confused about kudzu and more

[daPom]

Hi ya'll, I can't say that I've "begun" yet, as I just placed my order yesterday, for the kudzu alone, and have begun reading the book...but I've read lots of your posts, learned a TON....

I first read about the Harvard study in Prevention Magazine- and it said the way kudzu had been so effective was that it seemed to trick the brain into thinking more alcohol had actually been consumed that in reality - i.e., a person drank one bottle of beer but FELT like he'd had two or three, so this was the trigger to cut back. But that's not exactly what I'm understanding from the postings I see. Rather, the kudzu seems to be about cravings. I don't think I even get cravings. I don't think about wine all day.....I don't think about it much at all, until about dinner time, and then the rationalizations start, the drive home, etc...you know the drill.

I never ever drank wine before the divorce - but a couple months afterward, someone introduced me to the relaxing qualities of red wine and over time, about ten years, I have built up to needing an entire bottle of wine to be able to go to sleep at night - now the only thing that works is either ambien, or (when I run out) various cocktails of red wine and exedrin PM, or something from the health food store?.Rozerem is a joke, Lunestra does nothing. The only thing that seems to let me get and stay asleep is a bottle of wine and half an ambien. I've created this vicious cycle of don't drink versus don't sleep and have gained thirty pounds (someone recently told me wine is "liquid fat"). Like so many others on this site, if I?m an alcoholic, I?m very high functioning....I limit myself to a single bottle at night (know better than to buy the big bottle), don't have hangovers, nor has this interfered with my work or family. But it HAS interfered with my health - for the first time ever this year I tested higher cholesterol and mildly elevated liver function. And I cannot STAND looking at myself in the mirror. I just spent about $800 on hypnotherapy to lose weight and stop drinking - and it did pretty much nothing at all.

I would like to try to start with just the L-glutamine and kudzu,.....but don't know how to combat the insomnia?.I am way beyond ?take a warm bath and drink this cup of tea'....am searching for a shrink on my insurance who might be willing to help me with all this...

anyway, that's my opening rant. If anybody has guidance, suggestions, ideas, by all means send along....

just starting out...

thanks for listening

texas girl

[louise]

confused about kudzu and more

Welcome. Cravings can also be about that need to have more after you have started. I rarely even think about a drink until dinner, then say I'll have 1, then drink most of the bottle. I also had trouble sleeping without it. It would be helpful to get the whole program. The cds have suggestions about sleep and places where you can customize suggestions to yourself. I know you tried hypnosis already but they really do help. You may have some problems sleeping but they will pass.

[roxane]

confused about kudzu and more

i dont feel that i can advise you daPom (great name btw), but i wanted to welcome you to this site.

at the top of every page there is a welcome and a paragraph, if you hover over certain words they give you a link to more information. i didnt see them for a while, i suppose my screen is old.

i see what you say about kudzu, but i think it works both ways (non clinical opinion) helps cravings when not drinking and slows you down when when you are.

[jane rees]

confused about kudzu and more

Hi DaPom
Like Roxanne. I too wanted to welcome you to this site. It's a great place and very, very supportive. All I can say is, I too was a fully functioning alcoholic with a big job and a family to raise.Still doing both, let me add. Drank every night for 30 years ( stop that calculating....I started young!) and the past few years noticed I was also drinking "on the sly". When I started taking 'travellers" in the car i knew I was heading for trouble!!
the MWO program really works. Try it ,love, it will change your life.
By the way everybody, I went on a link recently called 'Women for Sobreity' and they have some fabulous affirmations and a good suggested book list too. i do love to read.
See ya
jane :l

[iced]

confused about kudzu and more

Welcome to the site. I am starting new with this so I know I can not advise a lot. What I did gather from the book that I thought I would pass along is the thought that the entire program works together. The only "optional" part seems to be the prescription. From my understanding you will want to do all of the rest of the program in sync in order for it to work. (supplements, exercise, diet, hypnocds)

Good luck moving forward! You CAN do it!

