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Quitting Alcohol - physical side effects?
I started drinking about a half liter of vodka a day around 2 years ago. 3 months ago I decided I want to stop, but I decided I should cut-down to avoid any withdrawls, so I stopped drinking vodka completely and now I drink 3 - 24 oz. cans of beer a night, a 6 pack.
I read that if you stop cold turkey, you can go through DT's and seizures. The thought of this makes me feel like having a panic attack. Is your body dependant on the amount of alcohol or alcohol period?
Should I continue to cut-down since I'm having success with this method? Maybe cut down to two beers, for a week, and then 1 beer, and then stop? Is cutting down slowly a good way to avoid side effects? Is my body getting used to not having alcohol? My stomach now feels better, less gas, and my apetite has increased.
I'm not going to have any psychological withdrawls, I feel good without drinking, I'm just worried about the physical withdrawls.
I know some people are going to mention to go to a hospital, but I have a thing about hospitals and don't like them, besides I'm broke and unemployed.
Thanks
I read that if you stop cold turkey, you can go through DT's and seizures. The thought of this makes me feel like having a panic attack. Is your body dependant on the amount of alcohol or alcohol period?
Should I continue to cut-down since I'm having success with this method? Maybe cut down to two beers, for a week, and then 1 beer, and then stop? Is cutting down slowly a good way to avoid side effects? Is my body getting used to not having alcohol? My stomach now feels better, less gas, and my apetite has increased.
I'm not going to have any psychological withdrawls, I feel good without drinking, I'm just worried about the physical withdrawls.
I know some people are going to mention to go to a hospital, but I have a thing about hospitals and don't like them, besides I'm broke and unemployed.
Thanks
Hello, well done for everything you have done today and for talking about your problems, that is a big step! Sorry I have been in touch but I am not feeling very well. Hopefully I will feel a bit better tomorrow and wil write a longer message. I hope tonight is not to bad for you and you manage to get some sleep. Take care and again very well done! :-)
Thanks no im not takeing anxiety/antidepressants i do believe that my problems started from young age i had X stream ADHD and i think it gets harder for me at night when im more restless . i was a person who was allways on the go and think ive used drink to slow myself down instead it did the other . No im not feeling suicidal now its crazy how drink can take a hold off a person and twist things so they dont make sense anymore. is it normal for your eyes to be strang because mine feel like focus is on off allmost jumpy pupils if that makes sence ?
Good morning, I'm glad you found the information helpful. The more you know and understand something the more successful you can be at your goal/objective. Thanks for telling the truth, no point in lying since that’s not going to help me offer you the best advice I possibly can. I want you to live too!!! I'm very glad you saw your doctor this morning, do you mind my asking are you taking anxiety/antidepressants? If not I highly recommend you talk to your doctor about them. Also are you currently seeing a counselor to help you sort out these feelings, it would truly help. Feelings of depression are very common amongst alcoholics. For most of us it's a big reason why we drink, so don't feel alone here. Now that you have stopped drinking are you still having suicidal thoughts? I agree that you know yourself best so if quitting in this manner is best then go for it but use caution, watch for the severe symptoms you read about. Have a plan in place in case you need immediate attention/help.
The water is very good for you since it helps flush the toxins out of your body, you need to try eating much more since it will help with your energy level and your over-all health. The nutrition will aid your liver in regeneration tremendously. You have chosen a very good goal that will help you in so many ways with your mental and physical health. Keep hanging in there one day, one hour or even one minute at a time. Take whatever small steps you need to you’re doing great!
Start thinking of some ways to help you get through the night. One thing is since you’re in the UK and I’m in the US with the time change it will seem to you as I am up all night so if you would like to throw back and forth some emails me or somebody will be here. Why do you think the night time is the hardest for you?
The water is very good for you since it helps flush the toxins out of your body, you need to try eating much more since it will help with your energy level and your over-all health. The nutrition will aid your liver in regeneration tremendously. You have chosen a very good goal that will help you in so many ways with your mental and physical health. Keep hanging in there one day, one hour or even one minute at a time. Take whatever small steps you need to you’re doing great!
Start thinking of some ways to help you get through the night. One thing is since you’re in the UK and I’m in the US with the time change it will seem to you as I am up all night so if you would like to throw back and forth some emails me or somebody will be here. Why do you think the night time is the hardest for you?
Thanks this info is great things i never new . You ask whats the hurray ? wel i was going to lie why but truth is best . I allways drink alone and find drinking is makeing me really down . 4 mounths ago i tried takeing my own life as i was so low i hated myself for drinking and drinking was bringing up the past over and over like a broken record in my head allways haveing a mind fight with myself really did feel like i was going crazy . And the last few times i drank i started feeling that way again and to be honest it terrifies me as i want to live . This is why i just stoped . i understand that stoping slowly is best but i can not do that i know myself to well . I think for me a clean break is best but with surport . Ive been to the doctor's today and ive been given vitamins and ive been referd to a group called aquarius so im on the right track . SO its day 3 still not had a drink and im feeling positive but not looking forward to the night time at all . im drinking lots of water as advised the lower back pain has now gone . Hopping to eat today as i am still positive but enygy level is low . I have a goel set and im really hopeing i can start MOUNTAIN BIKEING again as it keeps me focused . Thanks for your surport again guys
Hello Positive and Welcome to MedHelp. I’m very glad you found us. Twosandbits has given some excellent advice and I very much agree. To stop drinking abruptly can be very dangerous and possibly lead to coma and in rare cases even death. Many people here will not recommend quitting without the help of a medical professional.
