how long do alcohol withdrawal symptoms last?

I started getting into drinking about 4 years ago. Before that I played all sorts of sports and participated in many activities. Randomly I got really sick for about 3 or 4 months and nearly died from it. After that I was unable to participate in all of those activities because I felt too weak and drained to do so. By this time all of my friends were into drinking and it took me a while before I decided to join them. Eventually I joined the partying and instantly it became something that happened every weekend. Eventually it progressed to drinking at a random time during the week. We would make up some sort of excuse such as "the weather is nice, perfect for some beers." It didn't take that long until we drank multiple times during the week and on the weekend. When we drank it wasn't like we drank just a little bit and walked away with a slight buzz; we always pushed our limits. Eventually it turned into an every day thing or well pretty close to it. I still attended class and I still went to work even if I woke up drunk or feeling extremely under the weather. I convinced myself it wasn't a problem as long as I was keeping up with my education and holding a job. This whole drinking thing is becoming too redundant for my liking... I wish I could say that I have been doing something besides drinking. I spend so much money on alcohol because my tolerance is so high. It's ridiculous of me, I should be saving that money or at least doing something else with it. Blackouts are also pretty frightening and I have only started experiencing them within the past year. I don't feel comfortable having to piece together my evenings and at times not even being able to. A few weeks ago I decided to stop drinking. My body felt extremely drained and my head felt insane. There was like this strange pressure around and behind my eyes and I found myself just laying in bed completely spaced out for hours at a time. When I was at work it always felt like I could fall over at any moment, like there was this constant lightheadedness or something. I couldn't really sleep. I already have trouble sleeping so without drinking myself into a slumber it was impossible for me to sleep. I found that I was hungrier than usual, but everything seemed too unappetizing to consume. I felt shaky, anxious, exhausted, restless and just couldn't stop thinking. That lasted about a week, before I drank again. I didn't know what to do with myself. My friends were all still out drinking and partying and knew that I would come back to it eventually. There are others who tried quitting or wanted to quit as well but it just comes down to the fact that we all seem to do it at different times and find it impossible to find ways to pass our time effectively. I went on a week long drinking binge and so far have not drank in 4 days. I have decided that I am not going to give in like last time. I started running again and playing basketball a little bit. I have also been picking up on my music again and just working as hard as I can to be productive. My friends are still convinced that come Friday I will be as drunk as ever like usual. I am not close to my family so they have no idea that any of this is even happening. There are a couple of friends who are really supportive about the fact that I am choosing to stop, so I am not entirely alone. The withdrawal symptoms aren't so great right now. I feel like I did the last time I tried to stop drinking. I actually stumbled across this forum trying to figure out how long they last. I wish everyone else luck with trying to stop.

I got through my withdrawal last week but now I am starting again. I feel sick to my stomach, I'm starting to shake again and the sweat is pouring out of me. I'm getting very nervous and my breathing is starting to get shallow because I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. I know it's going to get worse too because I drank so much the last few days.

Well, day 7 for me, and it does get better. I didn't get the shakes etc, headaches a couple and upset stomach yes. I am at the moment getting a little on the nervous side, feeling tired but I can see the end. I do look like c**p just now but again I hope this will get better also. From what I've read depending on what you drank also has a bearing on how bad your withdrawal is. It can take up to two weeks to get over most symptoms and possibly another two to start feeling like your old self. And I read it takes a month for every year you have abused your body for it to physically heal.

All I can say looking back, it was not worth it. Alcohol didn't make life better, it made it worse. It is a poison and we have to get that into our heads..IT KILLS. Don't drink, thats the solution, no other.

Why do we do it to ourselves?

Nothing is worth this.

