Brandeeno

Has anybody had any success with non prescription supplements, vitamins, herbs, etc., to help curb cravings?

I'm going out on a dinner date tonight and am starting to get that itch to calm the nerves with a bottle. I'm certainly not going to drink tonight, but I was curious if anybody has had success with supplements to help relax them or kill the urge?

Thanks,

-Brandeeno-

CarolD

I did follow an eating plan + supplements I found in
"Under the influence".

In early sobriety....
I timed my cravings.

They were 5-7 minutes in duration.
Not too long too endure discomfort
.
Soooo....I took action.
Walked...rushed my teeth... Drank cold water...Hard candy

Within 2 weeks...the lessened in both time and intensity.
By 2 or so months .... they vanished.

Now...were they mental or physical?
Darn if I know. Nor do I care....

Enjoy your dinner date

staynalive

The girl at the health store gave me kudzu, saying her friend quit with the stuff. I tried it, seemed like it worked for a few days, then I wanted to test it by getting lit. A good B-complex vitamin helps, amino acids too since I'm lifting a good bit.

Most alcoholics a deficient in zinc and magnesium. When I crashed my car, the hospital did blood work. I was so low on magnesium they gave me IVs of it for 8 days. Came out of the hospital feeling great untill a relapse a few weeks later.

Best of luck man with the date and the not drinking. Not sure if taking any supplements help, but you probably already know they help with workouts anyways.

Texasblind

A B-complex supplement helps me. About a half hour after I take it, I'm good to go for about 6-8 hours.

Talk to your doctor though, there are prescription meds that will help.

Brandeeno

I'm currently taking an Omega-3, B Complex, B-12, and Vitamin C supplements on a daily basis. These have all helped me feel completely healthy and energized again, but I still get those sudden urges when certain situations arise.

Oh well, I made it through dinner at Chili's tonight without incident even with my date sipping on a cocktail as I arrived. She asked if I wanted to join her for another round but I settled on an Iced Tea. I told her my situation and she was totally understanding being that she's seen me after a night of drinking. She actually mentioned she hoped it wouldn't turn into a heavy drinking night and I was more than happy to oblige.

Anyways, I'm working on 9 days and feel great.

Texasblind

You're gonna have cravings for a long long time. I still do and I haven't been sober a year yet.

I've found that a multivitamin, calcium and a b-complex a day helps me so much. Maybe it's all in my head or maybe we're just that mal-nutritioned, I know I was severely dehydrated and malnurished when I detoxed. Gallons of water and gatorade and eating and vitamins helped alot.

Peter

Supplements never really helped my cravings. water did. gallons of it. I became something of a water connoisseur . Plain ol' Zephyrhills was my favorite. All them other fancy so called designer water only left an aftertaste in my mouth.

Texasblind

Yeah, I had this constant alkaline taste in my mouth. The doctor prescribed omeprazole, but it didn't really work. I just had to tough through it. Water, gatorade, and pedialyte was all I could do. I was really dehydrated when I checked in. The pedialyte tastes terrible but it works.

NoMoBeer

Vitamin AA

tomvlll

craving is what happens when you put alchohol in your body. You then crave more.

I believe the feeling you are talking about is obsession . The obsession of the mind. The obsession that tells you that alcohol will relieve the uneasy feeling you have.

As far as I know, that can only be relieved one way. Step 2 .
Reliance on any supplement, even it did work, is only a temporary fix.

" No human power can relieve our suffering".

splendra

I like to suggest that you stay away from refined sugar and artifical sweeteners to help curb the cravings.

Eat a very healthy diet avoiding chemically processed instant foods.

I know you are most likely looking for something right now that you can do to help you now. How about a little reason with yourself. It is like (((carol))))said cravings usually don't last very long and the more you can just deal with it without having to "do" something or"take" anything the better.

Not all supplements are good for all people something I might be deficient in you may not be.

I can't take multi vitamins because there is always something in them that makes me ill.

HLBlue

Hmmm....I have problems with absorbing certain vitamins. I am suppose to go in every 3 months for iron infusions and a B12 shot every 30 days. Has been over a year since I have done either. Can't afford them anymore. Any suggestions??? I use to drink protein drinks alot. Helped alot with energy but, was really hard to keep up with drinking sooooo much water.

Gah, I read what I just typed. Sad, I use to love to walk, etc...

Tommyh

here is what used to be the usual thing for new sober people
sugar-the body craves sugar and we mistake it for a booze craving.
candy or orange juice with honey in it helps

when I got sober I had a sweet tooth from He*%^

Brandeeno

I've heard the amino acid "Glutamine" works by a reliable source (nutritionist) who trains at my gym. He said it's used to help curb various types of drug addictions, Including alcohol. I'm gonna give it a try and I'll make sure to update everybody on my results

NoMoBeer

I know Glutamine works for my exercise recovery, but not sure it helps with "recovery" from alcoholism or addiction.... It never did a thing for my thinking and living, which are my 2 problems... alcohol was only a symptom for me.

In a Tailspin

Ok...........I'm gonna be a little (or maybe a lot) blunt here. I'm not so good at the cushioning stuff......so please here what I'm trying to say, not just how it comes out.....k?

It sounds like your issue last night was wanting to drink to squelch the nerves of a first date, right? Maybe instead of focusing on how to quell your cravings, you should alleviate the cause of your anxiety and desire to drink. My point being......maybe you shouldn't be dating right now.......maybe focus on the hugely important task at hand?

As a non-addict codependent.......not only is it important for your recovery to not be distracted by chicks........but my feeling is any chick who you meet right now and is aware of your situation and continues to pursue or be interested in a relationship with you [I]at this time[I] is probably a codie or damn close to it and will not be healthy for your recovery.......JMHO

Best of luck to you and again.....please don't take my bluntness personally......just how I am!!

Kristina

L-Glutamine is an absolute lifesaver when it comes to alcohol and sugar cravings. A really good read is "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross, who began her career as an addiction counselor and found great success treating her patients with amino acids. It's a really, really good book, and I highly recommend it to anyone, alcoholic or not.

In the book, it discusses the physical side of addiction and cravings, and that 95% of us (alcoholics) are hypoglycemic. The L-Glutamine immediately takes away cravings that come from a physical cause, and you don't have to deal with the blood sugar crash that comes from dealing with a physical alcohol craving with sugar.

Kristina

And forgot to say, congrats on your two weeks of sobriety!

Music

Time, patience and a lot of NOT DRINKING took care of my cravings. Also a good diet of meetings, calling a sponsor and working the steps works.

mikel60

Hi Brandeeno,
When I got sober my sponsor told me that if I felt like drinking I should head for the nearest ice cream shop and drink a large chocolate milkshake. If I still felt like drinking after that, I should order a vanilla shake. No way would I want to drink after that. It worked. I haven't drank in 12 years.

The diabetes is a pain, though...and the thirty extra pounds...