Hi ? another long-time lurker coming out of the woodwork. And with a bac-story, no less (long post warning).
I?ve been taking Bac since early/mid-December, and titrated up very slowly, for a number of reasons. I?m at 65 mg per day right now, and can sincerely say that I?m astounded at the results. I won?t claim that I?ve hit the switch ? in fact I wasn?t aiming for it. What has happened is that I am largely (not completely) indifferent to AL, drinking about 5-6 units (US measure) per week. I feel great, my life-long anxiety is way down, SEs have been manageable... I could go on and on. I?m experienced enough to know that various members and lurkers will be interested in various aspects of my story (well, I hope so...), so I?ve broken it down a bit. Frankly, writing is easier with headings!
Stats: Female, 50, 5?9.5?, ~140 lb, Canadian.
Drinking history: Like many here, it?s a long one. First drunk at 13 :happy:, many years of excessive drinking, broken up by many years of complete non-drinking and social drinking (whatever that is). About a year ago, drinking about 1.5 bottles of wine a night, I ended up on the TSM site, wondering about Nal accessibility in Canada. I ?met? Road to Recovery there, who suggested this site, and Bac. By then I knew that online pharmacies and this country were not compatible, and realized that my doctor would not prescribe Bac until I had at least tried to cut down or stop. So I started modding here, with some success. But I never got out from under the spell of AL, and when October hit, the sun disappeared, and my SAD kicked in, I was bac up to nearly a bottle of wine nearly every night :upset:.
Bac history: I went to my doctor in December with nocturnal leg and foot cramps of long-standing, restless leg syndrome that was affecting me even during the day, and a request for Baclofen. She gave me a script for 10 mg per day. I approached a lovely lady on TSM forum who had said that she had a pile of Bac she couldn?t take, and asked her if she would be willing to sell it to me. She was, and over Christmas she sent me a ?hard candy gift box? that contained ~180 10 mg tabs of Bac :yay:. It was a start! Shortly thereafter I asked Road ? who had become a good cyber-friend and tireless supporter ? if he had any leftovers since hitting his switch and going down to zero. He was willing to send me 180 20 mg tabs :l(wouldn?t take a penny for them), and I was almost in business. I went bac to my doc a couple of weeks ago, told her I wanted 20 mg per day because it was helping my muscle issues (it really does, that?s the truth). She was very reluctant, and I was confirmed in my suspicion that she would neva eva have given me high-dose Bac for drinking problems. Eva. I had been going up steadily if slowly, and this past week ? I had it off ? I went up 2.5 mg per day to present dose.
SE history: The first 6-8 weeks it was hard to know what was SEs and what was my life. My situation has a few structural stresses in it, then my husband became very ill, I got the respiratory bug thingie that everyone got, it turned into bronchitis and triggered my normally dormant asthma. Things were a mess. I know I got really stupid from about 15-35 mg ? no short term memory at all. I had to write notes to myself if I went to the bathroom, because I?d forget what I was doing when I got bac. I work at home, and no way could I have gotten away with this if I was in an office situation. I have long-standing insomnia problems, but read about some people taking amiltryptaline (sp?) with their Bac. I had a very old supply of that that I had prescribed for chronic pain years ago. I take 5 mg a night and sleep better than I have in, well, forever. As I mentioned, my anxiety is well served by the Bac (I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress after a disabling accident I had several years ago (by a psychologist, not a concerned friend or magazine article, BTW)). At this dose, I feel very well.
Drinking on Bac history: As so many people here have noted, I felt a distinct difference from the first 5 mg. I was on 10 per day for a month, over Xmas, and although I gave myself permission to drink whatever I wanted, it turned out whatever I wanted wasn?t all that much. By 20 mg I was happy with a max. of 3 drinks, and AF days were effortless. When I was ?modding?, I had to be quite elaborate about AF days, taking myself out of my usual evening routine entirely. On Bac, I could sit on the (drinking) couch, watching the (drinking) TV, next to my (drinking) husband having a beer, and be fine with water. This was unprecedented! As of now, I?m good with one or none. :yougo:
So there it is, friends. Pretty much due to the kindness of strangers, really. I couldn?t have done it without. Special shout out to Road and his unfailing support. Silly ads talk about ?Everyday heroes? when they are trying to sell us stuff, but Road truly is one, and not selling a thing :h. I?m very glad to be here.
