Am I having DTs

I've heard it said several times that withdrawal from alcohol is a lot harder than stopping using heroin.

ive had a home detox with chlordiazepoxide (Librium), with CMHT and would recommend it. Going cold turkey requires a lot of willpower and determination. Talking to your GP and asking for some Librium would be my recommendation

very good reply with lots of knowledge Julie Anne. Well done. Robin

I feel so helpless, when my Husband picks up. I know he is trying desperately hard to find his 'serene' place'. He found peace with AA and Tai Chi for 2 years. He needs to find a power greater than himself. He does not unfortunately believe in God. Attending AA is the only thing that has saved him. He admits this now but needs to be able to admit to this greater power. If anyone has any ideas I would be grateful. He has to move forward. Many thanks to everyone

I dropped by this and it worked for me.  Each day, a little less.  And I was up to 20 units a day.  The only symptoms I have had, were on day 2, some dizziness and feeling tired.  Day 3 the same, Day 4 much better and clearer head and my shaky hands (and dread of my hubs wanting me to email invoices etc to customers first thing in the morning because of my shaky hands) stopped completely.  Hey the keyboard did not move around and wobble!!!!

Take heart, it can be done.

Yes my husband has managed to finally stop by reducing 10 percent of units per day. Tough going but you really need someone to be with you to keep you safe. I dont know what it's like to crave alcohol but I can see how much my husband struggles with this demon. When you consider that one in ten of us are susceptible to this disease, it's scary.

Thanks Vickylou. I always try and get my husband to go to his GP as using chlordiazpoxide is so much safer than reducing by 10percent of units per day. Would just like to say I had a Dr in A&E who told us to go home and do this! Luckily? He had a seizure as he was being discharged. Not always easy to get help

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise having the seizure in A&E. I've never used the tapering method as I know that once I'd had a drink, common sense would disappear and I'd have drunk all my allowance. I know of a couple of people who have gone to A&E with bad withdrawals, only to be sent home with no medication and told to just stop drinking, one was told people like him are a drain on the NHS, they don't belong in A&E and see their GP when sober! It's pot luck really, some are sent home with a few low dose diazapam tablets and told to contact their nearest alcovery group.

Hi robin. I've not picked up another drink since the last post. I've still been attending AA meetings. Over the weekend however, all I thought about was alcohol. It was a real struggle, but more importantly, I'm still sober. All thanks to what I'm learning at the meetings. I think it's time I found a sponsor and began the programme, I was so close to picking up again and it scared me. I kept thinking "what if I drink again". But like AA teaches me I kept things in the moment and thought "well I'm not drinking right now, so there's no point worrying about what MIGHT happen, just be greatful I'm sober right now". I know I can do this! Thank you for asking and sorry it's taken so long to reply!

That is fantastic, made up for you xx my husband has had slip ups. From what be tells me, lots of recovering alcholics have them. He certainly has but he is still trying. One day at a time hon xx

Hi rachelli. Its dangerous to mess about with your intake. If really want to stop contact your nearest AA they will give you loads of support and keep you safe. I am not clinically trained but have lived with an alcohol dependent for many years. You need to start by writing down the units of alcohol you are consuming in 24 hours. The nhs advises 10% reduction a day but it is tough. If you reduce too quickly you will have a seizure. Try and get to your GP too, they can be helpful and refer you to an advice centre. Do be careful, as what you are describing sounds like Delerium Tremens. Keep in touch

I am sorry but I disagree.

Rachelli, your first port of call in terms of arranging to reduce your alcohol intake safely is your doctor or local alcohol service.

AA is a support group only for those that have a desire to stop drinking.  They do not have any medical expertise and cannot 'keep you safe'.  By all means, consider AA if you think that a support group like this will help you in the long run, but they are absolutely NOT your first port of call for helping you to safely reduce drinking.

If you cannot reduce your drinking on your own without physical symptoms, then your first responsibility to yourself is to keep yourself safe and visit a suitably qualified medical physician BEFORE doing anything else.  In no way can AA keep you safe if you are at risk of physical withdrawal symptoms.

Hi joanna sorry you disagree. My Husband was given this support when he joined AA. I had hoped it was universal.

Kind Regards

Julieanne

His GP wasn't that helpful. I suppose it depends on GP.

I agree that AA does give some valuable support, JulieAnne.  No disagreement with that at all.  Its just that the support is peer-support and not medical support. 

