Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene

Curlyblu · Senior Member

Curious...what the signs/symptoms

hotrod · ~*Service Worker*~

Everyone is different I have observed tremors , sweating inability to sleep as a sign Others can weigh in

Curlyblu · Senior Member

Thanks Hotrod. I have seen his hand shake , in the past. Mild. But still noticeable. There's not much left of symptoms of this flu. No more fever, his voice isn't hoarse. Yes, I hope others will share thier experience as well.

Jazzie18 · Senior Member

Tremors were big for my husband when he detoxed. Sweating, throwing up, dehydration, chills and inability to sleep were also some other side effects he experienced....so very much like the flu. I would watch to make sure he doesn't get worse. When my husband tried to detox at home he made it two days before I took him to the ER on the third day as he was so badly dehydrated.

-- Edited by Jazzie18 on Thursday 9th of March 2017 11:26:35 AM

Iamhere · ~*Service Worker*~

These are all similar to what I've seen.....I've heard that some actually have hallucinations, and of course there is usually a bad attitude/emotional response. Flu-like symptoms surely can mimic withdrawal. There are so many variables and each person's experience is different. I've seen hospital required and I've seen cold-turkey at home. If one is trying to go through withdrawal from any addictive substance at home, the most important suggestion I got is to have company/support. Someone with sanity has to be able to seek outside help if/when needed.

Freetime · ~*Service Worker*~

I will just add that seizures can happen. That was when we realized how drinking was affecting my husband's health.

SerenityRUS · ~*Service Worker*~

I watched my X's grandfather have DTD's and they were something I mean he was transported to another place and time. He was laying in his bed at the hospital bailing hay and smoking a cigarette .. none of which was actually happening he believed it to be true. To give you an idea of how in denial the family was about his drinking no one knew until he fell down the basement stairs that he had started for a LONG time drinking again. Grandma was so happy when they moved him into a nursing home she no longer was fearful. It was so sad. The DTD's were a big sign of how sever the drinking had been and that's the part that really is amazing to me is how much can remain unhidden for so long until an emergency strikes.

My X's OCD behavior really came out during his "dry" periods he was obsessed with windmills (yes I called him Don Quixote from time to time here in MIP .. true story), survival stuff, honestly I look back on the behavior and can see that it was his itching to take that next drink. He was forced dry because of a DUI that required a SCRAM bracelet. Not fun times in our house at all.

Because the dry periods came so far and few between I don't remember him detoxing a lot because he switched over to pills to ease his symptoms.

Hugs you will know when you need to know kind of deal .. watching someone detox can be very scary .. I went down the road one time with a former friend and after had to cut ties because of the lack of honesty about the relapse. She's a wonderful person I did not need the additional drama ..

S :)

shrnp · Senior Member

I think everyone is a little different because of the amount of what they drink and what they are drinking. Plus, for some people who drink heavy withdrawal could begin very soon like the same day. While other people might not go into withdrawals for 24-48 hours. I think some symptoms that might appear flu like could be the vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating. The dehydration is one reason people need medical attention. Other people might have seizures and DTs. There is a danger for people who drink heavily and people who binge drink because their liver can not process the alcohol fast enough and the alcohol blood contend continues to rise even when they stop drinking. That can cause alcohol poisoning.

Curlyblu · Senior Member

Thanks everyone. I think since was since with a cold flu, he did detox, not by his own will that's for sure. So yes this is only temporary. Once he is "better", I know what he will be doing. There was just something about how this cold was acting I felt there was more going on. In all honesty, I was hoping he'd end in the hospital because the cold got that bad. I know what to watch for the time should he "decide" not to drink for a while. Hand tremors and mood swings always. But with the amount he often drinks I figured there had to be an effect when he goes "dry". There's a pattern here....he will stop, but clearly starts again when the discomfort gets too much. Again thanks everyone for pointing out some possible symptoms.

serenity47 · ~*Service Worker*~

Heavy consumption of alcohol with sudden cessation can often lead to increased blood pressure, rapid pulse, temperature, along with anxiety, irritability, insomnia. In severe situations I have seen hallucinations and seizures with sudden onset if signs of withdrawl are missed. That was from my experiences as a nurse. Alcohol withdrawl in particular was more serious and life threatening but the physical symptoms can be easily managed with short term use of medication under supervision.

Curlyblu · Senior Member

Serenity, he had so many symptoms both at fell into withdrawal and as well into the flu symptoms. He went into a full out drinking state on a Sunday, came back on a Monday because he was injured (nothing by serious means no car accident etc) drank the "pain" away Monday and Tuesday. Went back to work. Friday he got sick. Whole body ached, fever, sweats. He was out for almost a week. I'm pretty sure it was a combination of both. Thanks again...I know what to watch for, he will try this again at some point. I see now the pattern now.

KennyFenderjazz · ~*Service Worker*~

One technical correction - he can detox at home. it's best if he didn't, and people certainly end up in the ER often as mentioned above. But sometimes the A just won't allow it.

My wife has detoxed in rehab and in jail. Rehab definitely preferred. She was on phenobarbitol as seizure prophylactic, I think she was in both scenarios, but not nearly as much medical supervision in jail. In fact, she had some seizures late in her active stages, so definitely there was worry about seizures in detox.

Curlyblu · Senior Member

This part of my journey is a difficult one. I don't know at the moment who I am living with. Me included. I don't know how I am to react. When my my A has been drinking, I try not to engage in conversation that could bring more negativity.

