how long do alcohol withdrawal symptoms last?

I only started drinking again after a car crash left me in constant pain for a few month, I like to think I'm pretty good at creative problem solving so my solution to needing pain killers and muscle relaxant was booze. The intention was always to get back on the wagon but around the time the pain was done I was told I was being made redundant, that dragged on for over a year and resulted in me emigrating, only when I was settled again did I get back on the wagon. Although thinking about it there was an incident with a kiwi on the turn, watch out for those, they can ferment! I'm a programmer, preparing statistical analysis, I don't want to go into too many details as it's not the kind of role you'd want a drunk in.

lol you do bring a smile to my face, which is rare these days. If ever I see a Kiwi on the turn I will throw it in the bin with that PITFA peach :) I think us alkies will always find an excuse to drink. Id been sober for a year and then the dog I took travelling with me got sick and I had to go and have her put to sleep. Cue completely unecessary but tolerated 12 day binge whch ended when i woke up wearing some guys jeans and another girl's bra. Was so out of it I dont recall scattering her ashes over Dover clifftops. I cringe when I remember these times because its so far away from the person I am in every day life - but I accept that Vodka will continue to allow me to thrive in these situations unless I turn the tap off. I think you knew that booze wasnt going to help you long term - but it gave you a damn good excuse for a little while? Same as you, it doesnt take much to give me an excuse. Ive been sober for a few months now which expains the revolting black-eye bean stew on the hob and the 100 x more disgusting green veg smoothie sitting here daring me to drink it. BLUUUUUUUURGH. These are the times Id kill for a half pint of vodka with a splash of cranberry and lime. lol xxx

Hey,

 

Here's my experience with it....I got to 63 days without alcohol, symptoms were generally mild as I was drinking lots of water, juice, veggies, walking...etc....decided to have a light beer on day 64....then had a week of stress and spiraled into a 2 week stint of 4-6 beer per night...felt like c**p after 2 weeks of that and one evening my knuckles swelled and was really tired and said I have to stop or I'm in big trouble...next day I quite cold turkey again after a full day of off and on beer drinking - 7 in one day....the following day I had a terrible headahce, body was hot, blood pressure was 144/105 and I was very nervous....drank liquids all day and a big bowl of turkey soup broth and fianally felt better....I've read that withdrawl symptoms are much worse the more dry spells you have...so this was my second attempt at quitting and it was scary! ON day 4 now and feeling much better....grated ginger and lemon tea really helps I find...my only complaint now is a ringing in my ear, it may be a symptom of detox....I am definately NOT going back to the old ways, it's not an option....I had a taste of being 'healthy' and I like that much more than the slumber of being buzzed all the time....I'm really trying!!

Hi everyone. This is an interesting & pretty varying description & thanks. I was a heavy drinker from 16 to 30 & after I realised just couldn't survive without drink I got sober for 5 years going to 3 AA meetings a week. I didn't just stop drinking thru AA but it gave me an amazing life & taught me how to live without drink. After 5 years I stopped going to AA - life just got too busy, I was married, 2 businesses etc.After about a year of not going to AA, my marriage broke up & that was my excuse to drink again. That was 18 months ago & I'm now on day 6 of a cold turkey detox. To give you an idea of how much I was drinking, the 4 days before I stopped consisted of 32 litres of white wine plus 4-5 pints a day in the pub. The first day was horrific - non stop vomitting blood & bile, passing out twice, fittting in bed, sweats & shaking like I never have before. On day 2, I managed to start keeping down water & someone suggested Gatorade or Powerade. I just about managed to get 2 bottles from the shop over the road. Then on day 3, I felt a bit better; still sweaty, shaky & nervy but able to get around home slowly, shower etc. That was when an old friend from AA suggested dissolvable tablets called Barocca - they give you a ridiculously huge boost of vitamins! They have worked a miracle. They provide over 900% of your RDA of vitamins B1, B2 & B12 & are full of other vitamins & minerals that the body needs to get back to normal. They aren't sold as a withdrawal treatment & a lot of "normal drinkers" take them as a natural daily way of getting the day off to a good start. I would recommend them to anyone & no I don't work for them! lol. Anyway, like I said today's day 6, I've been back to AA twice since stopping coz it works for me & today I've had a short walk along the beach & an hour long game of golf. I feel a lot better & even managed 6 hours sleep last night! Vitamins are paramount to detoxing. I would suggest going to the hospital if you're contemplating it but where I live in the uk, my hospital seem to think that alcoholism is a crime not an illness, give you a days worth of librium & send you on your way, shaking their heads the moment you've turned your back! Good luck to anyone giving it a go. Best advice I can give: Gatorade drink & Barroco tablets to help getting sober, AA to stay sober. Someone once said to me "Getting sober is easy compared to staying sober". To finish on a pozitive note fall all those who don't think there is life after drink -I PROMISE you there is. I know hundreds, maybe thousands of people whose lives have just got better & better since stopping. From my experience those five years I was sober were the best of my 37 year old life & although its only day 6, I hope can be as happy again for the rest of my life. Again, good luck everyone.

