[cocos421]

I never knew my pdoc was so against me drinking. I think I may have mentioned it to her in conversations once or twice that I had a drink or two with my husband. She didn't say a thing. I drink on occasion. In the evenings, usually after our daughter goes to bed at 9:00. Then we go to bed by midnight. This past weekend was my husband's birthday, so I drank more than usual. I drank 3 times that week, having at least 6 beers each time. I can handle my beer. I don't get drunk or out of control.
I do take 6 different meds for bipolar and depression and I take ritalin too.
My husband found out that i snuck 2 vicodin last week and also half a xanax. He was pissed at me and thought my pdoc should know everything. I had called her for an earlier appointment because I was reallly depressed and exhausted. Well, he went and called her on my way to the appoinment and told her everything!
Now, she's upset with me, says she won't treat me if I am drinking. I cannot even have one drop! I said fine , I'll stop. I've quit before for 2 years. My husband even quit with me. She gives me phone numbers and wants me to go to a program for people who have alcohol addiction problems!!!!
What do I do?
This really upsets me. I understand the importance of drinking while on meds and I can stop. to be honest, we only really drink to enhance our sex life, it lowers our inhibitions. But i'll quit the beers.
why won't she take my word for it? I feel i do not need some long program when I truly am not a true alcoholic.
Is everyone who walks in a store to purchase beer an alcoholic?
Sorry for the long post, just wanted some advise. Thanks

[Yoda]

If you understand the importance of not drinking while on meds then why are you doing it? Some meds are okay with moderate alcohol, some meds are not. I recently asked my pdoc after ten years of meds and not drinking if I was safe to drink with my meds and he said yes in moderation. Moderation is one or two drinks. Six beers is not moderate. I know you weren't shi* faced drunk on six beers but it still isn't considered moderate. I don't know if you are an alcoholic. Putting a label on yourself doesn't really help.

You have a choice - stop drinking completely and stay with your same pdoc and same meds or find another pdoc who may prescribe different meds that are okay to combine with alcohol. How motivated are you to drink/not drink?

Does your husband expect you not to drink and he will continue to drink while he is around you? That would be tough.

[splitimage]

If you drank 6 beers you were drunk. The fact that you don't show it, simply means that you have high tolerance, which is usually a sign of a drinking problem. And six beers 3 times in a week definitely exceeds the safe drinking guidelines for women, which are no more than 1 drink a day, with one day of complete abstinance a week.

Your psychiatrist is right to be concerned. Alcohol and psych meds do not mix. In some cases alcohol can negate the effect of the psych meds, in other's it'll accentuate it, with potentially deadly consequences.

I don't care if you're an alcoholic or not, only you can decide if that label fits you. Your Dr. obviously believes you can benefit from a treatment program - you might want to listen.

If you can quit on your own, Great - more power to you. Personally I couldn't I needed help - but that's just my experience.

Lots of psychiatrists won't work with patients who have drinking problems, it's not worth their time or trouble to work with patients who by the fact of their drinking are negating any benefit of treatment.

splitimage

[cocos421]

Thank you so much for the replies. I certainly believe I can do it on my own. And my husband will stop too. He won't drink if I don't. That's a big help. And the 6 beers for those three nights was a rare instance. It's very moderate drinking that I have done prior to that. I just think that going for help is a waste of everyone's time and my money. And I love my pdoc. I don't want her to let me go because of this, so I guess if I have to go through with these classes, I will do it. But I wish she'd hear me out.

[madisgram]

cocos, a good rule of thumb re drinking/drugging...if one does it to gain a feeling or get rid of a feeling that person usually is dependent or has a problem.
this concept worked for me. i drank for all the wrong reasons.
as for you, the saying above can be the best quick tool you can use to evaluate yourself. i wish you well in your endeavors.

[Phoenix1985]

I used to have four drinks a night just to "feel" better, or at least not a bad.
When I was working I'd have at least two drinks when I got home just to "relax and unwind", but I eventually ended up feeling as though I needed those drinks. So now I prefer to not keep alcohol in the house, especially when I am depressed or stressed.

I hope you can convince your PDoc to hear you out, and listen to you.

[Elana05]

Originally Posted by cocos421

...Well, he went and called her on my way to the appoinment and told her everything!

This would make me feel mad.
It is understandable that your husband did this out of fear, care and concern for you. But I would feel like this was crossing boundaries and I think I'd want to say, "this is my doctor, not your doctor." I have noticed that I have to feel responsible and capable in my own self-care. (I would never be going to a 12-step program if anyone insisted that I go). I feel very triggered by people telling me what to do, but have found the self-care that comes from deep within to be the most helpful. Over time it has even made me feel more open to hearing what people have to say without becoming triggered that they are "trying to tell me what to do."

Sending supportive thoughts your way...

[cocos421]

I know my husband did it for my own benefit, but he was also mad at me too, so it was his way to get back at me I suppose. Now it backfired on him because he doesn't want to see me go to these classes, which he'll have to pay for, and we are so broke right now. I wish he would've just kept his mouth shut.
My pdoc also wants to see him along with me on my next visit in 10 days.
All this has gotten me so down. A few (or more) beers to celebrate my husband's birthday and now I have to pay the price. I am so not an alcoholic. I drink for no specific reason. I do not drink when I am depressed. Mainly just when I am in a good mood, worked hard (which doesn't happen much), and I like the taste. Thanks for your reply.

[Nixi]

Maybe if your husband goes with u to your next pdoc appointments she will take your word that you're not drinking and you won't have to go to any classes? Especially if your husband doesn't want you to either!

Good luck I hope it goes well for you!

[cocos421]

I went for my evaluation today for a treatment program. The therapist did not recommend treatment, after a thorough interview process. He typed up a letter and faxed it to my pdoc. I hope that satisfies her. I've been doing just fine and I realize that it is not good to mix alcohol and meds.