Alcohol withdrawal questions

[Holly_Hobby]

My 49 y.o. brother is in CCU with alcohol withdrawal, recently being diagnosed with cirrhosis due to alcohol. He's jaundiced, they removed 16 lbs. of fluid from his abdomen, and he's on a ventilator because he's having trouble breathing on his own. They gave him Ativan and phenobarb. to sedate him, due to hallucinations and getting mean. He's been out cold for 3 days now.

Is it normal to need life support for alcohol withdrawal? Thanks - I don't have access to his doctors.

[NMDemDist2]

1. yes

alcohol is the only drug that the withdrawals can kill you.

he'll get better in a week or so probably

hang in there.....

:hug:

[Holly_Hobby]

2. Thanks for the reply

:hug:

[elleng]

3. I don't know what's 'normal.'

My husband didn't have such reaction, but he didn't have your brother's physical issues (jaundice, etc.)

[Holly_Hobby]

4. Thanks.......

My brother's cirrhosis is severe, it's as bad as it can be and still be breathing. He drank beer every day of his life from the age of 18. That's over 30 years.

[Justpat]

5. Yes.

If your brother makes it out of this, he will need to make serious changes to his life. If you chooses
to get sober, there is a lot of help available to him.

I would like to suggest again that you go to Al Anon for yourself and your family. You need to
know that whatever path your brother takes, it is one he needs to take himself. You can point him
in the right direction but that will be about all you can do.

You obviously love your brother very much. He is so lucky to have you.

[Holly_Hobby]

6. I will go to Al Anon

because I have no faith that he'll stop drinking. I need to learn to deal with it.

Thank you.

[1620rock]

7. Maybe he will choose to stop. Only he can make that choice.

...I wanted to die, but I chose to live for the sake of those who love me.

[Holly_Hobby]

8. The deck is stacked against him

His wife drinks, her family drinks. Her step Dad is an alcoholic. The older kids drink. My brother won't be able to stay away from it, he's weak willed. He wants to die, too. He's had symptoms of liver disease for 6 or 7 years, but refused to stop or get help.

Good luck to you. You've made the right choice. :hug:

[Justpat]

9. Good.

You need to find some people who have been through what you are going through and have
a support group to help you through this.

We help one another a lot here but there is no substitute for meetings and help they
provide.

[Holly_Hobby]

10. All of you that responded have helped me so much

Your great advice and kind words mean a lot to me.

[NMDemDist2]

11. ...

:hug:

I know it's hard, please take care of yourself :hug:

[Justpat]

12. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

:hug:

[Roon]

13. I drank two boxes of wine one night

I ended up in the hospital and I was knocked out for 5 days. I was bleeding internally and I was yellow with jaundice too. I also had alcohol induced pneumonia. I was bleeding so bad that I became anemic and had to have two blood transfusions.They ran a tube through my nose and down to my belly so they could suction the blood out. I guess I was hallucinating so bad that they had to tie my arms down to the bed so I wouldn't pull the tubes and wires off. I was also diabetic at the time but I am not anymore. I was in ICU for 6 days total.

A couple of nurses and a doctor all said that if my roommate didn't call 9-11, I would have died.

[Holly_Hobby]

14. You ARE lucky......

Thanks for sharing that. It gives me hope for my brother, that he'll come out of it.

[Roon]

15. Yes, I am sober now

I gave up booze and starting living clean. It wasn't really that hard for me. If I can quit smoking, I can quit drinking.

[Kajsa]

16. Hi Roon!

I'm so glad to see you here.

You are doing great!

:pals: :hi:

[Kajsa]

17. Yes, withdrawals can be deadly.

Please keep us posted.

I'll keep you and your brother in my thoughts and prayers.

:hug: