PLEASE DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL WHEN YOU FEEL RECOVERED

[[Bi...]]

I'm now 25 months off, and I can drink alcohol with no problems.

 

I have drank wine, champagne, liquor, and it doesn't bother me.

 

You really do heal enough to drink without problems, or at least, that's the way it went for me.

 

 

[[Bo...]]

I'm now 25 months off, and I can drink alcohol with no problems.

 

I have drank wine, champagne, liquor, and it doesn't bother me.

 

You really do heal enough to drink without problems, or at least, that's the way it went for me.

 

That's good to hear.

[[Ca...]]

Over 2 years off be have been able to have a drink or maybe at the most 2 in an evening, for about a year now.

I don't actually do this very often. Maybe once in a month or 2 because I rarely feel like drinking alcohol.

 

I also have been able to drink coffee for about a year.

 

Carol

[[ve...]]

Hey mr. Peace, I personally wasn't talking about BOOZING.

But when I am off this benzo, I would like to believe that I could enjoy a glass of wine when cooking for friends every once in a while.

I think it's normal to want to have a " normal" life back.

With eating things again that I can not now ( MSG, gluten) or going to see a movie ( too loud now, causing panic) and maybe go out, sit on a terrace, having a coffee ( can't have any now, heart rate).

 

So, I think it's not really fair to say things like " don't complain " etc.

I was just asking a normal question about experiences from people who are off and have a glass of wine every now and then. And if that gave any problems.

I really love wine. I only drink one glass but enjoy it and don't chuck it back in half an hour.

Being hopeful for having a normal life again, includes the pleasures I used to have in life before.

 

I also can't work out at the moment. It brings up my heart rate and I can't get it down and get anxiety from it. I just take slow walks. But I hope to be able to run again one day too.

Same thing for me. Enjoying what I did before and just asking if that's ever going to happen.

It was one of the things I look forward to most. Just living life again. No binge drinking ( never have) or taking drugs ( never have, just the benzo, due to misdiagnosis).

 

Until a couple of weeks ago I never even heard of GABA and Glutamates. So I'm learning and just asking. Take care.

Happy you're doing so well

 

Totally get where you're coming from, Mom.  Before benzos, I was probably what you call less than a social drinker. I would not even have a glass or two of wine every week most of the year, but during summer vacations, special events like weddings or between Thanksgiving and New Years, it would not be uncommon for me to have a glass of wine or two or even a martini or two about twice a week.  Before benzos, if I ventured into that third drink or glass of wine, I would invariably feel some impact the next day, if not a full hangover, some negative impact such as being low energy or some mild blues for even 48 hours.  Sometimes I would try to compensate with eating more carbs or sweets that next day, which usually led to some fatigue.  So drinking "too much" or what I would call heavier drinking (3-5 drinks) just doesn't bode well for me.  At about four months off valium, I attended a wedding and had 2 glasses of wine (white) and I felt good both that evening and the next day.  Two months later, it was summer and I felt about 80% of s/x or issues were gone so I started back with the twice a week routine.  I noticed that when I had that third glass of wine and particularly if it was red, I paid a price the next day.  No all out wave or return to square one, just a mild hangover like described above.  I noted that when I had 3 glasses of white wine, it was less of a problem the next day compared with red.  I was also consuming a couple cups of coffee a day and eating a fair amount of sweets that summer (more than average).  So I did have a setback at about 9 months.  BP was elevated, lots of fatigue, some cog fog, some blues...and in general feeling like crap.  Since it lasted more than a few days, I went to the doctor and was advised to take a blood pressure medication.  I declined and instead decided to go on a diet and increase exercise gradually.  I went a little overboard and ended up losing 25 lbs over the next three months.  I started waking up at 5AM hyped up (probably high cortisol) and did not need a cup of coffee, was on full alert.  I had that high anxiety in the mornings that many people describe during the first few months off the benzo.  By a year off, I had to say I was having a setback even though my BP was now normal, cholesterol normal, all bloodwork great.  However, I realized I was out of balance and figured I was only about 70% to 75% healed.  It was the holidays and I had a glass of wine or two on occasion and it seemed to actually help some (probably restimulated GABA receptors).  I noticed again that too much red wine was problematic so I began experimenting.  My first glass of wine would be white.  If we were going out, I'd have that with an appetizer at home and only one glass of red with dinner or at a party.  Next day was fine.  I also read that cheap red wine can cause more problems due to tannens and other issues.  Also wine that is too young can also be an issue.  So I tried to keep that in mind.  I also started eating more carbs and laid off the weight lifting and that seemed to eventually restore my normal sleep patterns, but it took time. 

