Functioning Alcoholic

[Steph11]

I am a functioning alcoholic and truly have no idea how I do all that I do. I can literally start to drink in the morning making my only break when I am sleeping. It has been two years of this. I hold a job, never miss a day and also hold an evening job as well that I have done for 10 years. I never had this problem until two years ago as far as the drinking. I am aware of why it all came to be, but still am not sure how I get around all day at all. I even feel sharper and more outgoing. But I have decided to stop. I am on almost my third day with nothing. Obviously each hour I seem to have more and more withdrawal symptoms. While I am a brave person and can do anything I want on my own the only thing that worries me about all of this is what I have found in all my reading on the internet tonight which is about the risk of seizures? How does one even know when they would be bad enough for that? I certainly was consuming a lot of alcohol for two years and hardly missed a day except here and there. So far I am still able to go to work. I do have a lot of anxiety symptoms and had the shakes the first 24 hours and still have a lot of hearing and visual enhancement. Nausea but no vomiting and am forcing tons of water and cranberry juice since I feel like my eyes are dried out and my muscles hurt as if they are dehydrated. How long does this all last and when is one in need of medical intervention to be out of the woods? Are there obvious symptoms pre-seizuring?

[ibizan]

yes dayjob is counselor. and u know my sober/clean time..after hours mom to 3 cats 2 greyhounds and master pooper scooper litter box cleaner...dinnertime is a howl here....yes email me privately!

[Charlie's girl]

I'm doing fine.  I'm about to get dinner for the kids, but I would like to talk...  You say you're a councelor, right?
I'll e-mail in an hour or so...

Peace,
charlie

[ibizan]

hey how r u?is that one of ur children?i'm still here!Haven't heard from Dark in quite awhile.....what r u up 2?

[Charlie's girl]

WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?  DARKMEAT AND IBIZAN???  ARE YOU STILL HERE

[dark69meat]

The taste of alcohol I never disliked, except when I mixed 'ta KILL-ya' and vodka, not recommended.  STUPID!!  The whole room was spinning, thought I was going to die at age 17years old.  Sick as a dog for a week...or more!

Steph11  -  Hang in there buddy, keep us informed.

[ibizan]

VERY good sign u dislike the taste of alcohol.sure has caused u a ton of misery,like the rest of us here.Yes i've heard of symptoms like urs as a result of heavy alcohol use.Good u seeing doc next week....be honest with him please 4 ur sake.how long u sober 4 now?

[Steph11]

No I am not Epileptic either..........thank goodness. I actually got through all of last week save two really really hard days where I felt like I was about to die with shaking and dizziness. I was afraid about seizures since there is a lot on the internet about it especially when someone has drank for as long as I have and never missed a day. I feel so much better now but still get bouts of not feeling well. Only thing I have noticed in all of this is my eyes. I now have one pupil much larger than the other one. It scares me and that one has trouble adjusting to light. Anyone heard of this? DO you think it is a drinking result? I made an eye Dr. appt for next week as it bothers me a lot. Thank you all for sharing your stories. I have found it comforting to read while going through this sobering up hell..... I hope I can never have to go through that again. It was amazing that when I went out with a few friends I succomed to the pressure and had just one glass of wine. I was SO SICK. I was amazed as I would drink bottles a day and be just fine! I think that's a good thing as long as I never go back to the way I was. I canhonestly say I don't even like any of the drinks I used to inhale any more.

[ibizan]

i've never really encountered an alc whose epileptic yet.....most epileptics I know take anti-seizure meds prefer not 2 drink and 2 mix that with alcohol is deadly.

[dark69meat]

Is it common for epileptic types to crave alcohol more?

[ibizan]

whew!good!not an epileptic.LOTSA alcohol causes seizures upon sobering up!

[dark69meat]

No no,.. there's no judging, just checking regarding epileptic.  It could have been worse at the party.  Moving on --  ..."Early morning of course because if I drink enough I will wake at like 4am and am unable to sleep again.. dehydration !!

[Charlie's girl]

Hey there.  No, i'm not epileptic.  I was drugged at a party about ten years ago with ghb.  I had what I think was a seizure.  Nothing like this has happened since.
I know I sound like a walking train wrecK

Charlie

[ibizan]

yeegads girl r u epileptic as well?take epilepsy meds?oh dangerous mix with the booze.heavy drinking causes very interrupted sleep patterns as u can c!

[Charlie's girl]

No, no seizures since.  I think this was an isolated incident.  Even though I drink, I don't ever feel drunk.  I just feel more relaxed but not drunk.  The problem is that my tolerance is so high that I never get really drunk.  It really sucks by the way.  
I've felt pretty crappy in the morning sometimes.  Early morning of course because if I drink enough I will wake at like 4am and am unable to sleep again.  This only happens every so often.  Not usually.

Keep me posted.  
charlie

[dark69meat]

Have you had a seizure since.  Yes, you were in a compromising position, not good...."Alcohol may induce a seizure when a person is heavily intoxicated, or the seizure may occur as alcohol levels fall, say in the morning after a night of heavy drinking. It has to be said from the start: Alcohol and Epilepsy do not mix"...

[Charlie's girl]

I had a seizure once.  It was when I was so young, 25.  I was at a party and someone gave me GHB.  Within five minutes I was totally unconcious, seizing, and peed my pants.  I was out for four hours.  I woke up and felt great.  Like nothing happened.  Then, when it all starting sinking in it freaked me out.  I'm much older now and i still think about this time in my life.  I'm so lucky that I was not raped.  I had a friend with me and he make sure nobody touched.  It was very scaring.
With an alcohol seizure what happens.  Is the seizure that I had similar?  When would it happen?  If I went ct off booze the next morning I'm at risk??  
Does anyone know?

[dark69meat]

I've done beer in parking lots, many many times, but no beer int the shower; at least I don't recall.  seizures are very serious, I'm sure.  

Yeah Steph11, let us know what happens.

[Charlie's girl]

steph.  Let me know what your doc says...  

Charlie

[Steph11]

Thanks a lot you all!

[roguehawkfan]

I recognise what you are going through and I suggest strongly that you get to Detox under supervision or have someone with you at night especially. Seisures can be deadly.. I went through it as I tried to CT alcohol and was a functioning alcoholic myself. Beer in the shower, in the parking lot before work, on breaks...well you get it. Watch out for yourself..Good luck

[susieq87]

Get somewhere and check your blood pressure, stroke or seizure is something t look at.  If you have a Dr and you dn't want to say what is going on just let them know you need something short term for anxiety, it ill ward off seizures.  The time frame varys for each person.  Your body will go thru some stuff because it doesn't have its chemical.  Alcohol will turn on you.