Question:; "DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES"; can alchohol DT's really be like that?

[thghtsreal]

Originally Posted by xrayman7040

Take it from this alcoholic. My D.T.'s were the worst. I went through three days of no sleep, shaking in a pool of cold sweat. Then when I could sleep, I had terrible nightmares. It was pure hell. Thinking about that experience keeps me from drinking again, and I had to go throught that, or I would still be drinking. It doesn't happen to everyone, but it happened to me and I was only 27.

Glad to have you back in the real world with us, xrayman. How long have you been sober?

[trying2blend]

Hello; I think it takes a alcoholic to explain the "wine and roses" D T's and thank's xrayman for your input. Congrads!
I got sober in 1984 and did not know what was going to happen when I quit, never knew anyone that quit drinking at the time because I only knew people who drank. For me it was 5 days of hell and I am lucky I survived. I don't remember much of the first 2 days because I couldn't keep anything down and I didn't know day from night - I was not sleeping and like xrayman said about 'being in a pool of sweat'. The worst was when I tryed to lie down to sleep I started to feel bugs crawing on me. This is true and was very real at the time. So when I watched that movie 'I could identify' Yes it is nightmarish. Today if anyone asked me what someone should do if they want to quit drinking I would definitely suggest they go to a detox center or see a dr that knows about withdraws. There is a lot of help now and medications so someone would not have to experience what I did. Hope this helps and yes that was an excellent movie!

[viking55803]

Originally Posted by thghtsreal

Well, it sounds absolutely awfull. How could anyone go through that kind of detox experience and then drink alchohol (or use drugs) again?

Asking this is like asking why anyone who went through the pain and trauma of childbirth would ever do it more than once. In addition to the brain illness that is addiction, the human mind has an amazing ability to forget pain. Besides, most people who have DT's remember very little of what happened, if they survive.

I helped open the first detox in my region in 1972. DT's were not uncommon in those early days. Few people realize that alcohol withdrawal is the most dangerous of any withdrawal, followed by benzodiazipines (Valium, Librium, Zanax.) The benzo withdrawal often doesn't kick in for 1 to 2 weeks and the first symptom is often an epileptic seizure. Alcohol withdrawal can progress from high blood pressure, shakes and sweats to seizures to hallucinosis (mentioned in an earlier post) and finally DT's. In detox, we medicate just enough to keep the withdrawal syndrome from progressing - so medical supervision of detox is very important. Once DT's set in, the body is completely haywire and dramatic medical intervention is needed. Even then, the mortality rate of people in DT's approaches 50%!

Withdrawal from other drugs like opiates is uncomfortable, but rarely dangerous unless there is some serious underlying medical condition. One statement earlier that is innacurate is that DT's are more of a problem for older drinkers. While it is true that nutrition plays a role, some young alcoholics are particularly susceptible to DT's despite their age and length of problem.

[xrayman7040]

I have not had a drink in 14 years.

[xrayman7040]

I didn't mention what lead to my final round of D.T.'s Can any of you former drunks relate to this story. I was a benge drinker. According to popular definiton benge drinking means having more than three drinks in a setting. To me benge drinking meant staying drunk for a week straight. I had a partner in crime, my best friend who is not with us anymore. We would get up at the crack of dawn and start drinking until we passed out. Then we would wake up and do it all over again. My last bender that lead to the worst of D.T.'s lasted about a week. Like I said I am glad I had to go through that hell, because it's what keeps me sober. When you are going through withdrawls, a minute lasts a day. I was a very nofuntional alcoholic. I wasn't the kind of guy who could drink and hold down a job as some can. That proved to be a blessing because I was forced to quit drinking to be able to function in society, where a lot of my friends could hold down jobs, so they just kept on drinking.