A couple of months ago I went to a doctor to get a prescription for sleeping
meds so I could stop using alcohol for sleep. The doctor asked me how much
alcohol I was drinking and how often and with that, told me NOT to go cold
turkey. She told me that immediate withdrawal could cause serious problems
such as seizure, stroke and at worst death. She also said that if I had any
trouble with withdrawal complications, I should get to the hospital
immediately. I followed these recommendations and managed to reduce
drinking until the doctor said it was time to stop.

I did it from my doctor's plan.

Now at AA today, there was a person who didn't know about the possible
problems of going cold-turkey. It was his first day. I'm sorry, but I
couldn't keep the possibility of complications from him. I opened my mouth
and stuck both feet in. I told him about the possible problems of immediate
withdrawal. I then said what my doctor had me do--no one believed me. How
would a doctor ever tell an alcoholic to cut-back slowly? It goes against
everything these people believe. I was basically lying. Right? Nope.
After years of abuse, I wanted to get off and that's what my doctor told me
to do.

It sucks. I thought I was doing the right thing by telling this person that
there could be complications. I didn't expect hostility. I didn't lie.

Sorry, just wanted to vent.

--Devon

Devon <spam@4dv.net> wrote in message
news:OpmdnS9Id8aSJeXZnZ2dnUVZ_tednZ2d@4dv.net...
> A couple of months ago I went to a doctor to get a prescription for
sleeping
> meds so I could stop using alcohol for sleep. The doctor asked me how
much
> alcohol I was drinking and how often and with that, told me NOT to go cold
> turkey. She told me that immediate withdrawal could cause serious
problems
> such as seizure, stroke and at worst death. She also said that if I had
any
> trouble with withdrawal complications, I should get to the hospital
> immediately. I followed these recommendations and managed to reduce
> drinking until the doctor said it was time to stop.
>
> I did it from my doctor's plan.
>
> Now at AA today, there was a person who didn't know about the possible
> problems of going cold-turkey. It was his first day. I'm sorry, but I
> couldn't keep the possibility of complications from him. I opened my
mouth
> and stuck both feet in. I told him about the possible problems of
immediate
> withdrawal. I then said what my doctor had me do--no one believed me.
How
> would a doctor ever tell an alcoholic to cut-back slowly? It goes against
> everything these people believe. I was basically lying. Right? Nope.
> After years of abuse, I wanted to get off and that's what my doctor told
me
> to do.
>
> It sucks. I thought I was doing the right thing by telling this person
that
> there could be complications. I didn't expect hostility. I didn't lie.
>
> Sorry, just wanted to vent.
>
> --Devon

Someone at the meeting give you hostility? Ask them if they used the "taper
off'" program at first. Did they ever drink between meetings, even without
the Doc's recommendation? Odds are they did. Don't let them old timers play
"Big Chief AA" You are sober today, and that's what counts.

That's how I stopped; carefully monitored my use by keeping a log and
gradually cut back the volumes and length of time between use. My doc said
it is tough for most to cut back, but safe. He refused to give me any meds
and said he would check me into a detox if I wanted to go that route. I went
from 20-25 oz of vodka per day down to 8-10 oz per day, then was able to go
cold turkey with no problems.

The advice you get from most is to check into detox, then stay in meetings;
you'll never hear anything that supports drinking in any form unfortunately.
Cutting back works... that's exactly what they do to you in detox with
benzodiazepam drugs. Like Stuart said, don't let Big Cheif's bully ya...
they are not doctors. At least you're sober... congrads!


"Devon" <spam@4dv.net> wrote in message
news:OpmdnS9Id8aSJeXZnZ2dnUVZ_tednZ2d@4dv.net...
> A couple of months ago I went to a doctor to get a prescription for
sleeping
> meds so I could stop using alcohol for sleep. The doctor asked me how
much
> alcohol I was drinking and how often and with that, told me NOT to go cold
> turkey. She told me that immediate withdrawal could cause serious
problems
> such as seizure, stroke and at worst death. She also said that if I had
any
> trouble with withdrawal complications, I should get to the hospital
> immediately. I followed these recommendations and managed to reduce
> drinking until the doctor said it was time to stop.
>
> I did it from my doctor's plan.
>
> Now at AA today, there was a person who didn't know about the possible
> problems of going cold-turkey. It was his first day. I'm sorry, but I
> couldn't keep the possibility of complications from him. I opened my
mouth
> and stuck both feet in. I told him about the possible problems of
immediate
> withdrawal. I then said what my doctor had me do--no one believed me.
How
> would a doctor ever tell an alcoholic to cut-back slowly? It goes against
> everything these people believe. I was basically lying. Right? Nope.
> After years of abuse, I wanted to get off and that's what my doctor told
me
> to do.
>
> It sucks. I thought I was doing the right thing by telling this person
that
> there could be complications. I didn't expect hostility. I didn't lie.
>
> Sorry, just wanted to vent.
>
> --Devon
>
>

>A couple of months ago I went to a doctor to get a prescription for sleeping
>meds so I could stop using alcohol for sleep. The doctor asked me how much
>alcohol I was drinking and how often and with that, told me NOT to go cold
>turkey.

I have heard this too (and read it on various reputable website) and
quite worried about it as I am not particularly fit either, so I've
probably already got high blood pressure etc which put some in gretaer
danger of quitting.

You don't say how much you used to drink a day (and I'm not prying) but
I know that I am a heavy drinker at best, and an alc at worst. I am
just trying to do the same thing - cutting back, bit by bit. But it's
not easy obviously.

Thanks for sharing.

I told my doctor that I was drinking at least 1 pint a night of vodka. That
would get me to sleep about 6 hours. At worst, I was drinking almost 1
liter a day. This was after a couple of years of using alcohol to sleep.
Then there were days when I'd try to catch-up on my seep in the middle of
the day so sometimes the drinking would go on all day and night. It was out
of control. Sleep stopped being the reason to drink. I hated it so I asked
a doctor to help me with the sleep problem so I could stop drinking.

I know I'm off topic, but for me, taking inventory meant facing my sleep
problem. I already knew I had an alcohol problem--I had to admit that I was
as powerless over insomnia as alcohol. And believe it or not, it's easier
for a doctor to help you with an alcohol problem. Sleep problems are still
regarded as a weakness of character and doctors would rather give you
anti-depressants than sleeping meds (done a lot of research). At any rate,
I'm off the alcohol and taking meds to sleep. I sleep a normal number of
hours (for me) and have taken my life back. I have time to do things again
without fighting either exhaustion or a hangover.

--Devon

Hope you find the path you need to get off of alcohol. Everyone here will
tell you it's not easy, but it's something you have to live through. The
good part is that you can get support here, AA and other associations. I'm
still new to this too, but have found a lot of help here. And I'm not
drinking!


"Wenzley" <wenzley@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1148986718.951303.251350@i40g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> >A couple of months ago I went to a doctor to get a prescription for
sleeping
> >meds so I could stop using alcohol for sleep. The doctor asked me how
much
> >alcohol I was drinking and how often and with that, told me NOT to go
cold
> >turkey.
>
> I have heard this too (and read it on various reputable website) and
> quite worried about it as I am not particularly fit either, so I've
> probably already got high blood pressure etc which put some in gretaer
> danger of quitting.
>
> You don't say how much you used to drink a day (and I'm not prying) but
> I know that I am a heavy drinker at best, and an alc at worst. I am
> just trying to do the same thing - cutting back, bit by bit. But it's
> not easy obviously.
>
> Thanks for sharing.
>