[adaptable]

confused about kudzu and more

There are two natural remedies for sleep disorders that really work and I like them because there are no side effects and they are recommended for alcoholics by many professionals for sleep and mood disorder. Melatonin for sleep and tryptophan for sleep and for depression. Here are some links so you can read about them. You can also buy these at any quality health food store in your neighborhood. Hope this helps.


https://www.antiaging-systems.com/a2z/melatonin.htm

https://www.antiaging-systems.com/a2z/ltryptophan.htm

[julie001]

confused about kudzu and more

Welcome. We share very similar stories. I never really felt I had a drinking problem until I developed a taste for wine. Divorce, stress of raising kids alone, hectic job, dating, remarriage...Up until a few months ago, when I started actively participating in the MWO program, I was drinking a bottle of wine (at least) almost every night. My second marriage was at risk of failure, I felt awful physically and emotionally, used wine, ambien, tylenol pm, lunesta, roserem...you name it, in order to just pass out at night. Then I came back to the MWO boards. I orginally joined last summer, but obviously, wasn't ready to commit. Then in March, I just knew that I had to make drastic changes in my drinking habits or else I was literally going to ruin my life. I made an appointment with a counselor, found a new primary care physician (who is more understanding of mental health issues), started taking Lexapro 10mg for anxiety/depression, stopped taking Ambien (switched to Lunesta), and started logging on here every day. The Lexapro has been really beneficial in lessening anxiety that would keep me awake). I still drink more than I need to, but A LOT less than I was. My goal is healthy moderation. I'm starting to feel so much more optimistic about my future. MWO has been vital in this whole process. The people here are open and honest. They offer wonderful advice, and mostly, they understand. I'd recommend reading the My Way Out book and use all of the tools that it offers. You will not regret it. Good luck. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Julie

[daPom]

confused about kudzu and more

thanks for all your responses

[daPom]

confused about kudzu and more

thanks for all your responses! I'm trying now to find a doctor or psychiatrist in the Dallas area who will prescribe Topomax - is there a thread anywhere on this site where people can recommend doctors? The therapist link only lists one person in the area, whose message says he's out of town and besides, I'm pretty sure he's not an MD (Ph D after his name and nothing else)....it seems to me that finding a doctor who will prescribe meds "off-label" might be difficult.

any suggestions?

[nancy]

confused about kudzu and more

kudzu

I have been coming here for months and am still am confused about proper use of kudzu. I know what you mean about the seeming inconsitency between use as it is reported here and as it is reported in the trials.

i have decided to do a consultation with a proper chinese herbalist to see how it can be used. for example, i would love to just take it on nights where i am going out, not every day, but not sure if it can be used that way.

do they have chinese herbalists in north texas?

read up on the doctor threads on this site before you ask for topomax.

[adagirl]

confused about kudzu and more

I am pretty new to this too. Four days in now. Just wanted to let you know that you don't necessarily need to find a doctor who will prescribe Topamax off-label. Your primary care doctor can prescribe Campral or Naltrexone which also help w/cutting back or eliminating alcohol. And, those are the standard medications for problem drinking so one or the other (or both) may be covered by your insurance. I am taking Naltrexone myself and am really very pleased w/it (granted, I am only four days in, though, but I have no desire to drink and that seems like a miracle!).

On the sleep issues, you might try Calms Forte. This is one of the supplements in the new MWO recommendations. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to sleep once the booze was gone, but I've had no problems at all. In fact, I sleep better and feel more rested.

I am pretty much doing the whole MWO program as written and using the updated supplement recommendations except I am not taking Kudzu. Because of my particular drinking patterns (chasing the big buzz all the time), I don't feel like it would be wise to take anything that would make me feel more buzzed from less alcohol. And, I take Naltrexone instead of Topamax (because Naltrexone eliminates the buzz/high from drinking so I felt this would be most effective for my particular problem - there is no buzz to chase anymore). I am also exercising, but have not started hypno yet. I am considering going to a hypnotherapist recommended by my doctor instead of the MWO CDs, but I'm not sure yet.

[toughintexas]

confused about kudzu and more

Welcome, and you are alot like me too, never drank til 30's, and never think much about wine til evening, its gotten to be a habit....I love to cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food...lol....saw that on a refrig. magnet, and went whew...there I am! You will get back to sleeping when you cut back, it helps you to go to sleep, but if you notice, you wake up in the middle of the night kinda tossing and turning, or I did.... it'll take a bit to sleep regularly again after gradually cutting back, but I agree with the natural sleep aids too....we own a pharm. and I've tried all the Rx stuff, but it seems to not work, or leave me foggy the next day....besides the ones listed on the site, Adaptable's suggestions are great, there's also a Rescue Sleep, and a Calms powder that is GREAT....you can get both at Whole Foods or a highend health food store! I was just in Dallas last Thurs. buying organics at Whole Foods, there's lots of alternative med. folks in that area, found they are more helpful than the reg Dr's sometimes....but the topa will most likely help alot, and get the powdered L-glut, have a big dose as soon as you walk in the door, and give it about 30 mins. to "kick-in" before you pour the first drink, go do something and let it go down the hatch...lol....I get the MetRx, its 4500mg per tsp., take about 2.5 tsp's mixed in warm water or tea, etc.... Good luck, and stay here on the site!