My Dad has been drinking for 33 years, the last few years it has been rough. He drinks 2 pints of Vodka a day and who knows how many beers. He won't stop BUT we went on a trip with a brother and his Dad and the drinking was limited, no vodka. When he returned home he was in withdraw which then led to hallucinations. Thw worst thing that could happen. I was so scared when I was called over to his place. he was seeing so many things and telling me to chase the people out of his house. His alcohol levels had fallen so low we couldn't get them back up, it was too late. I had to call 911, he has been in the hospital for five days. It is the sadiest thing to see, he is so weak, snowed from the meds, it's like he is a hundred years old in a fifty year old mans body. To those that drink do you want it to get to this point? Do you want your family to have to go throguh this? After this story, which is just a short stroy of what all happend during the withdarw should scare you enough to STOP! Or may you need this to happen to scare you enough to stop. Think long and hard about the affect it has on you and the loved ones around you. It's not fair that we have to go through this becuase you can't get it together, tough LOVE, I can't do this anymore, this is the "last call."

I am nearly through my withdrawal now thanks to sedation by my Doctor. The shakes are gone (Due to the Diazapam), but I still feel a little sweaty and can't manage to eat anything. I've slept a lot today, again thanks to the Diazapam, but I found I had numerous nightmares. When this is over I am not putting myself through the horrors of withdrawal anymore. I am resolving to quit drinking once and for all.

I have been a heavy drinker for 12 years. 10-15 drinks a day. Also, over the last 7 years I was taking 30 miligrams of Valium a day. I was hospitalized last year and was diagnosed with acute panceatitis. After 3 days the doctors wanted me to stay. I was going through alcohol withdrawals. I pulled out my IV and left. I went home and got totally drunk! Recently, I went to a new doctor and had blood work done. My liver enzyme and pancreas levels were off the chart!! I was told to quit drinking. If not, I would just end up back in the hospital or end up with cirrosis. I quit cold turkey and am on day 5. With the help of Valium I only suffered 2 days of mild withdrawals. I have now cut down to 5 mil of Valium in the morning and 10 mil at night. I feel great and don't feel the need to take as many Valiums as each day goes by. I am sleeping good. Something I thought was impossible for me to do for the last 12 years without getting wasted first. If I can do it. Anyone can! If your withdrawals last for more than a few days, I would suggest asking your doctor for some Valium to get through it.

Withdrawal can be a total nightmare when you go through it without medical supervision. I really, really thought I was after developing a wet brain and suffering a nervous breakdown when I was in the height of it. The things that ran through my head were just plain insane. All that sheaking, sweating, panic attacks, weakness, irritation, agitation, constant uncoherent mumbling to myself and just wanting it all to stop. Just wanting my head to shut down and wanting to die so it would all be over. It's so crazy what withdrawal can do to you. I am sober now thank god because I will not allow myself to go through the utter hell of withdrawal anymore. For anyone who is suffering withdrawal at this point I strongly urge you to get help from the Doctor and get some Valium to see you through, because without it you could actually tinker on the verge of insanity. I went through hell and back and I got through it so anyone can. I wish everyone the best of luck coming through this horrid period.

Also known as Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. Each person is different but do not be surprised--PAWS can last a year or more

I've been drinking pretty regularly for almost four years. And while I've stopped for a few days at a time and never noticed any problem, it's generally been an every day thing.

I was getting up to eight or nine beers a day, and it struck me how much money I was spending on this habit. I tried to cut back gradually telling myself I'd only have two or three and stop, but I seem to lack willpower in that department. The 30 case is such a good deal, etc etc. If something is in front of me, I'll consume it until its gone or I'm sated. Opps!

But I do have the willpower to stop entirely, it was a lot easier to simply not buy in the first place. So I did just that. I'm about seven days into it and I feel like I have a mild flu. Kind of achy, lots of strange dreams. One day I had a weird tremble in my legs and felt weak. I feel physically tired but not mentally. It kind of stinks, but its an interesting experience. I'm glad I made the decision before my habits got any worse.

Take lots of vitamins, drink water, and eat good meals. I've read that vitamin B supplements, especially thiamine can be helpful, but I feel better with just a couple multipurpose ones. I've kind of substituted drinking lots of extravagant coffee to help with the fatigue. You know, the good stuff. Which probably isn't the greatest habit to exchange it with, but it's so darn tasty.

