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MedHelp Member's Question

Alcohol Withdrawal after 20 Years

by ijustrun, Jan 20, 2007 12:00AM
My friend is entering a hospital for detox. He is a very heavy drinker with end stage liver disease.



How bad will this be? What can he expect? And how long?



Thank you
Member Comments (2)

by TweetyCat, Jan 21, 2007 12:00AM
To: IJUSTRUN
HE MAY EXPECT THE SHAKES VERY BAD, MAYBE EVEN A FEW SEIZURES SINCE HE HAS BEEN DRINKING FOR SO LONG. BUT THE NURSES IN THE DETOX KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE FOR THAT KIND OF THING. THEY DO NOT TRY TO STOP IT THEY JUST WAIT FOR YOU TO COME OUT OF IT AND TAKE YOUR B/P PULSE THAT SORT OF THING. THEY MAY EVEN PUT HIM ON LIBRIUM, THAT IS A VERY USEFULL DRUG FOR ALCAHOL W/D'S.I HAVE BEEN IN DETOX NOT FOR DRINKING, AND I HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE GO THRUOGH THIS. NOTHING TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT AFTER A WEEK OR SO HE WILL BE THE NORMAL PERSON HE USED TO BE. AS LONG AS HE DOES NOT RELAPCE NOT EVEN ONE DRINK BECAUSE 1 IS ONE TO MANY AND THOUSAND IS NOT ENOUGH. IT IS SO VERY EASY TO GET REHOOKED ON THE DRINKING AND SO FAST. BUT DONT WORRY HE WILL BE FINE IN DETOX-TWEETY

by ryanthesoberlion, Jan 23, 2007 12:00AM
I drank heavily for 17 years. I know I came out of it with a bit of brain damage. Brain damage from alcoholism doesnt really damage your intellectual capabilities, but it affects short term memory, makes emotions magnified, expect outbursts where there would normally be just a bit of a shrug. Everyone is different of course and alcohol withdrawl really depends on how the person drank. Binge drinkers are easier to detox. Daily drinkers can have DTs (I had em), shakes, sweats, nightmares, etc. Seizures can happen, and in a detox facility, if someone seizures, it is protocol to give them ativan and ship them off to a hospital. Seizures can be deadly and can cause permenent severe brain damage far worse than 20 years of drinking can do. After a week, week and a half though, a good portion of the physical stuff is over. Then theres the other symptoms to deal with. Adjusting to life, short term memory problems, emotional problems, physical ailments peak and then start to get better.



However, I dont mean to alarm you, but Im going to be completely honest with you. My wife works in a hospital on a palliative care ward part time, and on a drug/alcohol ward part time. She sees people in your friends situation on an almost daily basis, and every alcoholic shes seen with end stage liver disease and every one Ive known whos had end stage liver disease, is transfered to a palliative care unit, kept on the ward theyre on if palliative isnt an option, or sent home, whichever will focus on the quality of life, for the time that is left.



I pray for Gods love and that your friend can experience some peace in the coming days.
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