Question Regarding Alcohol Use Post Recovery

[[Ne...]]

Not sure if this is the appropriate place to ask this question but does anyone have a feel as to what % of people that have recovered can consume alcohol with no relapse post recovery?  I am 36 months off from CT from 3 weeks use of Temazepam and still experience broken sleep, tinnitus, and head/neck pain and pressure.  I have not consumed any alcohol and I seem not to be triggered by food and supplements. If I have to give up wine forever, I will but my husband feels that I am being silly in thinking I will be at risk.  I have read the stories from buddies that have experienced setbacks post alcohol use but most likely the majority of people that have recovered from benzos don’t come back here and share their experience with alcohol post successful recovery. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide me.  

[[Ma...]]

The only real answer is: do you want to take the risk?

There have been a number of posts in the past month of people years out who have had 1 alcoholic beverage and been immediately thrown back into acute.

There is absolutely no way to tell how you will respond. So, do you want to take the risk?

[[Ne...]]

35 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

The only real answer is: do you want to take the risk?

There have been a number of posts in the past month of people years out who have had 1 alcoholic beverage and been immediately thrown back into acute.

There is absolutely no way to tell how you will respond. So, do you want to take the risk?

 

[[Ne...]]

Thanks.  This is what I am trying to assess -the risk and probability.

[[Js...]]

51 minutes ago, [[N...] said:

Not sure if this is the appropriate place to ask this question but does anyone have a feel as to what % of people that have recovered can consume alcohol with no relapse post recovery?  I am 36 months off from CT from 3 weeks use of Temazepam and still experience broken sleep, tinnitus, and head/neck pain and pressure.  I have not consumed any alcohol and I seem not to be triggered by food and supplements. If I have to give up wine forever, I will but my husband feels that I am being silly in thinking I will be at risk.  I have read the stories from buddies that have experienced setbacks post alcohol use but most likely the majority of people that have recovered from benzos don’t come back here and share their experience with alcohol post successful recovery. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide me.  

Hi @[Ne...],

I don't think there can be a % : everyone is different, type of benzo, and duration. I would love to see a poll, but not sure how accurate it would be based on the variables.

36 months is quite an achievement!

I agree with Mary1. 

Although, if you were to take the risk, the answer would be very little to start to gauge where your comfort levels are.

 

Below is from the Ashton manual:

https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha03.htm

 

 

DIET, FLUIDS AND EXERCISE

There has been increasing interest in the question of diet in benzodiazepine withdrawal, particularly in North America. What food/drinks should be excluded? What supplements should be added? These are frequent questions. In my opinion there is no need to be over-obsessive about diet. Some people advise that caffeine and alcohol should be completely ruled out. However, the point about gradual dosage tapering at home is that people should get used to living a normal lifestyle without drugs. In my experience, coffee or tea in moderation (about two cups a day), or reasonable amounts of cocoa, chocolate or coca cola, are perfectly compatible with benzodiazepine withdrawal - except in the few individuals who are exquisitely sensitive to caffeine or those with very high anxiety levels. Clearly one should not take caffeine late in the evening or drink cups of tea/coffee (unless decaffeinated) in the middle of the night if insomniac, but to prohibit a cup of tea/coffee at breakfast is in general unduly restrictive. One is, after all, striving to be normal and sociable, not fussy.

Similarly with alcohol: a glass or two of wine is perfectly permissible (and even said by some to be advisable for health). Although it is important not to substitute increasing doses of alcohol for decreasing doses of benzodiazepines, there is no need to deny oneself small pleasures. Moderation is the key: there is no call to be puritanical.

 

[[Ne...]]

Thanks Jsmith.  

[[jo...]]

I think must people are fine with it. Some are extra sensitive to it though and I think your right in saying their in the minority as we would hear about it more than we do.

People who become, or are alcoholics ,or at least are heavy drinkers after withdrawl, are clearly at greater risk. Again though I don't think that is many people.

There are some stories of people just having a couple of beers and getting a setback though. There quite scary but rare I think.

I caused myself a problem with drink I think but I was only a couple of months out. Stupid Idea to drink in withdrawl I think.

[[jo...]]

Although I wish I could