Without the drugs

[Guest]

Hi. I have just found this programme and ordered the book, hypnosis tapes and the supplements. I have chosen not to use the prescribed drugs. I know it sounds stupid as I am here because I guzzle alcohol which has so many chemicals in it, but I prefer the natural approach. I am tentative about the programme and have to admit that I'm a bit scared that I will fail. Have read a few of the threads on this site and hope I can join in on the support you give each other. Anyone else there who has not chosen the prescribed drug but following the rest of the programme?

[Guest]

Without the drugs

Hello, I am new here and have decided also to not use the drugs and just go with the book and hypno CDs.

Lets do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Without the drugs

hi freedom

I am going the drug free route too. I suppose you think that if you can make it work without them great! But you can always call on them if it gets way too hard. That's my theory anyhow, we'll see how it turns out in practise.

[Guest]

Without the drugs

without drugs

Hi fellove,
I am on day 10 and haven't used anything but the supps so far, my Kudzo just came today so will see how that goes tonight. I have drank twice in the 10 days but to nowhere near the extent I would have prior to this program, but am considering giving the meds a go as I would like to stop altogether. I have a damned lot of stress in my life at the moment which is actually mentally pushing me on to stay sober, as I don't think I'd get through it pissed!

I find if I am struggling, I take extra L-glut and that really does help (even if its only a placebo effect, I don't care, I'm willing to believe anything). I am also drinking dry ginger ale at another member's suggestion, to which I add a little extra ginger juice which gives it a zing, so I tell myself I'm no longer thirsty, and the grog just makes me crook, so I leave it alone for a bit longer until the feeling dies down and I can cope better.
Best of luck to you in your endeavours,
regards, Colleine

[Guest]

Without the drugs

Re: without drugs

Thanx for the advice colleine. I think maybe the L-glut might be useful or at least boost confidence. I am just so scared of what 1 drink usually turns into for me. It has been 3 days and no probs. It's friday nite 2nite and i have brought extra work home to keep busy. I also have conferences both weekend days. I never thought I would be grateful for these nuisances!

[Guest]

Without the drugs

Re: without drugs

Hi All!

Lots of members do it without the topa or campral, either by choice or because they live in Oz and can't get topa off-label. Many have done just fine without the meds, so don't let that deter you from your goal! The kudzu and l-glut are fine supplements and quite helpful. Just make sure you are taking enough. I believe you can take about 3,000 mg of kudzu a day (correct me if I'm wrong everyone else!!!!)--don't know the l-glut dosage, but you're right about just popping one when you need it, too!

Anyway, good luck with your programs, and believe me, it's not placebo! You're going to do fine! Stay close to MWO and get the support you need, and stay close to each other too! Welcome!

Kathy

[Guest]

Without the drugs

Re: without drugs

Welcome, everyone new!
Remember, you can add as you feel necessary, as far as the "drugs" go. The All One powder with/ after breakfast and the GABA I found, along with taking the L-Glut and Kudzu really start you off to a great day. Very strong sense of well-being, and I NEVER contemplate having, say a margarita with my lunch anymore! Iced tea much more refreshing!
I used to have to some days shake off the urge to want a beer or whatever pretty early in the day...I have not felt that way for a few months now .
Let us know how it is going and what we can do to help! Are you planning to try to abstain for a while first? Has everyone gotten the book?
Good luck!
Becca

[Guest]

Without the drugs

Without drugs

Hi everyone. Great to see there are others out there the same. As I'm in Oz it will be about 2 weeks before my supplements and tapes and book get here so I'm winging it at the moment. Just going to have to get my on willpower. Have 2 big incentives - one is my two baby granddaughters - I really want to get fitter to do more playtime with them. I was running around with my 18 month old the other day and hufffing and puffing like a 70 year old (I'm 48 so that's pretty bad!!!) I am carrying about 10 kilos extra weight and I'm sure the drinking is helping me to keep that on. I've tried weight loss programmes and do great with the food restrictions but then, bam, one glass of wine turns into a bottle and I might as well forget the weight watching! Also, we are going to Fiji for 2 weeks in late August, my husband teaches kite surfing and he has a clinic on over there and I really want to be fitter and lose a few kilos to get over there with all those sportos!!! Went out to dinner last night and thought to myself it wouldn't hurt to have one or two glasses of wine with dinner but then thought how sure, when I do that, I usually need to call in at the bottle shop on the way home just to top up. So, drank soda water and felt really good about myself this morning. Taking large doses of vitamin C and magnesium just to get me through until my programme arrives - if I can make it through the 2 weeks alcohol free before it comes, it would be wonderful. I think the tests are social occasions though - I am away next weekend with my daughter, husband and babies for her birthday, so will be eating out a lot, that will be hard, especially as I usually like to have a wine with her and her husband. Then, following weekend, going to Sydney for a conference, again, eating out a lot. If I get through the next 2 weeks I'll be thrilled. Of course, apart from that there's the daily test of wanting to come home from work and drop with a wine before dinner (which usually turns into my dinner!). Anyway, I know I've rattled on for ages, but just being able to talk to people who know where I'm coming from without feeling embarrassed is wonderful. Keep posting everyone - I'd love to hear some of your stories and goals.

