I need help

[Hippiegirl]

I need help

Yes, I know I can't drink on antabuse. But I am waiting to quit until I get that prescrption, plus a few days of valium and campral. Again, hopefully Monday.

[mama bear]

I need help

why can't you quit today sweetie?

[Hippiegirl]

I need help

Ummm...guess I'm just afraid to without the antabuse & valium. Afraid of withdrawal.

[mama bear]

I need help

i see....i understand that even though i have not been through that....

[NoraC]

I need help

HG - are you cutting back?
I'm not a doctor. But, if you are drinking heavily and stop suddenly, you might need medical attention to help with the withdrawals.
I have never experienced that. Why don't you ask your doctor about that when you get your prescriptions on Monday?
Take care & please keep posting.

[JackieClaire]

I need help

Hippiegirl;1306523 wrote: Ummm...guess I'm just afraid to without the antabuse & valium. Afraid of withdrawal.

Hippiegirl, I feel for you I really do.

I've had to detox more time than I'd like to say, my last one being a home detox using valium.

I hope that the prescription for the valium comes through Monday and the doctor can give you a schedule to follow.

As I say I've used valium for my detoxes so if you need any advice give me a shout. I've also used campral many years ago but stupidly I chose to drink on it.

Can't advice at all on the antabuse but MB and Nora will be able to keep you straight.

For now though try and keep your non alcoholic fluids up as well.

Stick with it HG. There's light at the end of the tunnel.

J x
:l

[DizzyBee]

I need help

Its going to be fine, HG. Just remember if you do nothing else start adding lots of your usual mix to the whisky or if you are a on the rocks girl start adding lots of water and a squeeze of lemon. Also try to pace yourself. And remember we are not kidding about the trying to taper down thing before attempting topa thing. I'm trying to give your liver a bit of a break here before you quit.

Also sleeping pills and alcohol are bad and several people die by accident this way so pls be careful. If you have a lot of acid indigestion I suggest you get something with 75mg Ranitidine in it over the counter. This is the best OTC med you can use for our kind of stomach trouble.

Also you phone your doc on Monday and you tell him to phone in the script. He obviously doesn't understand how serious this is. He is not doing you a favour, this is his job!

XOX

[mama bear]

I need help

You ok HG??
I have had headaches with AB and EXTREME fatigue, but I have found if I cut the pill in half and take it at bedtime that is minimized.

[Hippiegirl]

I need help

Thanks for asking and for all the advice and encouragement and hugs. I'm ok. Got through the morning and early afternoon feeling awful and very fatigued. On my second drink now - whiskey and diet coke. I'm planning on adding extra coke or water to my drinks today and tomorrow. And tomorrow drinking half of what I usually do, so I can start the antabuse after work on Monday. That should be about 22 hours. Sound OK?

[mama bear]

I need help

I think so.
Hang in there and rest if you can

[Miss Behaving]

I need help

Hi HG,

not much to add, but just to join in with the general encouragement etc etc. Get lots of rest and treat yourself well today. The next couple of days may be hard, but I swear that as time goes by you will feel sooooo much better.

You should be fine after 22 hours - 24 is recommended. But check with your Dr.

I was curious about having to wait to get the prescription - why is that???

[crazyforwine]

I need help

HG,

If you google "Alcohol withdrawal with valium" you can find schedules on how to do it over a course of 3 days. From what I have read, valium is one of the best ways to go-it's long lasting so you don't get WD much at all. So if you were to stop the AL, get right on the valium, but don't do them at the same time. Way too many accidental deaths from the combination. I guess if I were you, I'd taper down on the AL for a couple of days, quit it, and then start up the valium, and THEN start the Antabuse, just to make sure there is no AL in your system when you start the Antabuse.

Maybe if you sit down and write up a day by day plan for the next few days? Don't do anything sudden or radical, just start the taper, qiut the AL and add the valium.

What do the rest of you think of this? I've never used Antabuse but have read about it here on MWO, and I have used Ativan to help with the 3 days after quitting. Valium is better.

HG< you can do this! You just have to chalk off a few days to go through the process and let us all give you support. There is so much information among all of us, and we're all here for you!

CW

[Hippiegirl]

I need help

I have no idea why I'm having to wait on my meds. The office called last Wed and said he had appoved my day to day plan of what to start when and to give them a couple of days to get the prescriptions in. I imagine the dosage instructions will be a bit complicated, with initial and increasing dosages (antabuse and campral) and the tapering dose of valium.

So I should start the valium before the antabuse? I have off work Tuesday and Wednesday, with the option for Thursday and Friday depending on how I feel. I feel SO guilty to take off this much since I was out all last week too - drinking and feeling awful, of course.

[DizzyBee]

I need help

I still think if you can taper down and have half your normal amount on Sunday mixed with lots of water you will be OK to take the Antabuse Monday at lunch time and the Valium at dinner time. The withdrawals won't start before dinner time, they usually only kick in after 12 hours but its at the 24 hour mark that you have to be careful.

Please promise me you will try to drink less today and only buy half your usual quantity OR a six pack or beer tomorrow. Your doctor has not changed his mind. He is just busy. Just call up his office or go in and make sure you get your meds on monday. Remember that you are sick and he is a doctor. It is his job to help you get better. He is not going to change your mind. Have you ever heard a doctor refusing a diabetic insulin? That would be gross malpractice. The same applies here. This is your life we are talking about so don't just sit around and wait on Monday. He will give you the script, just remind him and go get it from him if necessary.

If you have any further queries, ask him. If you have any meds that are not prescribed by him, tell us. You don't want to play russian roulette with valium and sleeping pills etc. so just tell us and those of us who have taken the same drugs can at least help us with our limited knowledge. Your doctor will of course know best.

If you havent done so already sit your boyfriend down and explain to him what you are doing. It will be really nice if he can offer you some emotional support on Monday evening as you will be jittery. Take an epsom salts bath, the valium, some chammomile tea and some of the supplements as suggested in the book. Also be careful not to take more of your usual sleeping pills. Sleeping may be hard for the first 3 nights or so but after that you should actually sleep better.

PM/email me if you need help.

[mama bear]

I need help

great post DB, but I think I agree with CW about valium BEFORE AB......the AB has made my heart race before, but I AM NOT A DOCTOR.....just a concerned friend who knows the Beast well.