New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

[vino_grrl]

Hi there ... I'm brand new to this ...eager and, also, scared. I'm 41, 5'2 and a single mom and, in the last two years have progressed to drinking a bottle of wine a night, with very few AF days. It seems that, as soon as the clock hits 6pm, the bottle pops open and, no matter how I tell myself "I'm only going to have ONE tonight" ... invariably the bottle empties by 9 or 10. If I'm at a party where the wine is flowing and my consumption can go unchecked, god knows how much I drink.

I'm a 'high performing' drinker. No one would suspect. I never miss an obligation. I never slur my words. I don't even act much differently. I just feel better. At least while I'm drinking. ;-) The next morning is a different story altogether. And, after a lifetime of being absurdly healthy and fit and thin, I've put on nearly 30lbs in those two drinking years as well.

So ... in classic "wake up as soon as the alcohol is digested' style, I found myself up @ 4am and, yet again, trying to find some alternative other than AA. And found this site. I ordered the book last night and managed to squeeze in for a visit with my family doctor today. He's the first person I've ever told that I have a problem. It felt oddly good to talk about it.

He is disinclined to start me on Topamax as a first effort. Instead, he's urging me (gotta love a medical doctor who does this) to try acupuncture first, then add in supplements, then try meds if those fail. According to him (and my online research this afternoon seems to confirm it), acupuncture has been astonishingly successful in treating cocaine & heroin addiction and related cravings (and, of course, alcohol addictions as well). Has anyone on this group tried it ... what was your experience?

Also, curious whether there are other single moms out there. I swear this problem came about because I have no choice but to be home alone most evenings (gotta be here to put her to bed! she's 2.5). I have one drink while she's awake & while I'm cooking dinner. The rest is after she's sleeping. It somehow has become the 'evening companion' I can't shake. Can't believe this snuck up on my in my late 30s/early 40s ... never had this issue when I was younger.

vino_grrl:new:

[toughintexas]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

Hey Vino girl....gosh, you sound like me, except it snuck up on me, and I was re-married, mine started when I quit my high-powered career and decided to just be a "Mom".....go figure, watch what you wish for huh! I never overindulged til I was in my mid to late 30's either...and after all the cocktail parties, golf outings, entertaining customers, was out of the picture! I totally understand your entertaining/medicating your "home alone" syndrome...I was a single Mom, and its tough as heck to be doing it all, alone, and then have to chill out alone too.... I've noticed I have really had to change that 6pm bewitching hour...I started going to the gym, I know that's hard with a 2.5 yr. old tho, but just try to alter your routine somehow...I am fixing to try acupunture too, have a great oriental med. woman in a nearby town, I've done it once, for "overindulging" and it worked, other times, I've done it for a neck injury, and that worked too...I'm going to start going twice a week for the acupunture for the wine habit...she's very understanding and into chinese herbs, Kudzu is a chinese herb too....I tried the Topa, couldn't handle it, lots can tho! I'd do the supp's first....get the L-glut powder and have some late in the afternoon, and after dinner, see if it'll deter the other glasses a bit...I too was a skinny minny, and this wine has put the lbs on the middle and 'ol buttusky here too....doesn't exactly boost the confidence level much...go to the 30 day thread, its a great bunch, there's some single Mom's there...and its the greatest group...so is chat at night...go to old chat...when you are lonely at night, its the best therapy, your hands will be too busy typing to slug...lol....we'll keep ya company! So glad you found this site, its a lifesaver for most of us...we are all struggling, and lots of us, me included, have done great, then nose-dived, then done mods, then slipped...we have all been there, done that, and worn-out the t-shirts!!!! Welcome!

[Lostfocus]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

It feels good to know there are more women like us. I'm not a single mom (although I was for 10 years before I remarried) I am a lonley mom. I'm 43 years old and my son is 21 he moved out 3 years ago I see him often and talk on the phone often but it isn't the same. At 40 I just wasn't ready to be a mother of an grown son and have an childless house. It has been hard. I really didn't know what to do with my self. I hardley ever drank before, but it seemed like the thing to start. Wine and on weekends a airplane shooter of rasberry vodka seemed to help, then it started growing and I started stopping for something on the way home from work and have been drinking (nearly every night) for the last 3 years. I didn't realize that it was getting out of hand. I also function very well, many times hubby doesn't even realize that I've been drinking (or if he did didn't think it out of control enough to say any thing, FYI he is a complete non drinker) as long as I don't get on a whinney crying spree. If I stay up late I usually go to bed when he does and then get back up when he falls asleep. I never miss work. I drink at home so I'm risking legal actions because of my drinking. I just don't like feeling like crap in the am then starting over in the evening when I know I will feel like crap in the monrning again.

Anyway enough rambling and back to topic.....I have done accupuncture and hypnosis to quit smoking the results are wonderful I haven't smoked for 1 year. I am now doing sessions for drinking (I want to try moderation vs AF) I have had 4 sessions (2 per week) and although I have had some to drink I have had the same bottle of wine (and not a mega bottle either) in frig for 2 weeks. Last night I poured a glass the phone rang and I forgot all about it until I saw it on the counter this morning untouched. I really don't think that will happen every time but even once is nice. I am very deligent about taking the supplements but I don't want to try any RX, I really don't see a reason from replacing one drug with another. I really enjoy this sight and the information and communication it offers. I want to try the chat area but I don't have a computer at home and not much time during the day to try. Lots of luck to all, hope to be able to continue some dialogues.

[vino_grrl]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

Thanks so much ladies ...

