Don't use any alcohol!

[[jo...]]

I am writing this post for those who are new to BB.

 

Yesterday I had just a few sips of alcohol. Today I am even deeper in help than I normally am.

 

My tinnitus is going through the roof, it's driving me insane. Besides that I suddenly developed a very low heart rate, my breathing problems worsened and I think I was close to having a seizure. And lastly I had insane driving anxiety today, like psychosis mad driving anxiety.

 

All of this was caused by just a few sips of alcohol. So if you are thinking about taking any while withdrawing: don't do it!

[[be...]]

I'm sorry you reacted so badly to a few sips but I think you're probably scaring new people. Unnecessarily. I see you are new yourself. It's highly unlikely a few sips would cause most people any trouble unless they were freaked out because they had a few sips (or have had previous alcohol issues of abuse).  Many people can't tolerate alcohol which is understandable but some find the odd glass of wine is ok or whatever they enjoy. So it's prudent to be careful with alcohol no doubt but we are all undeniably different and unique. On occasion I've enjoyed the odd beer but now I don't enjoy it anymore so I chose not to drink at all. Blanket statements can be discouraging and frightening for some people. I avoid them at all costs. It's like saying don't touch a cup of coffee or try cannibas or anything for that matter. It doesn't apply to all. B

[[So...]]

I agree, I appreciate the concern for others however I drank quite a bit while coming down from 3 mg to 1 mg where I am now and aside from the odd stomach ache or headache the next day which obviously can also be a hangover it didn't make me feel worse at all, the only thing I noticed was champagne made me feel a bit weird but then again it always has, so blanket statements aren't great.

 

I know I can't use weed because of panic attacks it gives me but once again that haw always been true.

 

Not saying I condone binge drinking or anything during withdrawal but we don't need to scare people

[[bu...]]

I am writing this post for those who are new to BB.

 

Yesterday I had just a few sips of alcohol. Today I am even deeper in help than I normally am.

 

My tinnitus is going through the roof, it's driving me insane. Besides that I suddenly developed a very low heart rate, my breathing problems worsened and I think I was close to having a seizure. And lastly I had insane driving anxiety today, like psychosis mad driving anxiety.

 

All of this was caused by just a few sips of alcohol. So if you are thinking about taking any while withdrawing: don't do it!

 

 

But you don't really know that!  Just because event A  preceded event B does NOT mean A caused B.

[[be...]]

builder is right. He's the voice of reason on this site. I also am a big proponent of not drinking at all during taper or post taper. The OP was not trying to scare people, just concerned. For those of you who have been around, you'll find many posts from people who drank and felt horrible the next day. But taking just a few sips, unless it is Moon Shine  should not hurt anybody long term. Or at all. But I've seen far too many regretful posts about this.

 

Betsy

[[jo...]]

Sorry guys, I didn't wanted to scare anyone. I just wanted to warn as others warned me for do's and don'ts on here.

 

And yes, I am not 100% sure it was the alcohol, however I have tinnitus for 12 years now and it was never as bad as it was after the alcohol.

[[be...]]

I'm sure you meant no harm and yes some find alcohol to be disastrous. But some don't even though we don't need it to live like we do food so if in doubt avoid it. I don't know what you drank but if you already have tinnitus and it made it worse (if it was the alcohol) there's no point in drinking it again. Better to be safe than sorry. For me I already have bad allergies and have found even one beer now makes them 10X worse. So I stopped drinking it. Common sense. Argh! B

[[er...]]

I notice people in different threads defending the right to drink. Or asking how long do they have to wait to drink. I don't see the logic in replacing benzos with alcohol. You go through all that agony getting off benzos to just replace it with something else? If you can hardly wait to be able to start drinking again you might have a problem if alcohol is that important to you. It's called denial.

[[be...]]

Ernie some people just really enjoy a nice drink when out to dinner, a party and so forth. I love an ice cold beer sitting in the sun. I don't think it's denial of any kind unless of course you've had serious alcohol abuse problems in the past. And I honestly think a person knows if they have an alcohol problem. Or not. Just my 2 cents. B

[[er...]]

