Alcohol Related Setback

[[Si...]]

So I've been feeling more or less normal and healed for the last year. My worst withdrawal symptom overall was sleep.

 

I went to a work Christmas party last Friday night. I had a lot of beer that night and then had a bad hangover the next day. That Sunday night I could t sleep at all (Saturday I slept fine though). Then again I could barely sleep again on Tuesday night. I now have some other symptoms come back tinnitus and burning skin, weird jittery nerves. I know it was REALLY stupid to drink like that. Has anybody else had an alcohol related setback? How did it affect you? How long did it take before you felt better?

[[Sh...]]

I know that beer definitely makes me feel bad. But for some reason...drinking vodka soda I'm absolutely fine. Something about not getting as dehydrated I think. Last wknd I had 10 voddy sodas over a night and was hung over the next day but no WD symptoms. I had 4 beers yest and felt really funny so I stopped.

[[Be...]]

I think you will be fine. Maybe a little uptick for a few days and back to baseline. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. It happens. I try and keep it to 3 or 4 drinks max per outing and as long as I stop there I'm mostly good.

[[Da...]]

A lot of people drink around that holidays so it is easy to get caught up in it. I am actually ready to get through the holidays and then back to normal. I would not worry to much you will probably be better soon.

[[Si...]]

Thanks everyone. I'm already on my third sleepless night this week. I haven't missed a whole night in a year. WTF?!

 

I was having a few drinks every few weeks too. No idea why this is hitting me so hard. I still have to think it was the alcohol since I felt 99% healed. Now my head is pounding like when I was in acute.

[[Be...]]

Benzos and Alcohol both work on Gaba. So it's not surprising to get this reaction at all!

Just stay away from Alcohol the longest you can.

[[Si...]]

Yes that's pretty clear that I just can't drink it anymore. It's not worth the down sides.

[[Sy...]]

If i drink i have a wave during 15 days

Always the same story

But guess what eating M Ms gave me a wave too

Avoid...

[[Si...]]

Hopefully this clears up for me soon. I can't believe it's happening again.

 

Subassembly, do you get bad insomnia as a rebound?

[[Be...]]

Siggy, how long were you on benzos?

[[Si...]]

Siggy, how long were you on benzos?

 

Barely 5 weeks. Tried quitting at 2-½ weeks, but got hit with bad withdrawal symptoms. So I tried rapid tapering for 2-½ more and just quit at .25mg lorazepam. Went through hellacious withdrawal. Got better around month 5. HUGE setback in month 10 from what I guess is a alcohol / flu combo. That lasted 10 months until I started feeling normal again. That's why I should have known better. But I felt almost fully healed for a year. I'm at around the 31 month off mark.

[[Da...]]

Oh yes. I had two drinks last month, not again for a good few years, I never want to go through what I did that day ever again. I started getting my paradoxical sxs that I had on Benzos, that seem to have drastically reduced in WD, come back. Severe DP/DR, extreme panic, had to run outside to be sick because I couldn't get upstairs, was sick repeatedly for about six hours, left me very weak and sore, I was shaking violently, didn't sleep for about ten days after, ugh, it was horrible. I think this must be related to having a very fragile GABA system after Benzos. I have a long history of paradoxical drug reactions, and for me, alcohol is no exception.

[[Be...]]

Oh my goodness! Only 2-1/2 weeks did all that to you!!

Don't worry. You will make it to the safe side very soon

[[Si...]]

Thanks for the reply dapple. I agree our nervous systems are just too sensitive. I was too tempted by my past drinking life and wanting to be "normal".

[[Be...]]

Normal means Sober, Not Intoxicated!

 

Don't let peer pressure affect you when you are doing the right thing.

[[Da...]]

Siggy, how long were you on benzos?

 

Barely 5 weeks. Tried quitting at 2-½ weeks, but got hit with bad withdrawal symptoms. So I tried rapid tapering for 2-½ more and just quit at .25mg lorazepam. Went through hellacious withdrawal. Got better around month 5. HUGE setback in month 10 from what I guess is a alcohol / flu combo. That lasted 10 months until I started feeling normal again. That's why I should have known better. But I felt almost fully healed for a year. I'm at around the 31 month off mark.

 

Flu is SOOO nasty in WD isn't it!. I got hit by a flu virus in September, coughing, sneezing, terrible sore throat, migraines, fever, the full works. It also seemed to take forever to fully clear up. I am now very cautious and try to avoid being around people if they have a bug as I don't think my body can take any more sickness on top of my WD sxs.

[[Si...]]

Siggy, how long were you on benzos?

