There is a first time for everything!

[Guest]

There is a first time for everything!

caleb,
of course all these posts could just be one person and a huge fraud. you will just have to decide if thats what you think or not. even if they arent a fraud, its you who has to work out what you are prepared to do to get on top of your drinking and if in the course of it you keep one internet person busy making up posts to make you think a site is full of people then you may be helping that person also!!!!

you certainly have the labarynth mind of a drinker (just like my mind) and caution isnt a bad thing to have because you are making decisions about your health and your life so make sure you are happy with whatever you plan to do and good luck
Brigid

[Quiescent]

There is a first time for everything!

Good Morning Caleb,

It will be a really good idea to take a copy of the MWO book and a copy of the lancet article with you to the Doctor.

From what I've read here, some Doctors will prescribe topimax readily while others are slow to provide it and may steer you to more widely recognized anti craving meds.

In the meantime read all you can here, it will give you enough steam to keep heading in the right direction.

And don't forget to let us know how it goes Monday!

Have a great weekend,
Rachele

[surfjon]

There is a first time for everything!

one big boat

Hi Caleb,
Only my second post, I am new here too..............
I am 40, started surfing at 11 and playing guitar at 8. Had an alchoholic grandfather and between the surfing lifestyle and playing guitar in bands, I have ridden an increasing wave of abuse and consumption.
I too am married, 2 great kids and the most beautiful wife any man could dream of.

I'll be spending this weekend looking for an apartment, I've been asked to leave.

I had (have) the same patterns as you, my mode is sitting outside, playing one of my acoustics, and drink beer after beer, or rum drinks galore. She would often fall asleep before I would come in, but you still stink of booze, she is far from naive. You are right to be here, wish I would have 10 years ago.

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before
it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the
time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?

Dr. Suess

[gateway]

There is a first time for everything!

that is so funny that you said that Caleb " what if all these people are made up? what if it is really one person posting in - just trying to suck me in? what if it is someone trying to get me to buy the products?
THEN you posted the same question? I LAUGHED out loud. MY FRIEND ABBY and I joined MWO at the same time and boy did we do our research.
I have never been more happier in my life than here on MWO. (I Sound so CORNY) but it is true.
I finally Got the TOPA from the UK and then I ordered from CANADA and now I am at 200mg AND WHAT a difference. I believe YOUNG AT HEART is at 200mg? the desire the drink is just not there anymore.
BUTTTTTTTT just reading all the postings from the people is fun, informative, amazing, sad, and awakening.
Hang with us and you will ultimately see what I have seen.
I sure would like to meet all these people in person.
luci

[YoungAtHeart]

There is a first time for everything!

I'm glad that you came back and posted again, Caleb! Your comment that it might be just one person posting all of this made me chuckle. That would sure be one person with WAYYYY TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS, as well as a really good imagination to make up all these different stories! Anyway, I would follow Rachele's advice and have a copy of the book, or at least the Lancet Article when you go to your doctor. You can get the Lancet article by clicking on the FAQ section up at the top of the COMMUNITY page, and there is a link to it. Unfortunately, not that many docs are familiar with this program (yet!) and you may know more at this point than he or she does. Do your reading so that you can be an informed patient to get your own needs met.
I'm sorry that you are worried about being scammed. Luci is right, I am a 200 mg of topa. I thought it was a miracle drug at first, but being a problem drinker, I have found ways to "get around" it, so that's why I know that you really have to work on yourself and your drinking habits as well to have success.
When I started topa, I found that at 75-100 mgs, I was easily able to drink about half what I was used to drinking without much effort. I was only really able to abstain at about 200 mg, and that still takes work. Other people are able to abstain at 150 mg, but others go as high as 300 mg. It all depends on the person.
If you are skeptical, just keep reading and posting. You really don't have much to lose, do you? You do, however, have a lot to gain! I wish you all the best on Monday!

