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New guy here, day 1 sober...

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blazie151

Greenlighter
Joined
May 17, 2016
Messages
12
Hey all, I'm joining because much of the information I've been using to quit drinking alcohol has came from this site. I've tapered down from an average of 18 drinks every night (in about 4 hours) down to 8 drinks/night for a month before my final taper, which went 6,6,4,4,4,2,0. Before I started the taper I was drinking 750ml to 1l per night of 80 proof for about 2 years. I'm only about 36 hours without a drink now, and I know the worst is yet to come. So far I've only really been dealing with cravings, anxiety, and irritability. I took a cyclobenzaprine to sleep last night so no depression today. Today my lower back is killing me, especially under the ribs on my right side. Bit of a headache but I'm prescribed Fioricet for those and I don't know if taking one while detoxing is a good idea. Basically it's day 1, there's no facility near me to help, my doctor is a joke (and didn't think my alcohol intake was a problem plus won't prescribe anything to help with cravings or detox), and I'm agnostic and AA in my area starts with "accepting God in your life" so they're out. I have a good friend network, but I figured here is as good a place as any to make new friends. End of text wall...
 
Welcome to Bluelight!

Sounds like you're doing a great job already with your recovery--you made a decision and you've stuck to it even though you didn't have any outside support. Keep up with your plans and you'll have time under your belt in no time. Check out the Sober Living sub-forum on Bluelight for more day-to-day help (that's not "Higher Power"-based---I'm a freethinker myself so I was very turned off by AA/NA as well).

If there's any meeting in your area you might check out SMART Recovery. It's a secular program which just creates community for individuals to support each other.
 
Thanks for the tip about SMART recovery. Ill check if there's anything in my area like that. That first night was rough when it hit the time I usually start drinking. I ended up till 4am just talking to anyone that was awake, and smoking my ecig till the batteries ran out. Anxiety and cravings where really bad. I didnt think I would be able to see my doctor until tomorrow but they had an opening after it rained everyone out and I was able to get in and get some blood tests ran the morning of day 2. She ran a full CBC and LFT, should be getting back results very soon, and precribed me some Clonazepam (0.5mg) in case the anxiety got to be too much. It's now night 3 and I'm well past when I'd have stopped drinking for the night and I'm still doing well. Just having those pills there has given me the peace of mind I think I needed to get over the anxiety (I haven't actually taken any, I feel like if I take them for cravings I'm stepping back as they're also stimulating the GABA receptors in the brain so I only plan on taking them if the anxiety gets to be too much). Insomnia is a real pain, and today was stressful, but one day at a time, right? I'm pretty sure I was drinking to self medicate for anxiety and depression, so I might need some dr follow ups, but for now I'm just staying determined to let my mind get used to functioning without alcohol again (which I read can take a few months). All in all it could have been worse. I tapered off and started taking 500mg/day of thiamine a week before finally quitting, so I haven't experienced the really bad symtoms. It's mostly been mental anguish. I take pride in being stubborn though, should help out here.

Edit: Should have clarified "my new dr". When I realized my old one wouldn't help with a real problem I set up an appointment with a new one but wasn't expecting to get in so quickly.
 
blazie151 said:
Thanks for the tip about SMART recovery. Ill check if there's anything in my area like that. That first night was rough when it hit the time I usually start drinking. I ended up till 4am just talking to anyone that was awake, and smoking my ecig till the batteries ran out. Anxiety and cravings where really bad. I didnt think I would be able to see my doctor until tomorrow but they had an opening after it rained everyone out and I was able to get in and get some blood tests ran the morning of day 2. She ran a full CBC and LFT, should be getting back results very soon, and precribed me some Clonazepam (0.5mg) in case the anxiety got to be too much. It's now night 3 and I'm well past when I'd have stopped drinking for the night and I'm still doing well. Just having those pills there has given me the peace of mind I think I needed to get over the anxiety (I haven't actually taken any, I feel like if I take them for cravings I'm stepping back as they're also stimulating the GABA receptors in the brain so I only plan on taking them if the anxiety gets to be too much). Insomnia is a real pain, and today was stressful, but one day at a time, right? I'm pretty sure I was drinking to self medicate for anxiety and depression, so I might need some dr follow ups, but for now I'm just staying determined to let my mind get used to functioning without alcohol again (which I read can take a few months). All in all it could have been worse. I tapered off and started taking 500mg/day of thiamine a week before finally quitting, so I haven't experienced the really bad symtoms. It's mostly been mental anguish. I take pride in being stubborn though, should help out here.

Edit: Should have clarified "my new dr". When I realized my old one wouldn't help with a real problem I set up an appointment with a new one but wasn't expecting to get in so quickly.
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Excellent, congratulations!
You got this shit!!
 
Will do.

Morning of day 4... Have had a mild headache for 2 full days now. Why on earth am I so hungry all the time now?! Oh, and I've been sleeping 10-12 hours/night and still feeling tired. I have a little bit of anxiety creeping in thinking about my tests now; I know I should be getting them back today or tomorrow. I started drinking 15 years ago and haven't went a week without a drink since. I'm worried but not too much since I don't look like Homer Simpson.
 
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