Emotion

Thanks for the message RHGB . I'm feeling better today and back on the trying track , taking each day. I drink wine , every eve , no more than a bottle , bottle and half , more at weekends or if stressed. i have considered with pills etc and not so long ago Paul did suggest the Sinclair method but I decided against it. When I gave up smoking I used champix and I felt it made me mental , not a good reaction at all . My life must change and I know what to do , its just doing it . I hope you well and thanks x

Well, it isn't just going to sort itself out on its own. I'm not being judgemental, I am here for exactly the same reason most of us are.

Personally, I think you have two routes, you may or may not need a detox, to break from the initial hold of alcohol and not to suffer any bad withdrawal symptoms.

Then, you can eith look at Campral, which will help with the cravings, if you totally want to give up.

Or you go down the nalfemen/naltrexone route, which will reduce your 'want' of alcohol and bring it down quite a bit over time.

I think you should consider these options, it is hard to break/end the cycle, if your body is used to the alcohol and your mind uses it to blur out all monotony and problems.

I think you will find very few here that stopped or cut right back without any medication at all.

Were you drinking while you were using the Champix? I understand there can be some unfortunate side effects from that.

WRT The Sinclair Method, do you understand the mechanism of addiction via the brain's opioid receptors? This is what causes the craving that leads to relapse. It's also the pathway that Naltrexone addresses, but that only works when you take Naltrexone "as-needed", only on the days that you drink. Taking it every day to maintain abstinence simply doesn't work. It has to be taken an hour before you drink, when you actually have the cravings.  

Yes, indeed ! I'm hearing everything you are saying and you are no way being judgemental ! You are telling the truth and I am being unrealistic with my expectations of myself as have tried for many years and always end up in the same situation ! I'm worth more than the bottle plus have to sort myself as have alot of financial issues to consider very soon . I need to be on top form . I'm phoning the doc tomorrow and will let you know when I've done it . Thank you x

" I'm worth more than the bottle ..."

Yes! Say it again!

Thats interesting . Yes, I was drinking far too much to help with the cravings of not smoking ( I did give up so thats great )

Yes, I do understand what you are saying re receptors etc . I'm phoning the docs in the morning and will go with all this good advice 

Thank you ADE x

Sorry RHGB, I'm not one for disagreements or falling out but Drs won't prescribe campral campral or other drugs in most places. So it isn't as easy as that.

I'm worth more than the  bottle  

 

Excellent. BTW, Naltrexone prn 1 hour before drinking is how VA Medical is prescibing it now, just in case that knowledge comes in handy. 

It sure seems to be more of a fight in the UK. We've got a bit of an edge here in the US, but I think things are slowly getting better overall. As I mentioned to Rainbow, VA Medical is now prescribing Naltrexone on an "as-needed" basis. I guess they finally decided to take note of the 2000 studies and reports that taking it every day while abstinent just doesn't work. 

Baby steps...

baby steps ! all the way plus spreading the word All the positive stuff spreading through is powerful  

Right, well don't just rock up in front of him, and wonder what you;re going to say.

Think of what you want to achieve and how you are going to say it, that way you will be much more in command and in a better bargainning position to get what you want.

Your drinking isn't that heavy, that you might get away without a detox, but I would ask for a few days diazepam, just to help you through it. You then have to decide whether you are going down the Campral route or nalfemene/naltrexone route (the latter are pretty similar).

If you objective is to give up, but you' re not quite ready for that, go down the latter route. You can always look at Campral latter if giving up alcohol is something you can come to terms with. Not many people can accept the never drinking again thought, it terrifies them. So generally the latter of the two is chosen, with the ability to still drink, but kept in moderation and alcohol is not seen as the first port of call, as soon as anything bad comes along.

Thank you RHGB I really value your avdice and I do take it seriously . perhaps diazapan might help  

I will keep in touch and I really feel your help is good for me and thank you so much x

Sorry RHGB...but you can't give people false hope. Most Drs don't know about these 3 drugs and most won't prescribe. They will just be made to feel that we read it in a magazine or something. Sad, unfair but true. Diazepam, most won't prescribe for alcohol withdrawal. I really don't like to put a downer on things but they need to know that dr won't automatically prescribe these meds, and they need to find a safe way to get them privately.

Plus it's very difficult for a dr to give out diazepam. I'm not disagreeing with you but don't want people to have false hope..sorry

Well, if you read my posts again, I never said that a doctor would hand these out.  I suggested they were the course of action to be taken. Rainbow suggested that she was going to contact her GP, which I think is the best course of action.

Some doctors will prescribe diazepam, you won't know until you ask them. Also, your first port of call should be your GP. I agree that certainly the follow up medication will probably be through a third party, but she should still discuss this with her GP. I merely stated that she put a plan together, so she knows what she wants and what to say. She is less likely to get the brush off that way and she will be very clear in her head what she needs to say, otherwise people amble in, not quite sure what to ask for or what it is they want to achieve.

The GP should explain what he is prepared to do, and between them, which route will be taken.

thanks xx

Yes fingers crossed. A good GP is hard to find. Not their fault really.

My dad is a retired dr, age 82, with an OBE for services to medicine. It's not really the Drs fault

I totally agree, Paper fairy, my daughter is a GP and (though I am biased!!) she is wonderful at her job, but she is bound by rules and regulations which she finds frustrating but necessary. 

Yes. It's not the fault of the GP. They try the best they can xx

But the alcohol services re Addaction, it's wrong and my daddy dr agrees.. 

Paper, has it always been this way in the UK or is this part of the privatization push?