Help I'm Struggling Here!

[grangelady]

Hi can someone give me advice/guidance?

I read MWO book and thought this is the way to go... supplements proven to help curb the cravings for alcohol, the author and her friend states that having embarked on taking topamax and other supplements their cravings were completely gone and they were actually able to drink in moderation in a very short space of time.

I've been taking topamax 25mg per day for 5 days with 1500mg kudzu, L-Glut and B50 and have had little success in moderation. First day I didn't drink more down to will power I think than anything else, next night I drank a bottle of wine, having originally thought I'd have just 1-2 glasses, next night 1 glass of wine, next night 2 bottles, night after 1 bottle, when are the pills supposed to kick in????

As anyone actually had any success in following the minimum dose Topamax, I bought it off the internet and didn't go through my GP so I'm scared to go to high dosage on my own if I'm honest.

I'm feeling really dispondent - I thought this was going to really work and help me break the habit I've got into of drinking wine every night.

[Henrietta]

Help I'm Struggling Here!

Welcome!

Take a few minutes and look at the multitude of thread topics in this forum. Just about all of us came to this site because we are desperate to get better, and the conventional 12-step approach just didn?t work for us. Grangelady, you will find that this is just about the ONLY thing we all have in common! :H

Some of us want moderation, some total abstinence, some of us are afraid of drugs, others of us are more afraid of the side-effects. But for those of us who have found success, we did it by trying different combinations of everything found on this site ?and quite a lot that are not. Sometimes Topamax works with some meditation thrown in. Sometimes better nutrition along with Naltrexone. For me it was Baclofen, reading this site, and taking up running (and I?m starting a shrink next week!)

My point is, there are no two people who will have the identical experience with one drug, let alone one approach. Please adjust your expectations grangelady. It might take a while before you find the path that?s right for you and I would hate for you to get demoralized because your first attempt doesn?t get you there. Frankly, I would be rather surprised if it does. Don?t mean to sound harsh, I?m just sincerely advising you to keep open mind, try to remain flexible and positive, and take advantage of the wealth of experience here. I promise you the long haul will be worth it.

Henrietta

PS. Don?t beat yourself up too much about the slips at this point. It will not matter if you relentlessly stick with the above.

[sunshinedaisies]

Help I'm Struggling Here!

Hi Grangelady and welcome. I take Topa and have been AF since beginning of Jan - I still had cravings with the low dose of Topa, nothing really kicked in until I was on 50 -75mg. I did go through my Doc and am currently on 300mg daily split into 2 doses. I had thought about modding but the Topa decided that I wasn't going to -I just had no desire to drink at all!!! As long as you follow the schedule in the book, the higher dosage is fine - I took the titration schedule to my doc with me to show him and he was fine with it but monitors me!

I followed the titration schedule in the MWO book to the letter - so by just being on day 5, you are early days yet. It does kick in early for some folk, but it took a few weeks for me, and even then you can drink through it if you really want to - it isn't a magic pill - there still has to be some modicum of will power involved - not a lot - but some! I found Topa to be an amazing drug for me and have had no problems with side effects and no falling off the wagon. Yes, there are occasions when I think a drink would be nice - so then I come here and read others posts, who are desperate to stop and then I feel so grateful that I am where I am on this road.

I would give it a little more time - follow the dosage schedule in the book but don't expect miracles without some input from you. Feel free to ask any more questions - this is a great site with lots of wonderful people who have been there and done that and will always have an answer for whatever you need to ask.

Again, welcome!

Sunshinedaisies

[Cinders]

Help I'm Struggling Here!

Grangelady,

Sunshinedaisies post is very good. No matter what, some willpower is required. I have very little, myself.

I tried Topa and was allergic to it. I tried Nal and got nowhere. I am now trying Baclofen.

If you read around, you will find that most here have had to try different things. If the Topa doesn't work for you, then try the Nal, or Baclofen.

But give the Topa some time. I know quite a few members here who have had great success with it. I just couldn't take it.

Hang in there. I keep telling myself failure is not an option. I will not give up giving up. Period.

Cindi

[grangelady]

Help I'm Struggling Here!

Thanks Everyone,

I know I'm probably being impatient and was probably feeling abit low when I posted this thread....I also know there's no magic pill and I have to work at it.

But you're right this site offers lots of encouragement and is a mine of information. I'm feeling more positive today and as they say today is a new day.

Thanks again guys :goodjob:

Henrietta;853393 wrote: Take a few minutes and look at the multitude of thread topics in this forum. Just about all of us came to this site because we are desperate to get better, and the conventional 12-step approach just didn’t work for us. Grangelady, you will find that this is just about the ONLY thing we all have in common! :H

Some of us want moderation, some total abstinence, some of us are afraid of drugs, others of us are more afraid of the side-effects. But for those of us who have found success, we did it by trying different combinations of everything found on this site –and quite a lot that are not. Sometimes Topamax works with some meditation thrown in. Sometimes better nutrition along with Naltrexone. For me it was Baclofen, reading this site, and taking up running (and I’m starting a shrink next week!)

My point is, there are no two people who will have the identical experience with one drug, let alone one approach. Please adjust your expectations grangelady. It might take a while before you find the path that’s right for you and I would hate for you to get demoralized because your first attempt doesn’t get you there. Frankly, I would be rather surprised if it does. Don’t mean to sound harsh, I’m just sincerely advising you to keep open mind, try to remain flexible and positive, and take advantage of the wealth of experience here. I promise you the long haul will be worth it.

Henrietta

PS. Don’t beat yourself up too much about the slips at this point. It will not matter if you relentlessly stick with the above.