Kathy

[caleb]

There is a first time for everything!

about time too wrote: caleb,
of course all these posts could just be one person and a huge fraud. you will just have to decide if thats what you think or not. even if they arent a fraud, its you who has to work out what you are prepared to do to get on top of your drinking and if in the course of it you keep one internet person busy making up posts to make you think a site is full of people then you may be helping that person also!!!!

you certainly have the labarynth mind of a drinker (just like my mind) and caution isnt a bad thing to have because you are making decisions about your health and your life so make sure you are happy with whatever you plan to do and good luck
Brigid

I did not think everyone here on the entire forum was just one person. I did get a couple of replies rather fast for a forum this size and I imagined some person sitting around replying to people quickly with two or three different names trying to win them over. I could tell by some of the stories I read that there were real people here that were hurting.

At least I made people smile with my caution.

If I go to my doctor and then decide to try a different approach with the drinking I would still like to come here for support. I hope this is okay.

[YoungAtHeart]

There is a first time for everything!

Of course, it's okay, Caleb! The whole purpose of "MY WAY OUT" is to help you try to find "YOUR WAY OUT"! If you find something that is different from the program that works for you, we will welcome your coming here to share it. We don't subscribe to a "one size fits all" mentality. Please come for support at whatever level that you need, but also, please give and expect honesty! Welcome aboard!

Kathy

[caleb]

There is a first time for everything!

YoungAtHeart wrote: Of course, it's okay, Caleb! The whole purpose of "MY WAY OUT" is to help you try to find "YOUR WAY OUT"! If you find something that is different from the program that works for you, we will welcome your coming here to share it. We don't subscribe to a "one size fits all" mentality. Please come for support at whatever level that you need, but also, please give and expect honesty! Welcome aboard!

Kathy

Thanks for the support Kathy! I think this could be a great arena for me to learn about my problem. I will try to post and read often. I have learned more about alcohol in the last week here than I learned the first five years that I drank. I did not know the illness could get so horrible.

[Guest]

There is a first time for everything!

Caleb,
Kathy is spot on. Whatever floats your boat to get you down the stream is worth working out. Do whatever you need to do and if you feel like sharing what you do then do that too.
Good luck
Brigid

[Isabella2]

There is a first time for everything!

Funny-Funny

Caleb,
Glad to know I'm not the only person with a vivid imagination! I thought it was hocus-pocus for sure.
Who were these people kidding! At least 3 were the same person and one was Roberta Jewell. Come on,did they think we were stupid!? I started very weary and still am ... but I want to believe. My story is- I tried this whole thing with great panache back in June-July, and as will happen, things started well and got side-tracted. First the nephew's wedding, then the job issue, then ultimately I quite the job. Now I'm back to square one and not feeling very well planted. I am a believer in things getting better... niether of us would be at this web site if this wasn't true.Hokey but true!
J

[Roberta Jewell]

There is a first time for everything!

The real deal

Hi, Caleb. Roberta Jewell here. Welcome, I?m glad you found us.

I have to admit, I also got a kick out of your message, as I?m challenged to find enough time to simply *read* the posts here. But certainly, there?s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of skepticism and I?m reminded that many who drop by may share your concern. I also think it?s really important you feel as positive and confident as possible before starting the program, so your honesty and candor are much appreciated.

By the way, we?ve recently moved our message board here, but if you look at our earlier one, you?ll see on the bottom the cumulative stats representing the number of members, posts, messages, etc. since October 2004. I can attest from reading our web logs, membership represents only a small fraction of those who visit, as there is much interest in this program. I also receive a lot of email each week from individuals who have found success with it.

I hope you?ll give it a try and keep in touch!

(Isabella2: Sorry to hear you've had a difficult go of it, but congrats on re-grouping. It's not unusual for people to get sidetracked, but very possible to succeed when re-committing.)

RJ

[poppyinboulder]

There is a first time for everything!