So let me tell you a little bit about myself, on 03-23-10 I was diagnosed with End stage Cirrhosis. I was 38 at the time and drank for 20+ years. For the last couple of years that I drank I was up to 23 beers a day. After diagnosis I knew right away I needed to stop drinking immediately to avoid further liver damage. Tapering is the method I chose since at the time I knew very little about the dangers. In my circumstance you can understand why it was so critical to stop as quickly as possible. You must also understand that everyone is affected differently. In your circumstance what's the hurry? If tapering is a method you have considered then take your time doing so. Each night start your drinking later and later reducing the quantity by one each night. Beer only! When the beer is gone go to bed. Separate how many you are allowed for that evening so there is no mix-up and stick to your own rules. It is much safer and you will be alcohol free in no time. Below is some information I think you should know followed by a link concerning the dangers of quitting abruptly.
Why Do People Get Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?
If you use alcohol for long enough, and in sufficient quantities, your brain adapts to this use by making some changes to the way it works, and this is one reason why people who drink regularly will develop a tolerance to alcohol and need much more to feel the same effects as an occasional drinker.
When you drink alcohol it increases the release of a neurotransmitter called GABA in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter that controls the release of other neurotransmitters, like dopamine, norepinephrine and glutamate. GABA slows down and controls brain activity.
When you drink very heavily, your brain responds to this constant influx of alcohol by reducing the number of GABA receptors and by changing their function. Without sufficient GABA in the brain you would normally experience too much neural activity and symptoms like tremors and sickness and anxiety and many others - but since you are using a lot of alcohol each day, the alcohol slow things down in the brain just like a normal amount of GABA would.
If you then suddenly stop drinking alcohol, your brain isn’t getting enough GABA and it isn’t getting the alcohol to slow things down – and so it races and too many excitatory neurotransmitters get released and you experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Fortunately, your neurochemistry largely recovers in a few days or weeks, and as GABA function normalizes, symptoms of alcohol withdrawal disappear.
Please be sure to visit this link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001769/
Please feel welcome to keep posting your progress and we will be glad to help in any way we can. Take care.
Randy
So let me tell you a little bit about myself, on 03-23-10 I was diagnosed with End stage Cirrhosis. I was 38 at the time and drank for 20+ years. For the last couple of years that I drank I was up to 23 beers a day. After diagnosis I knew right away I needed to stop drinking immediately to avoid further liver damage. Tapering is the method I chose since at the time I knew very little about the dangers. In my circumstance you can understand why it was so critical to stop as quickly as possible. You must also understand that everyone is affected differently. In your circumstance what's the hurry? If tapering is a method you have considered then take your time doing so. Each night start your drinking later and later reducing the quantity by one each night. Beer only! When the beer is gone go to bed. Separate how many you are allowed for that evening so there is no mix-up and stick to your own rules. It is much safer and you will be alcohol free in no time. Below is some information I think you should know followed by a link concerning the dangers of quitting abruptly.
Why Do People Get Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms?
If you use alcohol for long enough, and in sufficient quantities, your brain adapts to this use by making some changes to the way it works, and this is one reason why people who drink regularly will develop a tolerance to alcohol and need much more to feel the same effects as an occasional drinker.
When you drink alcohol it increases the release of a neurotransmitter called GABA in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter that controls the release of other neurotransmitters, like dopamine, norepinephrine and glutamate. GABA slows down and controls brain activity.
When you drink very heavily, your brain responds to this constant influx of alcohol by reducing the number of GABA receptors and by changing their function. Without sufficient GABA in the brain you would normally experience too much neural activity and symptoms like tremors and sickness and anxiety and many others - but since you are using a lot of alcohol each day, the alcohol slow things down in the brain just like a normal amount of GABA would.
If you then suddenly stop drinking alcohol, your brain isn’t getting enough GABA and it isn’t getting the alcohol to slow things down – and so it races and too many excitatory neurotransmitters get released and you experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Fortunately, your neurochemistry largely recovers in a few days or weeks, and as GABA function normalizes, symptoms of alcohol withdrawal disappear.
Please be sure to visit this link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001769/
Please feel welcome to keep posting your progress and we will be glad to help in any way we can. Take care.
Randy
Oh good I'm glad you are in the UK! Yes please keep posting even if you slip with the alcohol, it helps 100% to be able to tell people what you are going through, especially people who will listen and understand! Goodnight and I hope you get some peaceful sleep :-)
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