 

No question though, my nervous system was just not ready for too much overstimulation that first year, whether it be too much exercise, alcohol, caffeine, sweets or the reverse, too few carbs...  Seems that balance is important.  Also, if I had to do it over, I would have abstained that first year from alcohol.  That being said, years 2 and 3, things got better.  I was still concerned about that third glass of wine on occasion, but I found that if I kept it to only one glass of white and one glass of red, I could tolerate that.  I also tried two martinis in the second year and that went fine.  Whiskey was not as smooth (pardon the pun ) and I decided to stay away from hard liquor.  I also don't drink beer because the carbonation impacts my stomach and too much beer never was good for my weight, feel too bloated. 

 

When you cross the road or get in your car, there are always some risks.  Life is a risk.  I don't choose to live my life in fear. There are always going to be some folks who are more sensitive than others, both to a benzo, certain foods, msg, caffeine, alcohol or whatever else.  Most people know their own bodies and limitations.  One has to use some sense.  If you're still taking antidepressants or other medications or have other health problems, maybe alcohol is not a good idea.  If you have an addictive personality or other emotional problems where you can't control yourself and can't stop at 2 or 3 drinks over the course of several hours, or if it is going to lead to other drug use/abuse, maybe it's not a good idea.  Each person is different.  I completely get where you're coming from, Mom.  I think if you enjoy an occasional glass of wine or a coffee, it is quite possible or even probable that you will at some point be able to do that if you are reasonable about it and let your body and mind heal before that.  Might be best to wait until the CNS is calm and reintroduce that first glass of wine in the 2nd year off the benzo, possibly starting with only a half glass of white wine rather than red and after having had some food.  That can also be key.  Having any alcohol on an empty stomach can be much more impactful on the CNS than after food or with food.  Also, body weight may be a factor to consider.  I am about 185lbs and two or even three glasses of wine may be different than for somebody who weighs 40 lbs less.  Age is another factor as well as your condition. If you are younger and in good physical condition, your metabolism may be faster too.  Those are just a few considerations.  I am in no way advocating drinking alcohol.  For some, abstinence may be the way to go, even permanently.

 

Cheers (or not)

 

V

[[su...]]

Hi vertigo,

Wow, that so much validates some of the things I've found that I was almost hesitant to post on here!

Yes, for me, the culture I've adopted over the last couple of months, namely going out, a bit of clubbing, basicly being a bit of a kid again, has really helped!

I'm mainly drinking scotch and coke, but like you, I think Red or cheap red is an evil of its own that may possibly have nasties that other alcohols don't!

I found that if a drink is going to rebound on you, it'll eather happen the morning after, or at around the 48 hour mark for some reason.

Still, for now, I'm having one or 2 about once a week, and I do think I'm actually better off for it, and that's heaps of time for it to go bad if it was planning to!!!

Also, Mr. S, the whole gaba thing is like a fractal, the more you go into it, the more detail and questions arise!

It does seem that the really bad gaba receptor to hit is the 1a.

Supposedly this is the one that in many people benzos knock flying, and it is a slow grower!

I don't know for sure, but it may well not be effected by alcohol and therefore the reason that from all I could find, alcohol recovery can be like benzo recovery, but generally measured in weeks, not years.

so there is some difference!

Likd vertigo, I think we do not have to be off it for ever, and for most of our cultures, it's pretty hard to go through a normal western life without having an odd drink now and then.

I keep a rule of my own that I Never drink alone, and not to have more than 4 or 5 max in a night, and it seems to be fine now!

I have experienced setbacks from alcohol back in Sep, and so I know what can go on.

I believe I can honestly say it, like all this rubbish, will heal in time.

Just be sensible, and never use it as a benzo replacement!!!

 

[Guest [ba...]]

I had a beer 25 days into my c/t, and had two days of acute w/d symptoms.  I like beer/wine/scotch too much to give up on it.  I'll wait a bit and try one again.  May take 6 or 12 months, but I will drink again.

[Guest [Mo...]]

Thanks for all that.

Yeah, I'm not a heavy drinker at all. And never abused alcohol.

Just a glass of wine here and there. We used to get together at my house on Friday afternoon, just having snacks and a glass of wine, to kick off the weekend.

My friend would be hanging at my kitchen table and we just had such a nice time.

I miss that so much. Just being carefree and laugh..and eat and enjoy a wine that someone brought over.

Sigh......we will see what the future holds. I might have a sip for taste and see if I can. If not, I don't mind waiting another couple of months.

But that is still a long way out.