I'm new and don't know if I'm doing this right

:new: I quit drinking for 10 years and recently (3 months ago) started back up. Menopause, bad job, bad back and neck pain (I think it was the pain meds that paved the way back to alcohol), anyway lots of excuses. It's not going to be any easier this time than last time, even though I'm in a lot better shape and know more than I did than. Still going to be rough - I've ordered the sups and cd's, not going to do the Topo though (sounds scary), and I'm sure my doc wouldn't go for it.

[losethebooze]

There is a first time for everything!

New to MWO

I breathed, no, heaved a sigh of relief when I did a search to find some help in quitting the boozing like I do in the privacy of my own home. Like many of you I have a secret problem, I drink too much. No one really knows how much but me and MAYBE the guys at the three liquor stores and 2 drug stores that I rotate through every week so no one can really keeps tabs on me.

I marvel in a sick sort of way how the human body can adjust to drinking massive quantities of booze practically every night (not unsual on the weekends to knock back a fifth of rum) and get up for work at 6:30 every morning with nary a hangover in sight. It started with beer, then beer and the occasional vodka, then got sick of that and beer and crown royal and then I quit drinking beer and just started drinking captain morgan and diet coke (like the d.c. would make it all better).

Over the last week, I have had a couple of very shocking things (to me) happen. I went back to Weight Watchers last week because I have gained massive quantities of weight, the gain coincides with my 10 year descent into this drinking nightmare. Yes, over 100 lbs. God, I can't believe I actually wrote that down. And this morning, my housekeeper was due so I took out my recycleables that I gathered up from around the house this weekend. All told, I had FIVE empty bottles of rum ranging in size from a fifth to the big boy. Yes, there were about 30 water bottles and a handful of empty diet coke 2 liters in there, but what struck me was the sheer quantities of liquor bottles that were strewn about my home in the last week or so. What the helll is going on in my head and my body?! I am a well respected professional and I look at myself and wonder what the hell went wrong. WHO IS THIS PERSON?!

My paternal grandfather died of alcoholism, two uncles on my dad's side died of other addictions. Parents and brother don't drink. My dad is very sensitive to any sort of alcohol consumption so I work harder to hide it from my folks. Too bad I can't paid for all the efforts.

How did I end up with this? I struggle with it. I want to severaly moderate my drinking, I don't want to quit altogether, but I want to be "normal" and be able to have a couple of social drinks and then go about my life. Not have it BE my life. I mean, how sick is it to be in a work meeting around 3 p.m. and start thinking about where you are going to stop on the way home to get your fix. I'm over myself. Tonight I had to physcially, consciously make myself pass up the drug store, even though I had about 10 "reasons why I had to stop": mascara, dish detergent. But I did it. I got home without a bottle of booze rolling around on the front seat. Ah. One success!

Well, I hope to find the support that I've been seeking and the anonymity to be able to be totally honest with people who understand the pain, the shame, the utter waste of time and money and want to get to a better place in their lives. I just turned 40 and I've been doing this crap on a sliding scale towards worse since I broke off an engagement 10 years ago, it is time to regain my life. I have ordered the vitamins and book and CD's so hope that will get me on the right road. Tonight is the first night I am not on my way to being half in the bag in a very long time.

Thank you for being here. I feel like a weight just came off my shoulders just at the ability to put this pain out into cyberspace and pray for help.

I'll be around.

[tawnyfrog]

There is a first time for everything!

Hi Loosethebooze

Thank you for your wonderfully honest post. I think a lot of us can totally identify with your story. It would have been diffcult to write but you may find it's the best thing you've ever done.

Welcome. I really hope to see you hang with us. This is a good place to be.

Tawny

[Guest]

There is a first time for everything!

Hi Loosethebooze.
I posted something like you posted when I started here nearly 10 months ago. I struggled cos everyone (but me) thought I was this 'in control' professional and my secret was dark and dirty. I think coming to a site like this is a great start.. thinking and then posting stuff and finally being honest with yourself is both hard and empowering. Its hard doing this, but you arent alone. People here do all sorts of things.. abstinence, moderation.. using medication, not using medication and they all share what is happening.

You managed to get past the bottle shop for one day so you can do another.
Good luck and welcome
Brigid