First post / brief overview of my sitch

[Black]

Hello to you all. :new:

I stumbled across this forum whilst doing a bit of research on medication to treat alcoholism. I realised, after reading one or two threads and seeing the support that you give eachother, that this is a community that I would like to be a part of.

I'm an Aussie guy in my late 20s. The drinking culture amongst my friends is fairly full-on. 9 times out of 10 it's "drink to get drunk". It's been that way since we were about 15. Whenever I meet up with an old friend, or a family member that lives far away, or even my friends who I see all the time, it's an inevitable piss-up. I usually get more drunk than the others.

Regarding medication, I've had experience with both Antabuse and Campral. I'll say just a couple of words about each, as I'm sure there is a section dedicated for medication discussion.

Antabuse: I currently take this intermittently and have used it for periods of 6 months or more in the past. When I'm on it I take half a tablet daily (mainly because it's so expensive, also because there will be less in my system when I do decide to have a drink). I can drink within 24-48 hours after having a dose... which is a problem, for when it comes time for me to have another dose, by that time I'm hanging for a beer or bourbon... so I spend a couple of hours thinking about whether to take some more Antabuse or go and buy some alcohol, and usually end up doing the latter. Then because there's alcohol in my system the following day, I can't take Antabuse even if I want to (because of the side effects) so the drinking cycle continues. Recently I was on a blind date and it had been about 20 hours since my last half-tab of Antabuse. My date was drinking alcohol and offered to buy me one. I initially declined, but ended up saying "Yeah OK I'll have a middie of light". After about 4 swigs I got really flushed and felt pretty "bad". Bottom line: don't drink anything alcoholic if there is any Antabuse in your system.

Campral: I currently take Campral - 1998mg daily - and have been on it this time around for about a month. It reduces my cravings slightly, but the main thing about Campral is that if you've been on it for a while and you have heaps to drink one night - you won't get a hangover (at least I don't). Plus, if I keep taking Campral I can continue getting drunk every day, for say 5 days, without copping the adverse effects I normally would such as crippling anxiety and throwing up for hours. So it kinda allows me to drink to excess without feeling the repercussions. Looking at it that way, it's probably not the right selection if I want to reduce my alcohol intake.

Some of the reasons I want to reduce my alcohol intake these days are as follows:
- I feel that alcohol is holding me back in a few ways
- I'm concerned about my reputation
- $$$$
- My memory is getting pretty bad, and I'm only 28.


If you have read this far, thanks for listening. It felt good to get that off my chest.

[Ripley]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

hi Black and welcome

yes, i read that far! I'm not a medical expert but I don't think either of those substances are suitable if you continue drinking. there is a section on this site which will give you a lot more info.

read read read the posts here and ask the good people here anything you like. it's a great place. people from all over the globe, all sorts of backgrounds and levels of experience. no shame or judgement. EVER.

hope to see you again soon.

Kate

[annie75]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Hi Black

just a wee welcome note here,you have found a fantastic place.
I have been trying (half-heartingly i suppose) to cut down on my drinking and it's proving to be much harder than i thought.
I'm currently taking campral and i think whilst it does reduce my cravings it still doesn't stop me popping a cork!!!
I sometimes feel i would need to be physically unable to move to stop me drinking!!!
Anyway i won't ramble too much.....i'm on here at the minute to keep me upstairs on the computer away from the fridge.....
Could murder a beer right now.....

[Black]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

annie75;110397 wrote:
I sometimes feel i would need to be physically unable to move to stop me drinking!!!

Have you tried Antabuse? I don't want to be an advocate for the shit, but knowing that you will get very sick if you drink even a small amount of alcohol is a very good deterrent.

[annie75]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Had thought about asking for antabuse but my gp reccommended i try this campral so im giving it this month to see how it goes!! Can you take both together?

[Guest]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Black,
I had the same problem with Antabuse. It didn't work for me either....sad but you learn the tricks of the trade...

[Beaches]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Black
Welcome. Yes I read your story the whole way through. I have to say that I found you need to be in the right mind frame when you try whatever medication you want to try. What I mean is that you can drink through anything. I took topamax awhile back thinking it would be the magic pill and it would be the cure and I kept drinking. I was not in the right mindframe. Now I have readjusted my thinking and gotten motivated. I take kudzu, Lglut and am listening to the hypno CD's when I go to bed (which I never did before). I am already seeing a major difference. I posted earlier that this is the first time in my life that the same bottle has been in my house for an entire week. I used to drink until the point I would pass out and wake up the next morning searching for memories of the night before.
You need to wrap yourself around the idea that you want to give this an honest attempt and be motivated to do it.
Good luck!

[dilayne]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Hi Black, I agree with what Beaches is saying, and I highly recommend that you give a try at the 30 days abstinence and work the program by the book..if you possibly can. I think it is extremely hard to come off of heavy drinking and go right into moderate drinking..that 30 days is very helpful in getting the right mind set to go forward. Whatever it takes to just shoot for the 30 days. If you struggle with that, some other's may be able to give your more suggestions. Once I decide to go AF for a while, I don't really have a problem. My problem is stopping at 2 or 3 drinks..it's kind of all or nothing with me.
Good luck!

[Arial]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Hi

A quick welcome from me, too! I agree with Beaches about the mindset - if your heart and soul aren't in this then what can you use to fight the battle? - the 'tools' can only help you so far but those damn cravings need every bit of ammunition you've got! Joining us here suggests you've got that motivation, so good luck, keep posting and look forward to getting to know you better!:welcome:

[Black]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

annie75;110475 wrote: Had thought about asking for antabuse but my gp reccommended i try this campral so im giving it this month to see how it goes!! Can you take both together?

To the best of my knowledge, yes you can. However, if you take Antabuse daily you won't necessarily need to use Campral as well, because knowing that the Antabuse will make you crook if you have a drink is (mostly) enough of a deterrent. Actually taking it every day is the hard part. If I know I have a party or a gig or whatever coming up then I will deliberately stop taking Antabuse a few days prior so that it's out of my system.

Thanks to all who welcomed me and replied to my original post. I wholeheartedly agree that you really need to want to quit/reduce if you want it to be a successful venture. I haven't had a cigarette in about 3 and a half years and the main reason I was able to quit nicotine was because I really wanted to, and was willing to commit myself to it.

I am a tad sceptical about the hypnotherapy, mainly because usually when I crash I am so plastered that I wouldn't be aware if someone was beating down my door with a sledgehammer, so I doubt my brain would be very receptive to any information, subliminal or otherwise. I'll still try it though, on a night when I haven't been drinking.

[DidItForMe]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Black:
I was so scared about the thought of quitting drinking all together that I wanted to try and moderate instead. That is why Topamax has really helped me. I was drinking 8-10 heavy vodkas a night, blacking out, horrible hangovers, you know...the works, for years. Now with the help of Topamax I drink 2-3 glasses of wine and I stop. I know that doesn't work for everyone but it did for me, atleast for now. I also take Kudzu and vitamins and have read the book. Haven't been drunk nor hung over for over a month and don't plan on it ever again. Best of luck to you and welcome to MWO!!

[Captain Morgan]

First post / brief overview of my sitch

Black;110423 wrote: Have you tried Antabuse? I don't want to be an advocate for the shit, but knowing that you will get very sick if you drink even a small amount of alcohol is a very good deterrent.

The reason i dont want to take antabuse is because i just would quit taking it. If you never knew it existed and your wife put the pill in your food and everytime you drank you were sick as hell, you would quit.

But when you are taking it, you know you can quit taking it. Thats why i believe it wont work.

Good luck