months of drinking every day and going cold turkey, scared about seizures

[Yami]

I started drinking alcohol a year ago to be more social, I used to drink once a month for the first four months. I used to drink because it gave me a good buzz, made me happier and talk openly with everyone. I can not all that without alcohol now but Its too late.

 

From the past 4-5 months, I've drank alcohol every single day.. especially from the past 2 months, I've drank quart of vodka or whiskey every single day. I've finally decided to quit it reading about the alcohol withdrawal stories has made me very very anxious and scared.

 

How do I fight this? Is my life in danger if I go cold turkey? I don't want to get seizures or anything in front of everyone because I have a job now. I drink lots of milk and water if that helps in any way. I've had anxiety and depression and I was unemployed. I don't want to go back to that again..

 

I don't know if i'm thinking too much or should I just ignore it and try to get healthy again.

[basil67]

I started drinking alcohol a year ago to be more social, I used to drink once a month for the first four months. I used to drink because it gave me a good buzz, made me happier and talk openly with everyone. I can not all that without alcohol now but Its too late.

 

From the past 4-5 months, I've drank alcohol every single day.. especially from the past 2 months, I've drank quart of vodka or whiskey every single day. I've finally decided to quit it reading about the alcohol withdrawal stories has made me very very anxious and scared.

 

How do I fight this? Is my life in danger if I go cold turkey? I don't want to get seizures or anything in front of everyone because I have a job now. I drink lots of milk and water if that helps in any way. I've had anxiety and depression and I was unemployed. I don't want to go back to that again..

 

I don't know if i'm thinking too much or should I just ignore it and try to get healthy again.

 

Just making sure I understand, you're drinking more than a bottle of spirits every day? If you really are drinking this volume of alcohol, I'd be seeking medical advice.

 

Taking time off work isn't ideal, but going to a clinic to dry out may be your safest bet. Anyway, see what your doctor says.

[gvitesse]

Just making sure I understand, you're drinking more than a bottle of spirits every day? If you really are drinking this volume of alcohol, I'd be seeking medical advice.

 

Taking time off work isn't ideal, but going to a clinic to dry out may be your safest bet. Anyway, see what your doctor says.

 

I believe he's drinking around 180 ml of hard alcohol everyday.

[Satu]

You should definitely enlist the help of your doctor with this.

 

Don't try to do it alone.

 

 

Take care.

[basil67]

I believe he's drinking around 180 ml of hard alcohol everyday.

 

This sounds like a far more reasonable amount. I Googled a quart and it said 4 cups/approx 1 litre. I was wondering how he's even alive/functioning on this level of alcohol. Perhaps the quart is after he's mixed it??

[major_merrick]

I wouldn't go cold turkey. That's not a good method. Try reducing the amount, and doing it at regular intervals. Take it down about one third and then see what happens. If you're ok after a while, then cut that amount down. Keep doing this until you are alcohol free. Join a support group if possible. Get medical advice if anything weird happens, but it is possible to do this safely without paying the medical establishment huge wads of cash.

 

Once you have your drinking under control, you can choose to drink a reasonable amount or stay entirely alcohol-free. It all depends on your inner strength and your personal code of conduct/values.

[GunslingerRoland]

I'm confused too on what a quart of vodka is... I thought that meant a liter as well, which would probably require some sort of detox.

 

 

If it really is around 180 ml, while it's not good for your body long term, I'm not sure that is so much alcohol that you'll have physical withdrawal from it.

[okietiger]

I would suggest AA if you feel you have a problem drinking. I would also see your doctor. The doctor could possibly tell you if quitting cold turkey will cause you to go into DT's or not. I quit drinking ten years ago and I didn't suffer from DT's after drinking heavy for 20 years. Good luck.

[Country_Girl]

I am going through something similar, my time was about 10 months. I won't spare any excuses for my behavior, but I will tell you what you might experience.

 

I can't afford detox. I decided after last night, that cold turkey is not the way to go. This is after trying cold turkey 3 times over the last month. It was pure hell for me, and now I realize why some just continue with the pattern.

 

Extreme hot/cold flashes. My body sweated so much at night. Loss of sleep due to waking up shivering, yet hot at the same time. Limited sleep. Extremely erratic dreams, when you do actually do manage to fall asleep.

 

I decided to quit again yesterday, cold turkey again. Despite drinking water all day (no alcohol) my night sweats were so bad all night, when I peed in the morning, it almost looked red! That's how dehydrated I was from the night sweats.