Tomorrows my 66th birthday. I just went out and bought a bottle of champagne.

[[On...]]

I cannot drink many types of alcohol drinks especially now going through this taper. Wine and beer and other mixed drinks contain sulfites (a type of preservative) which makes my tinnitus and anxiety much worse. I have allergies and asthma and have noticed recently that all the asthma triggers are much worse going through this taper. I had fresh fruit yesterday from Safeway and had an all night panic attack. I found out later they soak the fresh fruit in sulfites. I wish I had realized this sooner so mentioning it now.

[[be...]]

Happy birthday in advance. I just had 65 and lol very very uneventful. Suited me fine though. Kept thinking now I'll get old age pension. That rang badly in my ears and so far I don't have tinnitus. I don't like champagne though. Lol nice buzz I guess, then the white porcelain bowl. Well enjoy it I guess but hope it's worth it.  B 

[[er...]]

Slow and steady wins the race. I have all night.

[[...]]

I think you mean well, trying to help people out. That's awesome of you, but yes, this tends to scare people and it isn't at all true. What happens for one does NOT mean it will happen for others. It's also hugely a mind set. If you deal with anxiety already and go into a glass of alcohol "knowing" you will have major symptoms, they will happen. I had a glass of whiskey, three beers and was fine. Not the best idea, but I was completely fine. It is very early in my taper, however, I plan on living my life as if I am not tapering until I see reason to not do so. If I live normally I am less likely to freak myself out and create symptoms that aren't from withdrawal but from anxiety based on my fear of withdrawal.

 

However, since you had that reaction, I would say to you personally, Don't use any alcohol!

 

And for everyone else, do what makes you happen (within reason of course) and live your life as you normally would until there is a reason to not do so! Don't get all worked up! We are just doing a thing No biggie!

[[be...]]

If you're talking to me mdh you missed my point. I'm all for doing things as normally as possible. I've had beer during this process but if I drank champagne it wouldn't be pretty. It makes me nauseous like crazy. Always has. Beer simply makes my rose runny or stuffy so not particularly user friendly right now. In time when the allergies ease up I'll enjoy it again I'm sure. If it causes no harm. Why not? I drink 3 cups of coffee every morning. Kept that because was difficult to give up. I enjoy it. I'm all for to each his own. Never posted otherwise. B

[[be...]]

Actually I think you must be talking to the OP. Hope so anyway. B

[[...]]

I don't drink, never had. So personally I dunno how I would react.

A friend of mine tapered a high dose of xanax, with valium. She's did take a beer sometimes during her taper.

Now she's 7 years benzo free and enjoy a beer or glas of wine maybe twice a month.

Anxiety are good swimmers don't forget that 

With that said I drink coffee every morning, can't stay away from it.

 

 

 

[[...]]

Actually I think you must be talking to the OP. Hope so anyway. B

 

Haha, yes to the OP, otherwise, I would have quoted you

[[be...]]

Thought so mdh. Ha ha on me. And Me2 that's not true about beer, wine whatever your pleasure. Lol I'm the worst swimmer in the world. I love diving though as long as the pool isn't huge. So taking the plung is one thing, drowning is another. Well maybe if a lifeguards on duty? Depends how cute he is I guess. B

[[Ma...]]

Oh God ! Last month, My Refill(before my taper started) of Ativan 1 mg(Taken twice a day) got messed up on a friday and i didn't get my Refill til Monday, so 3 days without Any Ativan, so i decided to Buy a huge bottle thinking it'd help with the withdrawals since Alcohol affects the same part of the brain as Benzos....BOY I WAS WRONG. DO NOT. I REPEAT, DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL WITH WITHDRAWALING OR TAPERING. It was HELL. Every time i took a shot, I got sicker and sicker. It's like every Shot/Drink Made the withdrawal worse and worse, cause it did! Then Passing out and waking up, OMG, I could barely walk, was puking my guts out and literally thought i was dying. DON;T DO IT,

[[be...]]

