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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#1
I have a problem with alchohol and should not drink because of my liver. My addiction to it at times makes me ignore this fact. Sometimes I tell myself your liver isn't that bad yet. I have Cirrhosis--not sure what stage yet as they haven't been able to figure it yet. So I tell myself maybe it's in it's earliest stage and I can still drink. If that is so then it's going to get worse faster so why do I still drink? I have an addiction to it.
I quit alchohol from 1986 to 2006; almost 20 years and why I picked it back up I don't know but IT along with Fatty Liver disease, medications too made me get to cirrhosis. I may seem really stupid but I'm not. Yet in a way addiction makes me really stupid in this regard to drinking. I went to AA for 4 years and still stayed sober for another 15. I didn't like AA and still don't like it for many reasons but mainly not getting along with some of the people and the way they treat people. I don't want to go back there. My psychiatrist has suggested in patient treatment but right now I have no means to get there. I asked him for the medication Camprol which once before helped me to not drink. He would not prescribe it unless I go to the inpatient treatment. I feel I'm in a dillemna. I don't know what to do any more. The longest I've gone without alcohol in awhile is 2 weeks. I have changed to lite beer when I drink because of lower alcohol content. I bet no one has any answers for me but I'll post this anyways just in case. __________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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Elder
Member Since Mar 2017
Location: Florida
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#2
I too am a recovering alcoholic. AA was not for me either I only have three years sober but what I have found that works for me is. I realized I drank to self medicate and control my symptoms of bipolar. Once I new what was wrong with me and I got on medication my will to drink stopped. I sometimes still think of a drink but what I say to myself would I drink bleach? Alcohol for me would be like drinking bleach I would eventually end up dead.
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#3
Quote:
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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bizi, MickeyCheeky
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#4
I also have Child-Pugh C Cirrhosis which was diagnosed secondary to alcohol which was complicated by a ventilator associated Klebsiella pneumonia after being admitted to ICU for liver failure following a 2 month stay in rehabilitation for learning to talk, walk and various other things people take for granted.
I drank for 20 years everyday like clockwork. I'm not entirely happy to be alive because of my personality type and to be quite honest, just sick and tired of people's lies and government bureaucracy. Since then I'm on strong painkillers and a heap of other medication that makes me "foggy" and confused 45% of the day. Apart from my questionable education, I'm actually quite intelligent. But the psychiatrist drugs they try to push for other reasons just create more fatty tissue in my liver. Mind you chronic pain followed.. I've been sober for two years but I thought what the heck, let's make this cannabis really light up with some Vodka...months later, it became once a week, then I became homeless a dealt with my abandonment with beer... I woke up this morning wanting to quit with medication (Campral) but the thought of the agonising boredom with noisy housemates I'm afraid just like you. The one thing that kept me sober for that time was the one thing the doctors took away- Oxycodone. I agree about AA. It's just full of triggers and *gulp* opportunity'' I need to find another habit |
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#5
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I have been thinking of getting interested in something to replace alcohol, but don't know what that would be yet. I used to draw but since taking psyche meds. have little desire to. I feel my talent is probably gone. Yeah, AA helped me for awhile but it got me so annoyed after awhile. I know there must be some form of help out there. Maybe I should get a book on alchoholism--a workbook of some sort if there is one out there. Thanks for sharing about you. Maybe there are better times ahead for folks like us, I don't know, just hoping. PS. I just looked Alcoholism Workbooks up and came up with this and I bought one for only $6.13: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...lism+workbooks __________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
Last edited by LucyD; Jan 12, 2019 at 01:13 AM.. |
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#6
I am sorry to hear of others' issues with AA. I too felt the same way after trying it four times but I kept relapsing. I decided this last time that all those people cant be that crazy and they are sober. So I went on 12/12/13 and that was my first sober day. Sure, I judged and had personalities that bugged me. I learned a lot on how to deal with people. The previous times it didnt work were because I did not get a sponsor or really do the written work on the steps. That is what helped me clear out the clutter. I do not practice christianity so when I would hear of someone who found church or Jesus I just tuned them out. My higher power is purely spiritual and does not revolve around a god, man in the sky, holy mother or any other sort of magical thinking. But I agree, AA isnt for everyone. I just look at it like, if you are doing it your way, why not try this way even if its for the umpteenth time. Its not working for you now this way. Re: treatment. My daughter who is 18 ran away in march and ended up coming home an addict. We got her into rehab and the rehab flew her to Florida. We only had to fly her home because she did not want to live in Florida. I do not know how your insurance works but I know many rehabs that will get you there. Its worth looking into. I believe you need medical detox. I should have had medical detox, I was drinking 3 large bottles of wine a day, but I didnt know any better. I believe the only reason I didnt have a seizure is because I was on lamictal. I had fatty liver disease and my enzymes were out of whack. A year after when I got a physical they were all restored to normal. Quitting on my own was brutal and I do not think I could survive doing it again. Physically with the shakes and physical symptoms and then the mental brokenness might just kill me if I have to do it again.
