Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

[Guest]

From the beginning I felt that topa was the heart of this program.

Who has been successful without it and can you expand a little on why, how?.

I'm pretty sure there are some on the current July Abs board. Can you reply? Are there others?

Chrysa

[Guest]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Who has been successful without topa?

Hi Chrysa,
don't know if you can call 16 days abs a success story.
I found this site on the 2nd. of July and was so inspired that I did not want to wait for the book, the CD's of the drugs that I could not afford. I just told myself that there was no day like today to quit, just bloody well quit drinking. The time from 4 pm on until and beyond 8 pm is the hardest, especially since my husband is still guzzling it back. I drink a lot of coffee early in the morning and then switch to home made ice tea in the afternoon. (a good pinch of fermented black loose leaf tea and a handful of fresh peppermint from my garden with a few lemon slices and some sugar substitute). It is really cheap too. In the evening I drink Perrier on the rocks.
I have not been able to have a good nights sleep in many many years. It seems that the alcohol intake greatly impacted my ability to stay asleep. Most nights I would barely get 3 hours of sleep and then I would lay there, daydreaming. I could never fall back asleep. Since quitting alc. I have been sleeping like a rock every night. Of course, all that tea makes me go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but I fall back asleep just as soon as my head hits the pillow. This is sooooooooooooo bloody amazing. All of me, every brain cell and body cell and whatever I am made up of is celebrating. I am much more alert, have no stomach pains. The bloating has almost disappeared and I have lost 6 SIX pounds since the 2nd. of July. I am almost glad I could not afford the topa. Was really stressed out by my job yesterday and had a mega craving attack. Instead of pouring myself that drink I hit the MWO site and read and read and read.
So, my summation of all this is that for me it comes down to the support I am getting from everyone here.
When it comes to support I have never been spoilt - to say the least, I never got any support on any of my endeavors. Short of getting pregnant by myself I always had to do it alone. Well, maybe that's just what life had in store for me.
I was not a light user. I have done 1/2 bottle of Scotch every night, come rain, shine, hell or high water. The last year I would just black out. So, did I have another joice - nop. I have a really hard time liking myself but lately I have gushed over myself with silent compliments and I am also radiating with a positive aura, unseen by me but people react to it.
Well, Chysa, thats my story. If you drop into abs you can follow my progress or my stumbles or both.
Thanks for all your support - you saved my life.
Love Lori

[Guest]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Re: Who has been successful without topa?

I have not taken any topa either. This site and the support has been amazing for me though. I quit drinking for a year once - about 16-17 years ago- but since then I have steadily increased my alcohol intake. I live alone so I have no witnesses either: . I started to realize I was drinking more than "normal" when I started fudging the number of drinks on questionairs...or with my Dr. .... and when I ignored the directions on medications...'if you consume more than 3 alcoholic drinks a day please ask you Dr.' or when I'd hide a bottle of wine in my room when I had family visiting overnight (didn't want them to know just exactly how much I was consuming.

I got real tired. When I quit smoking in Dec (pack a day for the last 15years) I did it without any medications either. But I had the support of a quit smoking website It took awhile- I started quitting in August-but I quit. I thought, if I could do that- maybe I could address the drinking issue.
I've had one drink now in 43 days. I'm going to test the waters soon to see if moderate drinking can work for me.
I love waking up sober - I love being able to sleep at night- I love not worrying about drunken statements. The last 43 days have been so nice....not always easy....but so worth it.
Lisa

[Guest]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Hi Chrysalis
Successful so far without Topa.Day 25 abs.I thought about getting Topa at first but there were a few reasons i didn't.
1. Being i didn't have my own credit card and didn't want my hubby to see it on our visa statements.2.Never told my doc that i have a prob 3.A bit scared of side effects.(Thats me tho,just a worry wart.)So i think am doing fine without it.I was nearly a 2 bottle a night gal.A bottle starting at 3.30pm and yes the other snuck in from various hiding places between dinner and bed time. Its been hard but worth it.I think the main thing for me is the mental addiction.The inner conflict. The sugar craving not too hard to handle with the supps at hand.Anyway i'm hoping not to slip of the wagon any time soon.What keeps me going is the thought of never having to worry about being over the driving limit.A coded reminder stuck on the sun screen of my car. I smile every time i see it.Now i can look forward to a life without the worry of these things.
Love to hear from anyone else that is going Topa free.

[Guest]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Chrysa,
I did 7 weeks abs at the beginning of the year and 5 weeks abs up until the middle of June without Topa. I'm now up to 13 days abs. The supps helped a great deal and just changing my daily routine so I wasn't sitting around the house with nothing to do but think about drinking wine.

I did end up getting Campral about half way through my 5 weeks abs period. It did help, but I have stopped taking it due to other medications I am on.

Good luck,
Marcie

[MaggieD47]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Good question Chrys

Too bad there aren't more positive responses. But you all are awesome.

