Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Sunny's Success Story

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Sunny's Success Story

    Sunny?s Story:
    Now that I have over a year of abstinence (Jan 13th) I feel confident that some of you may find encouragement in my story. Some here requested that I post it as a separate thread so here, in brief, goes.
    I am a 58 year old professional woman. Divorced (alcohol) mother of 2 grown sons. My first drink was at about age 15 and I knew immediately that I had a problem. Since alcohol abuse ran in my family for at least 3 generations on both sides it was not difficult to tell that I ?had? it as well. I binge drank through the rest of my teen and college years and younger adult years, all the while trying to pretend that I was a social drinker. I tried and to some extent succeeded in drinking around my otherwise fairly successful life. Whenever alcohol was about I wanted it all and felt like a fraud. I felt ashamed. I drank in secret and lied about it to my family. I hid it so well that it took my husband 15 years to ask if I had a problem. Of course I lied again about it then.
    In my early 40s my husband had an affair and all the cards of my life came tumbling down. I became seriously depressed and started drinking even more to calm myself down. It worked at first but fairly quickly became much worse. I now was living around my drinking rather than drinking around my life. Over the ensuing 15 years I became more careless and irresponsible. My marriage dissolved, my parents died, my brother died, all of which contributed to a sense of hopelessness.
    Along the way I attempted honestly and sincerely to stop. Almost every morning I would steel myself and vow ?Never again?. But often by that afternoon and toward the end even in the mornings I was on the hunt for a quart or more of cheep vodka, visiting several different stores in our area and buying unnecessary groceries so I could get my daily ?fix?. I would often awaken at 3 or 4 in the morning and have to wait a few hours until I could buy my supply for that day. I would play sudoku or do crosswords just trying to make it until 6AM. I knew that if I bought more than a quart I would poison myself but sometimes it wasn?t enough so I drove (under the influence I am sure) for more. I looked and felt awful. I gained about 60 pounds over those 15 years and was on my way to diabetes, I am sure.
    I tried an intensive outpatient treatment, AA, RA (the course). I was ready to do almost anything except a long term residential program when I literally stumbled on a clinic in Atlanta where they had a medical outpatient model with intensive therapy, diet, exercise and MEDICINE: Baclofen and Naltrexone.
    I took a 2 week leave from my job (which I was about to loose as they knew I was drinking), paid out of pocket and arranged to fly to Atlanta from the west coast. In order to fly and rent a car I had to sober up for a few days prior to the trip. That was a very lucky thing because the day I arrived they put me on baclofen and naltrexone and I haven?t had a drink since the 13th of January 2010. At first I didn?t ?trust? it. I feared it would wear off in time. I followed all the instructions they gave me. They talked with me one on one about 5-6 hours/day for 2 weeks. I stayed at a residential/business motel in the area. They had weird ideas about vitamins and diet but I tried to follow it while I was there. The baclofen made me very sleepy at first and the naltrexone and vitamins made me very nauseated. (I stopped both of those at about a month, they didn?t seem to be helping-the baclofen was the deal for me)
    To my surprise they told me that I would remain indifferent to alcohol as long as I kept on the baclofen. To my surprise and delight they were right. I could go to the grocery store, etc and not even consider buying a bottle. It was such a change for me, as even in the past when I had been able to withstand temptation it had never been without a significant internal dialogue and tension.
    This drug, for me, was the answer to my situation. I had become alcohol dependent and it provided the relief of craving well enough for me to do what I had been trying to do all my adult life. It has allowed me to be my real self. I am now a trusted mother, friend, and employee. I have been able to start a realistic diet and exercise plan and execute it so well that I have lost 54 pounds since mid June.and went from below average to very good fitness on the treadmill test. I plan to have a celebratory run on my 59th birthday at my goal weight at the end of March.. I have learned so much. I don?t pine for alcohol at all. After tapering up to about 110 mg/day over a few months I stayed thereabouts and then have tapered down to 0-20 at bedtime as much to help me sleep as anything. I guess my brain is no longer alcohol dependent, but whatever my baseline is I am sure that if I drank I would quickly become so again. This is, IMO an actual CURE. If the definition of alcohol dependence is craving then I am cured. I am so grateful and want to share this information with anyone who is having trouble quitting the drink like I had. I got on MWO last spring after being kicked off of the AA online site for talking about baclofen. I am glad I found all of you and wish you all well. My advice. Quit drinking as soon as you can and forget about moderation. I don?t see anyone doing it very successfully and it only increases the chances of a full fledged binge.
    Hope this wasn?t too long winded. I will stick around a few more weeks for comments and will happily respond to PMs. Thanks to all who have helped me along the way.
    All the best,
    Sunny

    #2
    Sunny's Success Story

    Sunny!

    Congratulations! Great thing it worked out so well for you.

    ( I think a lot of the us-members would like to know more about that clinic)

    Nice combi: Baclofen and intensive 'therapy'. That is in my opinion the way to go in the future.

    Thanks Sunny,

    Low

    Comment


      #3
      Sunny's Success Story

      THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING! You are an inspiration to us all!!!
      "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

      Comment


        #4
        Sunny's Success Story

        :goodjob: Sunny!!!:bday7:


        :jumpwow:


        Now post up the name of that clinic!!!! I'm sure they wouldn't mind the lip service!
        :nutso: I take pride in my humility :nutso:
        :what?:
        sigpic
        Graph of My Drinking From July '09 to January '10

        Consolidated Baclofen Information Thread




        Baclofen for Alcoholism and Other Addictions
        A Forum
        Trolls need not apply

        Comment


          #5
          Sunny's Success Story

          sunny,
          I always wanted to ask you about that clinic but I thought it was intrusive. now that you outer yourself can you give the name? thanks for sharing your story.

          Comment


            #6
            Sunny's Success Story

            Thats a turnaround you can be really proud of Sunny. Congratulations, and thanks for posting your story. I find it extremely interesting you were kicked off the AA site for discussing baclofen, as it is my plan to attend several meetings here after being cured. I wonder what the reaction will be. Still going to do it, but now I am not sure about my reception.

            Our paths never really crossed here, but I have read a lot of your posts with interest, and feel I know you.
            Having hit the switch, I now post under the username "bleep". Look forward to seeing you on the other side...

            Comment


              #7
              Sunny's Success Story

              gratitude, I also seem to have trouble with the letter "d", or was that just a coincidence? Don't want to derail this thread.
              Having hit the switch, I now post under the username "bleep". Look forward to seeing you on the other side...

              Comment


                #8
                Sunny's Success Story

                haha!
                that is actually my iPad spelling for me. if I don't catch it it can be pretty funny sometimes.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Sunny's Success Story

                  The clinic in Atlanta is called "Accelerated Recovery". You can find them at Iwantostopnow.com or just google accelerated recovery center in atlanta. They are very professional and have a high success rate. It is pricy but considering my options at the time well worth it in retrospect.
                  Thanks for the encouraging feedback.
                  S

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Sunny's Success Story

                    bleep69;1047910 wrote: Thats a turnaround you can be really proud of Sunny. Congratulations, and thanks for posting your story. I find it extremely interesting you were kicked off the AA site for discussing baclofen, as it is my plan to attend several meetings here after being cured. I wonder what the reaction will be. Still going to do it, but now I am not sure about my reception.

                    Our paths never really crossed here, but I have read a lot of your posts with interest, and feel I know you.
                    From my experience with AA if you go in with an open mind, and contribute usefully they should welcome you. If however you charge in pushing this miracle drug, that hasn't been tested properly yet then they are likely to want to shut you up. Best way to do it is go along not to gloat or show off, but go along to just talk about your experience. You can imagine how many people out there would love to push their method, they don't affiliate themselves to any company or politics. I am sure one or two members will be interested if you approach it in the right way.

                    I'm particularly interested in the therapy side since I think recovery can be slowed down by old resentments and anger - which ever way you chose, meds or not.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Sunny's Success Story

                      Thank UK. This has actually opened up my mind to AA, I used to think it was all rubbish. I now believe it definitely has a place as part of an overall cure.
                      Having hit the switch, I now post under the username "bleep". Look forward to seeing you on the other side...

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Sunny's Success Story

                        Sunny,

                        Your story is the most encouraging one I have read. If you don't mind me asking - and recognizing that people respond in different ways - did you find the rest of the center's treatment helpful, or was it almost all due to the BAC and your self-motivation?

                        Congrats, and thank you for sharing your experiences in this and other threads.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Sunny's Success Story

                          Sunny,
                          Thank you so much for sharing this story. You are truly an inspiration! I saw that clinic when I first started researching baclofen and did wonder. It's too bad you got kicked of AA's website. That is sad for all the people out there who could be helped by this. I think you found a place where you will be welcomed and appreciated!
                          This Princess Saved Herself

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Sunny's Success Story

                            Hi Sunny and everyone, I don't no much about baclofen only i think it's a mussle relaxant could be wrong...I need to read more on here about baclofen. My question.. is this a drug that you have to be on the rest of your life in order to to keep the craving's away? and if you stop taking it will the cravings come back? thanks. trucker

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Sunny's Success Story

                              37,
                              I think it was the baclofen. I think there may be some very soft scientific rationale or evidence for some of the other things but for me the key was the baclofen. It was nice to take off for 2 weeks and work on me, but, honestly the biggest problem I had was the drinking and almost every other problem improved when I stopped doing that.
                              With respect AA I believe it did me a disservice and continues to do so for some as they LIE. They say that "seldom do we see people fail who have thoroughly followed our path" and later in same section that those who fail are incapable of honesty. Neither of these things are true. I believe failure in AA is quite common and that those who fail are no more honest or dishonest than those who succeed. I believe the difference is in the level of physical and psychological dependence which has developed along with many other possible factors. But to blame it on the individual's inability to be honest doesn't help in the least. I have spoken to members and been to enough meetings to realize that the BIG BOOK is their equivalent of a bible and has not been changed since first published. It may have been the best thing out there in the 1930s but things have evolved and we know a lot more about substance abuse now. I know many people who go to meetings for help. I wouldn't go to a 1935 textbook to get help for breast cancer. I wouldn't suggest that that be the only resource for someone suffering addiction. I was kicked off of the AA site by one individual who didn't want me to even mention baclofen on the site.
                              Sunny

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X