This going from full out drunk to dry, is just as hard on me mentally. I have made small changes for my own good. I feel good in my new sitting arrangement in the living room. I have a table for my water.....I couldn't move the coffee table so I could use it when I sat on the couch beside him.....I can charge my phone while check fb lol! I do feel good here.

I do feel more tension in the air though as he is clearly detoxing again. He came home from work, mad that he had ate supper already (he was an hour late...I don't wait) then sat at the table no words to anyone. Then left for bed. I went to ask what was up. And got snapped at.

I understand his moodiness is his to deal with. For me it sucks because I also have a little compassion when he is struggling. Which is making tonight a struggle.

-- Edited by Curlyblu on Monday 20th of March 2017 09:04:38 PM

SerenityRUS · ~*Service Worker*~

Hugs .. I hope you got a good night's sleep and are ready for a new day. I'm dealing with a moody teenage boy .. I realize it's different although sometimes not so much .. I truly understand why some mothers eat their young. Over the weekend I asked he socialize .. Ohhhh .. The horrors of going to shoot archery lol .. It was comical on duo many levels one conversation we did have was he's going to be 13 in two weeks .. I told him I didn't realize I had to relive the horrors of the tyrannical 3's since he was 2 going on 3 .. Please understand my humor and his we are two peas in a pod I only hope he's not 40 before learning what it means to live .. Smh .. Lol. Any way guess what .. He didn't dictate my day. One thing the program has given me is the ability to not take things personally. His behavior didn't affect me negatively because .. Sorry for him .. His attitude is truly on him. Oh.. He had a good time Lol .. I was grunted at .. That it was fun and he wants to try again. The drinking or not drinking is truly his own misery.. No need to share the pity pot .. You do you and let him do him. Hugs ..

lookingup · ~*Service Worker*~

I haven't experienced the withdrawals from alcohol,my loved ones always abused opiates and hard drugs like meth.
I have witnessed my xabf going through the shakes ,fevers,tremors,all the symptoms of withdrawal ,my addict sister also I e watched,
Yes it was very scary to me,
My xabf did let me take him to hospital few times with it when it got to the life threatening level.
I've heard also that it takes 2-3 weeks for the complete detoxing ,
My Qaulifiers never made it ,they had plenty of contacts on their phones to call to get a pill to ease their symptoms,
Both indeed suffer seizures also,hospitalized both ,my addict sister wrecked her car while trying to detox herself by herself ended up with major surgery and steel plates,bolts in her neck.
Both xabf and addict sister are full blown still today out there ,I'm no longer enabling them .i use to think I was their life saver,my distorted thinking
My understanding is by detoxing all by themselves can be very dangerous,
I've been through it a hundred times,then back they go to do it all over again.
Looks like their bodies take a lot of punches ,with keeping on at it,no recovery.
I try and not over think it,or obsess myself with it,still at times I am concerned even though I'm no longer around it.
Hugs...LU

Curlyblu · Senior Member

Good Morning Serenity
Hahaha a good night sleep I hadn't one of those in 20+ years......kids! LOL! I say that all the time....about mothers eating thier young lol! I survived the teenage years with a very dramatic daughter lol! Oh man we went head to head many many times. She tells me all the time.......you wonder why I'm such a b, you raised me that way (she means it in a loving way....she's really not a b.....just can be very headstrong. She's still learning when and how to stand her ground. I'm pretty dang proud of that girl......haha I got something right lol)

I too have a teenage son. I would do the teenage years over and over with him. Very few days of drama. He just goes with the flow (I should take lessons from him). He is a self proclaimed "nerd" in this world of techie stuff. He doesn't socailize, he is getting better though.

You made a very good point. Like I said I survived a teenage daughter without going completely out of my mind (at the time I sure thought I was). So you'd think I should be able to get through or at least handle the moodiness of grown man. I guess the difference is I was guiding a growing girl, when the moodiness kicked in it was often when she was trying to push my boundries, curfew, parties etc. I could pull the my house my rules card. And when she got mad at me for something I wasn't allowing, I would tell her it's my job as her mother to piss her off. At the time of course that just mad her more mad. Now that she is on her own she gets it. When it comes to "advice" she get the whole "take what you want, leave the rest" and tells me "if I listened to everything everyone ever told me, how would I ever learn for myself"

With a grown man, I'll say it I have higher "expecations".........ugh, I just answered my own question....expectation=resentments. Dang it! I did have expectations that when he was "dry" he would see how grand life can be. That it would go smoothly. That being dry wouldn't be hard on him. None of which is what actually happened. Ugh, so the way I had been feeling was by my own doing.

If don't expect him to come him in any particular fashion (dry, drunk, happy, mad), I can just deal with which ever one walks through the door. Sounds easier than it will be, only because of my own bad habits.

Thank-you for letting me ramble and open my own eyes to my faults. The things I need to work on....the list is long. One step at a time. (((Serenity))

Curlyblu · Senior Member

I didn't see your response till now LU,
I never thought about detoxing before. It was he, drank, he didn't drink....was moody or not moody.
It wasn't until he went on a three day hard drunk that I really thought about it. How it must be effecting the body. I was more looking at it from the health side of it. What i needed to know incase it went bad. I'm fairly certain he won't let it get to that point. He'll drink when it gets to the point that he can't physically handle it anymore.

I know these are things I can not control. I can control how I interact with him when he is in a not drinking mode. I can be aware of the possible things that could happen should he be serious about detoxing on his own. Be aware that I may need to get his to healthcare.

I can control, my own thoughts and my own actions. Something I really need to work on. Not just when my A isn't drinking, but everyday.

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.

Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene