Has someone in your family told you that you might have a problem with alcohol?  Have you decided stop drinking ‘cold turkey’ because you are convinced that you can?  Before you make that decision, please reconsider.

Alcohol withdrawal can be death dealing if the alcoholic has consumed large amounts of alcohol over a long period of time.  In the state of Michigan a person with an ETOH level (alcohol level) of .8 or above is considered to be inebriated.  However, we frequently care for alcoholics in my hospital with blood alcohol levels in the 2.0 to 3.0 range.  Those levels are high enough to kill a non-alcoholic.   When an individual with those high levels tries to withdraw on their own, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Recently, three alcoholics were admitted to our unit specifically for withdrawal.  One suffered a stroke and died, another had a severe seizure and had to be transferred to intensive care and the third individual suffered from delirium tremens (DTs) for nine days before he returned to his normal self.  Had he tried to go ‘cold turkey’ at home he surely would have died.

Since there is no way to predict who is going to suffer from the severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and who is not, it is best to consult with a physician in order to take the safest path to recovery.  The amount of alcohol consumed on a daily basis, the number of months or years of alcohol addiction,  the health of the liver and the past medical history of the patient all impact on alcohol withdrawal.  Anyone with a past history of cardiovascular disease or hypertension is at high risk for severe complications even when withdrawal occurs in the hospital setting.

The signs of alcohol withdrawal range from mild to severe and include anxiety, irritability, depression, fatigue, bad dreams, difficulty thinking clearly, headache, sweating, nausea and vomiting, rapid heart beat, tremor of the hands and involuntary movements of the eyelids.  Severe symptoms of withdrawal include confusion and hallucinations, agitation, fever, convulsions and black outs.  These last symptoms are the signs of delirium tremens or DTs.

In the hospital setting, patients that are experiencing alcohol withdrawal are given IV fluids containing folic acid, multivitamins and magnesium in order to correct the electrolyte and vitamin imbalances that are frequently present in the alcoholic patient.  Sedatives are administered on schedule to calm agitation.  Patients are placed on telemetry to monitor their hearts for arrhythmias (irregular heart beats).  Checks on the neurological status of the patients, especially for possible seizures, are done a regular basis.  Vital signs are checked frequently to watch for spikes in temperature and blood pressure.

The goal for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal is to keep the patient safe and comfortable during the withdrawal process.  Breakthrough sedation is always available if the scheduled medications are not sufficient to keep the patient symptom free. Careful monitoring of all vital organs insures that any crisis can be detected and potentially averted.  Withdrawal can take between 3 and 7 days, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and the vital organs affected.

If you are thinking that it is time to withdraw from alcohol, please consult with your physician.  There are treatments available that will insure your safety during the withdrawal process.