Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

[OZboy]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

..i'm getting off the Bac as well..
..just seems like I don't wanna drink at all..lucky I guess!!!

.I sincerely wish the same results for others...

..sorry,didn't mean to hyjack this thread...

..the Phoenix journey is one to read ..who knows..Dr.A may well
change evolution..lol..

[PhoenixRising]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

Well, I *almost* drank tonite. I didn't pack enough pills, so when I got home I was 2 pills under what I'd normally have had by 2:30 in the afternoon. I laid down for a nap and the good voice/bad voice dialog in my head was back. "I've gone a whole week without. Just one bottle for the week would still be a success" etc... So, I took the 2 pills I was short, plus the one I was due and closed my eyes for an hour. The craving was still there when I woke up, but not as bad. I decided I couldn't go to the grocery store under any circumstances, so I stayed at home and canned some green beans and peaches and made some peach jam (12 jars!!!)

So, the beast is tamed for the moment, but so very barely. Just missing my dose by about 4 hours was enough to bring back the cravings. THAT is scary!!

Is it true that the cravings lessen on their own after two weeks and are gone at around 30 days, even without the Bac? Sure would be nice....

So, that's where it stands in Phoenix Land. Tenuous at best.

[Light Of Daz]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

Hey Phoenix,

Thanks for putting that out there... glad to hear you made it through. What I've noticed personally is that I will still have the occasional dialog in my head, and a mild craving here and there, but nothing like what it was like pre-Bac. I'm able to effortlessly think or do something else and the obsession just isn't there anymore. Sounds like you'll have some jam for a while!

I don't think cravings will ever really be eliminated in total, because drinking was such a part of my for sooooo long. That said, Baclofen for me allows a quick "No" decision, and I can move on to another thought.

I plan on staying on Bac the rest of my life, actually. I don't mind if it continues to give me this amazing new life!

Daz

[PhoenixRising]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

I had some cravings last night but was able to sweep them under the rug. My biggest challenge coming up is the next few days: hubs will be out of town from Weds thru Sunday. I have never been successful at not drinking when he is gone. I am so afraid I will cave. I am trying to get all my ducks in a row so that I make it difficult to drink. I may play with my dosage schedule as well. I am pretty scared.

[tiptronic_ct]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

Remeber p.r.n. doses - this is where they start coming into play...

[PhoenixRising]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

tiptronic_ct;925424 wrote: Remeber p.r.n. doses - this is where they start coming into play...

Tip when were your cravings totally gone?

[tiptronic_ct]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

PhoenixRising;925488 wrote: Tip when were your cravings totally gone?

From about 180 / 190 up, I started forgetting to buy AL and my tapering exercise became much easier.

From 220 / 240 I still had a glass of wine with dinner, but didn't actually like having it all that much. On a scale 1 to 10, the cravings were maybe a 3, if that much. At 270, I simply lost all interest. I stood with a bottle of excellent red and a corkscrew one night and realised I just didn't want it.

Like any recovering alcoholic, I still had to learn how to deal with drinking situations and the social anxiety these caused me, though. I would take out "insurance" by taking an extra 20mg an hour or so before the time. I relied on an exit plan as well, as so many others do.

By now I've adjusted and social events are just that: a bunch of people who get together. If there is a lot of AL and a lot of the people become drunk, I use my exit plan. Not to keep myself from drinking, but to escape the bad company and boredom. You can only do so much people watching, especially if you know them already

I don't want to re-start the debate about physical and psychological cravings, but these do come into play as well, IMO. The night I stopped drinking and for about a week afterward, I suffered terrible nightsweats. At 1st I thought they were WD symptoms, but I later realised that was impossible - I had been drinking too little for that to have happened. So even though I had no urge whatsoever to drink, saying that final goodbye to AL did cause me to experience anxiety - hence the nightsweats.

I hope that makes some sense?

[hopefulspirit]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

I went out to dinner tonight with hubby and again, tested Bac with a glass of wine. I would have allowed myself 2 if I had the urge but glass number 1 did not taste all that great and I never made it to glass number 2. I was more interested in dessert than another glass of wine... and this is from someone that considered "port" a perfectly normal dessert choice.
This is unbelievable...:yay:!!!
-HS
P.S. I think a new (screen) name is really in order!