It helps so much to have other people in this boat to talk to. I just don't feel comfortable talking with my friends about this (why is that? I'll talk with them about everything else!) I suppose a big part of it is that (a) I don't want people angsting when they invite me to dinner and pour a glass of wine for me that they're contributing to a problem (I want my life to stay normal) and I don't want gossip about my situation ... people worrying about my daughter, etc. So far, I've managed to stay a pretty great mom .... even if I feel a little crappy in the morning, she and I wrestle and play in bed in the morning, I make her a home-made breakfast, etc. We go to the playground, we read stories together at night or draw pictures. It's after she's asleep that the problem kicks in. I wish, wish, wish I could go to the gym or something like that, but it's not realistic. I agree, though, that I have to find something to substitute into the routine. I'm thinking either Pilates videos or just trying to get caught up on my reading. Or getting online and chatting with all of you.

Your 'it kicked in after I quit a high-powered career and decided to just be mom' really resonates. That's exactly my situation. I kept it under control even through all those years of high end parties, entertaining, etc. I might drink too much at an event here or there, but who doesn't. It never turned into drinking alone at night. If I could manage the drinking alone issue, my drinking in company isn't much of a problem. Social pressure keeps me from getting too out of control. My danger is when it's a more heavily attended party and I can pour my own w/reckless abandon. In those situations, I'm hoping taking Kudzu before a party will make the difference. Has anyone found a brand other than the brand sold on this site that has enough Kudzu in it to actually make it effective?

My book hasn't even shown up yet ... but I go to the acupuncturist tonight. I'll let you know how it goes. Once the book shows up, I'll decide what supplements to try. One other observation though ... I started the South Beach diet in July and stuck with it religiously for a month before falling off entirely while on vacation in August ... even the quitting drinking for two weeks. Blew me away that I went to not one but TWO 4th of July parties and didn't drink @ all, and was mostly ok with that. What I found was that eliminating the potatoes/bread/pasta, etc. really did ease the craving for ALL carbs ... including alcohol. I didn't over-indulge that entire month. As soon as I let my guard down, though, everything was a mess again. I don't think that diet, alone, is my answer though (although I'm going back on as of today). It's going to need to be some combination of supplements, diet, hypnotherapy, exercise (I've been going to spinning class 3x a week and am adding pilates on two days) and behavior modification (changing my evening routine, etc) and support from others in my same situation. Meds will be my absolute last resort ... side effects sound too scary (my job is using words ... I can't afford for them to fail me).

Thanks again so very much.
Mary

[lushy]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

Hi Mary and welcome to the site. Please keep us posted on how acupuncture works for you. I have heard good things as well about it. I find it interesting your doctor recommended it; he sounds very open minded about alternative treatments. I think that is a good thing.

Definitely try the supplements. They do help. And the hypno CDs are a really great thing as well. Look forward to hearing more about the acupuncture.

:welcome:

[vino_grrl]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

well, it probably doesn't hurt that he's chinese american. ;-) and, yes, very open-minded. he talked with me for a full half-hour about the issue (no cutting me short or rushing me out the door), was very empathetic, and has a tendency overall (not just on this) to try less-invasive, less-drastic approaches first before writing a prescription. he also doesn't want me trying five or so things all @ the same time because, then, he can't track what's doing what/causing what. so starting w/acupuncture & diet/behavior modification. then adding supplements after a week or so of acupuncture. then i can add in hypnotherapy, etc. he also had me email him articles on topimarate, kudzu, etc. so he could read and think about it. felt really positive after leaving his office ... like i have a partner in this who i can trust to help me & who actually cares. can't remember the last time i felt that way about a doctor.

[toughintexas]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

Vino girl, sounds sooo much like me....lol....I've had a cancer issue, so I had to do the no white diet, and supps 3 yrs. ago., it does help.... You are an awesome girl, and this too shall pass, I'm hoping both of us take this journey together and we WILL cross the finish line, we may stumble here and there, but we'll pick each other up, and go on....you and I both have great Dr's., open-mind's sure help...we own a pharm. and I could take anything, but the side-effects are as bad as the morning after to me...we're just probably real sensitive to drugs I guess....Hang in and and come to chat!

[vino_grrl]

New Here ... And Acupuncture Question

Report after day 1 of acupuncture ...

so i have to say, yesterday was interesting. i was feeling better because i hadn't drunk the night before. got up, had a nice morning w/my daughter, went surfing in the early afternoon (always makes me feel good; i've stopped going as frequently because of all the extra weight but -- hey -- at least the wet suit packs it in and covers it up!) then headed back into the city for acupuncture. hmmmm. liked the doc ... then spent about an hour on the table w/approx 15 very thin needles poked in me. didn't hurt @ all ... very relaxing, actually ... although i couldn't tell whether i was feeling so good because ... hey, i was getting an hour to lie down in a nice warm room w/o a toddler chasing me! ... or because of the acupuncture. doc gave me some 'emperor's tea pills' as well ... very inexpensive ... take 8 of them 3x a day, and we scheduled 3 more visits over the next month. in the docs words 'acupuncture isnt a silver bullet but, when your body is out of balance (as it is with drinking) it can be a very useful tool for someone who's ready to change.' left the doc, went to a singing class (i'm trying to schedule things where drink couldn't be involved on the 3 evenings that i have help w/my daughter), then home. felt good but wired up. so sat down, poured ONE glass of wine and turned on the TV. And, at 10pm, after a long and active day, one was enough. hmmmm.

I woke up feeling especially great this morning. to the zoo w/my daughter and one of her friends. Very, very calm without that anxious edge. I don't know ... there might really be something to this. It isn't a huge change ... but certainly a noticeable one. A certain restlessness I always have seems toned down a little. Hoping that keeping it up, adding kudzu before any event that might involve alcohol, and filling my evenings more productively might do it for me (w/o meds).

btw, tough in texas, i can't even imagine what my temptations would be if i owned a pharmacy like you!!! oh my god! ;-)))))

m