I have had four people in my AA network die as a direct result of alcoholism and it is NOT pretty. It is miserable and painful and disgusting. These people all had alcohol related issues but kept drinking. They ended up in care facilities sh*tting and pissing on themselves. Seeing things, tremors, neurological impairments. They couldnt walk right. One woman who I was close with relapsed for the last time and took her own life. I can assure you that you will die if you do not stop. And you do not want to die that way. Hospitals do not always have the compassion they should for alcohol withdrawl and related illnesses. They look at it a lot as being your own fault. Organ transplant lists are not favorable to alcoholism either, you are definitely not at the top of the list. I have been to more viewings and funerals as an alcoholic than I have in my whole life. Mostly overdoses but also alcoholism. I do believe it can kill you. __________________ "I carried a watermelon?" President of the no F's given society. |
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Legendary
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#7
I'm so sorry, LucyD Giving up alcohol is certainly not easy. Please don't give up. From what you wrote, it sounds like you're really trying your best, and that's good. Keep trying and I'm sure you'll be able to quit sooner or later: you've already been able to stay sober for 20 years! That's a huge accomplishment, please recognize that. And I'm sure you can accomplish it again. Do you remember what made you quit alcohol the first time around? Maybe that could help. Please don't be so hard on yourself, you're not stupid at all. This is just the way alcohol works. It's not your fault. Wish you good luck! Let us know how it goes. Sending many hugs to you
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#8
Quote:
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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Magnate
Member Since Jul 2017
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#9
Quote:
__________________ | |Up and down |And in the end it's only round and round |Pink Floyd - Us and Them | |bipolar II, substance use disorder, ADD |lamictal, straterra | |
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Member
Member Since Nov 2018
Location: Illinois
Posts: 156
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#10
Have you tried the SMART Recovery Program?
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#11
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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Bizi is bizi
Member Since Nov 2005
Location: cajun country
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#12
hi lucy,
SMART recovery is on line. They hold on line meetings and have a chat room. They are an abstinence program. The meetings fulfill like AA requirements. They are not religious based at all. bizi __________________ lamictal 2x a day haldol 2x a day cogentin 2x a day klonipin , 1mg at night, fish oil coq10 multi vit,, vit c, at noon, tumeric, caffeine Remeron at night, zyprexa, requip2-4mg |
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#13
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#14
I went to the SMART Recovery site and registered. It looks very interesting. Going to see what it's all about later. Really glad to find the site.
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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#15
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Implying that art is a habit. I found drinking iced water with lemon slices really helped me stay sober with absolutely no interest in drinking alcoholic beverages. Sorry Lucy D. But in the interests of your question |
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#16
Quote:
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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MickeyCheeky
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Bizi is bizi
Member Since Nov 2005
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#17
I use liquid stevia to sweeten my water both cold and hot. Sweet leaf makes it. I like many of the different flavors cream, toffee, vanilla, chocolate and others I can't think of right now.
This is day 2 for me. good luck with your journey. bizi __________________ lamictal 2x a day haldol 2x a day cogentin 2x a day klonipin , 1mg at night, fish oil coq10 multi vit,, vit c, at noon, tumeric, caffeine Remeron at night, zyprexa, requip2-4mg |
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Apr 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 1,818
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#18
You are doing good! I've never tried stevia. Sounds good. I have been abstaining and today I printed out a bunch of the recovery worksheets at SMART Recovery. Thank you so much for telling me it's online or I would not have considered it. I have been abstaining for 8 days now. But it's one day at a time for me.
__________________ One way to get the best out of life is to think of it as an adventure. William Feather Medications: Risperidone-1 mg.daily, Propranolol-20 mg. daily, Gabapentin-600 mg daily, Melatonin-3 mg. at bedtime, Nicotine Lozenges-2 mg., Vape Liquid-3 mg., One A Day Vitamins,
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Bizi is bizi
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#19
Great about SMART recovery!
and good for you on 8 days.You made it thru a weekend right? I am self employed so would reschedule visits to other days if I needed to sleep more due to alcohol from the night before. Do you work or have children or other responsibilities? bizi __________________ lamictal 2x a day haldol 2x a day cogentin 2x a day klonipin , 1mg at night, fish oil coq10 multi vit,, vit c, at noon, tumeric, caffeine Remeron at night, zyprexa, requip2-4mg |
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#20
Is smart recovery like a 12 step program without certain parts?
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