First time here

[Hippiegirl]

I presented my doctor with a detox plan:

Start with valium for a week, with tapering dosage
Begin antabuse on day 3
Begin campral on day 5

Has anyone used this aaproach? What do you think? I can't start yet - he wants to get my blood pressure down first. But the waiting is killing me: literally! I HAVE to stop.

[caper564]

First time here

hi,
i have not taken valium or campral. but i do use antabuse. its is very effective on its own. for me anyway. i'm not a big fan of drugs and i like that antabuse has no medicinal qualities. you can take it after 24 hours from your last drink. but you cannot drink while on it. absolutely nothing 100% .

its worked for me.. the thought of getting violently ill is enough of a deterrent.

caper

[windycitylady]

First time here

Hey HG, and welcome!!

It's always a good idea to detox under a doctor's supervision, and valium might really help, as long as you really do taper down.
I've never taken campral. I don't know much about it. I'm on 40mg/ day baclofen to help with cravings, and I also take antabuse. This combination, along with an effective anti-depressant and anti-anxiety med, is the way I've gotten the most AF time I've ever had.
Your plan sounds good to me, except do you think it would be helpful to start the anti-craving med before the antabuse? Unless there's a medical reason, it seems like it might be easier that way.
Hopefully, some others that are more familliar with campral will chime in.
Regardless, glad you're here! Let us know how it goes!

[spacebebe01]

First time here

Hi Hippie, how does your doctor intend to get your blood pressure down, is he giving you meds for that. I have done all the things you are planning and I think its a pretty good plan but why wait until day 5 to start campral, cant you start it on day 1. It should help you start feeling better. I have had Librium for detox but valium probably works in the same way I think, its just what the hospitals here use. Have you thought about taking vitamins as well, a good multivit, thiamine and vit c plus milk thistle are good to use for detox and after. There are people who know more about supps than me where you could learn more about them if you wanted but they are just basic ones that will help.

Keep posting and reading and good luck

[Hippiegirl]

First time here

Thanks everybody. I had read that you shouldn't start campral until you are 2-7 days AF. maybe i'll ask the doc if I can start it earlier. It does sound like a good idea.

I am so glad I've found this site. I don't have much of a support group except for my BF and the doc. This place is great :-)

[Hippiegirl]

First time here

And yes space, he increased my blood pressure meds and it's come down, but I don't know if it's enough. I did also include B12 on my plan. I'll check out your other suggestions - thanks. I worry about the cost of all these meds, but if I'm not buying alcohol, I guess it works out.

[spacebebe01]

First time here

The vitamins arnt expensive, unless you want them to be.
Do you have to pay for meds off your doctor, what country are you in?

[Hippiegirl]

First time here

I'm in the us -yes, I'll get the meds through my doc, but I do have insurance. The supplements aren't expensive?

[RedThread12]

First time here

Hi Hippiegirl. I'm a hippiegirl, too. So sad, we missed the '60's!

I also presented my "support group" (I have no health insurance and only recently acquired a PC physician - one of my yoga students who went through med school!) with my plan to detox myself with valium and get back to the sobriety that I'd had for much more of my life than the time I spent drinking myself into oblivion. hahahahaha!!! Who was I trying to fool? They let me slide, but, of course, I didn't actually taper. I just drank AND took valium. I think it was during those days that I found MWO. I don't actually remember "finding" this forum, or creating my account. But, obviously, I did. What worked for me was baclofen.

So - when can you start your plan? Am I reading you correctly - you're ready to stop, but your doctor won't let you because your blood pressure is so high? But now you're blood pressure is down? And you're waiting for the meds? I would only be delighted for your plan to work, but I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle for it to make sense to me.

Welcome, truly, to MWO, Hippiegirl! It is an incredible place, with amazing resources, and the most incredible cyber-people you'll ever not meet :H. We ALL want you to get well, and will help in any way. Where are you now? What do you need to stop drinking, safely, as soon as possible? I've watched with amazement as different people find so many different ways out. I KNOW you can find yours. Keep us posted!

[spacebebe01]

First time here

It depends what you buy and where you buy them from Hippiegirl, Ive read that the All One powder on here is great but it costs a lot and being in UK it would cost even more so Ive never tried it. so you can just go to a supermarket or health food store and buy them. here I can get a bottle of multivits, vit b complex, vit c etc for ?2.50 each, so that could be ?10.00 for the lot to start off with, less than a bottle of vodka which used to cost me around ?17.00 for a litre bottle a day, so no I dont think the supps are expensive

More to the point do you have a start date planned, I cant understand why your doctor is stalling, surely drinking isnt doing your blood pressure much good and Im assuming that if your going to be getting valium for withdrawels you must be drinking a fair bit. From my own experience of home detox you could stock up now ready, get soups, plenty to drink (non al of course) snacks, easy to cook meals, something easy to read maybe some magazines and clean pj's and slippers ready so you can be comfortable

Keep posting and reading and good luck

[Hippiegirl]

First time here

Well, your blood pressure usually rises when you're going through detox, so he wants to make sure mine is ok start with. I went in Friday to have it checked by the nurse. Hoping I'll get a call Monday telling me if I can start or not.

Yes, you could say I drink a bit - almost a fifth a day :-(

[spacebebe01]

First time here

I dont really know how much a fifth is, Im thinking its around the size of a 70cl bottle.

Can you call them in the morning and ask?

Good luckxx

[spacebebe01]

First time here

Have you read RobinJ's thread, shes new here too and has high blood pressure, shes been walking 3 miles each day and it looks like that is helping her reduce it. I know you may not be able to walk that far but as far as is reasonable for you could help, why dont you ask her about it.