Aa
I need to quit
Hello everyone. I'm a 24 year old male and I have a serious drinking problem. I can't sleep without it, and I don't remember the last day I have gone without a drink. I got extremely drunk while my girlfriend was staying with me the other night- to the point where she almost took me to the hospital. I'm not always a blackout drunk.... but I drink enough to where I have a couple in the morning before work just to get through the day. I get a lot of shakes, and I'm constantly hung over. I have a very high tolerance at this point. After the incident the other night I decided I need to quit. I tried to go cold turkey, didn't sleep last night and started shaking pretty violently this morning. I can't pay for medical attention, so my question is... can I just cut down little by little? I was shaking so badly I got on here and saw that seizures are a very serious reaction that take place quite often and this scares me to death, as I have experienced one before. Any sort of advice would be awesome... also I've tried the whole AA thing and din't enjoy my experience. Thanks and take care.
I'll keep thanking everyone for all the support, because I need and appreciate every bit of it. I'm working on this issue. I keep getting to a point where it's very hard to say "no". But I need this. I will not quit trying, I promise. I refuse to let this keep going. I get to a point where I just start sweating and shaking sometimes. It's hard to tell myself another drink to cure the shakes is "okay". I will taper off, and I won't sugarcoat things. Thanks again. I cannot go to treatment, as I can't take days off from my job. I know getting well is more important than making bills, but losing my job isn't an option. Again thanks to everyone who has offered advice. Off to my meeting, and hopefully a better future.
Hello Bry
I too am sorry to hear that you are struggling and going through a miserable time, it's hard I know but if you really want this you can do it! : ) I never thought in a million years that I would be sat here at 00:30 sober as a judge, trying to offer a little help to someone else!
Don't feel bad or ashamed if you do not succeed at first, I don't think anyone can say I did it first time round. The most important thing is not to let your setbacks discourage you from trying again and again and again if necessary. I had more attempts at stopping drinking than Soft Mick ( an English term, in case you are wondering what I'm blabbing on about). Then one day I just got it! I think it was because this time I had a group of people to support me going through exactly the same thing as me. They did not judge me as an alcoholic or a problem drinker, they saw me as me, warts and all ha.
Whilst you are still trying to stop drinking I would strongly advise that you explore all options open to you for support for example an understanding doctor, AA, other support groups, personal counselling etc. Then when you do stop you can pull all these resources together. I did this and I think with lots of support you don't feel as scared which is one of the reasons we are drinking in the first place.
I hope this helps Bry, I know how hard it is, if you can do this you can do anything!!!
Hang in there :-)
I too am sorry to hear that you are struggling and going through a miserable time, it's hard I know but if you really want this you can do it! : ) I never thought in a million years that I would be sat here at 00:30 sober as a judge, trying to offer a little help to someone else!
Don't feel bad or ashamed if you do not succeed at first, I don't think anyone can say I did it first time round. The most important thing is not to let your setbacks discourage you from trying again and again and again if necessary. I had more attempts at stopping drinking than Soft Mick ( an English term, in case you are wondering what I'm blabbing on about). Then one day I just got it! I think it was because this time I had a group of people to support me going through exactly the same thing as me. They did not judge me as an alcoholic or a problem drinker, they saw me as me, warts and all ha.
Whilst you are still trying to stop drinking I would strongly advise that you explore all options open to you for support for example an understanding doctor, AA, other support groups, personal counselling etc. Then when you do stop you can pull all these resources together. I did this and I think with lots of support you don't feel as scared which is one of the reasons we are drinking in the first place.
I hope this helps Bry, I know how hard it is, if you can do this you can do anything!!!
Hang in there :-)
Hey Randy
I'm not sorry that I asked how you where doing, sounds like you are having an exiciting time selecting your doctors/consultants (good for you). Relying on our National Health Service we cannot be that choosey, there is a tendency towards you get what you are given ha : ) It's an extremely good service really!!!