 

Barely 5 weeks. Tried quitting at 2-½ weeks, but got hit with bad withdrawal symptoms. So I tried rapid tapering for 2-½ more and just quit at .25mg lorazepam. Went through hellacious withdrawal. Got better around month 5. HUGE setback in month 10 from what I guess is a alcohol / flu combo. That lasted 10 months until I started feeling normal again. That's why I should have known better. But I felt almost fully healed for a year. I'm at around the 31 month off mark.

 

Flu is SOOO nasty in WD isn't it!. I got hit by a flu virus in September, coughing, sneezing, terrible sore throat, migraines, fever, the full works. It also seemed to take forever to fully clear up. I am now very cautious and try to avoid being around people if they have a bug as I don't think my body can take any more sickness on top of my WD sxs.

 

Yeah, the brain releases a cocktail of toxic chemicals to combat the virus. This is the stuff that makes you feel terrible. I took a lot of vitamin C too to try and prevent getting sick..

[[Da...]]

Siggy, how long were you on benzos?

 

Barely 5 weeks. Tried quitting at 2-½ weeks, but got hit with bad withdrawal symptoms. So I tried rapid tapering for 2-½ more and just quit at .25mg lorazepam. Went through hellacious withdrawal. Got better around month 5. HUGE setback in month 10 from what I guess is a alcohol / flu combo. That lasted 10 months until I started feeling normal again. That's why I should have known better. But I felt almost fully healed for a year. I'm at around the 31 month off mark.

 

Flu is SOOO nasty in WD isn't it!. I got hit by a flu virus in September, coughing, sneezing, terrible sore throat, migraines, fever, the full works. It also seemed to take forever to fully clear up. I am now very cautious and try to avoid being around people if they have a bug as I don't think my body can take any more sickness on top of my WD sxs.

 

Yeah, the brain releases a cocktail of toxic chemicals to combat the virus. This is the stuff that makes you feel terrible. I took a lot of vitamin C too to try and prevent getting sick..

 

I think it has something to do with the inflammatory Cytokine response.  Some studies into Benzo WD suggest raised Cytokine levels play a role, so it only stands to reason that this could be why people in Benzo WD suffer more when we get bugs.

[[Si...]]

I kind of think I'm kindled because I was a big binge drinker before I ever took a Benzo. It may be why it hit me so hard for such short use. Pretty stupid on my part.

[[Da...]]

I kind of think I'm kindled because I was a big binge drinker before I ever took a Benzo. It may be why it hit me so hard for such short use. Pretty stupid on my part.

 

I spend a lot of my now copious free time beating myself up over my issues with Opiates and Benzos, and this backed up by WD sxs can be very frustrating and depressing. We cannot go back and change how we were in the past. I spend a lot of time pondering the whole 'oh, if only I had a time machine' saga. Both alcohol and Benzos effect GABA the same way, so this may be the case for you, but you're not stupid. We all do things we come to regret.

[[He...]]

Yes I agree the alcohol and short benzo use has effected your

Receptors, the brain is smart, it's giving you a warming, "don't go

Down that road again, please, I've worked so hard to get you better"

Now that you know better you can do better! Stay positive!

[[ca...]]

So I've been feeling more or less normal and healed for the last year. My worst withdrawal symptom overall was sleep.

 

I went to a work Christmas party last Friday night. I had a lot of beer that night and then had a bad hangover the next day. That Sunday night I could t sleep at all (Saturday I slept fine though). Then again I could barely sleep again on Tuesday night. I now have some other symptoms come back tinnitus and burning skin, weird jittery nerves. I know it was REALLY stupid to drink like that. Has anybody else had an alcohol related setback? How did it affect you? How long did it take before you felt better?

 

Yes! Most definitely! Three weeks ago I made that mistake. I only had a glass of wine. About 24 hours after I started feeling bad and got the shakes, jaws tightened up on me. I'm just starting to feel better. Looks  like I'm going to have to give it up for a while longer. I have had a beer or two and not pay for it as I did with the wine. Who knows what goes on inside of us while we heal! Being miserable for a couple of weeks afterwards isn't worth it!

[[Si...]]

Thanks herewegoagain & Camre! I couldn't agree more. It's just not worth the consequences.

 

 

[[Re...]]

I kind of think I'm kindled because I was a big binge drinker before I ever took a Benzo. It may be why it hit me so hard for such short use. Pretty stupid on my part.

 

I have wondered about this myself since alchohal and benzos act on the same part of the brain. I was a binge drinker for about 4 years, so I share your concerns. I'm sure there is some correlation between the damage from alchohal then taking benzos. Sadley will never know until some scientist get behind researching the correlation. Going off from what I have read online though it is a very logical hypothesis.

[[Si...]]

Unfortunately I think I experimented on myself! Everyone is different, so I'm sure some ex Benzo users are ok with alcohol. I just think the downside for me is too great. So I'll be avoiding any alcohol from now on.