Diagnose Me

[February72]

My last post in my thread "Nose Dive" has left me with some uncertainty as to which stage of Alcoholism I might most likely fit into. I understand there are some people here who work with and around the disease and countless others who've done more research than I.

When I admitted my drinking to my Dr. he asked me about my intake. His first question was, "Three to six a day?" I had to admit more like 10 to 15. Even worse, occasionally as many as 18, but this was usually when I had moderated or abstained the night before, so it was probably my body trying to keep things balanced, so to speak.

It's always been light beer. My heart is in good shape. I suspect some kind of liver inflammation ( dare I say damage? ), and I seem to have strange bouts of brain, facial and hand numbness. Also, occasional respiratory episodes. Keep in mind this was all while also ingesting 4 mg of clonazapam daily.

I don't expect a medical diagnosis, and I certainly won't hold you to it. But, "educated guesses" are most welcome.

[betty boop]

Diagnose Me

Robenzo72, I really don't have the knowledge that you need in regard to this but I'm sure someone will be along soon to help, I just didn't want you to think that you were being ignored ......

[hulagirl]

Diagnose Me

Well, Robenzo, this may not be what you want to hear but the label you're looking for really doesn't matter here. Some of us have been drinking so much for so long that we have a serious physical addiction and should use meds to help with withdrawl symptoms. Some are not so physically addicted and can stop with plenty of water, rest, determination, and few days of anxiety and irritability. One thing we all have in common is a psychological addiction. The cravings are sometimes physical, but for me they are mental. I am not a shrink but I see that here, at mwo, "talk therapy" is big! Please cruise around the site, see what others have shared about the meds and the program and figure out what steps you want to take next. We're here to help.

[Loved1]

Diagnose Me

I am currently reading Beyond the Influence which is a terrific book about this subject, and all about the neurological disease aspects of alcoholism, you should read it.
My educated guess after reading what I have, which is about a dozen books on the subject, that you are mid to late stage alcoholism.

[lukalee]

Diagnose Me

Oooo, oooo, oooo, pick me; I want to diagnose!! Just kidding, I can't do that. What did your doctor say? If you admitted your drinking, have you admitted to him or her these symptoms you are having? A lot of these things can happen when you are withdrawing, and it could be a part of healing. You hear about smokers who quit and then start coughing like crazy for weeks because their lungs are healing; this could be you too. But I would certainly talk to your doctor. Are you taking anything for liver damage, like Milk Thistle?

[Not Happy Hour-Happy Life]

Diagnose Me

Robenzo, in some of my first posts, I wrote about my mom: last year, at 76 she suffered a "mild stroke" with a heart attack. We were certain that we were standing around her death bed~ eyes unresponsive, no speech, slow movement, hand curled up, do not resuscitate order on her chart... she was like that for 2 days (we never told doctors about mom's secret drinking).... then my dad broke down, cried and told the doc- who happened to be the Neurosurgeon... he realized she suffers from Wernicke's syndrome and gave her a mega-shot of Vitamin B1, and within 2 hours, she could recognize us. He said that Wernicke's is often mis-diagnosed because people don't admit to alcoholism. (She has made a full recovery.)

Here's what I found when I googled: "Symptoms include mental confusion, vision impairment, stupor, coma, hypothermia, hypotension, and ataxia. Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome-a memory disorder-also results from a deficiency of thiamine, and is associated with alcoholism. The heart, vascular, and nervous system are involved. Symptoms include amnesia, confabulation, attention deficit, disorientation, and vision impairment. The main features of Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome are the impairments in acquiring new information or establishing new memories, and in retrieving previous memories."

Yep, that's me all right. I remember him saying that due to her drinking, she was nutritionally mal-nourished, which is why B supplements are so important here. Seriously, I'm convinced I'm at the beginning stages. Words are often on the outside edges of my brain and I really have to focus to find and then to articulate. Right before I stopped drinking, I went to a work meeting with a guy I've known for 8 years. EIGHT. And I could not, for the life of me, think of his name. How embarrassing.

[lukalee]

Diagnose Me

Wow Happy. That's incredible. I'm lazy about taking my vitamins. I always take them in the morning, but I forget to take them later. How much should I take? Do you think I could just go in and get a shot in my big fat ass? I am going to try to remember to make a doctor's appointment tomorrow.

[dexterhead]

Diagnose Me

Luk, you're talking about your ass again, which means I'll have to comment on it :H .. oops, sorry to hijack thread. Robenzo, I agree with whoever said it doesn't matter what stage you are in. but what did your doc say?

[Not Happy Hour-Happy Life]

Diagnose Me

Luka, Dexter. We need to have a serious chat.
You must focus on your soul.
You must admit it.
We are ass-a-holics. Potentially fat, potentially lazy, potentially bodacious ass-a-holics.

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

My mom got something like 1000 mg of B1, but it was a shot in her- you-know-what, and then she had big time diarrhea .... gross, I know.
(My mom never took any vitamin supplements because she figured she was eating healthy.)

[lukalee]

Diagnose Me

I keep thinking if I talk about my ass, I'll get my ass up and walk!
Did your mom have to take anything after that initial shot?
Robenzo, are you taking B vitamins? This sounds like what you need.

[lucky 2.0]

Diagnose Me

Robenzo,

You ask a dangerous question.

If we say you are early stage, you can say, what the hell, I have a long way to go. This is no big deal.

If we say you are late stage, you can say it is too late to change.

I am curious as to why you want a label. Again, I think it is dangerous. My opinion is you are of healthy mind, body, and spirit and you drink too much and should cut back or stop.
Nothing more-

Take care,
lucky

[February72]

Diagnose Me

Hula, you are right. The topic is somewhat inappropriate. I had to put some intent thought into it before realizing. What matters is we're here trying to overcome or help our situation.
My Dr. mentioned "moderate alcoholism" which is what got me thinking because I know I haven't been a moderate drinker. I'm supposing he meant somewhere in the mid-stage.
Yes, I take Milk Thistle and B supplements. Is it recommended to take more B's than ordinary? I won't see my Dr. again until Feb., so I have no more answers for now. But, it's day 7.
Oh, and thanks Lucky. Well put. I admit to myself that is somewhere in-between and in that time frame where I need to make a serious decision about the course of my future. Everyone is right, labels shouldn't matter here. But, self-awareness can be a good thing.