How long before my hands stop shaking once I quit. I have been a heavy drinker. Is there vitamins that help?

day 2 for me. Feeling nuts. really sweaty. hot. dizzy. hard to type this. nervous, slept like sh*t. took some aspirin to rid a bad headache. Dont know about Dt if I had it or not? anyone with experience? please tell me what you see/feel so I can better understand what to "look for"?

was a heavy drinker for about 10 years. bottle of wine, 6 pack a day. sometime for lunch. weekends blacking out. time to stop.

Good luck everyone. Good luck.

sigh.

my first withdrawel experience from drugs and alcohol ended me up in the hospital from serious hyperventilation..thought I was going to die, actually close.

was clean for a year.

then, I will have a drink or two.. then heavy binge drinking on the weekends..hangovers lasted 3-4 days. back at it.

finally, another hospital experience, felt heart doing weird sh*t..blood pressure out of wack due to extreme anxiety body fighting alcohol stuff. ativans not working. etc..

been sober for a while now. its because of my last withdrawing hangover though. ya I partied like a fing maniac..

but that one night that lasted forever.....trying to go to sleep with seizures and throat closing up and mind racing, spiders , paranoia..shakes..finger on 911......"call" "call"...f**k that sh*t.

Im done. good luck to you all!!!!!

God am I glad to find this forum. I don't think I realized it until I was fully into it but I believe I have been experiencing alcohol withdrawl symptoms. I've been drinking steadily and hard since the early '80s. Sad thing was when I first took a drink I really didn't want to and kept getting pulled into it. So fast forward through some chaotic years to last week. Once again, Friday night so I was free to just drink as much as I wanted to without having to even consider how much. Once again felt horrible Saturday morning and told myself that I'll make up for it by not drinking Saturday night. I did not, and started getting ill. I started feeling much sicker and decided not to drink Sunday and was feeling pretty horrible by then. Sunday I figured two days not drinking, I would be fine to go to work on Monday. I have to be there - I'm the manager. I walked into the office and my staff just kind of looked at me. I started shivering and shaking - I was so cold and turned the heat all the way up. I told them I was sick (and they said wow, we thought so even your lips lokos pale). I didn't stay for much of the day. Went home and had to turn the heat all the way up and throw on two blankets and try to keep from passing out. Still thought it was a flu - though no coughing or sniffing. A friend of mind gave me a thermometer. My fever went from 98 at night to 101 in the morning. Had to go into the office Tuesday because I had to interview somes. It's autumn - chilly outside. By the time I drove from my home to the office, no heat in the car windows partially open, my back was drenched with sweat. I stayed half a day and went home. Same thing went back to freezing, wrapping in blankets and sleeping all the time. During all this time feeling off, disoriented and headachey. No cough, no sniffles though. Tried to join an online AA meeting. Was turned down. Talk about being at a low point. LOL! I'm pretty much through everything now, but man - I just never thought I was at a point that it was that bad. I tell you, the mind is so powerful when it tries to shield you with denial. I was brushing my teeth last night, thinking about how horrible I felt and thought something to the effect of this is what alcohol is all about - do you think you want to drink again? I almost could not stop laughing. I've tried in the past to tell friends that I think I have a drinking problem, and they did the oh no no, of course not. Then when it started getting really bad over the last 10 years a good friend tried to tell me that I should pay attention to what I am doing and I got mad at her. Not real mad, just said she accuses anyone that drinks of being an alcoholic. I don't know if anyone will read this or respond, it's not too busy of a blog, but it feels to good to get this off my chest and acknowledge it.

matissewoman, glad you got through it! It's good that you recognized it for what it was and didn't just end up writing it off as a flu and continued drinking. I am kinda jealous, I wish the first time this happened to me I thought I was sick and didn't know a drink would make it go away! Such a vicious cycle. If I thought like you I could have saved $'s on detox. My problem had gotten to the point that it would have been very dangerous to do on my own. You are very strong for not fixing it with alcohol when you realized. How did you do that? Was the sickness just so bad that you couldn't? Or wouldn't?