How To Deal With Alcohol Wd's

Alcohol
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Hi,

I have a brother who is an alcoholic. He sometimes starts drinking as early as 5:30 am then continues throughout the day. He has his own business, therefore will not get fired for being drunk at work. But it definitely has scared away quite a few of his clients. He has tried numerous times to quit drinking, but I think he keeps going back because of the wd's he suffers, mainly the shakes. What can he do or take to prevent this from happening? I'm not going to go into detail here, but in his line of work, shaking hands just aren't an option.

Lola
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My shakes started to minimize by about day 3, and seemed to be pretty quiet by day 8, although they would reoccur from time to time. It took about 4 months for the night sweats to stop...the repair of my thought process, etc took over 6 months...heck it's not easy but it sure is the better way ~ to be sober that is...has he tried an AA meeting yet?
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Yes, almost every time that he quits drinking, he goes to AA meetings regularly. Sometimes he will go for 2-4 weeks but always seems to go back to the alcohol. I know that he likes himself better when he's sober. And of course, we all like him better that way as well. But he just can't seem to make it last.

Anyway, thanks for any input you may have.

Lola
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I have heard of Librium has been around for many years to help people going through alcohol withdrawl. You may want to look into that. I am sure there are many new drugs on the market but I am not aware of them.... Do a search on your computer or call some doctor's offices or rehab's... Set him an appt and see if he'll go...Good Luck!
Hey by the way how are you doing? Rae
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Hi Rae,

Thanks for the info. I guess anything will help at this point. If he keeps up at this rate, I don't think he'll be around much longer.

As for me, I'm doing alright. Just reading the posts and trying to prepare myself for what's in store for me when my supply is gone. I have been tapering and taking a caffeine pill in place of the vic for the much-needed energy that they give me. They seem to work for now. Thanks for asking! I've been forum jumping, reading the posts in the cocaine, pot and alcohol forums. I've overcome the cocaine and pot addictions, so I know there's hope for me yet.

Thank you so much for your help!!

Take care,
Lola
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Lola ~ I forgot until Rae's post reminded me that the Addictionologist that I was told to check in every Morning with for about 8 days prescribed Librium for me...I think the first day I had six to take throughout the day, the next day five and the last couple of days one pill each day. I asked for more of course, being the addict that I am and got a flat nope from the Doc. I don't know how much they helped me really, I was so bad off anyway...shakes, sweats, vomiting, insomnia, restless legs, anxiety/panic, you name it...Peace & Serenity, VWGirl
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Thanks VWGirl and Rae. I will relay this info to my brother. He has tried CT so many times in the past, only to fall back off the wagon. I spoke with him at 9 am this morning and already he's half crocked. I hope that this will help him. I know he wants to quit, but we all know just how hard it is to quit your chemical dependencies.

Have a wonderful weekend and I will keep you posted!!

Love,
Lola
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Good Morning Lola, I too tried for over 20 years to achieve sobriety but could not...popping in and out of AA (and many other programs)...no one or nothing could get me to the place of surrender or willingness necessary to give up the drink or drugs....I had to reach my own bottom and everyone's is different. It took what it took for me to finally throw the towel in...hopefully your brother will reach his bottom sooner rather than later. Peace & Serenity, VWGirl
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Is confusion and short term memory loss comon after being 30 days off the booze. I can't not function to well. Will this improve.
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Guest, Yes, this is common amongst other withdrawal symptoms. It actually took me several months before I felt better....but anyday, even in the beginning, when I woke sober was better than waking up with a hangover. It gets better, it really does...hang in there! Peace & Serenity VWGirl
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I guess the short-term memory loss also comes with age. I know I've been having more and more of it every year. The joys of aging!!

Hey, VWGirl, sorry you had to hit rock bottom before getting here. I know that my brother hasn't quite gone there yet. I'm happy for you with your sobriety. Now you can enjoy life's pleasures and remember them all. Have fun in the process!!!

