WOW - seems like a wonderdrug - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

waistedyears · 11-14-2009, 10:20 PM

Hey all... I am on day 6 and am having a great time being sober. Just want you to know I am in no way associated or work for the drug manufaturer Campral, but wow. It has helped me emensely. I do have a strong desire to quit so I know that has helped. But in the past I have always had this little monster in my head saying "it's OK, just have one" or "you deserve a drink today", etc... With Campral the appeal / obsession with booze is gone. I hope to god this lasts but I have not even thought about drinking during the past week. Prior to this I was drinking a half gallon of Beam with some beers mixed in per week. I know I should also mix in AA and will, but my god - what a difference. My main issue in the past has been that void / craving that booze satisfied, but then the alergy to booze took over and left me blacked out or at least very hungover. It's as if it has been removed.

I know we aren't suppose to give medical advice here, and that is not my intention. I would suggest at least talking to your doctor if your story is similar to mine. I am in my 30's and have had isses with booze since I was 18 yeasrs old. This has really worked for me so far.

Just my two cents. Good luck everyone!!!

**CarolD** · 11-15-2009, 04:33 AM

Glad your feeling good about your new sobriety.

and yes....only your doctor can assess what you
miht need to quit drinking. Not everyone can
use the same drug or get the same results.
Not everyone can afford to use drugs.

I quit drinking before any of the 'anti-cravings"
drugs were marketed
I can say one can stop without drugs

If you can't take the drugs for whatever reason
please don't lose hope. Yes you too can quit

barb dwyer · 11-15-2009, 06:15 PM

I was perscribed Campral in my earliest recovery
and used along with my Program I think it probably helped.
I was so physically sick, though...
for the entire first year
(and second, but by then we knew what it was)
I can't say for sure WHICH thing helped.

At the same time -
a friend who wasn't even as 'sick' as me
while detoxing and starting her life in recovery
had no sense of relief at all.

I agree it's purely individual results.

exquisitered · 11-16-2009, 10:14 PM

First of all congrats on getting sober!

I took Campral for the first 90 days and I do think it helped. It didn't stop all my cravings, but I think it made them less severe than I have had in the past. I really would recommend anyone to talk to your doctor when you are ready to quit. Maybe they will think you need a medicine or maybe not, but it never hurts to use every resource available. In my case, the doc wanted me to take Campral for at least 90 days and up to a year. I quit after 90 days because it is pretty expensive and I just couldn't afford to keep taking it. I really had good results with it, though. I had absolutely no side effects whatsoever. It didn't FIX me. I don't want to make it sound like you pop a pill and you are done. You still have to work really hard and will have ups and downs... but it did kind of quite my mind and make it easier to focus on my recovery. I have nearly 11 months now, and going strong

Oh and preferably talk to your doctor BEFORE you quit. lol.. I actually did my detox at home because I was too stubborn to go at first. I imagine that would have been a LOT easier if I had talked to a doctor about it, too.

OtherHalf7 · 11-16-2009, 10:28 PM

Just make sure your doc isn't a "candy man" type...my ASO was on so many pills he swelled up like a balloon and was talking to trees, and got so scared he went back in to treatment...let the doc know what you take, first, to avoid unnessary "Alice In Wonderland" Odysees, or worse

Thanks for the info...my ASO tried anabuse and antianxiety meds, but neither did anything for the cravings.

exquisitered · 11-16-2009, 10:44 PM

Otherhalf

Are you sure it was the meds? Could he have been having dt's? Alcoholics can hallucinate and get very sick when they stop cold turkey. You are right though that some doctors hand out meds like candy and for us that is very dangerous. It's always good to have a doctor you trust and who knows about addictions. Mine happens to be an AA himself (14 years sober), so that helped.

OtherHalf7 · 11-17-2009, 05:50 PM

He had a reaction to Ambien...he detoxed for several days in treatment, and when he came out, his new psychiatrist changed his meds AGAIN! If the docs would give things time to work and check for contraindictions, he might have handled it better.