I had been drinking daily for the past ten years. After relocating for work a couple years ago the drinking increased. After a couple of close friends each told me they thought my drinking was getting out of hand I decided to sober up. i attended AA meetings as well. 5 days into sobriety (cold turkey) I had a grand mal seizure. Fortunately I was with friends and in public so an ambulance was there quickly. Long story short: if you're worried about potential health problems from alcohol (or benzodiazepines) PLEASE consult with a Doctor before going cold turkey. While a lot of drugs have shitty detoxes, alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can have serious, life threatening, consequences. 

 

If you're asking yourself the question, then you probably should be consulting professional help.

TDub here,

Day 11 still feel weak, ill, really fat, and foggy.  Need to go back to work on Saturday the 4th.  Hope I'm ready.

Any suggestions????

I stopped drinking after 8 1/2 years of heavy drinking and I am currently on day 6. The things that are getting to me the most is I feel tired all the time and don't have a lot of desire to do anything. Also, the fact that 30 min- an hour after I eat anything I seem to get nausea and frequently vomit is tiresome. I have a headache on and off. Does anyone have any advice on how long these symptoms will persist? I don't really have any cravings for alcohol, but I am tired of feeling like c**p.

I'm a Canadian who wintered this year in Florida. The cost of wine was half the price in Canada, so I drank more. What really amazed me is that wine is everywhere....grocery stores, gas station outlets, etc. In Canada (except Quebec Province) you are restricted to buying beer/wine at government controlled outlets. They close around 9 pm every night. The problem with me in Florida was that I was seeing wine EVERYWHERE.

pj again. 4.5 months sober now.

most symptoms gone, no palpitations, no major feelings of panic or worry and no major anxiety.  Uncontrollable twitching gone.  If I hadn't have had anxiety before then i'd say I was completely fine.  Concentration much better and much more level and rational when dealing with people and not getting worked up over minor issues.

the minor issues I have still are that when driving a long way I can feel minor anxiety but nothing like it used to be.  also, sometimes, if I let my thoughts run away with me I can get obsessive thoughts that I can't shake off.  I have learnt to stop these thoughts in their tracks and to put on music, play a game, have a bath or watch something that will make you think about something else.

had a diet coke and chocolate bar the other day as was hungry and did get minor anxiety from that.

so, for the people that are in the early days, the following advice will help

1. Get your diet sorted, cut out sugars and all caffeine including chocolate.  Have camomile tea or decaf coffee if you must but decaf does still contain caffeine.  Have water or sparkling water.  After a week or two of having no sugar the cravings will go but you have to ride out the difficult first couple of weeks - its hard but do able.

2. Eat little and often and don't get hungry.  Good things to eat are rice cakes, chicken, turkey, salad, vegetables, quaker oats with skimmed milk, hummous, olives, avocado, fish.  If you're going out for the day then plan what you will eat and when and take things with you so you don't get hungry.

3. Heavy weights don't help and can make worse but walking/jogging/cardio does help.  A brisk walk works wonders

4. Yoga and tai chi help

5. Vitamin B, multi vitamin, magnesium supplements all help

6. Gatorade and powerade help

7. If you feel that your thoughts are running away with you do something that will get your mind off worrying thoughts - a run or good video etc.  This really is crucial, change your thinking from negative to actually a positive thought.  Eg instead of saying i've got no money this month, think about the people that are worse off than you and think about what you do have eg a nice home, family, nice pet etc.

8. Dont get tired - sleep early and get a good 8 hours plus if you can.  tiredness brings on symptoms

9. nice long baths with radox or stress relief lotions and potions can help.

10. aromatherapy candles in the evening instead of having the lights on.

