How often do you think, just screw it all?

[happycamper68]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Spin,
I am on 20mg of Lexapro and i think you should increase your dosage. It's the only one (and I've tried them all too) that has helped me. Have no idea why. There are a LOT of Lexapro fans on here. Hang in there :h

[AAthlete]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Spin, I was on Lexapro for several months, and my doc told me that if I ever needed to start up again he would put me on 20 mg's because they were starting to see even more success at that dosage. It really did the job for me, even at 10 mg's (although the 'male' side effect was a real stopper - if you know what I mean)..

However, just like everything else it is not a magic bullet all by itself. Stopping drinking gives you a chance to heal mentally and the Laxapro a chance to really kick in.

Best of luck to you.

[spincycle]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Sorry I've been away. Someone I've managed to stay employed while drinking a liter of vodka a day. God knows how the hell I pulled that off. But I'm pulling the gloves off now, and going for Vivitrol this tuesday. Hope I get some success with it!

Bless you all for the great advice. Sorry I am so belated.

[Guest]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Spin,
I am sorry you ar ehaving such a rough time. I took topamax and it was a wonder drug for me. Of course, you have to couple it with a hell of a lot of "want to", but the vivitrol just may be what you need to get a jump on it. I hope so....read and post often...it HELPS!

[IAD]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Every day !!!!!!!! Iad

[MyHeartIsDrenchedInWine]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Hi Spin,

Have you ever considered that you could be bipolar? My husband is and before he was diagnosed, he would drink unbelievable quantities of alcohol and also "burn bridges" because of his temper and mean words....that is pretty classic bipolar. I have depression and I don't "wound" people like my bipolar husband....it's more like I "retreat" into my office at night with my wine and my books or computer...I want to be left alone, that's more classic depression.

Also, antidepressants make some people drink more because they induce mania or mild mania. Boy I sure drank a LOT more when I was on Lexapro. The best antidepressant I've found is EMSAM, it's a patch so it is not processed through your liver, BIG plus. And though EMSAM is an MAOI, because it is a patch there are no food or drug interactions like with MAOI pills. The two types of MAOI's are very different, trandermal is the way to go for me.

I hope you are feeling better soon, chin up my dear : )

[Accountable for Me]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

I was also thinking about the possibility of untreated post-partum?

I, for one, was recently diagnosed with BP and am properly medicated for it now after years of being on SSRI's which made me worse. I am FINALLY feeling better. I am basically even keeled now and have NO cravings for alcohol. NONE at all.

It might be worth checking into. There are quite a lot of people who have undiagnosed BP who drink like fish. I certainly did.

[MyHeartIsDrenchedInWine]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Accountable for Me;188977 wrote: I was also thinking about the possibility of untreated post-partum?

I, for one, was recently diagnosed with BP and am properly medicated for it now after years of being on SSRI's which made me worse. I am FINALLY feeling better. I am basically even keeled now and have NO cravings for alcohol. NONE at all.

It might be worth checking into. There are quite a lot of people who have undiagnosed BP who drink like fish. I certainly did.

Yes the big plus is most of the bipolar meds take away the desire to drink in the first place. Lithium has changed my husbands life. He went from drinking large plastic cups (not just one cup but several) full of Vodka on the rocks with a little Crytal Lite powder poured in (basically about 20oz of Vodka) to NOTHING, no desire nothing. It's hard for me to even believe. It's the magic of the right medication. There is a lot that Dr's can miss, I am the one that figured out he was bipolar and mentioned the symptoms to the Dr. NOT the other way around. Ya gotta be your own advocate, that's just the way it is.

[Accountable for Me]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Your husband's past drinking sounds A LOT like mine. Vodka was where I was at and the binges were for days on end.

I was initially on the Lithium and it didn't work too well for me. I am glad it is working for him. I am on Epival and Trazodone now. It is fabulous. No side effects, no cravings, no severe mood swings, no nothing.

I am happy he had you to get him some help.

[MyHeartIsDrenchedInWine]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Hi Accountable, I'm so happy for you!

[Pisces]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Hi,

I really feel for you, and just want to offer some tips that have helped me stay above the 'drowning water' so to speak.

After 20 plus years of drowning myself in alcohol to try and make myself feel better, and seeing a few councillors, I went to the doc, didn't know him as I'd moved to a new town, and cried, told him how I felt and said that I thought I was an alcoholic, even thought I did'nt drink everyday, but if my emotions even slighty overwhelmed me, I drank to oblivion to escape.

He was kind and understanding and referred my to a phyciatrist, and I've been diagnosed as 'Chronic Complex Post Tramatic Stress Disorder', and... I'm now a Borderline personality Disorder, and I can see it, hurting myself and drinking to distraction.