I don't miss it right now, the wine itself. I don't feel like alcohol at all.

[[su...]]

Hi Mom of one ,

I'm sure you will get it back!

Definitely in the stages, for me, up to about 6 months), it could give me grief and a bit of a setback, but now at about the year mark, as I said, I'm doing the club thing for a while, getting out, kind of making up for a bad year of what we all understand, and very moderate alcohol seems almost benifitial.

I did get one flairup affter a 6 drink night the next morning, but by the following day, it was gone!

I'd be inclined to say alcohol generally causes a rev up, perhaps rather than a full on setback.

In a way, it might even intensify symptoms and as a result speed up the recovery, but it might kindle too,

We just have to go invery slow and test the water, and back off if it starts to look like feeling bad!

 

[[Bo...]]

Hi Mom of one ,

I'm sure you will get it back!

Definitely in the stages, for me, up to about 6 months), it could give me grief and a bit of a setback, but now at about the year mark, as I said, I'm doing the club thing for a while, getting out, kind of making up for a bad year of what we all understand, and very moderate alcohol seems almost benifitial.

I did get one flairup affter a 6 drink night the next morning, but by the following day, it was gone!

I'd be inclined to say alcohol generally causes a rev up, perhaps rather than a full on setback.

In a way, it might even intensify symptoms and as a result speed up the recovery, but it might kindle too,

We just have to go invery slow and test the water, and back off if it starts to look like feeling bad!

 

 

 

I see in your signature you were on ginkgo biloba. What has that done for you?

[[ve...]]

Hi Mom of one ,

I'm sure you will get it back!

Definitely in the stages, for me, up to about 6 months), it could give me grief and a bit of a setback, but now at about the year mark, as I said, I'm doing the club thing for a while, getting out, kind of making up for a bad year of what we all understand, and very moderate alcohol seems almost benifitial.

I did get one flairup affter a 6 drink night the next morning, but by the following day, it was gone!

I'd be inclined to say alcohol generally causes a rev up, perhaps rather than a full on setback.

In a way, it might even intensify symptoms and as a result speed up the recovery, but it might kindle too,

We just have to go invery slow and test the water, and back off if it starts to look like feeling bad!

 

Hey Surprised.  I think age and metabolism can be a factor.  If you are in your twenties or thirties, probably can recover a little faster but if over 40, might be a different story and nervous system may need more time.  Of course, it's all relative since you have some 50 year olds who are in better physical condition than some 30 year olds .  I think if I had six drinks, I'd never wake up!  I did have a couple martinis last night though and feel fine today .

 

V

[[su...]]

Hi vertigo,

Well, I have had 46 B-days, and still feel like about 21.

I suppose apart from the bad experience over the last year and a bit with (see sig), I was in practice in perfect health according to my doc who did a run of tests for possible problems.

I didn't end up tapering or anything, but I suspect this guy is aware of benzos and was quite shocked I'd been on the serapax even for the 3 odd weeks and gave me a script for 5mg val to use to taper down if I needed to.

I have been a fan for the last 20 years of kombucha tea, a fantastic thing all round, and probably lots of meditation etc.

Re the question about ginkgo, I think it certanly helped, ups the intensity at first, and can leave you in a bit of a wave for a couple of weeks after, but it seens after it's out of your system for 2 or 3 weeks most of us are definitely better off than before taking it.

That's my experience, but you can read way more than you ever need to know about that over on the ginkgo thread onwhich I'm one of the original experimenters.

There are some totally cured, some say they got no over all benifits, and one who says it reved things up longer term.

The science is pretty good, lots of links at the start of that thread.

 

[[St...]]

I just want to say I drank 36 days ago and still feel horrible thought I could handle it and been stuck in this horrible setback ever since should have never drank why risk it.

 

I went into full blown acute withdrawal the first 3 weeks

No sleep shakes attacks fear depression crying spells loss of appetite was leaving on the bathroom

Akathesia RlS

 

I'm so mad could have been avoided wanted to feel normal

Never again will I sip beer or any alcohol

 

 

My symptoms as of now

Tinnitus buzzing ringing vertigo

Heart palps on and off scares the hell out of me

Muscle soreness and stiffness

Burning skin on and off now was worst a couple weeks ago

Chest pains have calmed down a bit

Anxiety on and off

Head pressure this ones the worst my head keeps pulsating

Broken sleep wake up 2 or 3 times a night

Floaters swollen hands stiff

Hoping to heal soon been watching everything I eat and drinking water like it's going out of style I had a major trip to Europe planned this Summer and I'm so upset I might have to cancel

Has anyone recovered from drinking sooner I need some hope I tapered my benzo and felt great after was even planning on writing a success story not anymore tough

 

[[su...]]