I'm sorry that happened but substituting is totally different that the odd drink. Still this was your choice and someone else might have been fine. I doubt it though because substituting totally different scenario. These DO NOT DO posts help no one in my opinion. Short of someone threatening suicide try to remember if at all possible suggestions offer much more help than orders. Still substituting. Apples and oranges. B

[[le...]]

I think that everybody differs as in some can drink alcohol and be ok and others it can put into a coma so a very very careful step to be made. I personally have not had any alcohol for 7 years. Before this whilst on 10mg Valium a day I would sometimes have a pint or 2 most days. One evening I had 4 beers as was staying at a hotel. I woke up the next morning and the hotel room was smashed to bits and my hand was in a really bad way. It cost me £700 (£1200) to have the hotel room fixed and I had 2 hours of plastic surgery on my hand......The really scary part of this story is I remember leaving the bar to go back to my hotel room then everything is black until the next morning......I had smashed my hotel room up and injured myself, this is benzos and drink that did this, so be very careful as you never know how it may effect you.

[[be...]]

I give up. I'm sorry about your hand and expenses but you doubled what you normally drank. So who knows. But possibly if you want to present what IMO are "scary" posts at least put on a sig. it helps others to see how much posts apply to them (or not). You apparently had a blackout. But possibly more factors unknown to us were in play. But yes if you're concerned about drinking alcohol or know you react badly it's clearly prudent to avoid it. Unless of course you're avoiding  sudden onset of alcohol withdrawal as well. Then I imagine it would be clearly in your best interest to detox from alcohol first. Then tackle the benzos. 'Nuff said". B

[[Be...]]

I think that everybody differs as in some can drink alcohol and be ok and others it can put into a coma so a very very careful step to be made. I personally have not had any alcohol for 7 years. Before this whilst on 10mg Valium a day I would sometimes have a pint or 2 most days. One evening I had 4 beers as was staying at a hotel. I woke up the next morning and the hotel room was smashed to bits and my hand was in a really bad way. It cost me £700 (£1200) to have the hotel room fixed and I had 2 hours of plastic surgery on my hand......The really scary part of this story is I remember leaving the bar to go back to my hotel room then everything is black until the next morning......I had smashed my hotel room up and injured myself, this is benzos and drink that did this, so be very careful as you never know how it may effect you.

 

Not only that, I know of some people who have had VERY BAD reactions to alcohol, especially after jumping. I can't say names but one of them went into a very bad wd again after being off for more than a year. I was a heavy drinker and now I wouldn't drink for anything in the world. After (and while I'm through this) I want my body to be as clean and safe as possible. If I feel fine why risk it? and if feel bad why make it worse? alcohol is so not worth it IMO

[[le...]]

I give up. I'm sorry about your hand and expenses but you doubled what you normally drank. So who knows. But possibly if you want to present what IMO are "scary" posts at least put on a sig. it helps others to see how much posts apply to them (or not). You apparently had a blackout. But possibly more factors unknown to us were in play. But yes if you're concerned about drinking alcohol or know you react badly it's clearly prudent to avoid it. Unless of course you're avoiding  sudden onset of alcohol withdrawal as well. Then I imagine it would be clearly in your best interest to detox from alcohol first. Then tackle the benzos. 'Nuff said". B

 

I was a complete idiot.....I used to drink whilst taking Diazepam along with Celexa and anti-histamines..... So a real stupid person to do this. I found that alcohol and benzos make me very aggressive which I never thought would have as I used to take Anabolic Steroids in the 90's before I was ever prescribed benzos and people always say how Steroids make people aggressive, not once did I get aggressive off steroids yet Diazepam and beer is a different story. I stopped drinking as soon as I started taking Klonopin as my Dr told me it is not safe to drink on Klonopin but safe to drink on Valium? Been on Klon' for 7 years and not touched a drink in that time. I was never a heavy drinker, just now and again I would have a couple of pints.