how long do alcohol withdrawal symptoms last?

go to a doctor - it is too risky - you are moving frp, the moderate to severe spectrum

Pj again.

 

feeling much better now, about 2-3 months in.  Mild anxiety and urge to close an eye once a day but much milder.

 

no real urge to drink.

 

doctors dont know about it and in no way was i ever alcoholic.  Drank from being 16 to 27 at weekends and the odd night midweek at college/uni.  Only time i ever drank in the day was on holiday, usual ibiza trips with lads etc and we'd all be drunk for the week but after the hol theyr fine but i had palpitations, anxiety, moodyness, irritability etc. used to just put it down to stress but it wasnt that.

 

the issue was i stopped drinking after a hol for a week or two whereas theyd pop to the pub or for a curry etc after the hol.

 

i drank a lot on saturday nights in nightclubs but never alone or before work etc and never felt a need for a drink.

 

its amazing how it affects you.

 

first week was terrible, then next 3 bit better and since then mild symptoms. You often put moodyness, snapping, irritability and stuff down to other things and blame other people.  It amazes me how we all suffer but so many are unaware.

 

 

I did outpatient detox through a professional facility.

You may not have that option around you, but that doesn't mean a GP can't prescribe Librium and Antabuse for you and step you down off of it while monitoring you every day.

I got the Librium for 6 days and I'm on day 9 now.  A GP shouldn't be doing this because they don't know how to properly monitor DTs and withdrawals, but if you don't have another option, then ask your GP rather than going it cold.  Substance abuse professionals will know to force you to take Antabuse so you don't end up killing yourself drinking on librium.  If you find a doctor who is allowed to prescribe Suboxone, then you'll have found a doctor who knows about substance abuse (that's for opiates but requires a special license to prescribe)

I REALLY didn't want the Antabuse, but I can honestly say if I didn't take it (and they didn't give me an option if I wanted the Librium), I would have drank.  With it, I know I can't.  It's not an option for me.

There are medications that work wonders and allow you to detox safely with much less side effects and pain.

I had night sweats for 3 days.  Small headaches.  Crummy insomnia (got trazodone for that).  Was tired for 3 days and a little zonked on the Librium and I'm just sort of coming out of it now.

I didn't miss a day of work.  No one noticed a thing except roomies in the morning when I was stumbly from the trazodone for about 1/2 hour.

Now I'm much less anxious/scared and aggitated with everybody and everything (Imagine the noises and the excitement of NYC during anxiety/panic).

I'm on Campral for the cravings and to fix my damaged brain chemistry (It'll probably be a few weeks), Buspar for the anxiety and a Thiamine/B regiment so my memory doesn't suffer damage.

I'm starting group/individual outpatient therapy next week and I have a doctors' appointment about my blood results (they turned out ok THANK GOD) to talk about my slightly elevated cholesterol and highly elevated blood pressure.

 

I'm taking it one crappy day at a time :) .

Lovely, inspiring post particularly the 'get excited about rediscovering yourself' part. I hadn't thought of it all like that. Last time I rediscovered myself was in a painful breakup with a woman I had loved. Food for thought. Thank you from Ireland.

this has been very helpful reading. I guess I averaged 5 -6 beers at lunch, 12+ more of the evening for about 2 years now. I'm 54 and started drinking again at 50. The 1st couple years were mild,social drinking.

 This will be my 5th day dry. It is not pleasant at all. Anxiety, seein stuff out of the edge of my eyesite. I get about 1-3 hrs sleep, constantly moving, sweating. Kinda paranoia. I finally ate something on day 3. I've also tried drinking the Ensure nutrition shakes.

So I will be getting a few things that have been talked about here. B1,B12, melatonin,thiamine,Valerian root.

Best of luck to everyone try'n to get away from this awful thing. This withdrawl is horrible, kinda like loosing your mind at times!

kevin

 

tell them all that you are in a battle with death either you win or you ll loose if they really love and care for you and you staying alive and well they will stop their sabotage and weakening of your resolve

I stumbled upon this and decided to add in hopes it might help someone. I am a 29 year old female and I am 49 days sober. I was a binge drinker that only drank once a week (very seldom 2 times a week) for almost 5 years. My first bout with withdrawals happened in November of 2012 where I ended up in the ER thinking that I was having a heart attack. I was given .5 mg of lorazepam and it made me a bit loopy. I continued to have panic attacks and insomnia, sometimes for three days straight. I decided to see if a beer or two would help, and of course it did. I dealt with the withdrawals on my own for two months but decided that to withdrawal safely at home I would need the help of my doctor. I have been taking lorazepam .5 mg for a few months now and I am to start Wellbutrin soon for the anxiety. All I can say is that everyone is different, I have been having panic attacks for 4 months now and even with 49 days no alcohol I am still not 100%... not even close. Sometimes alcohol withdrawal sufferers need help with medication, because if you don't get that help some withdrawals symptoms can be life threatening. I didn't experience seizures or DT's  but I felt at times I might, but that was just my anxiety freaking me out. Hopefully this experience will help someone as all of these other posts have helped me. Take care and God bless.

What be have found from my experience is reducing alcohol or elliminteing it can done by eating healthy foods especially in the beginning. The most important factor that you may not read about is DON"T get hungry. When you get off work at 5PM have a large/medium sized dinner right away. Later on if you feel a drinking urge coming on EAT a snack, ice cream etc. Drinking is not much fun on a full stomach. Trust me I know first hand for alot more years than you are old.! Keep this up for several weeks and your mind and body will start to clear. Urges will come again and go back to eating foods especially during the times you like to start drinking. Good luck!