 

Seek professional help. If you cannot afford it, wean yourself off. That's my plan. Just decrease the amount daily. It's amazing how much damage we can do to ourselves, not even realizing it.

 

I never drank a liter of liquor a day, I average a 10-12 pack of beer a day. Let me tell you where that has led me. I have dropped so much weight because as of the last 2 months I can't even stomach food anymore. Sure, my body will handle the beer...but even if it comes to a cup of coffee...nope, get nauseous and throw it up, same with meals.

 

I realized this was dangerous a month ago, when my body would throw up water. Water! Yet it kept the beer down. Wtf?! Eating food, chewing it...just made me sick.

 

So let me tell you my friend, I am in a world of trouble. I hope you are not as bad as where I am at. I lost 20 lbs, and these are not pounds I could afford to lose!

 

If you can get into rehab, do it. If not, reduce your intake slowly each day. That's my new plan. After the 3rd time quitting and going through hell, I'd say cold turkey is not the way to go.

 

Have you tried quitting before? If so, how did your body react?

[Imported]

I don't think I have a drinking problem.

 

 

However, I have lapses in my memory of what happens.

 

 

And some...flashes....I have of what I think is my memory is not too good.

 

 

 

I am the fool.

 

 

 

I am not going to stop drinking, however I will be a lot more careful. I am trying to get some trusted friends to go out with me....and I am going to drink like an idiot......and see what they say.

 

This actually really scares me.

[Arieswoman]

Yami,

Please get professional help about this and do it NOW.

 

Your problem is beyond the expertise of anyone on this board and your health is in serious danger.

[RocketQueen]

I am going through something similar, my time was about 10 months. I won't spare any excuses for my behavior, but I will tell you what you might experience.

 

I can't afford detox. I decided after last night, that cold turkey is not the way to go. This is after trying cold turkey 3 times over the last month. It was pure hell for me, and now I realize why some just continue with the pattern.

 

Extreme hot/cold flashes. My body sweated so much at night. Loss of sleep due to waking up shivering, yet hot at the same time. Limited sleep. Extremely erratic dreams, when you do actually do manage to fall asleep.

 

I decided to quit again yesterday, cold turkey again. Despite drinking water all day (no alcohol) my night sweats were so bad all night, when I peed in the morning, it almost looked red! That's how dehydrated I was from the night sweats.

 

Seek professional help. If you cannot afford it, wean yourself off. That's my plan. Just decrease the amount daily. It's amazing how much damage we can do to ourselves, not even realizing it.

 

I never drank a liter of liquor a day, I average a 10-12 pack of beer a day. Let me tell you where that has led me. I have dropped so much weight because as of the last 2 months I can't even stomach food anymore. Sure, my body will handle the beer...but even if it comes to a cup of coffee...nope, get nauseous and throw it up, same with meals.

 

I realized this was dangerous a month ago, when my body would throw up water. Water! Yet it kept the beer down. Wtf?! Eating food, chewing it...just made me sick.

 

So let me tell you my friend, I am in a world of trouble. I hope you are not as bad as where I am at. I lost 20 lbs, and these are not pounds I could afford to lose!

 

If you can get into rehab, do it. If not, reduce your intake slowly each day. That's my new plan. After the 3rd time quitting and going through hell, I'd say cold turkey is not the way to go.

 

Have you tried quitting before? If so, how did your body react?

 

I don't mean to scare you but it was probably not dehydration, it was probably blood in your urine- this happened to my Ex, we too thought it was dehydration at first.

 

OP-Seeking medical advice is vital.

 

Never just stop drinking, you have to wean yourself off. My ex ALWAYS craved sugar when he stopped drinking but as said in the post above his stomach couldn't tolerate food or water- so ice lollies or popsicles as I believe they're called in the US always helped.

 

He was drinking at his worst- a litre of vodka a day and some cans of beer/lager.

 

He would also wear earphones and have music or a podcast playing when he was trying to sleep as he said it helped clear out the noise his brain was creating. Everything about him was on high alert.

 

The worst of the symptoms lasted about a week.

 

Good Luck xx

[ASG]

This sounds like a far more reasonable amount. I Googled a quart and it said 4 cups/approx 1 litre. I was wondering how he's even alive/functioning on this level of alcohol. Perhaps the quart is after he's mixed it??

 

Americans call quarts the small bottles of spirits. Like the ones you can buy in off licenses.

