. Had labrinthitis in past and my mum has meniers disease which is hereditary by 50 percent to daughters. My hangovers have always been bad, have yours?

Joanna has kindly let me call her in 10 mins so I will see what she has to say. I'm not a wimp! Had 3 kids, 2 without any pain relief and broke pelvis, arm, ribs, vertebrae and had a complete knee ACL reconstruction in the past. I'd give anything to go through that than AWS. 

Take care and thanks for being there xx

20

I had bad hangovers in my youth where I would throw up in the morning and be ill all day but since my mid 30's (I'm 47 now) I very rarely get hangovers.I could drink 3 bottles of wine over a day and feel relatively ok the next day.