Hi Stacy Boston,

Oh, it can certainly happen, I did have an increase back in Sep after a 2 week holiday with drinking pretty much every day!

That had the effect of an apparent setaback over a couple of months too, but I find now that a drink or 2 every few days now, doesn't seem as bad as then, so some kind of linier baseline healing does seem to be going on underneath the waves or windows I can cause with drinking.

Still, our reactions are very individual, and I hope you come back to baseline and beyond very soon!

Definitely we should dip the toes in first with coming back to having a couple of drinks, and so if it does go bad, then it isn't by too much at once!

I think there will certainly come a time when it's OK for you again, but it definitely isn't yet!

 

Good luck!

 

[[St...]]

Did you have the heart palps that's the worst symptom I have want to know if there going to go away soon I'm 5 weeks and there the worst there been hoping for relief.

[[me...]]

I wonder why this happened....Have you found out?

 

What happens is that the receptors switch back to wanting to bind with benzos as alcohol is the same to them. 

 

That's what withdrawal is so you are back in it.

 

[[su...]]

The interesting thing, is that alcohol WD doesn't seem to protract out like benzo does!

Most info I can find seems to say that 4 to 6 weeks is the absolute longest it can take.

With my experience, sadly, I'd been started on the benzos at about the 5 week mark, and they definitely set me back and, I'm sure caused things to last vastly longer!

Apparently, the receptor in question is a speciffic gaba1a, which if you can avoid hitting that one, you won't get the protracted WDs.

Perhaps alcohol does not hit it, so the WD is shorter.

If that's true, then alcohol might certainly flair things up, but it shouldn't actually set you back, or at least not for more than 4 to 6 weeks.

That's theory, I'm not sure I agree with it, as I still get little oddnesses now, but if not, then what is really going on!

<Scratches head!>

 

[[me...]]

The interesting thing, is that alcohol WD doesn't seem to protract out like benzo does!

Most info I can find seems to say that 4 to 6 weeks is the absolute longest it can take.

With my experience, sadly, I'd been started on the benzos at about the 5 week mark, and they definitely set me back and, I'm sure caused things to last vastly longer!

Apparently, the receptor in question is a speciffic gaba1a, which if you can avoid hitting that one, you won't get the protracted WDs.

Perhaps alcohol does not hit it, so the WD is shorter.

If that's true, then alcohol might certainly flair things up, but it shouldn't actually set you back, or at least not for more than 4 to 6 weeks.

That's theory, I'm not sure I agree with it, as I still get little oddnesses now, but if not, then what is really going on!

<Scratches head!>

 

Alcohol sits on the same receptor BUT does not do the same damage while it sits there.

 

This is why.

 

Think of it as two corrosives. One being extremely mild, the other very damaging.

 

 

[[Bo...]]

The interesting thing, is that alcohol WD doesn't seem to protract out like benzo does!

Most info I can find seems to say that 4 to 6 weeks is the absolute longest it can take.

With my experience, sadly, I'd been started on the benzos at about the 5 week mark, and they definitely set me back and, I'm sure caused things to last vastly longer!

Apparently, the receptor in question is a speciffic gaba1a, which if you can avoid hitting that one, you won't get the protracted WDs.

Perhaps alcohol does not hit it, so the WD is shorter.

If that's true, then alcohol might certainly flair things up, but it shouldn't actually set you back, or at least not for more than 4 to 6 weeks.

That's theory, I'm not sure I agree with it, as I still get little oddnesses now, but if not, then what is really going on!

<Scratches head!>

 

Alcohol sits on the same receptor BUT does not do the same damage while it sits there.

 

This is why.

 

Think of it as two corrosives. One being extremely mild, the other very damaging.

 

So by this theory one can eventually get "blackout" drunk after enough time has passed. I don't think you'd want to do it often tho.

 

I know this is an alcohol thread, but has anyone in here that's healed or close to it had any trouble with weed? If so how long was the set back?

[[su...]]

Hi mentor,

It makes sence!

and there are many other things alcohol effects, It increases, tempererally serotonin output, so you feel that hi.

It reduces oxygen availibillity to the brain, which may have the other effects in its self, and it acts, of course, on the gaba receptors like a benzo.

The fact that it can plunge some of us backwards, sometimes for quite a long time, does suggest that it's knocking some other balance flying, rather than really doing gaba system damage.

I'm putting money on serotonin levels, and my own research on self suggests that serotonin is a histeresis, Ile. If you have too little, you are anxious, unstable, and have many of the physical symptoms we have.