My point is simply that when at risk of physical withdrawal symptoms and therefore seizures, a doctor or alcohol recovery support has to be the first place to seek help as they can look to prescribe the necessary medications to make withdrawal more comfortable and most importantly, eliminate the risk of seizures.

No one at AA can offer the reassurance, or the medications, that a physician can in terms of ensuring someone is not at risk of seizures.  If someone is at risk, and their doctor is not helpful, then there is alcohol recovery services, or emergency care if they are already heading into withdrawal.

Also, someone at AA will not tell a newcomer to continue drinking until they see someone who can.  And yet, that could continued drinking could actually save their life in the immediate term.  I was in AA over 10 years and I never once heard anyone suggest that someone was at risk.  I saw many newcomers in an obvious withdrawal situation and they were simply told one minute at a time and keep coming back.  That is great support unless they suddenly have a seizure that night and die!

If someone, such as your husband, finds AA useful then that is absolutely brilliant.  But AA should never, in my opinion, be an immediate alternative to medical care when someone's life might be at risk.

Rachelli is giving us all the indications that she is at risk and she should seek medical help before support from AA.

It honestly was not my intention to dissuade her from seeking proffesional help. We have had poor advice from 2 GPs. One even said to us 'what do you expect me to do about it?' I got quite angry and reminded her that she had a duty of care. For that we were struck off and had to go to another surgery. Here in Portsmouth the AA work within the MAU at the Queen Alexandra Hospital. The help and support is excellent. Just wanted to let you know what I was basing my advice on. Also there have been similar complaints about GPs on this forum

Kind Regards

Yes I guess some doctors are better than others.  That was an awful experience for you I'm sure.  Very sorry to hear this happened to you.  It is sadly very common.

It's interesting that we don't (of course!) expect a doctor to know everything about everything, but wouldn't it be lovely if some of them could bring themselves to admit that they don't know, but they will get you infront of someone who does?

For example, if someone went to a doctor with concerns about a lump in their breast, we wouldn't expect a doctor to be able to diagnose what it is BUT we would expect them to get us infront of a cancer specialist who can.

I feel sure this is down to their moral beliefs that an addiction is self inflicted and that those seeking help with addiction make poor patients that aren't worthy of their time and their care.  For any other condition, being treat like you and your husband were would cause an uproar that would make the press and the complaints desk at the NHS.  I suspect that most in need of addiction help just simply find it too difficult to negotiate the system, or create a scene or complaint.  And many don't have someone like you to back them up.

And it's also true that most in dire need of addiction treatment also don't vote in elections, local or national.  So this means that they are not number one priority in terms of government policy either.

It's so sad.

But I am pleased that your husband got the help he needed.  Well done to you both for being so strong and persistant.

That is so true, but because alcoholism is still demonised, we felt as though we couldn't complain and my Husband at the time wasn't strong enough to cope. We are at a better surgery now although we do not tend to go thru the GP route as the recovery centre that they refer you to makes patients wait 6 weeks before prescibing any meds. My Husband said he would be unemployed homeless or dead by then, so he contacts MAU directly for home detox with Chlodiazpoxide with AA support. I do wish we had more forward thinking GPS in this area

Kind Regards

Julie Ann,

its a shame that this disease is not recognize by all people doctors. 

Its the same issues here in the states. Most docs are still prescribing Antabuse. Worst meds possible. Who want to take a med with tha side effects of extremely ill or death. 

In in the US the attorney general finally announced that all substance abuse wil, be covered by all insurance and state agencies an treated like a disease and all doctors accept the treatment known with the known meds now available including shots weekly or implanted meds just under the skin to stop the cravings in the brain.

i wonder how long and how many more will die before the new administration put this into effect and treat all like a disease. 

Thank you for your support. It would be such an enormous help to have alcoholism recignised as a dusease. It seems to be the cinderella of conditions-always left behind. Yet there is so many secondary diseases from this Dementia is a biggy which seems to be in the spotlight. If alcohol was invented today, it would be banned

Kind Regards

Hi. Thank you for responding. I am still perservering although its tough. I find nights the hardest and feel at my worst and pretty much cry to myself all the way. The headaches are horrendous. I told my gp what i was doing and she seemed ok with it. But said she would contact WPD to get in touch which they havent. I went to them a year or so ago but messed up so too embarrassed to call myself. When i went before the guy said to swap my vodka intake for a bottle of wine a night then reduce from there but i didnt continue as was ten mins late for a session and wasnt allowed in. Was so low and sensitive that tiny mistake finished me.

