I saw a therapist and a psychiatrist

[hoobie]

Hi everyone,

I just feel like posting for the sake of sorting out my feelings. I've been really busy with my job and have been feeling overwhelmed. I managed to see a therapist and a psychiatrist this week to talk about anxiety/ocd/drinking and get on meds.

Last Saturday I celebrated my 30 day sobriety by having a glass of wine. When my husband and I came back from our outing, I really REALLY wanted some more wine so I found our only bottle and began opening it. My husband stopped me and said that it was "fancy" wine and that if I really needed a drink, I should have some scotch or go to the liquor store. Well I don't like scotch and I'm lazy so I didn't have anymore alcohol. I told this to my therapist. I also told her about my past drinking habits for the last 8 years and she has concluded that I'm an alcoholic.

I then went to the psychiatrist and told him about my drinking and said that I'm trying to abstain. He shrugged it off and didn't seem concerned. He gave me prescriptions for Prozac, Xanax and an anti-drowsy med for any sleepy side-effects.

I'm happy I'm finally addressing these problems. I turned down plans with a friend tonight because I just wanted some mellow, alone time (husband is out). So here I am, relaxing and really wanting a drink. Why can't I have one? It's saturday night and I deserve it. I wouldn't get loaded-just a few glasses...

Instead I'll work out and start my prozac meds. The thought of this pisses me off but I suppose it's for the best. 30 days seemed do-able, but thinking that I may not have another drink ever again is really hard to deal with.

I came here to vent since the few friends I have don't know I'm going thorugh this. Thanks for reading.

[CarolD]

SR is a great place to vent...

I noticed this

Why can't I have one? It's saturday night and I deserve it. I wouldn't get loaded-just a few glasses...

How quickly the one turned into a few glasses!!

I wonder if you mix alcohol with the meds...is that dangerous?
Or makes them not work?

I am sure you will read the instructions before messing around
with the combo..

I do so hope you find your answers..

[cmc]

Hi,
Thirty days is very doable, but how about just 'doing' one day at a time?
For alot of us in recovery, the short term is easier to face than the long. I also wonder why you would want to mix alcohol with your meds- that is dangerous.
Perhaps you would like to visit one of the other forums that pertain to alcohol.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/alcoholism/ Alcoholism

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ics-anonymous/ Alcoholics Anonymous

I came here to vent since the few friends I have don't know I'm going thorugh this.

There are plenty of 'friends' to be found here on SR and I also suggest you try attending at least 6 face to face AA meetings. They will understand you and what you are facing.

[pedagogue]

Originally Posted by hoobie

I've been really busy with my job and have been feeling overwhelmed.

Last Saturday I celebrated my 30 day sobriety by having a glass of wine.

......I really REALLY wanted some more wine.....

So here I am, relaxing and really wanting a drink. Why can't I have one? It's saturday night and I deserve it. I wouldn't get loaded-just a few glasses...

Right now it sounds like you have an unhealthy relationship with wine/alcohol. It is perfectly normal to feel over-whelmed by work, and it is great to go out with your husband for a nice meal, but "celebrating" a sobriety date with a glass is probably a pretty good indicator that you need to look at how alcohol is currently involved/influencing your life. As a general rule of thumb, if you NEED something and have to rationalize it.....then you probably need to take a step back and ask why.

Originally Posted by hoobie

I then went to the psychiatrist and told him about my drinking and said that I'm trying to abstain. He shrugged it off and didn't seem concerned.

Did you ask explicitly about his position on your drinking? He might think your drinking is result of your heightened level of anxiety, and if he can address that, it will eliminate your insistant need to drink. (I think it just makes it less apparent, without changing anything about how you think of alcohol)

Originally Posted by hoobie

I'm happy I'm finally addressing these problems. I turned down plans with a friend tonight because I just wanted some mellow, alone time (husband is out).

Excellent! It is great to have days/night just for yourself. These can be great for recharging and refocusing.

Originally Posted by hoobie

30 days seemed do-able, but thinking that I may not have another drink ever again is really hard to deal with.

Depending on what school of thought you subscribe to about alcohol use/abuse, it may not have to be your last drink ever.....HOWEVER until you change your relationship with alcohol by using it as a crutch, the connection to "needing" it to relax, etc....then you probably shouldn't have any.

Hopefully you will continue seeing your therapist, and you can take some time to explore the role of alcohol in your life, and also develop some better coping mechanisms to better manage your anxieties.

-p

[BSPGirl]

Hm I'd be careful combining SSRI's and alcohol.

Marte

[hoobie]

Ha! I guess I didn't make myself clear. I said that instead of drinking, I would start my med program. I was debating on starting my prozac on Sunday so I could spend Saturday night drinking.

I did the right thing and took my meds instead of having some wine. The meds knocked me out and I was asleep by 10:30. I was on Prozac years ago and drank while on it and actually didn't notice any side-effects. Actually, I was on Zoloft 2 years ago and drank while on that too.

