Question about Campral

[Pisces]

Hi,

I have been taking Campral for a couple of weeks now, but unfortunatly I'm still drinking.

I guess I was hoping for a wonder drug, but I know I still have issues with cravings and triggers.

I think I'm getting a bit better, but so tired of having slip ups, and I'm beating myself up pretty badly which isn't helping either.

I suppose I'm just needing a bit of support, and also wondering if anyone is still drinking on Campral, and what others have experienced using it.

Thanks, Jas

[rachel28]

Question about Campral

good morning, or evening, u havin ruff time, cant answer your question on camparal, i have no idea, but wanted to say dont beat yourself up, u r takin charge an makin good steps, i hope some1 knows , xx

[Flip]

Question about Campral

What dosage are you on Jaz?

I've been on campral for 7 months (this time - 5 months the first time). I don't drink and all physical cravings are gone. I spend a lot of time working on the other reasons for drinking. Still got a long way to go, but feeling confident that I am winning.

[panadol]

Question about Campral

:l Hi Jasmin
I've been taking campral for a couple of months now. My first three weeks were alcohol free then I had a big binge. At the moment I am alcohol free during the week and I drink on a Saturday night. I still drink to excess when I drink but much less often. Campral is very good but as you say I thought it would be my wonder drug too I am now on a low dose antidepressant which has helped me significantly. My drinking was related to persistent depressive issues. I will Have to abstain from alcohol completely . Just need to let it go! I hope you find some way to help. Take care

[Pisces]

Question about Campral

Hi Flip, and everyone,

I've noticed that your having success on Campral, I on 2 tabs 3 times a day.

I think it is helping with the cravings, just know I need to work on the triggers and other stuff.

I'm starting again today, and know that I have to be abs, this is my goal, wish me luck!

I so sick of the ups and downs...

Love Jas xx

[kpg66]

Question about Campral

Pisces;151012 wrote: Hi Flip, and everyone,

I've noticed that your having success on Campral, I on 2 tabs 3 times a day.

I think it is helping with the cravings, just know I need to work on the triggers and other stuff.

I'm starting again today, and know that I have to be abs, this is my goal, wish me luck!

I so sick of the ups and downs...

Love Jas xx

Naltrexone works much better. My dr. explained to me that as long as you still drink campral really doesn't work and you have to be sober at least 2 weeks before starting it. Its good for maintence

[beatle]

Question about Campral

I heard you have to be sober for at least 5 days to a week before starting Naltrexone. Is this true?
Also, some people say it loses effectiveness after a while, but this may be related to drinking while on it. Anybody know more about this?

[Cinders]

Question about Campral

Campral, Naltrexone and other Musings..

I ended up with both Topamax and Campral prescriptions in-hand afer a month of being home and trying to get started on some sort of program. My GP was afraid of prescribing anything to do with alcoholism and so I ended up going to two different docs.

I decided to try the Campral first.

The second doc told me you could start the Campral right off and just quit drinking, you did not have to go a week or so without. So, I picked it because the side effects listed were not so severe.

However, the GI side effect listed, IN MY CASE, was pretty severe. How do I put this delicately? After 3 days, I was in the grocery store, I coughed, and had to leave the store because I RUINED THE PANTS I WAS WEARING. This has not happened to me since I was 5 years old or so. Bear in mind, I am a gastric-bypass patient and that probably had a lot to do with it. So, please do not think that this will happen to you, necessarily. But the other piece of the equation (I am a mathemation) is that Campral did not seem to have ANY effect on my cravings.

Now, I was not looking for a "silver bullet," but at least an easing of the physical sensations. This did not happen for me with the Campral.

So, between the "ahem" disturbing grocery store incident and the fact that I was basically going 5 days AF without any abatement in cravings, I decided to try the Topamax.

Topamax: Ohmigosh. Talk about a walking zombie!! I had nothing to drink. My husband met met for lunch and thought I was sloshed. GREAT!!! However, I HAD NOTHING TO DRINK, AND NO DESIRE TO. I was only on 25 mg at that point.