We will not produce much as we are scared so down the levels stay!

 

If we have plenty, we are happy, and when we're happy, we make more, so we stay happy!

It is fact, that for many, taking a drug such as remron during taper and wd can speed up the healing and perhaps even prevent the problem at all.

Sadly, there are the side fx of it, none for some, very ugly for others such as yours truely!

I couldn't run that way so I just weathered the thing, after all I hadn't taken much at all!

It shouldn't be bad, should it???

I've now tried a 5htp a couple of times, which is a way to directly increase serotonin levels in the brain without having to get it through the normal metabolism.

It seemed to work wonders, and they lasted for days, and longer each time I did it!

We all need to know more about this!!!

In amongst this, I've been to clubs, getting out, drinking very moderately, and still getting better and better!

So, I do ask if anyone knows if, maybe, a low serotonin feedback loop is what causes protracted WD symptoms, way after the gaba system has actually healed!

I just keep getting this feeling that there's someting obvious that all of us on here are missing!

 

[[me...]]

The interesting thing, is that alcohol WD doesn't seem to protract out like benzo does!

Most info I can find seems to say that 4 to 6 weeks is the absolute longest it can take.

With my experience, sadly, I'd been started on the benzos at about the 5 week mark, and they definitely set me back and, I'm sure caused things to last vastly longer!

Apparently, the receptor in question is a speciffic gaba1a, which if you can avoid hitting that one, you won't get the protracted WDs.

Perhaps alcohol does not hit it, so the WD is shorter.

If that's true, then alcohol might certainly flair things up, but it shouldn't actually set you back, or at least not for more than 4 to 6 weeks.

That's theory, I'm not sure I agree with it, as I still get little oddnesses now, but if not, then what is really going on!

<Scratches head!>

 

Alcohol sits on the same receptor BUT does not do the same damage while it sits there.

 

This is why.

 

Think of it as two corrosives. One being extremely mild, the other very damaging.

 

So by this theory one can eventually get "blackout" drunk after enough time has passed.

 

 

No. That is not the case. I explained to you why alcohol does not do hardly any damage, I did not explain how your body reacts to it after damage has been done.

 

Alcohol has the potential to "fool" your receptors into expecting to be calmed in this form again. In other words it can be like throwing a switch. You receptors now expecting to be satiated by alcohol or benzo. Not being satisfied is what withdrawal is.

 

Most people can drink again, some with serious withdrawals never can again. It's a matter of how healed the wound (receptors) are.

[[St...]]

So my receptors are damaged then to the point I can never drink again which I won't but man am I having serious intense anxiety today one thing leaves and another comes I'm so sick of this it's been 5 weeks so far and taking forever to feel relief from my drinking that night.

[[Bo...]]

So my receptors are damaged then to the point I can never drink again which I won't but man am I having serious intense anxiety today one thing leaves and another comes I'm so sick of this it's been 5 weeks so far and taking forever to feel relief from my drinking that night.

 

I wouldn't say you can never drink again in your life. You're only a few months off. I think you just rushed it. I think that happens a lot around here. The human brain/body is an amazing instrument that can take a pretty intense beating and recover. It just takes time.

[[St...]]

I feel awful anxiety and heart palps are still here after 5weeks since I had my last drink I'm so upset right now

[[su...]]

Hi Stacy,

You are, what, 3 months off, and a fair way longer use than I ever had.

I did a couple of weeks of moderate drinking during my holiday in Sep last, my 7 or so months off mark, and at the end of the 2 weeks, I felt the anxiety coming back a bit.

I came home, and wasn't too bad, but did feel that I had pushed things back somewhat

gradually, it recovered again, and now, at about the 1 year off mark, I have been doing more socialising, more new friends, and more  nights where I had the odd drink.

I was very careful, believe me, but with a europe trip coming up, I really wanted to try and get to the stage where this isn't a problem.

I'm sure I could push it too hard even now, but I feel it would take more drinking than I would want to do anyway, I'm not a fan of alcohol too much, beyond a social one here and there.

So don't panic, you are early days, and I don't for a minute thinkyou are stuck this way for ever, but keep off it for I think, about the 1 year mark and then start with very tiny amounts of something like scotch or a spirit, rather than red wine or beer.

At the first sign of trouble stop and assess things.

I do have supplies of ginkgo and 5htp here, which do seem to be nice non adictive ways for me to repair the situation if it did seem to go bad.

Hope your wave drops back very soon!

 

[[Sk...]]

The other night, I had a few sips of a BuzzBall and had a panic attack. wtf?