I'm going great guns with my Sobriety, it's like I said and maybe you have said, I got it this time and it sits comfortably with me, I no longer have to worry or think about alcohol (it's a great feeling).
I'm just in the middle of weaning myself of Tramadol, prescribed (so thoughtfully ha) when I was in a lot of pain. Yes they are very effective pain killers, I do agree, but also ridiculously addictive. I was prescribed 400mg per day and took that dosage for about a month. I then decided that I could not tell if I was in pain or not so reduced that amout by half. I still had no pain so have reduced it by half again so taking 100mg a day now.
I told my doctor, who has just got back from a 3 week holiday, so I had nobody to ask about coming off Tramadol what I had done and he nearly hit the roof saying I was doing way to quickly. Well yes I do feel rough just taking 100mg per day, not pain, withdrawals I think or maybe just a virus haha : ) However it's 00:07 meaning it will be four days now on that dosage so there's no way I'm upping the dose again!!!
I'm sure I will be fine and I plan to reduce down to 50mg in a week, I'm a tough little cookie, well most of the time : ). Anyway I thought to myself I going to be having surgery in the near future and what pain relief would they be able to give me then if I was already maxed out on Tramadol? Morphine!
So I know I have talked a lot and this site is for alcohol not substances. I was also wondering if you have heard of SMART Recovery? Like Bry I'm not to keen on AA. I was forced into AA through a Residential Rehab and I was not ready so it kind of put me off, however I did go to a meeting last Friday night and enjoyed it. I was introduced to SMART Recovery by my Counsellor and it really works for me. I would be interested in your point of view.
Ok ok I'm going,
Take Care Randy
I'm not sorry that I asked how you where doing, sounds like you are having an exiciting time selecting your doctors/consultants (good for you). Relying on our National Health Service we cannot be that choosey, there is a tendency towards you get what you are given ha : ) It's an extremely good service really!!!
I'm going great guns with my Sobriety, it's like I said and maybe you have said, I got it this time and it sits comfortably with me, I no longer have to worry or think about alcohol (it's a great feeling).
I'm just in the middle of weaning myself of Tramadol, prescribed (so thoughtfully ha) when I was in a lot of pain. Yes they are very effective pain killers, I do agree, but also ridiculously addictive. I was prescribed 400mg per day and took that dosage for about a month. I then decided that I could not tell if I was in pain or not so reduced that amout by half. I still had no pain so have reduced it by half again so taking 100mg a day now.
I told my doctor, who has just got back from a 3 week holiday, so I had nobody to ask about coming off Tramadol what I had done and he nearly hit the roof saying I was doing way to quickly. Well yes I do feel rough just taking 100mg per day, not pain, withdrawals I think or maybe just a virus haha : ) However it's 00:07 meaning it will be four days now on that dosage so there's no way I'm upping the dose again!!!
I'm sure I will be fine and I plan to reduce down to 50mg in a week, I'm a tough little cookie, well most of the time : ). Anyway I thought to myself I going to be having surgery in the near future and what pain relief would they be able to give me then if I was already maxed out on Tramadol? Morphine!
So I know I have talked a lot and this site is for alcohol not substances. I was also wondering if you have heard of SMART Recovery? Like Bry I'm not to keen on AA. I was forced into AA through a Residential Rehab and I was not ready so it kind of put me off, however I did go to a meeting last Friday night and enjoyed it. I was introduced to SMART Recovery by my Counsellor and it really works for me. I would be interested in your point of view.
Ok ok I'm going,
Take Care Randy
Your welcome and anytime! Were all here for you, and willing to give you any advice we can. We know what it's like and it's not easy by any means! Not impossible though as you can see. You got your mind set and ready to keep trying, thats great! Now look around you and figure out how to make it easier. Being part of an envirement when alcohol is around is a really difficult place for you to be right now so dont let it happen! You just need a couple of weeks to take some time just for you and there is nothing wrong with that my friend! After that people will see a new person and trust me, they will like the new you much better! Have you ever been sober and seen someone completely trashed, falling down acting foolish? Have you ever been that guy..