Now, to lay to rest any wonderful ideas that this is a magic pill, no. I have drank since then. On occasion, I have overdrunk. However, since starting Topamax, I have NOT had the desire to drink like I used to. I still want to drink more than I should. I am currently only up to 50 mg/day. BUT, I have not had a full bottle of wine in a day since I started.

You are talking about a woman who drank 5/8 glasses of wine/day every day for over a year.

Progress has been made.

I am truly looking for abstinence.

I am hoping to order the CDs soon, however my husband seems to keep spending money faster than me, so I keep waiting until I can beat him on ordering the CDs before he spends all the money.

Nonetheless, IN MY CASE, the Topamax is doing better than the Campral.

That does NOT mean it will do better for you.

It means that you should try what you can. If it doesn't work try something else.

BTW, In my case, Kudzu only means I get drunk faster. It does NOTHING good for me. L-Glutamine, on the other hand has a very positive influience on me and does reduce my craving. Geez. We are all different and need to try different approaches.

The truly important thing is to make sure we do all of this under our doctor's supervision -- especially the Campral/Topa stuff because these are NOT drugs to be taken lightlly. They "mess" with your brain chemistry. We have messed with our brain chemistry enough as it is. Let's get it back to as "normal" as we can get it. Some don't need drugs, just supplements, like the Kudzu and L-glutamine, others, like myself need topa, others do really well with Campral and even other do well with Naltrexone and even others do well with just the supplements.

Okay. Enough rambling. Guys like MdBiker, XTexan, Sujul, Paula, and RJ have lots more experience in success. I am still trying to suceed and simply striving to give you my recent experience and let you know how it went.

However, what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. I hope and pray we all suceed in the end.

I hope some of this rambling helps. Please do NOT take my experience as a replacement as yours. It will not be the same.

BTW, FLIP. When did you turn into CHUCKIE???

Cindi

[Flip]

Question about Campral

kpg66;153750 wrote: Naltrexone works much better. My dr. explained to me that as long as you still drink campral really doesn't work and you have to be sober at least 2 weeks before starting it. Its good for maintence

Sorry kpg, but I have to disagree!! In my experience the naltrexone has a limited capacity for long term treatment as it often stops working after a few weeks or if you start drinking on it. (which is what I did after 6 weeks as it wasn't working well)

You can start taking Campral the day you stop drinking with no ill effects, and it works immediately. NO CRAVINGS!! (physical that is). I've managed 12 months sober whilst on campral, the only time I slipped was when I went off it too quickly.

Flip

[Flip]

Question about Campral

Don't you like Chuckie??? lol

[stevewm]

Question about Campral

Hey eating big red apples stop cravings also.

Steve.

[beatle]

Question about Campral

Flip, love your new atavar. gosh is that really you?

I am so confused now about what works and what doesn't, but obviously it is different from individual to individual. I'm going crazy trying to do this on my own 'cause it is so hard to get these meds where I live and I don't want to make a big deal trying if they aren't going to work.

Steve, I find anything you put into your mouth other than alc helps the cravings. I'm sure a big part of it is an oral fixation. (of course that doesn't account for the shakes and headaches after 24 hours w/o alc).

[Cinders]

Question about Campral

L-Glutamine

Beatle,

I am so sorry you are where it is difficult to get the meds to help.

In my case, Kudzu only seems to make me get drunk faster, not slow me down. However, I am not a binge drinker, I am an every day large quantity drinker.

I have found the L-Glutamine under the tongue does help with the cravings. Placebo effect? Who knows.

Perhaps you could give that a try.

Best of luck!!

Cindi

[rachel28]

Question about Campral

chukie has haunted my dreams along with mr kruger,4 years,

flip, do u rem a post few days ago, i rem saying u took it, there was lots of info posted, I CANT FIND IT, it sounded relly interesting, did beatle start the thread , i knew id forget was drunk,

[Reenie]

Question about Campral

I'm on my second day of taking Campral. I hope to check in soon to let you all know how effictively its working for me.