I'm on day 3 of no alcohol and I'm at work feeling really groggy and just not very clear.  Like there's a fog on my brain or as if I'm hearing people while being underwater..  I know if I tried to sleep right now I wouldn't be able to.  So I refuse to go home.  Last night I popped a Benedryl to sleep and although it made me very sleepy, I could not fall asleep.  I was too hot even though I'm normally freezing.  I couldn't get comfortable.  Ugh.  :(

I'm so happy I came across this thread.  My father has been an alcoholic since he was 16 years old.  He is 76 now.  He has cirrhosis and recently it has progressed to the point that the doctor told him he had months to live at most if he didn't stop drinking.  He decided to stop drinking but is a very private person.  Will not go to support group.  HAsn't even told his doctor he stopped.  I noticed he is having withdrawal symptoms like nausea, sweating, shaking, fatigue and headaches.  I have been wondering how long this will go on and from what I have read it looks like he might almost be through the worst of it.  He is 7 days dry today and it sounds like if he can make it through the first 10 days or so it might start improving.  I just feel so helpless because I see him suffering and he won't accept any help.  I just keep bringing things over to cheer him up and got him to go out to a light lunch today which really seemed to make him a little happier.  It's so nice to read other people's stories on here and see the light at the end of the tunnel for him.  I just pray he is able to do this.  We aren't ready to lose him!!!

I'm on day 2 after about a 5 year bender, and this is sheer torture.  I couldn't sleep last night and would be willing to bet the same will be the case tonight.  I can't hold down any liquids and all I have been drinking yesterday and today is water.  I am sweating all day and my body is unable to regulate it's temperature. 

I'm going to try getting some exercise tomorrow and hopefully that will help me hold down water.  Already lost 10 pound in just these 2 days.  Just the site and smell of food for the time being though makes me sick.

I wish I would have found a post like this 5 years ago before i decided to start drinking 4 lokos every day.  If i knew I would be going through this torture down the road i would have just stuck to weekend beers with my friends.  That is before no one wanted to be around me when i was hammered and i still had friends. 

I beg you to make someone read the posts here if you know of this article and you see a problem starting. I've got 2 Dwi's, am now a felon, on 5 year felony probation, lost my job testing computers at Dell, Lost every friend and a few GF's, don't even have a phone because i have no one to talk to, had to move back in my parent's, lost licence and now have to walk more than 5 miles to even fill out pointless applications to jobs i wont get after to run a background, drank heavy at parents house and had a few drunken episodes and have now lost all their trust.

Take to heart my last paragraph.  If you don't want that happening to a friend or family member, make them read that.  I'm telling you, life is not easy, fun, enjoyable, or even worth living sometimes.  It's down right depressing.  Hope this helped someones life.

Its no way easy!!!!!!!!!! I have been a moderate(at times binge) since 5-6 years//// I have relocated in a state where drinks r forbidden.... I mean to say you can be behind the bars(I aint kidding,,, its Gujarat)/// and its been a month since i last tasted a drop!!!! you guys know what I am undergoing???? Silly little voices inside my head telling me Im screwed :-D (which I am not bdw),,, Im feeling weak, insomnia has become a common thing, dizziness, tendency to faint, cold sweats//// and oh God,,,, what not!!! But I have decided to get over with this withdrawl thing,,, once and for all,,, but I shall be kind to myself 2-3 beers a week would do no harm I guess(that too if i relocate to a better place)!!!

update to my guest topic I wrote on page 20 about drinking for 4 years since my dad died............

the method I used has really worked! Iv been two months without a drink, and can't ever imagine drinking again.  ANYONE WHO WANTS TO QUIT, please believe me! Get hold of a good hypnotherapy equity drinking cd, mp3 or whatever and listen to it for 21 days. I used Craig beck and I was still drinking when I started listening.  You just have to WAnT to WANT to quit and start listening.  One day u just wake up and look at the alcohol bottle and think yuck, what have I been doing to myself?  I tipped mine down the sink and have not struggled at all this time!  The book was called Alcohol lied to me and u listen to 

update to my guest topic I wrote on page 20 about drinking for 4 years since my dad died............

the method I used has really worked! Iv been two months without a drink, and can't ever imagine drinking again.  ANYONE WHO WANTS TO QUIT, please believe me! Get hold of a good hypnotherapy equity drinking cd, mp3 or whatever and listen to it for 21 days. I used Craig beck and I was still drinking when I started listening.  You just have to WAnT to WANT to quit and start listening.  One day u just wake up and look at the alcohol bottle and think yuck, what have I been doing to myself?  I tipped mine down the sink and have not struggled at all this time!  The book was called Alcohol lied to me and u listen to audio book then hypnosis files every night .  It makes it soooo much easier.  I gave up coca cola too so def had headaches but just took mercyndol until they passed and all clear now. Iv gone back to uni and I'm feeling myself again.  Anyone have any questions, message me.  I'm now listening to a different hypnosis by some other dude to improve my memory after the damage iv done!  

 

You can do this and you deserve better from yourself.  The hard times are worthit when you start to feel better again. Break the cycle!  oxoxox

Pj again.

 

been 3 and a bit months now and palpitations and twitching gone. Anxiety much milder and spells much shorter. Still get moody and irritable from time to time.

found things that aggrevate it are too much sugar, caffeine, chocolate and protein shakes. Also, exercise (cardio) helps but heavy intense weights do not help, especially leg workouts like squatting and leg press. 

I m hoping that in 3 more months the moodyness will have completely gone and completely anxiety free.

i find that msg in food doesnt help either.

take multi vit, b vit, magnesium which is found in apples, gatorade, water and eat healthy.

 

dont get tired and dont get hungry as this can bring on anxiety.

 

eat little and often.

 

sleeping fine now, spending less and looking better.

 

the is a book by allen carr meant to be good but not felt need.

 

its amazing how the bad effects of alcohol arent told to people more.