[MattD]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

No Topa

I've been AF for 31 days using everything but the Topa. Started to see if I could do 30 days before moderation but I've evolved in that time to realize that alcohol is a complete waste of time, money, energy and everything good. Looking forward to simply living and being alcohol free!

Matt

[cjback]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Hi Chrysa!

Just wanted to add to the success stories: I've been "tapering" my beers for over a yr now. Finally able to stop after I got down to 4 beers. But, I believe, the biggest problem was my prescribed addiction to benzo's, ie; xanax and dalmane. Once I made it throught the horrid w/d from xanax, I started to see a lessoning for desire to drink! For me, the compulsion seemed to come from interdose "cravings" and tolerance w/d from the benzo's! I would get so -----anxious and crazy that I drank to calm myself down in lieu of taking more xanax. Well it took 4 months to FINALLY stabilize. But the beer cravings are not too bad yet! I've tried every approach to get calm, vitamines, herbal stuff, but never could give up drinking! This is the first 8 days in many yrs that I have not had a drink!! Once the benzo w/d was in full swing anytime I drank it made it tons worse! I almost lost my mind, so I gave it much thought and study only to find I was putting fuel on a fire that was already out of control! Thus, the "light" went off in my mind and sd " hmm, guess the alcohol is and has been the culprit! It may have "calmed" me for a couple hours but the destruction was already done and the saga continued. What a hell of way to learn, but, atleast I feel I have learned, so that is a good thing!!!! I alwasy had that "inner voice" telling me to stop drinking! even with the horrible drinking depressions, suicide feelings etc I always went back to it, how sick! To run to something that is so dreadful~! and believing it was helping, God , it was the destruction all the time. Well just so glad I figured it out before it was too late. Can't say its totally easy yet, in fact, I feel so lost. Having never really lived w/o some form of tranquilizer since my teens, now 50. It is a whole new world out there, but I know I can handle it, been through so much hell in life that if I could handle it all drugged out I sure can handle it with a clear mind!! ( always thought one needed to be numbed) Looking forward to a new life, and learning to make different choices, social activities will be a challenge but one can still do all of them w/o missing anything, even maybe enjoying them more????? Time will tell, bes wishes and hugs, CJ:l

[southernbelle47]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

no topa

I don't take topa.

I did discuss it with doc but he is very conservative and doesn't "like" the topa side effects.

I have found that after weeks cutting down and most of the time total abs, I have more control and am not willing to add any more drugs to my body.

The topa seems to work for some.
I say do what you have to to get back in control of your life and then....the fog will clear and your thinking also.

Nancy

[sujul]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Well, no topa but I did get underway with Campral this time (103 days! ), but tapering off it now...last time I went abs for 11 years (before Topa or Campral even existed)--and why, oh why, did I start up again--and give up ANOTHER 10 years to this sh*t???

Jeez, CJ, YOUR story is MY story...depression, suicide--KNOWING I should stop drinking. But also the benzo's w/d--I still don't think anything could ever be as bad as that....every time I tried to quit I was doubled over in agony, sweating, shaking, panicked...I finally got off benzo's by cutting down a fraction every three days or so....it took MONTHS to finally be over it... And alcohol did SEEM to help....only to become an even worse problem itself in the past few years....and yes, all the anxiety and panic and depression that I thought I was medicating with wine--well, yep, it was CAUSED by wine (and vodka and beer....).

I've been down on occasion (just check out the abs board!), but nothing like the suicidal depressions I felt as I hid out in my darkened room, clutching a bottle of wine....what a sad, pathetic memory that is...


It's great to hear of everyone's courage...love this site! :l

Thanks, Chrysa, for starting this thread....
:h
susan

[deanie]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Who has been successful without topa?

Good morning,

I am doing everything except the topa. Day 16 and feeling wonderful. It seems like everyday I am getting a little more of myself back. More clarity and more confidence. I love reading your posts. SO INSPIRING. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your honesty and encourgement. I know I will make it this time. It seems like all the components are in place. Supps, CD, this site, exercise. I do not want to ever return to the hell I called my life. I want to taste and feel it all. No more numbing, foggy, sick days and nights. No more mind games with myself. I want to be healthy and happy. I will not accept anything less.

I wish you all a wonderful Saturday,

Big hugs,

Deanie

[C]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Thanks everyone! You are very inspiring. Keep the posts coming. MaggieD & I need them. ;>)

[C]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Cj!

Wow CJ! Looks and sounds like you have been reborn into a beautiful Monarch butterfly. I am still in the Chrysalis. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself. :h

[C]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Susan

That takes courage Susan. Wow. You are incredible. Thank you both for also sharing the details. :l Thank you.

[C]

Who has been successful WITHOUT topa?

Without Topa?

From the beginning I felt that topa was the heart of this program.

Who has been successful without it and can you expand a little on why, how?.

I'm pretty sure there are some on the current July Abs board. Can you reply? Are there others?

Chrysa