[Set Me Free]

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I've been on Campral for quite a while which is supposed to help with the cravings but did not. I was on antabuse twice within the last ten years. I got some relief (AA would not credit it as clean time but AA didn't know) They don't really prescribe it anymore but my doc gave me a months worth (my pc...my psychiatrist said no) and said see him after a month to determine whether I need to go another month. I told him I had a lot of sober time and relapsed when in reality I've been drinking about twelve beers a night for the past three years. I'm broke, now on Viibryd which definitely does not agree with alcohol...I wanted to stop but couldn't let go of the compulsion to drink any time I was home. I have not drank in five days and I feel so much better physically and emotionally. I still crave but there is no choice for me at the moment. Drink on Antabuse=get very sick. I tried it. It got to the point where I needed to STOP and I don't care how. Felt like I needed to share this...I don't know why.

[splitimage]

This is just my opinion, but I see nothing wrong with taking meds to help with staying sober, if they help you. I've taken Naltrexone to help with cravings but it didn't really help me, plus I lost my insurance and couldn't really afford it so I went off it. I take Antabuse. I go to AA and women for sobriety too, and am feeling pretty stable in my sobriety at the moment, but don't trust myself to stay sober as I have a crappy record of relapsing. The antabuse is my insurance policy that I won't drink if I get a craving. I have drunk on it a couple of times, and will never repeat that experience.

I know my addictions Dr. prescribes it to a lot of people. It's pretty harmless unless you drink, you just need to get your liver function tested once a year when you're on it.

Good luck.

splitimage

[Set Me Free]

thanks splitimage. do I have to find an addictions dr to continue this? my pc will probably only refill it once if that. how do you find an addiction doctor?

[hopefultoday]

I've been sober for 53 days and my cravings are still there, but much much less. It's hard but I just have to tough it out. I've never been on the meds for cravings, but if that's what helps you get through it, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Everyone's different and if that's what it takes just stick with it. Just take it one day at a time. Make it through the next 24 hours or even the next hour, half hour without drinking. I wish you luck.

[splitimage]

My pdoc was hesitant about prescribing my Antabuse too at first, because it was outside his area of expertise. But he did prescribe it to me for awhile, just because I was having him do all my prescribing.

My addictions Dr., I met through my rehab, and prescribes Antabuse to a lot of patients. I also see her for counselling.

if you want to see an addictions specialist, ask for a referal from your pdoc or your gp. You might also see if you can find a specialist in concurrent disorders (In the US they call it Dual Disorders) that's when you have a mental health Dx and an addiction program.

Good luck, and I hope you're able to keep taking the Antabuse. My sponsor knows all about my taking it, and has absolutely no problem with my taking it.

--splitimage

[madisgram]

while i advocate AA cause it worked for me, sober 21 yrs., here's an article-long but worth the read- that may offer you hope in a non-conventional way.
http://www.sos-rochester.org/nytimes2.html
imho it doesn't matter what tools you use if you have the desire to get sober and stay sober. you might want to give another way other than AA to accomplish your goal. it's always rewarding to me to see someopne who knows alcohol is not the answer. stopping frees us from the destruction alcohol causes. i even lost my soul cause i couldn't feel anymore.
in the article it mentions to me a key point...what are the underlying feelings do we have that we're numbing with alcohol? figure that out, get help for it, and staying sober is much easier. otherwise we'll return to the drink i believe.