Getting ready to start the program

[Al]

I am 49 year old woman, pushing 50 in a couple of months, I believe I am in the early stages of alcoholism. I have been drinking wine everyday for the past 20 years. I am tired of coming home every night a opening a bottle of Chardonnay and drinking most all of it. Not a small bottle, a Magnum size. I am tired of beating myself up every morning and I am ready to make the commitment to either quit completely or drink socially if I can.

I ordered the program along with the CD's and received them the other day. I just finished reading the book and decided to order Topamax from River Pharmacy, I don't want to ask my Dr. for it. I should receive the Topamax around the 13th of April.
Can anyone tell me what supplements that work the best with the Topamax? It seems that all of them they reccomend are a bit much. Please let me know your experiences and advise as I get ready to start the program.:thanks:

[startingover]

Getting ready to start the program

Hi Al, welcome!
I have never taken the topomax but the supps that worked really for me are the kudzu and lglutamine. Both of these helped me with my cravings.
Good luck!

[BecomingMeAtLast]

Getting ready to start the program

Welcome, Al!

I was drinking the same amount before joining here. I'm 48...and on topa and take the supplements they recommend in the book. I strongly recommend the All One powder. Your body is going to need some repair work from the alcohol you've been drinking.

I used the CDs A LOT in the beginning as I truly needed help in changing the way my mind worked when it came to alcohol, specifically, chardonnay for me, too. I think the program works best when all aspects of it are used. Kudzu has helped with cravings, too.

Good luck and welcome again,
Becoming

[gyco]

Getting ready to start the program

dam my kinda of women,lol,thats a lot of wine,god you must of been easy to get along with,Al i do wish you well,theres a great group here, best of whatever to you,has nothing to do with luck,gyco read the threads and other peoples stories

[redhibiscus]

Getting ready to start the program

Welcome, I am a 48 year old women and have been drinking for over 30 years...wine has been my drink of choice for the last 10 years, too. I bought the whole starter package when I started and the supplements and CDs really helped. I actually felt really good when I first started with all the supps. However, I was unable to take them the way I was supposed to over time. It was just too complicated for me. I found the CDs extremely helpful. Wake up in the middle of the night, plug in the CD, and fall asleep with positive suggestions and totally relaxed. You will find that being AF is a gift you give yourself. And you can give yourself this gift every day.

I did not get the Topamax as the side effects sounded scary to me. But everyone has to do it their way. So, make a plan and know that you will begin a journey that is the start of a new life. Being honest with yourself and feeling good again - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Actually sleeping through the night and looking forward to sleeping. Every aspect of your life will change for the better. It just takes time and effort. Good luck.

[Kirova]

Getting ready to start the program

Welcome, Al! I don't have any experience with the Topa, but the kudzu and l-glutamine work for me. A number of other vitamins make up my daily regimen: multi, B, omega-3, calcium. I also take milk thistle, which is supposed to be very good for your liver. I know it sounds like a lot, but eventually you get into a groove with it and it no longer feels complicated. Good luck with your journey! :h

[mica]

Getting ready to start the program

HI! You encouraged me!

Hi! Reading your message encouraged me to log on to the forum for the first time. We seem very similar, though I am a few years older. The drink, the size and the frequency... yep, that's me! I ordered the book and supplements yesterday, and I am very excited about the program. So far, this time, I'm 2 days AF.

Al;578453 wrote: I am 49 year old woman, pushing 50 in a couple of months, I believe I am in the early stages of alcoholism. I have been drinking wine everyday for the past 20 years. I am tired of coming home every night a opening a bottle of Chardonnay and drinking most all of it. Not a small bottle, a Magnum size. I am tired of beating myself up every morning and I am ready to make the commitment to either quit completely or drink socially if I can.

I ordered the program along with the CD's and received them the other day. I just finished reading the book and decided to order Topamax from River Pharmacy, I don't want to ask my Dr. for it. I should receive the Topamax around the 13th of April.
Can anyone tell me what supplements that work the best with the Topamax? It seems that all of them they reccomend are a bit much. Please let me know your experiences and advise as I get ready to start the program.:thanks:

[sportster06]

Getting ready to start the program

Hi Al, Red, and Mica - from another winer...

Been there, done that too. So tired of beating myself up, waking up in the middle of the night, panic stricken and anxious. I only found this site last week so I'm pretty new, but I think there's a lot of support and information to be had here. My husband and I just began the journey to 30 days AF and perhaps will reasses the possibility of moderation at that point. We'll see. I was sober for 8 years and slowly inched my way down from moderation to nightly over-consumption. So moderation may not be possible for me, but that decision is not for today. Or tomorrow. We all seem to have a lot in common and I hope to talk to you again....

[Al]

Getting ready to start the program

I'm on the right track

Thank you all for your words of encouragement, I am really trying to quit without the Topamax, I cancelled the order because I was scared of the side effects as well. I have ordered the Kudzu and the all in one powder and am waiting the arrival, I also went and picked up some of the supplements. I only had 2 glasses of wine last night which is a first for me in a long time. It was really hard but I just kept myself busy. Tonight I am shooting for 0. :thanks:

[decastille]

Getting ready to start the program

Welcome Al and good job on only 2 glasses !

[Seacailin]

Getting ready to start the program

Hello and Welcome Al
Sounds like you have a good plan in place. We are here for you:l

[bouchard01]

Getting ready to start the program

Welcome ... stick to your plan and day by day you will be amazed.

[mica]

Getting ready to start the program

Hi, Everybody!

I am a neophyte with on-line communities, and will probably need some guidance. If you see me make mistakes with the thread or my responses, feel free to teach me. I just thought I had posted a reply, and now think I did it wrong. Oh, well, here's what I said:

Good Job, Al, on the keeping to two glasses. It's hard to stay at that, isn't it? My first test will be Friday evening, my husband's and my date night. We both love to have a glass, listen to 1940s music by the fire. He has never had a drinking problem, but is very supportive of me in my attempts to moderate. I always think I'm going to hold at two drinks, but then by the end of the night, oops! My bad habit is topping of the glass before it is empty. In my warped mind, emptying the glass only twice means I only drank two glasses. Anyway, until Friday, I'm (hopefully) holding to the straight and narrow.

Thanks for welcoming me in! I look forward to becoming a part of this group.

[Barola]

Getting ready to start the program

Hi .....I'll step up to the plate.
I'm another 40 something wine woman..... 7 days AF which I never thought I could do.
Waiting for the CD's to arrive and just started some Campral that I ordered on line. After drinking every day for the last 20 years, I knew it would be hard, but this is much harder than I thought. I come from a family of alcoholics, and although I'm not a binge drinker or do a bottle a night, that need to reach for a glass(or several) wine after work is compelling. I don't think I've 'switched' yet into a place where I can never drink again. Having said that I need a total brain and habit rewire which can only come from being AF for a decent amount of time (not making a time line yet).

I'm grateful to everyone here who is sharing their journey, in such a supportive and non judgemental way. This forum is a wonderful place to have found.

[choppersmom]

Getting ready to start the program

Welcome Al and Barola! This is a wonderful place to be.