Laying it on the line with my doctor

[imatree]

I'm seeing my doc tomorrow afternoon. I intent to go well prepared, with the MWO book, articles about topamax, and the following. If you care to look it over, I'd appreciate your feedback before my appointment! The point is primarily to show her that I am well acquainted with my problem, I have thought much about it and how to heal, and I intend to all I can to do so.
Most of you are ahead of me timewise, btw. So if you reply during your day I'll receive it hours earlier. (isn't that kinda weird??)

I intend to share all this with her, ask her for tests to determine my current state of health (worried about liver and diabetes), ask her for Topamax. Wish me luck!!
(love you all, btw)

I want to quit drinking. Here’s why and how I intend to do so.

My understanding of my alcohol addiction:

• I am very genetically predisposed to alcohol dependence – I come from a long line of heavy drinkers. At least three grandparents, both parents, all six siblings.
• Therefore, attempting to overcome my addiction merely by psychological means has thus far proven futile.
• I am highly motivated to overcome my addiction for several reasons: my daughter, health, quality of life, financial stability and continued success in my career.

Health concerns related to drinking:
• Liver disease (my older brother, a life long heavy drinker, died of liver disease a couple years ago at the age of 56).
• Diabetes
• Obesity (I am currently 60+ pounds overweight)
• Heart disease
• Premature aging
• Inability to exercise due to profound fatigue
• Reoccurrence of repetitive strain injuries due to my inability to exercise
• Depression
• Disturbed sleep
• Loss of sex drive
• The more I drink the more I smoke, and because I’m primarily a drinking smoker, if I quit drinking I will quit smoking.


Program I intend to undertake:
• Addresses the biochemical factors of alcohol addiction
o Topamax
o Kudzu extract
• A support group that has been remarkably effective for hundreds (thousands?) of people who choose to not pursue traditional support models (i.e. AA)
• Regular exercise: aerobic 3x/week, weight training 3x/week
• Behavioral modification tools
o Hypnotherapy CDs
o Daily repetition of motivations to abstain from alcohol
o Journaling
o Online MWO support group
• Healthy diet of foods high in nutrition and extremely low in sugars, and processed foods (pretty much the way I currently eat anyway)
• Supportive nutritional supplements
o Morning smoothie includes Miracle Greens, flax seeds and hemp protein powder
o Powerful multi-nutritive supplement
o Fish oil caps
o Extra B vitamins
o Milk thistle

[imatree]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Oh, and one more part I was thinking of including, just in case she says "Just go to AA!"

Why I resist AA

- AA and the 12-step program is incongruent with my personality
- I am inherently a private person, have been since birth (not just since drinking)
- I do believe, with the right tools, that I DO have power over alcohol.
- I do not and never will distinguish myself first as an alcoholic. I am a person (mother, partner, writer, artist, friend) who is addicted to alcohol.
- I believe my addiction is as much as or more a physiological issue as it is a behavioral or psychological issue. Therefore, a program that does not regard the biochemical aspects is, in my opinion, severely lacking.

Should I have this prepared for her??

[imatree]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Oh, and another motivation in being forthright with my doctor....
If she supports my efforts and sees success, she do more for other patients with alcohol issues than send them off to AA. Maybe she will see success in others and share this program with her colleagues.

And if/when I'm successful with beating down this monster, I will be motivated to 'spread the word' in my community. I have some experience with community activism (environmental, social, etc) - I would love to dedicate time to giving others in my community an alternative to traditional alcoholic recovery programs.

[bluesky]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Imatree

You are a shining star! WAY TO GO, Sock it to her! WE LOVE YOU TOO,

Good Luck

Bluesky XXX

[Bella]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

I think you have this well covered Imatree. My advice to you is......go see the Doctor and just be yourself. Say what you need to say and I am sure that she/he will realise how serious you are and that you want to get well. Well done to you and good luck. Let us know how you get on. Bella xxxx

[Kitty]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Good luck Imatree,

It is intensely infuriating when all doctors can come up with is AA and similar groups. I had that experience the other week and it really annoyed me. I like you am a very private person and I just do not thrive in that kind of face to face group environment. Let us know how you get on.

Kitty

[pixie]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Imatree, I think what you wrote is great - it shows your strong commitment and I think the doctor will see this. I tend to get nervous and/or intimidated when I go to see a doctor, so having something prepared helps me a lot - I don't know if that's an issue for you but even if it's not, your preparedness will show your dedication to beating this. Good luck!

pixie

[Dog Woman]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

I work with physicians so the hardest part is getting them beyond their comfort zone. Print off what you have written here. Give her the website. You will have to educate her. If she won't give you the time to discuss this program and what you want to do, change physicians. You need someone on your team and you are well prepared the deserve that support from her. Good luck!
DW

[aquamarine]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Imatree- I think that is perfect what you put together for your doctor. It shows that you are knowledgable on the subject and that you are extremely committed to tackling this problem . I think writing your plan down to show them is wonderful because sometimes you can get in to see a doctor and due to nerves, or being rushed you don't think of every point that you wanted to say. Just a thought but if she doesn't bring up AA then maybe you don't have to show her your thing about that. But- if she does try to throw AA on you I would definately show her what you have. I feel the same way about AA. One of the many things that really bothers me about it ( and there are many) is that it is completely not
anonymous. I won't go on and on about AA but it seems that there are so many people who don't really know what they are talking about with it that are blind fanatic advocates for it. It has helped alot of people and I really admire the program for those that it is appropriate for. Anyways- good luck. I am in the health care profession and I would be very impressed with a patient like you. Aquamarine

[Agatha]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Hi, Imatree

All my support to you! Clearly you know much more about the problem than your doctor. I found that if one addresses the issue as an illness and not a moral one it helps. Come out straight and say to her that you have a geneteic dispossion (your brother etc.) and do not want it to be treated as a moral issue. Best of luck, Agatha

[Mags]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

I think that's great! I love it. I too have some experience with AA and it didn't help me at all. Certain personalities just don't fit the program. MWO is my salvation. Your doctor should be impressed and understanding - if not, get a good doctor instead.
YOU GO GIRL! :thumbs:

[lushy]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Wishing you the best Ima. You have obviously put a ton of thought into this and I know your doctor will appreciate that. Let us know how it goes.

[rottrod]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

Ima,
I hope it goes well. I did a similar thing, dropped it off two weeks before the appointment so she could read it. She wouldn't prescribe anything and told me to see a psychiatrist who may be willing to. My husband and I discussed it and we agreed to order the Topa online and see how it goes before going the therapy route. I got the meds Tuesday so now the "game" has begun.

I hope your doc is more open than mine. I think she was just hesitant to prescribe it off label, although she assured me it is a safe drug, probably because she knew I would order it if she didn't give it to me.

Good luck,

Melissa

[Janice]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

good luck tomorrow imatree - get straight back to us and let us know what happened. Janicexx

[Nicole2003]

Laying it on the line with my doctor

hi

That reads great. If she has any sense she will see you are highly motivated and be willing to help you any way she can. If not just order topa online. Most of the things you listed you are doing entirely off your own bat anyway. Agree with you completely about AA. let us know and wishing you all the very very best.

Nicole