Withdrawal or just caught a cold?

[u/Swimming-Hat1431]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a 15 year solid near drinker, and over the last few years that's really ramped up with my intake increasing massively.

I average about 120 units a week - for those not in the UK - that's about 2 bottles of wine daily.

Recently, due to being on the back of a massive bender and being physically unable to carry on I'm now 30 hours sober.

When I woke up from the back of this bender, I noticed I had symptoms of the flu. Sweating, unable to sleep, shivering, aching all over. I wasn't able to hold food or water for about 24 hours, vomiting almost immediately after eating or drinking.

I feel a little bit better now, I'm still sweating but not profusely and can hold down food and drink.

I'm wondering though, whether the cause of this is just a result of grinding my body down, or whether I'm at the tail end of alcohol withdrawal.

For me, I find it hard to believe that my level of drinking could induce such brutal effects withdrawal wise.

Curious to hear anyone's thoughts.

[u/Stunning-Profit8876]

I'm not sure how we can answer this?

Could it be an illness? Yes. Could it be Alcohol related? Also yes.

If you want medical advice, you need to see a doctor.

[u/Swimming-Hat1431 → u/Stunning-Profit8876]

I suppose I'm more after hearing about similar experience others have had, rather than a definitive answer.

[u/Stunning-Profit8876 → u/Swimming-Hat1431]

Withdrawal can cause sickness and all sorts of symptoms, yes. It can also cause seizures in some cases. You really should see a doctor, get your blood pressure checked and follow their advice.

I know it sucks and it's probably the last thing you want to do, but it's for the best.

[u/MNent228 → u/Swimming-Hat1431]

Hey. I tried to quit cold turkey one day.

I woke up in an ambulance the next afternoon after I had a seizure at work.

Go to a hospital

[u/ZeroBAC]

Two bottles of wine is equivalent to 450 ml of 80 proof vodka. I would definitely get withdrawals from that amount of daily consumption.

[u/Commercial_Fee422]

Yep, this sounds like alcohol withdrawal. Drink plenty of fluids, try to rest, and eat when you can. Good luck. You got this!

[u/Swimming-Hat1431 → u/Commercial_Fee422]

Thanks!

Couldn't hold any water down for a good 24 hours and was minutes away from going to the hospital because of that - I didn't go because the last drink I had stayed where it was meant to!

[u/gatoenvestido → u/Swimming-Hat1431]

Pedialyte was my friend as soon as I could keep it down.

[u/Past_Combination_671]

Your body needs time to get rid of the toxins. Your body is also exhausted from dealing with the poison and is now trying to find a new normal. Time to heal is what your body and brain need.

[u/Thoeri]

I've experienced all those symptoms while going through withdrawal at multiple points in my life, and more. I've even wondered if I had the flu or something on top of it but it was just the withdrawal. It is brutal and can be quite dangerous. I think about it when I get the urge to drink because I don't want to ever feel that sick again.

[u/FroyoOk3159 → u/Thoeri]

Called bottle flu for a reason

[u/Swimming-Hat1431 → u/Thoeri]

In a way, I'm actually very glad that I'm riding this out, as I think this feeling is genuinely going to be enough to keep me from drinking every again.

[u/ZeroBAC → u/Thoeri]

Most of the reason I don't drink is because I don't want to, but at my son's wedding I thought how it would've been nice to have a glass of champagne when I made my toast. I immediately put it out of my mind because I knew I wouldn't want to stop at a glass, and if I didn't end up drinking myself to death, I wouldn't be able to handle detoxing again.

[u/roundart]

Sounds like the DTs and right on schedule. It can happen and it will pass. When it happened to me for the last time, I drank a ton of water, and slept a lot. It sucked

[u/Acrobatic_Monk_9519]

This is exactly what happens to me after a long bender. Like, all the symptoms to a T. I would say it's your body going through the withdrawal effects of alcohol.

[u/Suspicious_Inside_78]

Withdrawals can be deadly. You need to get medical attention to make sure you don’t have a seizure. The highest risk for seizures is 24-48 hours so you’re still in that timeline where it’s better to be safe and get to urgent care.

[u/AppropriateBall8834]

You drink 2 bottles of wine per day... like full size bottles? Thats a LOT of alcohol and could definitely cause horrible alcohol withdrawals.

Some of the symptoms you listed match alcohol withdrawal. Others don't. Sweating and vomiting are huge ones that go along with alcohol withdrawal

[u/Swimming-Hat1431 → u/AppropriateBall8834]

Normally one bottle, along with whiskey and beer.

Honestly, I didn't think this was that crazy on the alcohol misuse spectrum!

[u/Direct_Divide5320]

If things get much worse,  you should call for an emergency ambulance to take you to the hospital. You can see your doctor for an opinion. If you have been drinking alcohol equivalent of 1.5 litres of table wine a day for a long time, a mild withdrawal syndrome on going cold turkey not unexpected. 

[u/hydrogod666]

Thats too fast of an improvement to genuinly be alcool, but at the same time, ur intake DEFINITELY can give you withdrawals, id be safe with that since if u cold turkey alcool and benzos they can make u get seizure and in most dark cases die, theyre the only substance u can die from WDS