Dealing with AWS

Recovery
#1

Hey everyone. Long time heavy drinker who turned into being an alcoholic as I leaned on Alcohol for anxiety. I've had bad benders this year and got scared, and have decided to make a change. I'm 6 days alcohol free. First few days were rough with sleeping issues, sweating, agitation, anxiety, etc etc. I feel good these last 2 days but have developed itching in my legs. A quick online search says it's decently common.

Blood work a few weeks ago came back in line with a tad high result in a liver panel test, but nothing they said was too concerning. More tests coming in a few weeks as I abstain from drinking to see if they get better.

Honestly, I'm just scared that after 20 years of drinking, and most of it heavily, I've done damage that's irreversible. My anxiety makes me think the worst. But I'm a week off alcohol now and sadly that makes me proud. It hasn't been easy. Anyone have advice for the withdrawal symptoms???

5 Likes
#2

Hello,
First I am so proud of you for decided to stop. I have gone through withdrawals from several different things including alcohol, I never use just one thing.. I am addicted to more..
2 years ago I got clean, I told my Boyfriend just let me be sick and I can get through this. I can tell as long as you do not drink or use anything it will get better. Be careful, it sounds like you are past the danger stage, but people can die from alcohol withdrawal. I personally went to a medical detox 2 different times and that helps, they can give you medication to help you get through it. Since you are so far along, you may want to include your doctor. Be honest with them, they will be willing to help you.
Staying sober is hard, try to focus on today.. look up grounding techniques.. meditation, music, lots of water, hot baths or showers, walking helped me..
Pray, cry, do anything that helps but do not drink..
Ask for help, if you do not have a Sponsor get one. My Sponsor had me do 90 meetings in 90 days. It is easy to find a zoom meeting, sometimes I would sit online on a marathon zoom meeting.
Go to meetings, let people know what you are going through..
You have no control over the damage to your body right this minute, let it go!
Be gentle & kind to yourself you are doing something hard!! I promise it will get better the longer you stay sober..
I know when I was growing through withdrawals, I simply did what I was told by other recovering addicts..
The addiction is powerful, it wants to kill you!!
You are a fighter, You are worth it, And remember nobody has more than today. If you have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow you are pissing all over today. Stay sober and the rest of the stuff will work its way out. The last thing is something my Mom told me, and I tell my children
"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"

1 Like
#3

I'm truly proud of you for stopping. I wouldn't count your days just make your days count. Go to meetings do everything you can do to not drink. You got this I truly have faith in you for the fact of being so vulnerable and putting it all out there I know that's a change in you and your stronger then you think. You can message me anytime if you need to talk I'm here for you. Just remember what this feels like and you don't ever have to feel this way ever again the only way you would is if you went back and your not going to. Stay strong and reach out that's support all around you. I feel it!!

1 Like
#4

If you're truly addicted to alcohol don't just stop!!! You can have a seizure. Go to emergency room and let them medicate you... congratulations on making the decision to stop. Please be careful.

#5

You should be proud. The body is an amazing thing and with the panels being a little high it is good that you stopped. It will keep getting better. It can be dangerous to detox on your own but seems like you got through a lot of the physical withdrawals. Keep going.

#6

Great job stopping before it got worse. I personally detoxed for 4 days with hallucinations, tremors and terrible anxiety. When I got to rehab my liver enzymes were high enough to alarm the doctor. I am 6 and a half months clean and my enzymes are back to normal. I too was scared that the damage and trauma I’d put my body through would follow me for the rest of my life. I can’t say that I won’t see the effects of it down the road but as of now, my health is good and I have started to do things to take care of myself. To put your mind at ease, if you stick with sobriety, the physical repercussions of drinking will lessen with time. My doctor prescribed propanolol for shakes, chamomile tea and melatonin for sleep and lots of water. Sounds like you’re through the most dangerous time, but still be vigilant for the symptoms If they worsen. Hope this helped. We’re all with you. Stick with it.

#7

Congrats on getting sober! I get sever anxiety too. What helps me most is playing the tape forward. I tell myself that drinking just makes the anxiety worse in the end. I make bad decisions even if for an hour or 2 being tipsy “helps” it doesn’t when the hang overs hit and i have to call out sick from work or not b there for my friends or family. Drinking drove all the good ppl away in my life. Now that Im sober I’m more responsible with my time, family, friends, and a job that i love. It took a long time to get to this point. It takes practice and, though i hated hearing it, patients. Being present and more responsible has taken away most, not all, but definitely most of my anxiety. I hope this helps. keep at it!!

#8

It is so amazing that you made this decision. I know when I first got off the alcohol my hands were shaking so much that I couldn’t do anything. I know that you can have health issues if you quite cold turkey. So yeah check with your doctor so that he can help you with some meds. Some things that helped me are hot showers, walking, sweating it out, and I also took benedryl and that helped a lot for me. Anyway, keep it up kiddo please! It is so worth it that you will look back at this withdrawal and say thank God that you went through that because it will give you ammunition to stay clean. :heart:

#9

I was very itchy as well, my hands especially. It lasts a couple of weeks… it was weird to me as well!

#11

My advice is don't drink. You're coming out of the detox. That's huge. It'll get better everyday. Can't say the sleep thing's going to get better right away. But sweating into a pillow sucks. Don't go back. Just remember one day at a time. And it's not just 6 days. The record for sobriety is 24 hours and no one's had more so if you woke up before 6:30 this morning, you've been so longer than me. Chin up tits out. Be proud of yourself. Don't go back

#12

If you can get your Dr to prescribe Gabapentin, it helps with alcohol withdrawals. And in a supervised detox, they usually administer benzos to help safely come off alcohol.

#13

Best think to do is stay in touch with all your doctors

#14

The only thing that helped me was going to the ER. They gave me a weeks supply of Librium… recommended I go to a detox center as it’s very dangerous to withdrawal without supervision… I didn’t have a choice as my work is very high demand (barely functioning alcoholic here), so I opted for some gabapentin & used the Librium only when I felt like I was about to have a seizure (I didn’t want to get addicted or abuse it). Sober since August 10th and I’m still feeling the effects of withdrawal sometimes… you can do this… even alone… you got this!

#15

Multivitamins and I take ashwaganda root powder as well. Give your body the chance to heal and it'll get there, I went through DTs and it feels awful but it goes away eventually, just gotta put good things in your body, eat healthy, take walks, pick up hobbies, clear your mind.

#16

Drink 96oz of water and hit a steam room. :pray:

#17

Detox is best I had 5 seizures in one day after being alcohol free for a week.