11. a nice massage by your partner or pay for one if you can afford - especially back massages

12. Do not check the forums all day every day and do not keep looking for signs of anxiety as you will keep thinking about it.

not drinking gets easier with time, if i can do it so can you.  Don't lie to your friends, be honest and say that it makes you ill so they won't force you to do it.  But, in the early days, if your friends are going on holiday etc you may not be ready for it and its best not to put yourself in that situation until you get a bit better.  it may be worth working more, going to the gym in the evening and changing your routine.

i have saved more money, look much better, sleep well and am much happier in myself now.  I don't waste my sundays and can go to the park, for a walk etc rather than being hungover and eating junk food.  I don't worry about what I say, don't feel bad about making a fool of myself and don't have to get a cab everywhere as I can just drive.  restaurant bills are much cheaper too.  Infact, when you think of it there isn't much to dislike about stopping drinking.

Yes, you will miss the wild nights out and the fun that goes along with that and that's something you will just have to put up with.  but, instead of that you can do something else in the day such as theme parks, water parks, watching movies, doing things you wouldn't normally do, get a better car etc etc.

if you don't change it will only get worse and therefore you need to stop.  DO seek medical attention and don't be scared to be honest.

I'm hoping that in 1.5 months I will be 100%, it does get easier and things do get better with time so remember that you CAN get better and that you aren't alone. 

Make a note of just how you feel when you have a panic attack, how your palpitations worry you and the anxiety you face and the fact that you never want to drink again.  If you ever feel like having a drink then do read what you read and that will help you not to drink.

 

Try and avoid stressors, eg if you are always late then set off earlier, give yourself time to relax, theres a free ipad app called ican hypnosis which is not bad for free, think about what makes you stressed and change it.  ask your partner for support and show them this thread so that they can help understand what you are going through - there is no shame in it.

 

Im hoping this post will be a good reference point for others that condenses what has been said before.  I didn't personally take medication but I don't blame others if you do, I wanted to get better naturally but it may not be a good idea for very heavy drinkers.

 

the internet is such a great invention because docs etc may not put your symptoms down to withdrawal so you may go a lifetime with anxiety not knowing what it is but because of the internet friends from all over the world have got together to help - americans, canadians, british etc.  I've had a drink with all of you guys over the years and its something we all have in common and we can help each other get better.

 

I will come on here and try to help others as I have been helped myself.

after 7-14 days you are likely to be over the worst. Then, then every month after that you should feel a bit better probably up to around 6 months when you should be fine. it will prob depend on how long you've been drinking and lots of other factors such as age, health, family history etc.

The first 7-14 days are the worst so you're nearly there.

This completely depends on how long and how severe your husband has been drinking. It could be as little as a week or it could go on for months.

If he is experiencing withdrawal symptoms the best option he can take is to talk to his Doctor and get treatment. There are many prescription drugs available which can be a great help to people trying to conquer alcoholism.

As for non-prescription, dietary supplements there are also a view options, though they won't work as well as what your doctor can get you.

Many alcohols have zinc deficiencies and taking a zinc supplement can help some of the withdrawal effects associated with heavy alcohol use. You can find Zinc supplements in most pharmacies such as CVS.

Another supplement, called dihydromyricetin (DHM), helps reverse the negative effects long term alcohol use has on the brain (specifically GABA receptors).

 

 

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Thank you for your post. I found it useful and positive. I am at the end of my 3rd day cold turkey and was very scared to do it without help, especially because my husband had to be out of town this week on business. I am a very heavy drinker, I'd say half a bottle of wine (at least) and around ten mixed drinks a night. I would go through 2 litters of vodka in a week easy, and that is just at home drinking. On top of that, I was out a few nights a week drinking as well. I would drink in the daytime sometimes, and other times I would go to the gym, do my day and not start drinking until later that night. I have even gone to the gym to do cardio after having a few daytime drinks by rationalizing that lots of people dance all night and drink. I live in Manhattan NYC, so I have never had to worry about driving. My husband is also a heavy drinker, but not as much as me, he has a lot more responsibility than I... so can't sit at home all day or stay up all night during the week. We have lots of fun together and drinking has not really had many negative effects on our lives... we do not have any children.

I have decided to stop after getting some blood work back last week that pretty much said that it is time to stop. I am 45 and otherwise in good health. It scared me enough to stop, I did not want to stop, but I have. My father had non-alcohol related cirrhosis, and sadly passed away last year. The liver problem was not is not ultimately what led to his death, but his immune system was too weak to fight Lymphoma. I can't describe how awful it was, I was by his side for six weeks. My father was a doctor and did not drink.