[Guest]

Without the drugs

without drugs

Hi Freedom,

I am in Oz also, I took the list of supps to my local health store and the only thing I couldn't buy was the Kudzo, so I ordered it online and it was here in just five days. I haven't found the courage yet to see my GP to ask about the meds; I don't want to tell him about my drinking so at this stage (day 13 for me) I am only doing the supps. AND THEY ARE HELPING!

I am 42 with three teenagers and a 2yr old (oops!) and I am also overweight, but by a lot more than 10kg's. I began drinking consistently when I divorced in 1994, was working full-time in management and had three kids under 6, so drank to block out all the pain and responsibility. My ex-husband had the kids every second week, so one week I had a family and the next I was alone... it was bloody awful. It certainly drew me into the underground world of alcoholism, which only now I am beginning to understand and conquer.

When I was married I was 54kg's and am now up around 90! I have lost 3kg's since starting this program, so no matter how much I tried to tell myself that it couldn't be the grog (all the alcoholics I know are so bloody skinny!) I know it is... not just the grog on its own, but all the crap I eat the next day trying to feel better. And the lack of incentive to get off my butt and move around. I'm a couch potato when hung over.

I have a long way to go, and face different hurdles every day (fights with kids, boredom, wanting a buzz, friends calling in for a beer etc etc) but finding this site has changed my attitude in just days... I'm not alone, and I find bits of me in just about every post!

Good luck in your endeavours also,
Colleine

[Guest]

Without the drugs

without drugs

Hi Colleine, thanks for reply. I think my problems started a lot with my first marriage, he was definitely an alcoholic and also used to hit me regularly. He would never take no for an answer that I wouldn't drink with him and I was too scared not to! Stupid now that I look back but I lived with a lot of fear then. Then I developed anxiety attacks that were awful and I drank to oblivion so not to feel the pain and fear of those attacks and of course the alcohol made it worse. I ended up having lots of counselling but for nerves and my marriage break up, not drinking. I eased up on the drinking a lot after my marriage broke up and got into tai chi and a lot of nice, social friends and things were great. Then I met a wonderful guy, who is now my husband, and everything is fine. But somewhere along the line, as the kids left home and I was home a lot by myself while my hubby was working, I started to have a drink. I also went back to work fulltime and got tired and stressed and turned to the wine. It just became a habit. It's really dumb in my case because I have a wonderful husband and a really good life. I have great daughters and two beautiful baby granddaughters - in fact, everything to live for and to live without the grog. As I said, just a habit and one I want to get rid of. I can associate with you about the mountains of food (and always the wrong stuff) you eat after drinking. And then, by the time you get over that day, start to feel better tomorrow, wham, off I go again. I am very positive about this programme though, haven't got any of the supplements or book or CD yet and already feeling better. Anyway, maybe without the alcohol we will also get the motivation to lose the weight, I've always given in to the drink after about 3 days on a weight loss programme. So good on you, you've lost already - way ahead of me on the right track!! Good on you. Talk soon. Sheryl

[Guest]

Without the drugs

without drugs

Hi Sheryl,
I think so many of us have the same routines when it comes to drinking. One of the funny things for me is I hate routine, and don't have one in my daily life, but my drinking ran on a strict timetable. Drink from 5pm till pouring myself into bed, hung over the next day so do nothing but feel guilty and sorry for myself and probably a good dose of anger in there also, then the next day feel well enough to function and work (I work from home for myself selling books on-line so can work whenever) and maybe do some housework, then fourth day start thinking about drinking again at 5pm that night, and so the merry-go-round has been running its own circle for the past 5 years. Panic attacks started for me in 2002, brought on by other things (I started a Childcare course at Tafe which was a world of its own, funny in hindsight but not at the time, I was the only MATURE aged student but for one other, and the rest were teenagers and childish to boot) combined with my alcohol abuse. If I have a big night now I still have them but keep valium on-hand to control the symptoms. If I don't drink I don't get them at all.

