Unusual symptoms after medicaly supervised detox

[bbalmes]

My father is currently in the hospital for acute alcoholism. He was admitted 10 days ago for his inability to walk or function for that matter. We believed he had a stroke, cat scan sppeared normal. He is 57 and has been drinking most of his life. His father died from the same symptom. He has apparently "finished" the detox, is off of the IV and was eating pretty well. His mortor skills were getting better, his coheirent state was getting better and he was feeding himself...although with a great amount of effort.


He now appears to have regressed. They are performing anothr MRI on him to determine if it's neurological. He looks like an 85 year old man that has had a bad stroke. They are now pureeing his food so he doesn't asprirate and he can not sit up on his own. On month ago he was cooking steaks and playing with his grandkids. What happened and why is the recovery from detox appear to have affected his motor functions? My father is a steel worker and a cowboy..I do not know how to accept him in the state he's in. I feel like the parent.

Can the lack of motor skills be explained if the cat scan was normal?

[shelby74]

I wish I had an answer for you.  It sounds like the Doc's have more work to do.  I have never been through medical detox and I am sorry I do not know much about the procedure itself.  I will pray for your dad, you and your family.  Stay strong and keep on top of those docs!

Shelby

[CATUF]

I was in a small extended-term rehab with a fellow much like you describe your father.  He got there after at least 7 days of detox in the hospital.  He was an absolute mess.  He too looked to be a frail stroke victim in his mid to late 80's.  The 2nd or 3rd day he was there he went in to grand mal seizures and had to be hospitalized again.

I am still close with the staff there and recently found out that one of them was told by a Dr. at the hospital "there is no hope for him - he is just too far gone."  He really was a MESS - when he got back it took ALL of his powers of concentration to follow this directive" "Bill, tell the group your name and where you're from."  He was a virtual zombie and this was now 10 days since his last drink.

It did take some time.  But a new man slowly emerged from the shell we first met.  A little over a month later you would not have believed it was the same man.  The difference was brought about by 3 things: 1) removal of the alcohol; 2) proper nutrition; and 3) amino acid supplements.

Today Bill is back in the world of higher education, he is the Dean of Admissions for a small college in the northeast.  He is sharp, a young-looking, in-shape man of 55.  He is bright and articulate.  If I showed you a video of Bill then and Bill now, you would think it was fraud or magic.

If it were my Dad, I would get him in to some in-patient rehab that can give him what he needs to let his brain heal (including the TIME).  Your Dad's brain has been conditioned to function with alcohol and I'm assuming lots of it.  The medical detox he went through was only sufficient to get him through the physical dangers of alcohol withdrawal - people actually die from alcohol withdrawal.  However, it is rather unlikely that this 10 day medical detox did anything to help your Dad's brain chemistry.  In fact (as the evidence suggests) it made it worse - it took away the crutch of alcohol upon which his brain function has grown to depend.

If "after-care" is an option, I would suggest Bridging the Gaps in Winchester, VA (www.bridgingthegaps.com) or any place else that treats with amino acid therapy (in addition to all the group, education, 12-Step, etc).  If not, check out some books on the subject such as: End Your Addiction Now, by Charles Gant; the Mood Cure, by Julia Ross; or Seven Weeks to Sobriety: The Proven Program to Fight Alcoholism through Nutrition," by Joan Larsen.

I know it must look very grim to you right now, but there is hope.

CATUF
Day-724

You might want to take some pictures and video of your Dad right now.  We alcoholics have a great ability to truly forget how bad it was.  I carry a "before & after" picture in my wallet every day, because I can't afford to forget - if I forget I'm a dead man.

[FLaddict]

I agree totally with CATUF... I too have seen folks like this in treatment when I worked there.. get him some real help.. he will need alot of time to heal..

[fishmeal]

Nice Post Catuf.  

[Tim2H]

Great post!!