Anyway, I decided as much as I love it, and I do, I really really do... I'm going to stop. I have been drinking for 25 years, though not always as heavy as I describe above. I am very worried about how hard it is going to be, parties, vacations, basically my whole lifestyle is centered around social occasions or activities that include alcohol. My husband said he will try and cut back, but he has no intention of stopping. Hell, he is having a big birthday party for himself with 25 of our closest friends in a week and a half. Sigh, that is going to be very hard for me... I am pretty much dreading it, but it was already planned and I'll have to get used to it. It is just really soon.

What has surprised me is I really don't feel bad. I have not had any physical symptoms other than the insomnia part. I have not been able to fall asleep until very early in the morning then sleep fitfully for about 5 hours. I am not taking any drugs other than 1mg Melatonin, and have even stopped taking my Benadryl. I have used vitamins and supplements for years and continue to do so. I have been eating very clean, trying to keep my sugar balanced and have been able to do my cardio for the past three days too. I am having the anxiety part, a lot of it was originally should I go into detox because my husband would be gone and what would happen if I got very ill... what would happened to me, etc.. I obviously chose cold turkey anyway, but have been hyper alert, almost expecting something bad to happen. It really hasn't, and I am not sure why. My anxiety now is still that a bit, will my pain come late in the game, that kind of thing. I worry that I have already done too much damage, I retest in a couple weeks. My doctor told me if I changed my habits things should go back to normal, but you never know. That is huge anxiety. I also worry what the heck will I do with myself, how will I get through this, my life will be so different now, I wonder if I will still enjoy life. The anxiety gets worse at night, hence the insomnia maybe? In the daytime, I feel better, good even, more positive. I have not had shakes or GI problems, no sweats or chills, my appetite has been normal, and i've not had a full on panic attack... I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it hasn't? Knock on wood.

I have only stopped once before and that was four years ago January. My husband and I had decided to stop drinking that January to see how it would be. It was fine, no problem for either of us, but it is easy when you are doing it together and for a finite amount of time. Forever and alone is very scary!

Thank you for reading my book here, I hope it is not too rambling. It is the first time I have really been totally honest about any of this stuff, my friends would be shocked. Good luck to all of you.

I could not agree more. And I have asked myself that more times that I'd like to admit.

If the pain is under your ribs and seems to get worse at night, it might be pancreatitis you need to stop drinking for good. If you don't will get worse and be hospitalized. I know its hard to tell the difference because when you withdraw from drinking you get many of these symptoms but the main one is pain under your ribs.

When you have symptoms like: sweating, nausea/ vomiting, diarrhea, pain under the ribs (sometimes around to your back), and loss of appetite. Its good to get a blood test and make sure they test your lipase (pancreas), ALT (liver), Gamma GT

If these 3 items are high, you should stop drinking for at least 3 months but would be better off quitting all together I have acute pancreatitis I'm only 23 years old and have been in the hospital 3 times with a tube up my nose into my stomach, pumping out my stomach (not comfortable) 7-10 days each time all in the last year. I had been drinking 300 mL of vodka (almost a mickey) and 2 or 3 beers everyday for 4 years. Its hard to quit went threw DT's 3 times.

I quit for 6 months without a drop felt great and didn't mind other people drinking around me, but as soon as you start drinking again you will slowly go back to your old ways. It's easier to quit for good than to play with drinking because clearly anyone who is going threw withdraws is drinking too much and its a problem, as you progress in drinking you get more problems with your life, and body.

Take it from me, JUST QUIT. Tell your doctor before you do and be honest about how much you drink get some benzodiazepine, eat well (a lot of fibre), take b complex and grape seed extract in the morning, and melatonin, and magnesium for sleep (works for me but everyone's different) and try to drink and eat things with anti oxidants and anti inflammation. Recovery is different for everyone but give or take your should feel normal anywhere from 2 weeks to a month, Don't be afraid to quit.

Its actually better when your around your friends and family not drunk, and have a good piece of mind and feel healthy. Just find different activities or hobbies to do like sports, music, go to the beach, camping, go to different events with friends or family. You'll find out you'll have more things to do and have more energy, and money! rather than just sitting around drinking wasting your life away.

LIFE GETS BETTER, AND ITS ALL UP TO YOU KEEP STRONG

The use of Baclofen was accidentally discovered by a French heart surgeon. It is now recognised as a highly-detox drug as well as something to tame alcohol cravings. UK psychciatrists have reported remarkable results. It helped me. If you were using it for a spinal injury (whch is what the drug ius designed for), then you were probably on a very high dose. I only needed a small dose and there was no withdrawals, in fact I have never before come across a claim that baclofen could cause withdrawals.