5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

[ghostwriter61]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Always the same...two weeks out...one week home.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

btw, bravo for calling. I didn't mean to overlook that. Took me a loooong time. Then I cried when I talked to him. pfffft. So silly. He really is such a nice guy.

Odd life, that. How do you manage it? Do you like it? I'm in a Navy town and it's similar, I suppose.

Is it hard not to drink when you're at work? Or is it just a matter of fact? How's the sea? Still seeing dead things? Too many questions? (I should be cleaning. Or writing. Or reading. pah. whatever. I like it here. Much more interesting.)

[ghostwriter61]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Ne/Neva Eva;1230052 wrote: btw, bravo for calling. I didn't mean to overlook that. Took me a loooong time. Then I cried when I talked to him. pfffft. So silly. He really is such a nice guy.

Odd life, that. How do you manage it? Do you like it? I'm in a Navy town and it's similar, I suppose.

Is it hard not to drink when you're at work? Or is it just a matter of fact? How's the sea? Still seeing dead things? Too many questions? (I should be cleaning. Or writing. Or reading. pah. whatever. I like it here. Much more interesting.)

I love it. It's not hard to stay sober at work because there is no access to AL. I come home and it's everywhere- every gas station, convenience store, we even have drive-thru bars here- isn't that crazy?

The Gulf is looking pretty good these days. I worked the oil spill clean-up last year and saw things they didn't show on TV (980 dead dolphin brought in on one boatload). Sad.

Anyway, back to bac. I noticed something very strange last night on my way to work. Yesterday I was THINKING differently. I don't know how to describe it. I was thinking more...honestly (that's the word that comes closest, I guess). Does that sound familiar to you?

[ghostwriter61]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Still hanging on at 240

Haven't posted for quite a while...
I ended up going down below 200 for a few weeks because of the swelling in my ankles (and calves and knees) that feels like my skin will split open. The swelling went away. Then I titrated up by 20mg every three weeks because of my work schedule. Once I get to 280, the swelling comes back with a vengence... Bac to 240...swelling gone. This has been going on for months now.
I am seriously considering Antabuse because my binges continue and I am planning on buying a truck. I really don't trust myself to drive and not drink.
Any advice on the swelling? I don't want t give up on the bac, but I just can't seem to make it to my "switch".
Anyone taking Antabuse with bac? Can I trust myself to take it? Can I trust myself not to drink on it and possibly kill myself?

[LadyLush]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Ghost,

Hi! There are a few of us on the Antabuse and bac over on another thread.
I take the bac for anxiety and take the Antabuse as the brick wall not to drink.
You HAVE to trust yourself not to drink on it.
Read what could happen and it will scare you silly (sober).

Not sure about the swelling but it could be that the bac is excreted through the kidneys and a high dose affects you.
More knowledge on that will come along.

Good luck and we hope you stay with us!

LL:l

[moglor]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Maybe you're not drinking enough water? Also, try going up in smaller doses, 5mg instead of 20.

[Dosage0]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

ghostwriter61;1266072 wrote: Haven't posted for quite a while...
I ended up going down below 200 for a few weeks because of the swelling in my ankles (and calves and knees) that feels like my skin will split open. The swelling went away. Then I titrated up by 20mg every three weeks because of my work schedule. Once I get to 280, the swelling comes back with a vengence... Bac to 240...swelling gone. This has been going on for months now.
I am seriously considering Antabuse because my binges continue and I am planning on buying a truck. I really don't trust myself to drive and not drink.
Any advice on the swelling? I don't want t give up on the bac, but I just can't seem to make it to my "switch".
Anyone taking Antabuse with bac? Can I trust myself to take it? Can I trust myself not to drink on it and possibly kill myself?

Ghost.. I never had swelling of the ankles, but I did have my throat relax so badly I couldn't sleep for days at a time (I think my record was 3 1/2). I think 20mg every three weeks is a very slow titration schedule so that should be good. I would trust Dr. L, but my pushing past the point where I was having problems helped. I am up to 380 and drinking next to nothing. I am not sure if that is doable with your work schedule and your ankles, but just thought I'd throw in my 2c.

Dose

[windycitylady]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Hey Ghost!
I made it up to 225mg/day on bac and was still drinking my usual amount. I've (SLOWLY!) gone down to about 30mg/day. I got up the nerve to take antanbuse 2 days ago (not long, I know), and it really helps.
I'd imagine it would be for you what it's like when you're at sea. Drinking is just not a possibility. (Kinda ryhmes. Huh.)
I do think it's a good idea to take antabuse in conjunction with an anticraving med like baclofen or campral.
If you do breakdown and drink on antabuse, you won't get very far with it. I did it years ago, and to say the least, it's very unpleasant.
Good luck!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

Peripheral edema. I'd check it out before I took any more bac, or anything else, actually. I would want to make sure that my kidneys and other organs are doing what they are supposed to be doing. (This is regardless of the bac. Is the bac exacerbating something?)
If you've had a physical *recently* or don't want to get one (hmmm) then I would go very slowly. And yes, don't drink. However, if it's an organ something-or-other you'll want to check it out before you add another one in. (different organs, but still.)

Very likely nothing. It happens. Sometimes sort of spontaneously. But because it puts a lot of pressure on your system, it's wise not to just live with it.
The fact that it's so completely dose sensitive makes me wonder if slow and steady wouldn't alleviate the problem.
Oh. And I'm not a doctor. And don't know much about this stuff. I googled it a while ago when it happened to someone else. And again today.

[redhead77]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

There was a very cool chick here many moons ago. Her name was Sassy Lassy. She suffered from the peripheral edema like you do. She ended up quitting bac because of it. She never saw a doctor for a workup (even though I kept suggesting as much. ) It would be interesting to see if there's anything wrong with your lab work when you swell. Or with your blood pressure or vital signs. If there was nothing wrong...maybe it would put your mind at ease and you could continue. Or not. You could also do antabuse on your weeks home with the bac. There are many here who take both together. I wonder if drinking heavily with the bac contributes too. I believe she was drinking heavily the whole time she was titrating up. But don't quote me on that. It was a long time ago.

Good luck on your decision. I know some of these SEs (particularily the breathing and swelling) make it a hard decision on whether to continue.

[spacebebe01]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

I think most people on here are just telling there own experience, thats how we help each other.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

It's a spammer of sorts, Space.

[windycitylady]

5 weeks on bac-up to 260mg- feeling great!

If our "spammer of sorts" can make bacolen, why doesn't he whip up some antipsychotics? I mean that in the nicest possible way. He's obviously very intelligent. And very sick.