[RedPurpleOrange]

On that amount per day, there will be minimal withdrawals. Just a few nights to a week of disturbed sleep. No DTs or seizures. Try a boozeless stay-awake one night and see what happens. Or try a night off and take a Nytol...do they call it 'Benadryl' in the US?

 

 

I had booze probs when I split up back in 2011 with the ex ex. Was always scared of quitting because of possible seizures and I was drinking a bit more than that, every night for a couple years. The fear kept me drinking.

 

 

But I tried cold turkey one day and the only probs I had were insomnia for a few nights and a bit of sweating. Took a week and a few Nytols and I was feeling great.

 

 

And I can take booze or leave it now. Maybe drink once a week and have a few social beers on occasion with pals. Don't believe all that AA indoctrination. Most people who drink aren't alcoholics.

[SoleMate]

Americans call quarts the small bottles of spirits.

Americans know that 1 quart is 32 fluid ounces and equivalent to about 950 milliliters. Drinking 1 such bottle of 80 proof vodka over the course of 8 hours would put a 200 pound man at BAC of 0.36%, which is the level of stupor, coma, and possible death due to respiratory arrest. It is extremely heavy drinking.

 

It's possible the OP may have been referring to slang usage in which a typical "fifth" (1/5 of a gallon) type bottle or a 750 mL bottle is called a quart. Either way, it's a huge amount of alcohol and going cold turkey without medical assistance can be fatal.

 

On that amount per day, there will be minimal withdrawals. Just a few nights to a week of disturbed sleep. No DTs or seizures.

Might be true for 180 mL daily but definitely not for 750 mL or 950 mL daily either.

 

Try a boozeless stay-awake one night and see what happens. Or try a night off and take a Nytol...do they call it 'Benadryl' in the US?

Better yet, see a doctor, describe your consumption accurately, and ask for help. If you absolutely cannot or will not see a doctor, cut your drinking down by 20% per day and have someone watch you for symptoms the whole time.

[RedPurpleOrange]

Might be true for 180 mL daily but definitely not for 750 mL or 950 mL daily either.

 

Better yet, see a doctor, describe your consumption accurately, and ask for help. If you absolutely cannot or will not see a doctor, cut your drinking down by 20% per day and have someone watch you for symptoms the whole time.

 

 

750ml or 950ml are getting into the 'bad zone' but they are still doable. Like you say, best seeing a doctor and tapering off. It can be done. I was on about 1000ml (1 litre of vod) at one bad point back in the day.

 

 

I got it down over the course of a week or two to a bottle of wine and a beer. Lots of sleeplessness, though. But it can be done. Thinking it can't be done is the enemy.

 

 

I never saw a doc but if you do, they might give you some benzos to help you through any withdrawals. But if you're gonna do it, you have to DO it.

 

 

It doesn't mean you can't have a drink again. Some of us formed unhealthy habits that persisted through dullness of life and fear of withdrawal, not full-blown addictions.

 

 

I had four beers in the sunshine with pals, yesterday, went and got a burger, got home, brewed a cup of tea and the thought of booze never even passed my mind. I won't drink a drop until next weekend, unless a pal wants to go for a few after work. Never even think about the stuff. So don't believe all that 'drinking is a prison' stuff...it might be for some but I think the truly addicted are rarer than you'd think.

 

 

Fear is the real prison.

[GunslingerRoland]

I find it kind of funny that 2 months later the OP hasn't been back to the thread, but it is still a debate on how much a quart of alcohol is.

 

 

Somewhere between 12 & 32 ounces sound like the majority of guesses.

[mrs rubble]

I find it kind of funny that 2 months later the OP hasn't been back to the thread, but it is still a debate on how much a quart of alcohol is.

 

 

Somewhere between 12 & 32 ounces sound like the majority of guesses.

I reckon the OP is still drinking, so never bothered to come back.

[preraph]

My dad got in an accident and so he went cold turkey in the hospital and was very irritable and antsy. If you really are going to try, why not just talk to your family doctor first OR attend an AA meeting and ask them. They will know. Good luck! If you want to do it, you can do it.

[RedPurpleOrange]

My dad got in an accident and so he went cold turkey in the hospital and was very irritable and antsy. If you really are going to try, why not just talk to your family doctor first OR attend an AA meeting and ask them. They will know. Good luck! If you want to do it, you can do it.

 

 

How much was he drinking per day, preraph?

 

 

(And I wouldn't recommend AA myself. They will turn a possible-to-solve-by-yourself-and-a-doctor problem into an impossible demon that will always have power over you.)