| You can expect a number of physical symptoms, | | | | assessments of any developing conditions. |
| none of them pleasant, to accompany your attempts | | | | Withdrawal Medications |
| at alcohol withdrawal. Among them are severe | | | | A typical alcohol detox protocol will include the |
| headaches and nausea, chills, shaking, anxiety attacks, | | | | administration of one of three medications over at |
| rage, and even seizures. You will be much more likely | | | | seventy-two hour period for the purpose of preventing |
| to make it all the way through alcohol detoxification if | | | | the symptoms of withdrawal. A patient may be given |
| you undergo it in an environment where you will be | | | | ten milligrams of Valium every six hours for the first |
| taking part in a suitable alcohol detox protocol. | | | | day followed by five milligram doses every six hours |
| Your specific alcohol detox protocol should be chosen | | | | for the next two days; four doses of Librium totaling |
| by a physician familiar with your history of alcohol | | | | two hundred milligrams over twenty-four hours |
| abuse, who knows whether or not you are also | | | | followed by twenty-five milligrams every six hours for |
| battling other addictions. Before beginning your alcohol | | | | two days; or two milligrams of Ativan every six hours |
| detox protocol, your doctor will give you a full exam to | | | | for the first day, followed by one milligram doses four |
| determine how to treat your alcoholism most | | | | times a day for the next two days. |
| effectively. | | | | If a patient should develop alcohol withdrawal |
| During your detox treatment, your doctor will probably | | | | symptoms, his or her attending physician may increase |
| use the CIWA-Ar, a medical instrument designed to | | | | the dosage of Valium to between ten and twenty |
| rate the severity of your different withdrawal | | | | milligrams each hour; of Librium to between fifty and |
| symptoms, and use the findings to establish your | | | | one hundred milligrams each hour; or of Ativan to |
| alcohol detox protocol. | | | | between three and six milligrams each hour. Massive |
| A Typical Alcohol Detox Protocol | | | | doses of any of these medications have been very |
| In a typical alcohol detox protocol the patient's | | | | useful in reducing withdrawal symptoms to a tolerable |
| diagnosis (acute alcohol intoxication, for example) will | | | | level, after which the amounts given are gradually |
| be recorded, along with the recommended activity | | | | lowered and given at wider intervals. |
| level. Many patients who enter an alcohol rehab facility | | | | Medications for Severe Withdrawal Symptoms |
| are restricted to bedrest during the first few days of | | | | But in cases of severe withdrawal, causing the |
| their detoxification process. During this period the | | | | patients to become physically agitated or even to |
| patient will probably have the CIWA-Ar test | | | | hallucinate, the attending physician may opt to |
| administered once daily until the patient's score remains | | | | administer injections of between two and five |
| lower than 10 for an entire twenty-four hours. Most | | | | milligrams of Haldol or of Haldol with between two and |
| patients will require close supervision and additional | | | | four milligrams of Activa. |