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Detoxing without benzos

Posted , 12 users are following.

Paper_fairy
Paper_fairy

Hi everyone, hope no one is suffering and in pain. If you are, just remember that most of the people on this site want you and me to get well again. Some people just get sober straight away( lucky them) though the majority of us, it takes time. So please stay on the forum and don't ever feel you're a failure and give up. You can get well again..

 

3 likes, 71 replies

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  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy

    Posted

    Due to certain circumstances, I now have to face sobriety without diazepam. It's going to be hard but I've done it  before and survived. So I intend to start Monday. This isn't about me me me..this is serious stuff. I will try to explain in little bursts as sometimes our posts get moderated. I am going to ask for advice, no plugging anyone or anything. So please bare with me x
  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy

    Posted

    I can't go into details but I now have to face the withdrawal symptoms with just faith that I will be okay. Luckily, because I'm taking naltrexone as advised by the good people on this site, it's probably not going to be too difficult. Because I now take naltrexone properly, thanks forum advisers, I don't really exceed a bottle of wine ever now( last night I may have kicked off but I only had just a little more. So I know I will cope. Thanks for everyone's positive advice, as always xx
    • nicole36330
      nicole36330 Paper_fairy

      Posted

      Good luck PF,I'm using Nalmefene but can still drink up to 2 bottles over the course of a day.

      Onwards and upwards smile

    • Sober_As
      Sober_As Paper_fairy

      Posted

      I wish you WELL, Paper fairy.  

      I am keeping on with the Nalmefene/Selincro just now.  Drinking one bottle of wine per day.  I don't know when I will feel able to try Alcohol-free days, again.

      It is such a long road, at times.

      Blessings from your friend,

      Angel xx

    • Paper_fairy
      Paper_fairy Sober_As

      Posted

      Hey Angel. You know what, if someone had said a few months ago that you could be  where you are now, re alcohol,  you would prob say rubbish. The thing is with people like you and me,,we want instant. It's impossible. We want to be the person before alcohol took us. Positive.. We will be, it's just going to take a little time. I would like others to comment on this please.. Has this lovely lady changed over the last few months? Wow..I think she's done incredibly well xxxx
    • ADEfree
      ADEfree Paper_fairy

      Posted

      Yes, I think Alonangel made fantastic headway! The difference is night and day, and no mistake about it!
    • Sober_As
      Sober_As ADEfree

      Posted

      Thanks ADE.  I am just ploughing on, for now.

      Alonangel 🎇

    • Misssy2
      Misssy2 Paper_fairy

      Posted

      YES, YES and YES and I have also told her that.....its wonderful to see and sends hope to others that are horribly depressed and drinking...and trying to stop or not trying to stop.
  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy

    Posted

    So I need advice regarding my struggle with alcohol and detoxing. So basically, and if I come across as stupid then sorry. But can anyone in the know tell me whether taking diazepam for detoxing has advantages, rather than just getting through the symptoms of AWS? This has always puzzled me. I can cope with withdrawal as I've been through it very many times but it would be nice to know if it holds any advantages apart from those first 3 days, just to make that journey to sobriety easier?
    • ADEfree
      ADEfree Paper_fairy

      Posted

      I'll let others talk about the benefits of using benzos for withdrawal, but it might be good to know how much you've recently been drinking per day (such as you'd have withdrawals from it). 

      Best luck, Paper!

    • ADEfree
      ADEfree Paper_fairy

      Posted

      Ah! I see above you've been drinking about a bottle a day. Is that 750ml or about? What % alcohol is in it?
    • Paper_fairy
      Paper_fairy ADEfree

      Posted

      Thanks for being there ade, J and nicole. So ade it's 13 percent white wine. 750 ml. I used to drink 2-3 bottles in the past so it really is a miracle( thanks Joanna who percevered with me, and Paul). Maybe I'm being a little selfish and should feel grateful for coming this far which would have been impossible several years ago. But I know alcohol is a depressant and I suffer with or without alcohol. It's been a major problem on both sides of my family unfortunately. But alcohol, even 1 bottle of wine, I wake up very depressed.

      So, went off track regarding my initial question. Does taking benzos for 4-10 days stop the depression and cravings? This what I'd like advise on. 

    • RHGB
      RHGB Paper_fairy

      Posted

      'So, went off track regarding my initial question. Does taking benzos for 4-10 days stop the depression and cravings? This what I'd like advise on.'

      No to both. What it does, is let your central nervous system relax. It does what alcohol does, but without the ethanol. When you stop drinking, your system (CNS) goes in an excited state and all the sysmptoms that go with it. Benzos stop it getting excited, so you can sleep at night, not have the shakes et al.

      You will still have to deal with depression and craving, which is why coming off alcohol is a two stage system.

    • jacqueline85124
      jacqueline85124 RHGB

      Posted

      I totally agree.  You MUST take the Benzos for the short-term and respect the perscription, otherwise you will become dependent on them, too!  I used Xanac for my detox two weeks normal dose then tapered off over two weeks), and have since use a half-dose for the nights when I can't sleep at all (this is due to other reasons and happens maybe once a week at most). As much as I would like to confront my alcohol dependence without drugs, I accept that I am alcohol dependent, therefore I totally advocate the use of certain drugs to accompany me in my daily life. 
    • RHGB
      RHGB jacqueline85124

      Posted

      You will probably get a few people here going, Xanax, huh?

      I'm not sure if you're in the UK or not, but it is not usually used here (detox) because it has such a short half life. Xanax is usually for anxiety and it would have to be a mild withdrawal to be used for detox.

    • jacqueline85124
      jacqueline85124 RHGB

      Posted

      I used Xanax three times a day during my detox, along with mega doses of vitamin B's , lots of magnesium, thiamine, etc.  No, I am in France. I have a very good GP 
    • RHGB
      RHGB jacqueline85124

      Posted

      Ah, I have just re-read your post, I should have guessed the country. you are lucky to have a good GP, keep hold of them. I hope you kept taking the vitamins for a decent length of time after detoxing.
    • Misssy2
      Misssy2 Paper_fairy

      Posted

      I have detoxed before without benzos...and it is just not comfortable and because of that...I usually end up drinking to take away the symptoms.

      they say benzos are chewed alcohol....BUT, I never abused pills....so when I detox they in the HOSPITAL....always give me benzos for the first 3 days....

      They by no means take away EVERY symptom.  But, they stop the sweating, the shaking, the fast heartbeat, fast breathing, the panic feeling....and those are the symptoms that always bring me back to alcohol.

      To me the advantage of that is I don't feel petrified....I get long enough time to stay sober and start eating again, showering again, living again. 

      I want to know WHY you can't take them?

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