Now, he drinks on his meds, and doesn't realize that this CAUSES much of the mania...this is a no-win situation

11-14-2009, 10:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
waistedyears Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9	WOW - seems like a wonderdrug Hey all... I am on day 6 and am having a great time being sober. Just want you to know I am in no way associated or work for the drug manufaturer Campral, but wow. It has helped me emensely. I do have a strong desire to quit so I know that has helped. But in the past I have always had this little monster in my head saying "it's OK, just have one" or "you deserve a drink today", etc... With Campral the appeal / obsession with booze is gone. I hope to god this lasts but I have not even thought about drinking during the past week. Prior to this I was drinking a half gallon of Beam with some beers mixed in per week. I know I should also mix in AA and will, but my god - what a difference. My main issue in the past has been that void / craving that booze satisfied, but then the alergy to booze took over and left me blacked out or at least very hungover. It's as if it has been removed. I know we aren't suppose to give medical advice here, and that is not my intention. I would suggest at least talking to your doctor if your story is similar to mine. I am in my 30's and have had isses with booze since I was 18 yeasrs old. This has really worked for me so far. Just my two cents. Good luck everyone!!!

11-15-2009, 04:33 AM	#2 (permalink)
CarolD Forum Leader Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Serene In Dixie Posts: 34,835	Glad your feeling good about your new sobriety. and yes....only your doctor can assess what you miht need to quit drinking. Not everyone can use the same drug or get the same results. Not everyone can afford to use drugs. I quit drinking before any of the 'anti-cravings" drugs were marketed I can say one can stop without drugs If you can't take the drugs for whatever reason please don't lose hope. Yes you too can quit __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery! Last edited by CarolD; 11-15-2009 at 04:50 AM.

11-15-2009, 06:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
barb dwyer same planet...different world Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: butte mt Posts: 10,933 Blog Entries: 7	I was perscribed Campral in my earliest recovery and used along with my Program I think it probably helped. I was so physically sick, though... for the entire first year (and second, but by then we knew what it was) I can't say for sure WHICH thing helped. At the same time - a friend who wasn't even as 'sick' as me while detoxing and starting her life in recovery had no sense of relief at all. I agree it's purely individual results. __________________ Knowledge is knowing that tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in fruit salad.

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11-16-2009, 10:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
exquisitered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 50	First of all congrats on getting sober! I took Campral for the first 90 days and I do think it helped. It didn't stop all my cravings, but I think it made them less severe than I have had in the past. I really would recommend anyone to talk to your doctor when you are ready to quit. Maybe they will think you need a medicine or maybe not, but it never hurts to use every resource available. In my case, the doc wanted me to take Campral for at least 90 days and up to a year. I quit after 90 days because it is pretty expensive and I just couldn't afford to keep taking it. I really had good results with it, though. I had absolutely no side effects whatsoever. It didn't FIX me. I don't want to make it sound like you pop a pill and you are done. You still have to work really hard and will have ups and downs... but it did kind of quite my mind and make it easier to focus on my recovery. I have nearly 11 months now, and going strong Oh and preferably talk to your doctor BEFORE you quit. lol.. I actually did my detox at home because I was too stubborn to go at first. I imagine that would have been a LOT easier if I had talked to a doctor about it, too.

11-16-2009, 10:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
OtherHalf7 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Humboldt TN Posts: 114	Just make sure your doc isn't a "candy man" type...my ASO was on so many pills he swelled up like a balloon and was talking to trees, and got so scared he went back in to treatment...let the doc know what you take, first, to avoid unnessary "Alice In Wonderland" Odysees, or worse Thanks for the info...my ASO tried anabuse and antianxiety meds, but neither did anything for the cravings.

11-16-2009, 10:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
exquisitered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 50	Otherhalf Are you sure it was the meds? Could he have been having dt's? Alcoholics can hallucinate and get very sick when they stop cold turkey. You are right though that some doctors hand out meds like candy and for us that is very dangerous. It's always good to have a doctor you trust and who knows about addictions. Mine happens to be an AA himself (14 years sober), so that helped.

11-17-2009, 05:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
OtherHalf7 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Humboldt TN Posts: 114	He had a reaction to Ambien...he detoxed for several days in treatment, and when he came out, his new psychiatrist changed his meds AGAIN! If the docs would give things time to work and check for contraindictions, he might have handled it better. Now, he drinks on his meds, and doesn't realize that this CAUSES much of the mania...this is a no-win situation

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