I?ve been taking Bac since early/mid-December, and titrated up very slowly, for a number of reasons. I?m at 65 mg per day right now, and can sincerely say that I?m astounded at the results. I won?t claim that I?ve hit the switch ? in fact I wasn?t aiming for it. What has happened is that I am largely (not completely) indifferent to AL, drinking about 5-6 units (US measure) per week. I feel great, my life-long anxiety is way down, SEs have been manageable... I could go on and on. I?m experienced enough to know that various members and lurkers will be interested in various aspects of my story (well, I hope so...), so I?ve broken it down a bit. Frankly, writing is easier with headings!
Stats: Female, 50, 5?9.5?, ~140 lb, Canadian.
Drinking history: Like many here, it?s a long one. First drunk at 13 :happy:, many years of excessive drinking, broken up by many years of complete non-drinking and social drinking (whatever that is). About a year ago, drinking about 1.5 bottles of wine a night, I ended up on the TSM site, wondering about Nal accessibility in Canada. I ?met? Road to Recovery there, who suggested this site, and Bac. By then I knew that online pharmacies and this country were not compatible, and realized that my doctor would not prescribe Bac until I had at least tried to cut down or stop. So I started modding here, with some success. But I never got out from under the spell of AL, and when October hit, the sun disappeared, and my SAD kicked in, I was bac up to nearly a bottle of wine nearly every night :upset:.
Bac history: I went to my doctor in December with nocturnal leg and foot cramps of long-standing, restless leg syndrome that was affecting me even during the day, and a request for Baclofen. She gave me a script for 10 mg per day. I approached a lovely lady on TSM forum who had said that she had a pile of Bac she couldn?t take, and asked her if she would be willing to sell it to me. She was, and over Christmas she sent me a ?hard candy gift box? that contained ~180 10 mg tabs of Bac :yay:. It was a start! Shortly thereafter I asked Road ? who had become a good cyber-friend and tireless supporter ? if he had any leftovers since hitting his switch and going down to zero. He was willing to send me 180 20 mg tabs :l(wouldn?t take a penny for them), and I was almost in business. I went bac to my doc a couple of weeks ago, told her I wanted 20 mg per day because it was helping my muscle issues (it really does, that?s the truth). She was very reluctant, and I was confirmed in my suspicion that she would neva eva have given me high-dose Bac for drinking problems. Eva. I had been going up steadily if slowly, and this past week ? I had it off ? I went up 2.5 mg per day to present dose.
SE history: The first 6-8 weeks it was hard to know what was SEs and what was my life. My situation has a few structural stresses in it, then my husband became very ill, I got the respiratory bug thingie that everyone got, it turned into bronchitis and triggered my normally dormant asthma. Things were a mess. I know I got really stupid from about 15-35 mg ? no short term memory at all. I had to write notes to myself if I went to the bathroom, because I?d forget what I was doing when I got bac. I work at home, and no way could I have gotten away with this if I was in an office situation. I have long-standing insomnia problems, but read about some people taking amiltryptaline (sp?) with their Bac. I had a very old supply of that that I had prescribed for chronic pain years ago. I take 5 mg a night and sleep better than I have in, well, forever. As I mentioned, my anxiety is well served by the Bac (I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress after a disabling accident I had several years ago (by a psychologist, not a concerned friend or magazine article, BTW)). At this dose, I feel very well.
Drinking on Bac history: As so many people here have noted, I felt a distinct difference from the first 5 mg. I was on 10 per day for a month, over Xmas, and although I gave myself permission to drink whatever I wanted, it turned out whatever I wanted wasn?t all that much. By 20 mg I was happy with a max. of 3 drinks, and AF days were effortless. When I was ?modding?, I had to be quite elaborate about AF days, taking myself out of my usual evening routine entirely. On Bac, I could sit on the (drinking) couch, watching the (drinking) TV, next to my (drinking) husband having a beer, and be fine with water. This was unprecedented! As of now, I?m good with one or none. :yougo:
So there it is, friends. Pretty much due to the kindness of strangers, really. I couldn?t have done it without. Special shout out to Road and his unfailing support. Silly ads talk about ?Everyday heroes? when they are trying to sell us stuff, but Road truly is one, and not selling a thing :h. I?m very glad to be here.
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