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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Alcohol Withdrawal DTs
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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Alcohol Withdrawal DTs
by MaryT, Sep 01, 2002 12:00AM
My mother was in a severe auto accident about 10 days ago.Prior to the accident she was a heavy evening drinker (a bottle of wine every night for the last 20 years). Her admission blood work showed alcohol still in her system. She weighs 105 pounds. She needed surgery and was on morphine for the first 6 days of her hospitalization. For the last three days (no morphine) she has experienced hallucinations, could it be that her detoxification was delayed by the morphine? I am concerned because other family members are looking at mental illness, rather than face the mention of her suffering from DTs.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Sep 02, 2002 12:00AM
, Sep 02, 2002 12:00AM
Although possible, it is highly unlikely that she would have DT's showing as hallucination without also having severe shakes, liver dysfunction, vomiting etc. The motor changes would be suppressed by morphine. The hallucinations can actually be increased by morphine, depending on dose and how sedated she was by the morphine.
I would think more along the line of a post traumatic stress reaction, and ask for a psychiatric consultation.
I would think more along the line of a post traumatic stress reaction, and ask for a psychiatric consultation.
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Dear MaryT,
Believe it or not, most doctors I have met know little or nothing about the DT's. I do, however, as I have experienced it too many times.
I also am an alcoholic and when I try to quit, the hallucinations and seizures usually start on day-4 and end around day 8-10. Klonopin withdrawal I found to be much longer and more severe.
The morphine may cause hallucinations, but if she stopped taking it, that would go away. She may have avoided the frist days of alcohol withdrawal shakes and flu like feeling because she was on the heavy pain killer. I only experience minor nausea on the first day of withdrawal but terrible shaking and eventually seizures and dilerium.
The doctors can give her Ativan, Librium or klonopin temporarily and taper her off over two weeks if the symptoms are alcohol withdrawal related.
If she becomes at all babbling incoherently, that is a good sign that it is DT's. Her blood pressure and pulse would be elevated to a dangerous level as well. Good Luck I hope everything goes well. You need to get her to stop drinking. Try A.A. when she is strong enough, that may be helpful as well.
Chatahan