Hello Everyone. I’m new here today. I’d really appreciate some advice. I’ve been trying to stop drinking for the past few years after many years chained to the demon. Tried most things. This is seriously my day one.
What’s been happenning more and more as drink from the previous night wears off is that I have a terrible constant electric shock going from my neck to my feet. The only painkiller that works is more alcohol. The pain and buzzing is truly unbearable. I have the other symptoms of w/drawal such as sweating, palpitations very low mood etc. also.
Things are complicated as I had viral encephalitis several years ago. I’m confused as to whether this is a leftover from that illness or is it an alcohol withdrawal symptom. I’d be so grateful to hear anyone’s thoughts on this. Has anyone else experienced this agonizing symptom? Thank you.
Please go to the hospital immediately so they can help you detox safely. Alcohol withdrawal is dangerous and even deadly. Just let them know you’re wanting to quit and they will help you. I’m really glad you reached out here great job!
Thanks Rockstar. Hospital’s not an option due to family commitments. I know about seizures and danger of going cold turkey. Spoke to my GP about shocks down my spine and was prescribed Diazepam and Gabapentin. Got through the day today without knocking out the pain/vibration/tremor with more alcohol. I’ll see how tomorrow goes. Just wondered if anyone else had the spine symptom and if anything helped. Thanks again for replying.
Ok that’s good to hear!
First of all, well done for making the commitment to get sober!
I didn’t get anything with my spine but I had horrible hand pains like they were on fire and I spoke to my doctor who said it’s your nerve endings repairing themselves so possibly this is what’s happening to you as well. Though obviously I’m not a doctor myself and everyone is different! My worse symptoms were crazy anxiety and the shakes. Bleugh.
Thanks Tinele. I have the burning/freezing pain too. I must have a heck of a lot of nerve endings needing to be repaired!. Sad the terrible damage we do to ourselves. Like you I have anxiety. Alcohol seemed like a blessing to dampen social anxiety.
Welcome to the community its great to see your reaching out for help, his community is full of caring supportive people it’s great you found us 
That feeling sounds like alcoholic neuropathy: nerve problems. Your nerves are physical strands, like electrical wires, running through your body, and when there is something damaged or out of alignment it can feel like an electric jolt.
You need to stop drinking, and you need to work a recovery program so you can learn to live a healthy, fulfilling life without booze. (It takes more than just not drinking, to stay healthy 
)
You have that “alcoholic voice” on your shoulder, lying to you, saying booze will make it better. It doesn’t. Those are lies. Even if they seem true, they’re lies. Tell that alcoholic voice it’s not in charge any more. Come here for company on Talking Sober, or to your recovery group.
The solution is to stop. Alcohol is killing you. You need to break up this toxic relationship.
You also need vitamins. (This article is more technical than we need to read here but the short conclusion is one part of healing from alcoholic neuropathy is A) stop drinking; work a recovery program, and B) get vitamins, especially B vitamins: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30467601/.) Take a multivitamin every day and start getting vegetables and healthy protein and fibre in your food every day.
You could probably benefit from medical help with this. You said above that you felt your family commitments kept you from going to the hospital (Advice on a withdrawal symptom please - #3 by HopeGal). It’s worth asking yourself about what you mean here. Isn’t the fundamental commitment just not being drunk or dead? Isn’t every other family commitment based on that?
But whatever happens, it will definitely help to stay in regular contact with your GP. You will also need to learn how to live a healthy life, which for you means meeting your needs without alcohol. You can learn that in a recovery program. There are many online ones you can attend from the comfort of your own home:
These programs will teach you to go beyond just being a “dry drunk” who focuses on not drinking, to become a developed, conscious human being, who lives a fulfilling life (and so, doesn’t feel the need for booze).
Take care and don’t give up 
Thiamine (vitamin b1) 100 mg 3 times a day will really help! Xxx
Rehab → IOP → therapy → AA.
Prob won’t help as much with withdrawals (rehab def would, but you’re not even willing to go to the hospital), but if you don’t want to go through this again that path worked pretty well for me.
Amen to that @Englishd I was a train wreck 5 months ago before I checked my happy ass into a residential inpatient treatment center for 28 days. Now I’m finishing up IOP and have a homegroup, sponsor, etc. I have a pretty damn good handle on this whole recovery thing after struggling with alcohol and then heroin for 5 + years. If I can do it anyone can. I believe you can do this! We’re here to help! 
As many mentioned, sounds serious, see doctor/hospital…our nerves were severely sedated from alcohol, our body fought that by stimulating the nerves…when the alcohol leaves, the nerves are left overstimulated…the only time I had similar to what you described is when I was trying to sleep….I would “jump” in bed…kind of felt like electricity…but again, please see doctor…and quit drinking my friend…you don’t have live like this……it may get worse before it gets better….but I promise! It does get better….
Thanks so much everyone for your information and good wishes. I’d love the chance to go to rehab/hospital and know it’s the sensible thing to do but for reasons I don’t want to go into here, it’s genuinely almost impossible. I did go to A and E recently with heart probs so would go again if I felt it was a matter of life and death. A and E was so busy we were advised (after triage and an ecg in my case) to go home and see our GPs as 7 hour waiting time. I’ve had these ‘shocks’ for a while now so not new though now they are constant and more widespread. GPs not very helpful but I have an appointment with him soon. Yes, could very well be alcoholic neuropathy. I’m taking B vitamins and assortment of others 
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Going to hang on here. I have some medical training thankfully so understand the physiology and other issues.
28 hours since last drink! Obviously can’t sleep as posting this almost in middle of the night.
Once again - many thanks to each one of you for your support.