[Misssy2]

I've always been honest.

I do know that for people addicted to heroin there is some medication relieve. My son has always been on the Methadone clinic.

But, for me..suffering from alcoholism the benzos bring greatest relief in times of stress and because I have been HONEST about my slips with alcohol the Drs have reduced my benzo intake from 2 to 1 a day!

I do not think this is fair and wish I never told them I struggled with drinking. I don't see a way out of this black hole I have gotten myself into with them...and therefore, I drank alcohol again to avoid feelings of anxiety..and of course i feel worse now than ever.

Why help other addictions with medication and not this one!?

[kecanoe]

That is a really good question. Is the Dr you are referring to an addiction specialist? My pdoc is an addictionologist and he does prescribe Xanax for alcoholics. I don't know if he does that for people in early sobriety or not.

One thing I do because I am afraid of getting addicted to Xanax is to take only 1/2 or 1/3 of a pill and see if that works before taking more. It helps a lot of the time. And the advantage of taking less one day is that then if I have a really bad day later, I can take the rest of the pill. For me, the anxiety is not always the same level, it sometimes is very strong and other times not so bad. That's why splitting doses helps.

[Misssy2]

hi kecanoe..I was doing pretty well with splitting the pill if I only had subtle anxiety. THEN I went on a drinking binge and to avoid the bad withdrawals...I took 5 in one day...making my prescription now shorter (5 days less).

I think it is just the fear of not having them at all. Like I missed an apt with him the other day...so if I tell him it was because i was DRUNK...he is going to be "rightfully" hestiant about even giving me the one a day. Its hard because he is a new Dr. for me and doesn't know that I have been on them for YEARS....even thou I gave him the documentation.

The last thing my therapist said to me..in order to get your anxiety med back..we have to get this alcohol use out of your records...so I guess I'm going to say I "forgot" the appointment vs. I was **** faced for a week.

[Misssy2]

additionally, I was approved by the Federal government for anxiety disorders...but yet no Dr. will treat me as such...makes no sense...especially since I have said I would be open to random drug testing..if they would just give me back the 2.

The random drug testing would assure...that if I DRANK...than they could cut my meds.