I drank for so many years that when it was time to stop I was scared because I didn't know who I was with out it, I worried if my wife would still like me. It's sad to say but nobody hardly knew the real me. I almost spent my entire life that way. It's very sad and not really living at all is it? I'll keep my cirrhosis and sobriety any day than to have to go back to that existance compared to this.
It's great to hear your going to give AA another try, maybe it just wasn't the right night. Think of it this way, it only takes one person, reason, or story to help you discover the motivation you need to make it happen. Whats it going to take for you?
I really hope the best for you Bry and want to see this happen. This is a road none of us ever meant to go down, a place we never wanted to end up in but you can do it just like the rest of us did. You just have to find what works for you.
Randy
I drank for so many years that when it was time to stop I was scared because I didn't know who I was with out it, I worried if my wife would still like me. It's sad to say but nobody hardly knew the real me. I almost spent my entire life that way. It's very sad and not really living at all is it? I'll keep my cirrhosis and sobriety any day than to have to go back to that existance compared to this.
It's great to hear your going to give AA another try, maybe it just wasn't the right night. Think of it this way, it only takes one person, reason, or story to help you discover the motivation you need to make it happen. Whats it going to take for you?
I really hope the best for you Bry and want to see this happen. This is a road none of us ever meant to go down, a place we never wanted to end up in but you can do it just like the rest of us did. You just have to find what works for you.
Randy
Thank you so much Randy. I'm really going to do this. You have helped more than you know, but like you said... I have to do this for myself and the ones who love me. I bought liquor and poured it out about 3 times, just so I could see what I was wasting my money on. I never liked AA, but tonight I'll give it another shot (no pun intended haha). I have to try anything and everything. This is a miserable time right now, but only I can pull myself out. Again, thank you for your support.
Hi Rachel,
Sorry I haven't written you back sooner. It's very nice of you to ask. I have been doing pretty well. there are no worries, I don’t really have any new concerns. Everything keeps staying just about the same with the exception of my platelets getting lower. Down to 60k and normal range is 140k to 400k. This doesn't get complicated until the 20k mark, then it gets pretty serious so I have changed up my diet a little bit to help with the toxins my liver isn't filtering (this is part of what is killing off my platelets the rest get trapped in the spleen due to portal hypertension causing splenomegaly). Also I have been staying very active which also helps a great deal. I recently moved to Tennessee so I am still working on selecting and getting set up with new doctors. It's pretty exciting to be able to hear another assessment of my condition. Also I will not only be seeing a Gastroenterologists (digestive specialist to include the liver) but a Hepatologist (liver specialist). Probably sorry you asked now huh! Lol jk
I feel good though and many days I forget for a while that I’m even sick, so that’s a good thing right!
How about yourself, are you still doing well with your sobriety?
Randy
Sorry I haven't written you back sooner. It's very nice of you to ask. I have been doing pretty well. there are no worries, I don’t really have any new concerns. Everything keeps staying just about the same with the exception of my platelets getting lower. Down to 60k and normal range is 140k to 400k. This doesn't get complicated until the 20k mark, then it gets pretty serious so I have changed up my diet a little bit to help with the toxins my liver isn't filtering (this is part of what is killing off my platelets the rest get trapped in the spleen due to portal hypertension causing splenomegaly). Also I have been staying very active which also helps a great deal. I recently moved to Tennessee so I am still working on selecting and getting set up with new doctors. It's pretty exciting to be able to hear another assessment of my condition. Also I will not only be seeing a Gastroenterologists (digestive specialist to include the liver) but a Hepatologist (liver specialist). Probably sorry you asked now huh! Lol jk
I feel good though and many days I forget for a while that I’m even sick, so that’s a good thing right!
How about yourself, are you still doing well with your sobriety?
Randy
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But I need this. I will not quit trying, I promise. I refuse to let this keep going.
Do be careful tapering off, do it very slowly if that the route you are choosing. No point in making it harder than it needs to be right? The main thing is that you get to where you want and need to be.."sober".
Randy