I haven't had a drink now for 7 days, and as much as I miss blocking my emotions (both good and bad!) I am enjoying feeling better more than I want to get drunk... which for me is a bizarre emotion itself. When you say your life is so good you don't understand the need for alcohol; two things come to mind.... number one is the addiction side of alcohol, which is why there are so many of us, but also for me, whether my life is good or bad (it changes a lot!!) I still drank... I drank to celebrate good news just as much as I drank to drown out crappy stuff! ANY emotions for me drew me to wanting to get drunk, something I recognised not that long ago.
Stay in touch and keep reading this board, it is invaluable!
Colleine
Colleine

[Guest]

Without the drugs

WITHOUT DRUGS

Hi Colleine - you're right - now I really think, there doesn't have to be any particular trigger - I might get home from work angry, stressed, or had a great day, relaxed or high, and still go for the wine. It's more the "danger period" for me I think than any particular emotion. Funny how I never really thought about that side of it till you pointed it out. But it doesn't matter what triggers it, its the habit that needs to be broken. Its great reading all the posts and being able to associate with so much. I'm on Day 5 of not drinking and feeling like I've climbed Mt. Everest - I have my weekend away this weekend for my daughter's birthday and while I was abstaining for the month even though I don't have my supplies yet, I thought, maybe I'll have one nice glass of red wine with dinner on Saturday night. Then the thought scared me cos I wonder if I can do that - just one? But, if I can, then that's a choice I've made to have one rather than have none cos it scares me. Does that make sense? I thought having one might be caving in, but maybe its an even bigger test as I will not go through the rest of my life without alcohol but I would LOVE to be able to have a wine with dinner on special occasions.

[Guest]

Without the drugs

dining out

Hi Sheryl,
Well, you're braver than me, attempting to dine out and keep it under control. I know, for me, if I have one glass I would want lots more, just to get the buzz, then trying to stop myself would bring the anxiety on. I don't trust myself yet, and am trying to be kind to myself, by not putting myself into situations outside the house that would put me under pressure not to over-indulge.

I managed at my son's birthday, but he is only two, (not one of my teens, who would have been drinking with their friends if it had been their party) so it wasn't actually that hard to stay off it. This is day 18 on the program for me, but I want to see the 30 days of abstinence through before trusting myself. I'm not craving alcohol, which I normally would, and I really put this down to the supps and my present decision to get rid of this blight in my life.

Just today I emailed one of my sisters to tell her what I am doing, but I don't know if that was a wise thing to do. I really don't want anyone asking me how I'm doing blah blah or judging me if I do decide to have a glass in the future, telling me I won't be able to stop myself and all the other hooey that goes with 'advice' from people who have never faced the same problem with addiction. We don't have any functions coming up for a couple of weeks, so I still have time to be good to myself before facing the temptation.

Good luck with your weekend away and I hope you can just let all this other stuff go and enjoy yourself with the family. Try even just ordering your wine by the glass instead of a bottle to share, then you will have to conciously have a second glass instead of just finishing the bottle... and order the REALLY good stuff so you can enjoy it more but knowing it's expensive!

best wishes, Colleine

[Guest]

Without the drugs

Best intentions

Well Colleine, I had the best of intentions but when we got to our motel there was the bottle of complimentary red and a white for my daughter. My daughter (this one who rarely drinks) decided to let her hair down as it was a weekend away for her birthday and she was all excited (she's a mum of 2 young ones and doesn't get to relax out very often). So we decided to have a drink and then, of course, the bottle was gone. We went out for dinner and I had a couple more. I was a bit disappointed with myself but I'd felt really good about going all week before without a drink.

Today my supplements and book finally arrived and so I am going to start all over again - this time the full programme. My only drama is going away again this weekend. Maybe I should just wait until next Monday to start the programme full on. Sounds like a cop out I know but then I have a few months without anything planned in the way of going out etc until August. So, I'll have a bit of a read tonight and maybe wait until next Monday so I don't feel I've failed if I have a wine in Sydney.