[Sunnyvalenting]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

I see no value for me to "test" the baclofen by drinking anything since my goal is 100% abstinence. It would not make sense to do anything which even potentially threatened that. Something to consider.
Sunny

[PhoenixRising]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

Tip: I am going to go up a little since hubs is away and I feel weak. I really want to make it thru till Sunday.

HS - you are more a Playful Spirit these days. I can understand wanting to test the Bac.

Sunny - I am vacillating between you and HS. Sunny, I "get it" that I am poking the Beast if I have even one, and I am scared to do that. But I can also understand tesing the Bac and I am seriously almost *wanting* to have a "last hurrah". But, I know that will only ramp up my cravings even more. I will have to start over at Day 1 and I already have 12 under my belt (big self-hug). But I really miss the buzz!!!!!!!!!!!!! There. I said it. I miss the freakin' buzz. Bigtime. Tip, does that ever go away? I swear if it doesn't then I am gonna cave. :upset:

I am so doubting myself right now. And I had been so confident.

-P.

[Cinders]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

PhoenixRising;926295 wrote: Tip: I am going to go up a little since hubs is away and I feel weak. I really want to make it thru till Sunday.

HS - you are more a Playful Spirit these days. I can understand wanting to test the Bac.

Sunny - I am vacillating between you and HS. Sunny, I "get it" that I am poking the Beast if I have even one, and I am scared to do that. But I can also understand tesing the Bac and I am seriously almost *wanting* to have a "last hurrah". But, I know that will only ramp up my cravings even more. I will have to start over at Day 1 and I already have 12 under my belt (big self-hug). But I really miss the buzz!!!!!!!!!!!!! There. I said it. I miss the freakin' buzz. Bigtime. Tip, does that ever go away? I swear if it doesn't then I am gonna cave. :upset:

I am so doubting myself right now. And I had been so confident.

-P.

Phoenix,

Do not doubt yourself. Just determine why you might want to drink.

I don't. Ever but if did, I would envision the difficulties it has brought me. My hubby deseves better than this.

One glass would just not "do it" for me.

You??
Cindi

[tiptronic_ct]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

PhoenixRising;926295 wrote: But I really miss the buzz!!!!!!!!!!!!! There. I said it. I miss the freakin' buzz. Bigtime. Tip, does that ever go away? I swear if it doesn't then I am gonna cave. :upset:

I am so doubting myself right now. And I had been so confident.

-P.

I was no longer getting a buzz. I was getting completely and utterly trashed, to the point of blackout, night after fucking night. When I could, during the day as well. I don't miss it. I'm not at the point where I'm considering moderation (the thought does cross my mind when I think about the future, but all I have to do is cast my mind back to what it was really like).

And just one or two drinks? Nah... Towards the end, that was what I had every day, and there was no buzz whatsoever. Drink more than that, and it becomes unhealthy again. I'd rather see how low I can get my maintenance dose or, even better, get off bac altogether.

[PhoenixRising]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

Cinders;926312 wrote: Phoenix,

Do not doubt yourself. Just determine why you might want to drink.

I don't. Ever but if did, I would envision the difficulties it has brought me. My hubby deseves better than this.

One glass would just not "do it" for me.

You??
Cindi

But how do you get to the "don't want to" part? I have days where my cravings are gone or low, but I always miss the buzz.

[Road to Recovery]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

PhoenixRising;926342 wrote: But how do you get to the "don't want to" part? I have days where my cravings are gone or low, but I always miss the buzz.

I hate to say it Phoenix, but I dont think you have hit the switch yet. When I hit the switch - I didnt miss AL or its effects at all. Please dont give up or give in to it, you have come so far, you dont want to go back there!

[PhoenixRising]

Is it possible that Phoenix has hit the switch???

Road to Recovery;926373 wrote: I hate to say it Phoenix, but I dont think you have hit the switch yet. When I hit the switch - I didnt miss AL or its effects at all. Please dont give up or give in to it, you have come so far, you dont want to go back there!

Either that or I did and I miscounted again and took less than the 237.5

At any rate I went up to 245 today, we'll see how it goes with the cravings today. Last night turned out ok. After driving around country backroads for a half an hour, I finally founf the place where the yoga class was being held. I did the class and it was amazing - exactly what this Phoenix needed. I am so grateful to y'all. And very glad that I stayed the course!!

-P.