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I'll have to give it a go

Posted , 7 users are following.

paulwgun
paulwgun

been a heavy drinker since my teens, I'm early 50's now back in December I lost my sight due to a retinal occlusion in my one good eye, then having to wait almost 3 months for a operation on my gammy eye to try and give me back some vision, sent me in to a deep dark place (almost suicidal)

I didnt speak about it as everyone was looking at a positive outcome to the operation but I hit the booze even harder after the opp I am now visually impaired but the drinking kept going. I would buy 3/4 bottles of strong beer 5% to 7% along with a bottle of wine and call in the pub on the way home for 2/3 pints of Guinness 

I started getting pain in my right kidney area and kept telling myself in the morning when the pain would happen, that I had to stop drinking as I'm killing myself.

Then in the evening the cravings would start and off I'd go to get my supply, it was a bit like Groundhog Day I'd tell my self the same thing the following morning and go for my fix in the evening

i have also put on an horrendous amount of weight to the point I'm classed as morbidly obese 

I last drank on Sunday, the usuall plus around 6 extra pints of cider today is my second day of cold turkey, I was ok yesterday (Monday) which is when I found this forum and have had cravings tonight (Tuesday) tried to keep them at bay by eating and drinking soda water 

im thinking of going to my gp to see if he will prescribe nalmefene if not I may purchase on line, but I can't be doing AA 

appologies for the long winded intro but I'm hopeing this will be the start 

0 likes, 61 replies

61 Replies

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  • deirdre._03652
    deirdre._03652 paulwgun

    Posted

    Hi, I hope the family party went well....I am so glad that you are getting some decent help at last CAS..are an amazing organization that will help you so, so much,...take care always, I wish you luck and great big hugs also.....Deirdre xx
    • paulwgun
      paulwgun deirdre._03652

      Posted

      thank you Deirdre, as you can read above it didnt go to plan but better than i thought under normal circumstances i would have had 8-10 pints plus copious amounts of wine
  • deirdre._03652
    deirdre._03652 paulwgun

    Posted

    Hi Paulwgun, I hope that you are still doing well, if not...don't beat yourself up in any way...just pick yourself up and start again, you can do it, no matter how long it takes..xxx

    I consider myself one of the lucky? Ones...after a VERY, very, very long time completely alcohol free...I now go out once or twice a week. With my husband and my son's....I have about 4 or 5 units..no more as I have lost all my tolerance....I just fall asleep...NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE...

    I could never ever go back to my old life, it was just a living nightmare....I still thank god every day that the cravings went and have never returned....I wish you well...take care...Deirdre xxx

    • paulwgun
      paulwgun deirdre._03652

      Posted

      Hi Deirdre, I'm doing ok have been having a drink on weekends and keeping off it mid week, still waiting for my counsellor to get In touch. 

      And my Mrs is very supportive fair play to her

    • paulwgun
      paulwgun PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      thanks paul, think ill have to give my local clinic another phone call though as no one has got back to me as yet
  • paulwgun
    paulwgun

    Posted

    Bit of an update, I've been having sessions over the past few weeks with my  councillor talking about my drinking and trying to reduce it also keeping a log of my drinking, have managed to reduce slightly gone from 20/25 units to 10/15 units.

    so today I had an appointment with a nurse and I have to get my drinking to below 70 units a week before they prescribe and then it's only for a 6 month period she knew very little about nalmaphine only that it's new on the market. I have to go back to see her next week I'll persevere with it  but it's been 3 months since I first posted and still haven't been prescribed anything  but by the looks of things they will help me for 6 months then it's probably back to square one  hopefully it's going to help 

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd paulwgun

      Posted

      Well done! Wow!

      You write 'slightly' but to go from 20/25 to 10/15 is extremely good.  Don't minimise what you have achieved. Very chuffed for you.

      When you get it, nalmafene will help you even further.

      There are other options after the 6 month prescription runs out.  If your drinking is way down and you only need the maintenance so that your drinking doesn't get worse again after the Selincro, you can request a medication called naltrexone.  If at this point, you are only drinking it once a week, you would only need 52 tablets a YEAR.  This would cost the NHS a whopping total of less than £50 a YEAR!!  Much less expensive than leaving you unprotected and risking your drining escalating again.

      Don't worry about it right now, though. What happens in 6 months is not relevant right now.

      The main thing right now is to hit your next goal of 70 a week to give you access to the nalmafene.

      Be proud of what you have achieved so far - you deserve it!

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 paulwgun

      Posted

      Keep going Paul! All has been said by others and you should be SO PROUD of yourself. Keep going. You can do it!
  • deirdre._03652
    deirdre._03652 paulwgun

    Posted

    HI Paulwgun...my goodness...

    You should be so. Soooo proud of yourself ...you are doing amazingly well...keep it up....never, never, ever get too upset if you slip up at any time. ( it happens to us all )...however, you may well not !! Isn't it great to feel happier and healthier...it gets better and better...

    Keep up the good work young man ...it really can be done. ( I am twelve years...seven months sober...and liking myself again....

    Your whole life starts over...you are. WISER....CALMER....KINDER....AND VERY IMPORTANT. COMPASSIONATE OF OTHERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING THROUGH ANY !!! PROBLEM OR DIFFICULTIES....big, big hugs to YOU ...Deirdre xxx

  • paulwgun
    paulwgun

    Posted

    Further update, I've been lurking in the wings so to speak, reading posts but haven't contributed

    had copious amounts of alcohol over Christmas and decided on 3 rd January that I would have to stop drinking for my health and my weight problem. On the 5th I had some chest pain, made my way to a&e to be checked out luckily not a heart attack ( think it was indegestion) 

  • paulwgun
    paulwgun

    Posted

    Outcome of my hospital visit I have fatty liver so been dry now for 16 days and had some awful cravings but doing ok, my nurse is reluctant to ask my doctor to prescribe nalmaphene due to my medical condition but I fear if I do have a drink I won't have control
    • ADEfree
      ADEfree paulwgun

      Posted

      I wonder if they've got a record of your liver condition from 8 months ago. Perhaps it's actually gotten better? 

      I'm surprised at the nurse's response as it's my understanding that Nalmefene is processed via the kideys. If it can keep your drinking down, that's got to be better for your liver right there! Maybe call in and report that you're having bad cravings?

    • paulwgun
      paulwgun ADEfree

      Posted

      I'm due my annual blood test with my gp nurse ( fasting blood test) in the next couple of weeks I'll have to ask to see if there's a change in my liver readings 

      I'm still dry, and managing ok which I'm quite surprised about

       

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