Love,
Lola
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I dealt with withdrawal symtoms the easiest way I think possible. My blood alcohol level in the emergency room was .3. Dr. told me my tolerance was so high that the only way he knew I was drinking was the smell and my eyes. I conversed with him very fluently. The next morning I drank 4 or 5 beers to calm down a bit. I decided to see my primary care physician and tell all. First thing he did was to have my records from the emergency room faxed to him. I think he thought I was kidding when I told him my alcohol blood level. After confirming that I wasn't b.s.ing him he asked if I wanted to go to the hospital to detox or could I do it on my own. With his help and a 5 day supply of librium I managed to detox. He told me that if I would have cold turkeyed without the librium I probably would have went into dt's and maybe died. My advise for your brother is to talk to his Dr. about his problem and I'm sure he'll receive good professional help. This all happened to me 9years ago and I haven't drank since.
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.3 level? I aways wonder when people talk about blood levels? I don't understand them. For eg. if you had point 3 (I trust me I believe you) how many drinks would you have to have approximately cause I guess we all a bit different. I'm fighting this on/off battle too and doing fairly well but blew the last few days. I also take xanax (have for years) for a serious panic disorder (that started way before beer drinking) so I skip my X or reduce it if drinking then I feel terrible both ways. When I don't drink (and I've been doing well most of the time) my I then take my xanax as always and prescribed. So with detoxing I think the Xanax really helps (not completely) but it's the same family of drugs as librium just shorter acting...some docs do give it out for detox I've heard also. I'm not drinking today so am on schedule with my X. Feel hungover (tired, bit shakey etc.) and this usually lasts for about 3-4 days then start to feel less agitated and more myself for lack of a better expression on my fifth day. I think having something (a benzo is safer) just not sure why. For people who don't take them for other reasons I've read 5 days is about right for w/d. Don't know why that is either? I have to take them so no choice here. Someday, I'd like to be totally beer free and eventually wean off X but that I'll discuss with doc. Anyway, everybody just keep hangin on. But I really am curious for e.g. how many drinks it takes to get to .3. Or .1 or.09 etc. Does anyone know.
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Lola, Dave and Willard, Thanks to the guys for posting what it is still like "out there" it just reaffirms to me that no matter what it doesn't get any better...in exchange for a bottle and a hangover, I've been given such a better life through the 12 Step program I am a member of....remember the only requirement to be part of AA is a desire to stop drinking...with that, Lola, I am so glad I hit that emotional, spiritual and mental bottom...I was blessed with the gift of desperation and was willing to go to any length, I mean any length, to get sober...I surrendered and knew that if I didn't have sobriety I wouldn't have anything. I was able to keep the job I've held for 21 years, I have 2 daughters, 14 and 18 years old (who walked out on me during my last drunk) and are now so proud of me...I also have been blessed with a wonderful relationship with a clean and sober guy...who is such a joy to have in my life...I don't know what the future holds...so I take it one day at time, sometimes are better than others. I am getting down to the nitty gritty of the step work...and that, at times, causes me to sit in hugh amounts of pain, but nevertheless I know I will come thru the other side, because I have a Power greater than myself in my life (God) and he didn't bring me this far to drop me. I hope your brother hits his bottom sooner rather than later...I think you post over on the Pain Pills site, how are you doing? Peace & Serenity, VWGirl
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Hey VWGirl, I am really happy for you with your sobriety. You sound like you're in a really good place right now. Good for you!! It's definitely not worth losing your daughters over. I have daughter who means the world to me. And yes, that is me on the pain pill site. Here I am worrying about my brother when I have my own addiction to battle. Well, with mine, I can still function on a daily basis. If anything, the pills help me to function better, they give me the energy to get all those things done in a day. But I've got to get use to living life without them again. I did it before and I can do it again. It's just been so many years already and I've forgotten that there is life without these things.

Dave, wow 9 years. Good job!! I think the legal drinking limit where I come from is .01 (something like that). So .3, wow, I think I would have been dead. Enjoy your sobriety. I think life without hangovers is a good thing, plus you tend to remember the fun that you had the night before.

And Willard, good luck to you on your road to sobriety. I know it's a hard road to travel, but a road well worth taking. I will give my brother all of this advice and hopefully he'll want this bad enough to keep working at it.

Take care and enjoy the day!!

Love,
Lola
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Yes Lola, every day that I do not have to put a chemical in my system I am in a good place! Intellectually I knew that nothing in life was worth losing my kids over, but did that matter, nope....I was in love with coke and alcohol...I was functional as well....I work at a very prominent aerospace corporation here in SoCal...but at the end of my run nothing really mattered, the marriage (which I walked out of), the kids (they got in the way of my using and drinking)....not even the job so much, which I loved and still love! I didn't feel I had any choice....I was in too much emotional pain (and physical pain too). I was out there for twenty eight years and it worked for a long time for me, but the disease is cunning, powerful and baffling, it snuck up on me in a slow, progressive manner and I almost wound up six feet under. Hey, have a great day, hi ho hi ho, it's off to work I go! VWGirl
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hello vwgirl, i just wanted to ask a question to you. you have and are going through alot. i have been seeing someone for a while, he is a recovering alcoholic, and cocain user. i don't want to lose him to a stupid relapse. what can i do to help him?? he goes to 2 meetings a day, his family has him on strick watch, he works w. his brother, and they all keep an eye on him, but i worry all the time. i want to help him. do you have any advice for me, as a person who loves a addict? any advice would be greatly appreciated.. thanx
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Good Morning All
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Hi Jenny,

Sorry that I missed you this morning, I guess it's now "Good Afternoon". I hope you are doing well today. Have a lovely weekend!!!!

Love,
Lola