My Phyc doc has enrolled me in a course to teach me how to undo the damage, because apparently my brain has been trained a certain way through pain, mental pain, to respond a certain way, eg. My brain thinks DRINK, and fast, kill those feelings!

I need to retrain my brain, and after 20 + years it wont happen overnight, but it seems old dogs can learn new tricks,

and we can retrain our brains, and creat new pathways that don't include alcohol to dim the overwhelming feelings.

Don't know if this helps, but it seems we train our brains to drink for whatever reason, but we can retrain it, I'm putting alot of hope into this, so will let you know.

But in the meantime, it helps to practice 'mindfullness' be in the moment, and appreciate the sun coming up, your beautiful family, flowers, the blue sky, a big moon, and stay hopeful.

Luv Jas

[spincycle]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Thanks for this info, this is great advice. I am going to speak to my Dr. about EMSAM.
Sure appreciate it!

MyHeartIsDrenchedInWine;188973 wrote: Hi Spin,

Have you ever considered that you could be bipolar? My husband is and before he was diagnosed, he would drink unbelievable quantities of alcohol and also "burn bridges" because of his temper and mean words....that is pretty classic bipolar. I have depression and I don't "wound" people like my bipolar husband....it's more like I "retreat" into my office at night with my wine and my books or computer...I want to be left alone, that's more classic depression.

Also, antidepressants make some people drink more because they induce mania or mild mania. Boy I sure drank a LOT more when I was on Lexapro. The best antidepressant I've found is EMSAM, it's a patch so it is not processed through your liver, BIG plus. And though EMSAM is an MAOI, because it is a patch there are no food or drug interactions like with MAOI pills. The two types of MAOI's are very different, trandermal is the way to go for me.

I hope you are feeling better soon, chin up my dear : )

[spincycle]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Any other side effects he suffers from now? I hear some say lithium is a wonder drug, others say it crippled their brains.

MyHeartIsDrenchedInWine;188988 wrote: Yes the big plus is most of the bipolar meds take away the desire to drink in the first place. Lithium has changed my husbands life. He went from drinking large plastic cups (not just one cup but several) full of Vodka on the rocks with a little Crytal Lite powder poured in (basically about 20oz of Vodka) to NOTHING, no desire nothing. It's hard for me to even believe. It's the magic of the right medication. There is a lot that Dr's can miss, I am the one that figured out he was bipolar and mentioned the symptoms to the Dr. NOT the other way around. Ya gotta be your own advocate, that's just the way it is.

[spincycle]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

Picses,

Where can I learn more about CCPTSD? I googled it and found very little.

Pisces;189305 wrote: Hi,

I really feel for you, and just want to offer some tips that have helped me stay above the 'drowning water' so to speak.

After 20 plus years of drowning myself in alcohol to try and make myself feel better, and seeing a few councillors, I went to the doc, didn't know him as I'd moved to a new town, and cried, told him how I felt and said that I thought I was an alcoholic, even thought I did'nt drink everyday, but if my emotions even slighty overwhelmed me, I drank to oblivion to escape.

He was kind and understanding and referred my to a phyciatrist, and I've been diagnosed as 'Chronic Complex Post Tramatic Stress Disorder', and... I'm now a Borderline personality Disorder, and I can see it, hurting myself and drinking to distraction.

My Phyc doc has enrolled me in a course to teach me how to undo the damage, because apparently my brain has been trained a certain way through pain, mental pain, to respond a certain way, eg. My brain thinks DRINK, and fast, kill those feelings!

I need to retrain my brain, and after 20 + years it wont happen overnight, but it seems old dogs can learn new tricks,

and we can retrain our brains, and creat new pathways that don't include alcohol to dim the overwhelming feelings.

Don't know if this helps, but it seems we train our brains to drink for whatever reason, but we can retrain it, I'm putting alot of hope into this, so will let you know.

But in the meantime, it helps to practice 'mindfullness' be in the moment, and appreciate the sun coming up, your beautiful family, flowers, the blue sky, a big moon, and stay hopeful.

Luv Jas

[MyHeartIsDrenchedInWine]

How often do you think, just screw it all?

spincycle;191028 wrote: Any other side effects he suffers from now? I hear some say lithium is a wonder drug, others say it crippled their brains.

He sleeps a lot but he doesn't seem to be bothered by that. My husband is only on Lithium. Lot's of people take an antidepressant (which his Dr wants him to do) with the Lithium to help counteract any of the bad side effects but my husband said he is only going to take ONE medication. He is pretty anti-med in general. Now he is less controlling and verbally abusive & he no longer get's physical or goes into rages. He just calmly tells me everything I do is not good enough, LOL! So we do have an improvement