I was frustrated last night because my therapist considers me an alcoholic while my psychiatrist didn't seem to think it was a problem. I also have some self control when it comes to drinking so I guess I'm suprised that I still fit the criteria as one.

I don't have time to drink during the week anymore so I guess I'm wondering why I can't just enjoy myself on Saturday nights? I asked my therapist this and she said the alcoholic liver functions differntly from a normal liver and builds up toxins that stay in the system...

Is this true? How does she KNOW I have an "alcoholic liver"? Are there tests? I've had physicals/bloodwork and everything is fine. I feel like she would classify anyone who had 3 drinks a week an alcoholic.

[Don W]

Welcome hoobie, Welcome to SR. I can only speak of my experence. Don't hold anything back. Don't let embarrasement, shame and guilt stand in the way of recovery. I did and it only delayed the process. Don W

[pedagogue]

Originally Posted by hoobie

I was on Prozac years ago and drank while on it and actually didn't notice any side-effects. Actually, I was on Zoloft 2 years ago and drank while on that too.

Typically you shouldn't drink and take something like Prozac, but in an ideal situation, a drink or two won't be horrible...it just isn't advised because if you escalate the drinking, you could run into some problems. And in your case, you shouldn't drink until you evaluate what kind of effect it has on your day to day life. In addition, if you are just starting on the Prozac, it is important to not do anything that could increase the likelihood of a side effect. You body is going to take awhile to get use to the medication, so it is best to not complicate things.

Originally Posted by hoobie

I was frustrated last night because my therapist considers me an alcoholic while my psychiatrist didn't seem to think it was a problem. I also have some self control when it comes to drinking so I guess I'm suprised that I still fit the criteria as one.

Well....technically the dx would be Alcohol Abuse or Alcohol Dependance, but "Alcoholic" is more of a general term that people use. I assume that you spent more time with your therapist than you did the psychiatrist, so they may be working with different information. If 1 person thinks so, then it is something to look into. From what you described on here....it sounds like you have a problem with alcohol (see my above post).

Originally Posted by hoobie

I don't have time to drink during the week anymore so I guess I'm wondering why I can't just enjoy myself on Saturday nights? I asked my therapist this and she said the alcoholic liver functions differntly from a normal liver and builds up toxins that stay in the system...

Having a problem with alcohol doesn't mean that you drink to excess every day, all fo the time. If you binge drink you can actually do more immediate damage then drinking the same amount over a longer period of time. Though with that being said, excessive drinking....no matter how 'spread out' is not good in the long run either.

Originally Posted by hoobie

Is this true? How does she KNOW I have an "alcoholic liver"? Are there tests? I've had physicals/bloodwork and everything is fine. I feel like she would classify anyone who had 3 drinks a week an alcoholic.

They can do some bloodwork and do an enzyme (forget which one) check to evaluate for elevated levels in the liver. Typically someone who drinks heavily will have elevated levels, and this can reduce the effectiveness of the liver, in addition to storing toxins in the liver.

Again, being an alcoholic has much more to do with how alcohol effects your life, and less to do with an arbitrary # of drinks. People use 3 because in a typical 'social' setting like dinner, I don't see most people having more than a couple drinks.

-p

[michski]

[QUOTE=hoobie]Hi everyone,
I then went to the psychiatrist and told him about my drinking and said that I'm trying to abstain. He shrugged it off and didn't seem concerned. He gave me prescriptions for Prozac, Xanax and an anti-drowsy med for any sleepy side-effects.
QUOTE]


anti drowsy med? WTF is that??... you gotta watch these docs guys and their chemical solutions. An upper (anti drowsy med) will make that drink more attractive than you could ever imagine.

Thanks for your post and please vent on! I also notice that most people who drink normally just have a couple and that's it.. zip nada nothing more. Two drinks used to just make me feel like I was gonna live... or wanted to live.

[Don W]

hoobie, Like others have said they can tell by the blood test. Everything you eat or drink goes through your liver or kidneys. Basicly, your liver makes chemicals to break down the alcohol. The more you drink the harder it works. However, it can only produce so much so it must store some. There are some tell tale physical signs that tip doctors off. The point is that at some point your liver figures out it can't keep up and stops trying. One thing to point out is your liver is very smart. It remembers alcohol as something that in large amounts it can't defeat. So, even if you don't drink for along period of time, and your liver has repaired itself. Say after 10 years you start to drink. It will not be the same slow progression as before. Your liver will recognize it as something it can't defeat so, it won't even try. You can very quickly damage it beyond repair. On the bright side, I've seen people that got very close to the point of no return. And the liver has recovered. There is a man in the program at the V A Brocton with me now. He has all the classic signs. Swollen nose, blochy face, simple cuts that are difficult to heal. Liver sopts on his body. This is and advanced case. The doctors have told him that if he continues to drink there is nothing more they can do. He has a death sentence, and only he can change it. I'm not trying to scare you or others but, I hope I did. Don W

[meli2005]

be careful with the xanax. It works on the same part of the brain as alcohol and can actually create desire for alcohol. I would continue to work on your alcoholism and even attend AA. An alcoholic cannot just have one glass of wine.