If i have been doing this for 5 days now so do you think the worst has passed? I take quatiapine so maybe this helps? I dont know really. Im not very good at asking for help as been let down so many times and also feel so ashamed. I saw a comment previously to a post on how A&E treat people and think that alcoholics are a drain on system etc. This is one reason why i would feel so bad to go. Im have no confidence whats so ever and if i was to be treated like that i know i would just crumble. Pathetic i know but its true.

Thank you for your kind advice. And yes i will start writing down. I didnt have a drink last night first time ever. Just keep reminding myself of who i was before and willing that person back. Xx

Hi Joanna.

Thank you. I replyed above a long winded one :-/ Then saw ur msg. Is it possible to taper without the awful feelings? I thought i would have to go through them whatever so kept reminding myself it was good to feel so awful as it would make me think twice before picking up the bottle again. To be honest i had no idea what i was getting in to or at least the serious dangers when i started, but have been reading so much and using this forum that im realising that its not as simple as will power and stopping. I realise how unknowledgable i am and apologise for this. Im just wondering if so far ive managed to get through 5-6 days that maybe i will be ok now. I mean unlikely to get DT now?

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me x

Wow so true. I never ever argue or take a stand against someone like a doctor. I feel im not worthy of an opinion given the situation im in and just say ok and go. Then back to square one.

And yes it is so sad because in so many cases if the help had been there for an original problem as in my case self medication might not have happened. But then again it might have. Im not blaming anyone for where i am today i take full responsibility. But help is so hard to get sometimes.

I am not medically trained so I can't answer that, I am afraid.  Even if I were, there would be many factors to take into account, such as your health in general.

I'm sorry, rachelli, as I can tell that you need some reassurance but I am just not able to give you the reassurance you seek with regards to this particular question.

Thats ok. I appreciate your reply. I should really have thought of that simple thing that people are all different. But i dont suppose im thinking particually well :-/ at the moment.

I was probably just asking because ive seen on a few sites that after a week or two you are over the worst. I suppose thats very generic though.

Also thank you for all your other comments. It means a lot. I really didnt think you would get this much support from a forum (never used one before) So many people willing to share and support. So glad i joined.

Thank you every one as all comments advice supoort and kindness actually add a bit of light to a day. X

They are fab on here.

G.

So feeling this for you - it is a horrible situation.  There are loads on here who have been successful, myself included, albeit I have not stopped, but am happy with a couple a night (small red wine).  And I fell as well when my friend came to visit, and then off I went again on the merry old booze cart.  But without this site, I would not have got this far.  I am a proud little bunny and if I fall again, I will re-start and say sorry once again to my organs.  But I will not give in and give up.  Why should I/we, life is for living not spending time on a hospital unit for whatever organ has said, please no more.  That is the way I look at it and it gets me every time. x

Come on be a bunny like me lol ........................G.

How are you keeping Rachelli?? are you coping better?? Robin

I wont give up :-) i just want to be in control not the drink controlling me. Sound like you are doing well thanks for the advice. Im having a good day today. But still start going down in the evening. Im still tapering and my daughter is calculating it all for me. Shes a blessing in disguise.

Thank you for you reply x

Hi Robin..

Im doing ok thanks. Im starting to cope a bit better. Today has been good. Im up showered cooked dinner and feel and look slightly better. Still dread night time and the headaches. But the minute if feel it coming, usually when i stand up i take a paracetamol. I slept well last night.

This forum really keeps me going..

Thanks or checking in me x

Thanks for checking how i am i meant

Hi I know its hard to get help when you are least able to cope. Try not to be embarrassed and remember alcholism is a disease and 1 in 10 of us have a problem. WPD your GP referred you to does not sound very helpful, but you do need proper medical advice. See your GP again and tell them what happened. I am concerned that you dont appear to be monitoring your units properly. Contact AA too. There is some useful info on nhs website and you can get AA literature online. It is dangerous to reduce without getting help as there are meds you should be taking for your brain this is why you are having headaches. Seek medical help URGENTLY . keep in touch. I am not medically trained but I have observed same patterns of behaviour from my Husband. Thinking of you

This may be a silly question but what's WPD? I can't find a reference for it online?