Giving up alcohol and the symptoms of anxiety which followed.

[Harpoon]

After many years of moderate to heavy drinking I decided to take a 28 day challenge from a book I purchased and give up alcohol for 28 days. And then reintroduce alcohol on a lower scale after 28 days. However one week into this coincided with a medical procedure which was already planned. This procedure would have me sedated and was a internal inspection of my bladder. I guess you know what that means. Well what was already a scary idea with all those nurses and me being exposed whilst sedated became a nightmare when I suffered and continue to suffer anxiety. I now learn that anxiety is also a symptom of giving up alcohol. So this has exploded into something that has occupied my mind ever since- anxiety from the operation and anxiety from giving up alcohol which is a physical thing. I feel like crying and going into a foetal position seeing myself imaging myself exposed on the operating table. After some research and some 10days alcohol free I learnt that there is some treatment for anxiety after going cold turkey with stopping alcohol. So seeing GP tomorrow. But days since the operation have been a nightmare, and just want the anxiety and thoughts to stop. The lesson here is that heavy long term drinkers who stop drinking should consult their GP. And if others have experienced similar symptoms would be interesting.

[geoff]

Hi Harpoon, it's good you got back to us, because there are an enormous amount of threads that are posted on the forums, some we reply back to and some we don't, but I've got a memory like a sieve.

I know what you are saying as the doctors don't follow up unless you have any tests that were done which maybe peculiar, then they will ring you to get you back in.

How times have changed from years ago when they did follow up to see how you were going, but not all doctors would even do this.

They rely on us to contact them and make an appointment, so what I now do is book appointments 2 months in advance, then I can see them first thing in the morning, because it's impossible to book in for an appointment the next day, not good if you're really sick or need their help.

Going to the hospital is ridiculous, you'd be there all day waiting to see a doctor.

Geoff.