tkdan

I've been using Campral for a while now. It has helped me through the tough times with cravings. Now I don't feel like cravings are an issue. I realize my way of thinking is what I will have to continue to work on. I have a few days at a reduced dose then I'm off it. I believe now that with the help of AA I'm ready. I'm at day 34 and feel good about it. I was under the weather for a while and did not make any meetings and I missed it. I always thought I would dread going to meetings not miss them if I could not go. I"m back in good health so I'm ready to resume life. Just want to share with my online family.

tkdan

It worked good as long as I took it as recomended. I've heard people say it worked great and some say they could not tell a difference. I feel like it served its purpose.

Tazman53

Glad to hear you are feeling better Dan, congrats on the 34 days. They gave me revia when I got out of detox, I forgot to take it more often then I remembered to take it! LOL

I could not tell the difference when I took it and when I didn't. I know some folks who said it made a lot of difference and others said it was a waste of time. A med that works for one may not work for another, I know that like you Dan, AA has worked for me and will continue to do so as long as I keep working it.

CarolD

I did use Antabuse in early sobriety.
It did help me...until I drank on it!
I became so violently ill from the reaction
I quit the Antabuse.
Duh Me!

The newer drugs for cravings were not discovered.

Dan...well done on your progress

tellus

Congrats on 34 days! It's great that you feel you can get off the Campral that quickly--my doc told me I'd be on it for at least six months, ugh.

DKS

Congrats on getting off the Campral. My doc said that they are still studying the most effective time period and that I would be on it for a year, then wean to 1 pill 3X per day for 3 months, then get off of it after 15 months. I took it for the entire year, then began the weaning process at a very stressful time in my life and my job, and the cravings returned and were very disturbing while on a business trip and staying at a hotel with a free happy hour that I always used to enjoy with my coworkers. She told me the cravings were coincident with the reduction in Campral and some people have a false start at the weaning process and need to stay on the full dose for 15 months. I went back on the full dose until the 15 month point, then cut down to the 3 pills per day for the next 3 months and then discontinued at the 18 month point. I just saw her last week for another follow up and she asked about the cravings and they have been totally absent, even though all hell has broken out in my life recently (numerous health problems and my son went off and joined the marines without telling us last week.) She said "Congratulations! You are now officially "in full remission!"" That felt pretty good. I definitely agree that Campral served a useful purpose, but it is really nice to be off of it and no longer having the cravings or compulsions.

barb dwyer

Campral helped me in more ways than just obsessing about alcohol.

And when it was time to put it down ... I knew it.
Looks to me like you do, too.

Good for you, Dan!!

tkdan

I've actually been on it for about 8 months. I believe there are two reasons I relapsed while on it. One I did not always take it as directed, and two I was relying on the medication alone to keep me sober. I finally realized that if I'm going to have a lasting and quality sobriety I would have to embrace some type of recovery program.

barb dwyer

ding ding!!!!


wooHOO!!!

Tazman53

What I am constantly amazed by is that right on the label of all of the anti-craving meds & antabuse it tells folks that they are ineffective unless combined with some sort of long term recovery program.

Dan thanks for sharing what I quoted above, you may just save one other person from a relapse who thinks "All I have to do is take this medicine and I will be fine." Of course I am a fine one to talk about following directions on meds, I drank on every med I was ever given even when there were HUGE warnings on the bottle about how mixing the med with alcohol could have serious side effects.

I really do not know if not following directions is a trait of all alcoholics, but I do know when I was drinking I sure did not and most other alcoholics I know sober or practicing are not real good at it either, I know I am a whole lot better about following directions then when I was drinking.