I'm loving the advice but need more :) !!

[dexterhead]

:thanks:
Thanks so much to everyone who has helped me so far. !!! I only discovered this site a day or so ago, but I think it is going to be a godsend.

I'm looking for a little guidance about how to come off my heavy drinking. right now it's a least a bottle of wine a night, sometimes as much as two. I don't think I'm physically addicted to the point of where I'd need medical help, but I'm trying to figure out the best way to approach it. I quit totally last year for a while but I felt so depressed and blah that I went back to it. also,a few recent nights I 've had just 2-3 drinks. I don't think I'm going to try Topamax or other drug yet since I'm already on Zoloft and Clonazepam. Should I try to quit cold turkey or should I try to taper off?????
I am planning to get the book and some supplements, definitely kudzu and some of the things that will get me healthy again. Also think I am going to join the Y which would give me a place to go after work, a little less lonely time at night, along with of course the exercise. I am not sure about the tapes ...

But as to doing it cold turkey, or just trying to taper off, any suggestions? Right now, my long-term goal is moderation, although I will have to see if that is doable. Thank you all so much ...
PS: my raging alcoholic brother-in-law has been in the hospital for six weeks after a seizure, hardly any liver function and internal bleeding and I swear the man is STILL in denial .. I give all of you, and myself, credit for admitting we need help!!!!!

[Suzanna]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

dexterhead, I drink a bottle of wine a night, sometimes a good part of one of those big 1.5 liter things, but I can quit 4 days and no physical signs except sweating and cravings that seem to come with a vengence on day 5. That's just me though, I am not on any meds and don't know if they would be a factor or not. I like the natural remedies like calms forte for anxiety and cravings, the all one to replenish nutrients, and lots of water. Geez about your brother in law, that scares me. Best and stick around! Suz

[Breez]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

Hi dex-

I was always a "cold turkey" kind of gal. I'd take the weekend & just lay on the couch, sweats & nausea. I didn't like the prolonging of my sobriety since tapering off would always eventually lead right back to square one once I felt better. The last time I "suffered"-I made a permanent reminder in my brain as to how much I felt like sh*t and how I never wanted to feel that way again. It's a great reminder to me to never pick up that next drink because that next drink will eventually get me back to that point again.

dex-you only know what's best for you. Each person is different. I agree with Suzanna~plenty of H2O & the calms forte is good for the anxiety. Good luck.

[Finding My Self]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

Hi Dex - welcome...good on you...I am so sorry to hear about BIL....scary... But you're here now and that's great.

I think you know deep down what you have to do.....just stop. I don't think 1-2 bottles of wine should give cause for concern but I am no doctor and if you can have someone around for the first few days....

Thing is, not being sure what to do and how to do it is a really good way of procrastinating!! So, J(F)DI and the rest of the road will become clearer and we'll help all we can....been there, done that and the T shirts are really nice!

For me, water, sweet tea (ugh but!) chocolate, sweets (keep the sugar up that the body's got seriously used to with all the alcohol coversion) little frequent meals getting bigger as I then cut the sugary things.... and thinking of just how much all the little kids in Africa would give for my glass of clean water instead of one with dysentry amoeba in it!! Suddenly I was so glad my glass had that and not fire-water in it!

Good luck! You can do this.
FMS x

[trixietrack]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

I really do think that in order to moderate you need to be AF for a while. not just a few days.
I was drinking about a bottle and a 1/4 every other day or so. sometimes more.

I cut down to about a few every 4 days, but it kept escalating if I didn't watch myself. (pain in the ass).
Then I got really drunk about 1 month or so ago and panicked, I was afraid I would fall back, so I stopped completely.
I really didn't have any physical side effects except that I was really super crabby for about a week, worse than PMS. my body was pissed that I wasn't drinking.
if I get an urge I take L-glutamine.
I did go and see the doc and he said that I was really healthy, before going AF.
right now I feel good, and normally this time of year I get really depressed.

good luck, just try different things, until you find what works for you

Trix

[dexterhead]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

thanks to all of you so much . It is so amazing to get feedback from others in the same boat. I've stopped a few times, but each time I encountered such terrible black moods, so I thought, why stop when I actually feel worse? There's misperceptions out there that when you quit drinking, you'll feel better right away. Now I now that isn't true and that it will be a continual work in progress. Also, I saw a psychiatrist a few months ago ( can be a real pain in the ass to achieve if you are an American with an HMO) and he had a lot of concrete advice about alcohol and the complex way it affects you. He said the worst thing about daily drinking is that you never get an actual good night's sleep, so you are constantly sleep deprived .. I thought that was a fascinating point. Anyway, I will keep you posted on my progress.
-D.

[InnerStrength]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

hey dexter
Quitting is not easy but i can tell you that taking nutrients and aminos make a HUGE difference - some of the key ones for me are L-glut, tryptophan, a good amino mix, a multi vitamin, niacin and vitamin B, evening primrose oil/GLA, omega 3-6-9, and calcium magnesium. I have to tell you that I NEVER thought I could stop drinking. I never used to be able to get past day 2 or 3 and so if i can do it, anyone can! A good support system is very important and this group of people is awesome. Just remember to be honest to yourself and ASK FOR HELP.
Best of luck and stick around
Love Jen

[Breez]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

Interesting point about the sleep deprivation. I was huge binge drinker who would drink 1-2 weeks daily then take time off. During those times I drank I would pass out & wake up the next morning (hung over of course) with no dreams, no waking in the middle of the night. It was like slipping into a coma for 8 hrs. a night. It's so nice to be able to dream again.

[InnerStrength]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

I agree Breez - its nice to sleep deeply - but 'real' sleep, isnt it?

[FinallyRN]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

Before I found this site I had been a member of AA. Family experience with alcoholics and my own abstinence taught me a lot. This helped me tremendously.
Never get hungry, never get thirsty, never get bored.....if I was going to a social gathering I would eat first, even have dessert. When I had a sip of wine, it wasn't as appealing after something sweet, it tasted a little bit like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth.
I'd keep chocolate suckers, M&M's on hand because in the beginning you crave carbs so much. Something has to replace that alcohol! By the way, I LOST weight through all this.......Thats how much I was drinking. All the empty calories of alcohol still out number chocolate and desserts. Then there is the vits supplements you need to take. I actually went to a nutritionist years ago because of depression that just wouldn't quit.............( did I even want to admit that it was alcohol related ?! nnnaaaaaaaaaa!) But he put me on large doses of Vit B's 3 x day..........I dare say, I didn't even think about alcohol.......well, maybe that's a bit strong but it was A LOT easier.
My 2 downfalls are the evenings, as I'm sure with a lot of people, and being female PMS.
My drinking doubles during PMS..........but I live by the beach, have a dog........walks became therapy. My life is so over stimulated with noise that I looked forward to the periods of silence.
So, where am I now you may ask. I'm back consuming in moderation but experience has shown me that it always escalates, so that I have to follow my own advice and be without again. What I've learned is that I'm much happier being AF. It will never get as bed as it was the first time, black outs, bad judgement, no hangovers because I think I never was without long enough to get one! I work in medicine and my greatest fear is that I might one day not be 'on" and someone ends up paying for it. Honest enough for you?
Good luck

[beatle]

I'm loving the advice but need more !!

If you haven't seen it already, there is a thread started today on General Discussion called "withdrawal, detox, improving health"-- I think it will be of help to you.