My story ... why I NEED to quit....
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1
My story ... why I NEED to quit....
I'm a 25 year old male. I weight 220 lbs even and I'm 6ft1in.
Basically I've been drinking about 6-12 beers a day for the past 4 years. I dropped out of college at age 20 and came home from school. My parents said everything would be fine, cmon home, etc.
Things changed VERY quickly once I was home. My father's marriage was in shambles and APPARENTLY my step-mother had hated me for YEARS. When I came home she blamed all their marital problems on ME....and less a month later my dad was packing my bags and driving me to the local homeless shelter.
I got a job while in the shelter and moved into my own place. A year later I turned 21 and was unemployed.
I grew up in a small town where the nearest store was a 10 minute DRIVE away. Now I was living in a big city and the nearest store was only a 5 minute WALK away. I quickly realized that alcohol was both cheap and easily accessible -- so I started drinking daily. Every night after work I would pickup a 24oz. beer. Soon this turned into TWO 24oz beers. Soon this turned into THREE 24oz beers.
Before I knew it, I was rushing home from work to the liquor store before they closed to buy booze. Beer was no longer getting me "drunk."
I've held various jobs for about a year at a time -- eventually succumbing to my drinking and calling in sick until I got fired. Then I would just find another job and start the cycle all over again.
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Well, at this point, I've been drinking about 6-12 beers every night for probably 4-5 years. The reason I write this NOW however, is that today I went to the doctor and have bronchitis and a very serious sinus infection.
I didn't tell him I'm an alcoholic. He gave me a script for Erythromycin (an antibiotic) - one 333mg tablet three times daily.
I NEED to quit drinking tonight and start taking these meds -- I'm very sick right now. I've been sick for about a week now, still drinking every night as usual.
Is it safe for me to quit drinking cold turkey while taking these meds? Should I call the doctor tomorrow and tell him about my heavy drinking before I start taking the meds?
I was actually excited when he told me to make sure I don't drink any alcohol while I'm taking these meds. "THIS is a reason to completely stop drinking for 2 weeks" I thought to myself. If I can stop drinking for 2 weeks, maybe I can stop for good.
Any advice would be MUCH appreciated. I'm new here. Thanks in advance for any help!!!!
Basically I've been drinking about 6-12 beers a day for the past 4 years. I dropped out of college at age 20 and came home from school. My parents said everything would be fine, cmon home, etc.
Things changed VERY quickly once I was home. My father's marriage was in shambles and APPARENTLY my step-mother had hated me for YEARS. When I came home she blamed all their marital problems on ME....and less a month later my dad was packing my bags and driving me to the local homeless shelter.
I got a job while in the shelter and moved into my own place. A year later I turned 21 and was unemployed.
I grew up in a small town where the nearest store was a 10 minute DRIVE away. Now I was living in a big city and the nearest store was only a 5 minute WALK away. I quickly realized that alcohol was both cheap and easily accessible -- so I started drinking daily. Every night after work I would pickup a 24oz. beer. Soon this turned into TWO 24oz beers. Soon this turned into THREE 24oz beers.
Before I knew it, I was rushing home from work to the liquor store before they closed to buy booze. Beer was no longer getting me "drunk."
I've held various jobs for about a year at a time -- eventually succumbing to my drinking and calling in sick until I got fired. Then I would just find another job and start the cycle all over again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, at this point, I've been drinking about 6-12 beers every night for probably 4-5 years. The reason I write this NOW however, is that today I went to the doctor and have bronchitis and a very serious sinus infection.
I didn't tell him I'm an alcoholic. He gave me a script for Erythromycin (an antibiotic) - one 333mg tablet three times daily.
I NEED to quit drinking tonight and start taking these meds -- I'm very sick right now. I've been sick for about a week now, still drinking every night as usual.
Is it safe for me to quit drinking cold turkey while taking these meds? Should I call the doctor tomorrow and tell him about my heavy drinking before I start taking the meds?
I was actually excited when he told me to make sure I don't drink any alcohol while I'm taking these meds. "THIS is a reason to completely stop drinking for 2 weeks" I thought to myself. If I can stop drinking for 2 weeks, maybe I can stop for good.
Any advice would be MUCH appreciated. I'm new here. Thanks in advance for any help!!!!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Welcome 
None of us are doctors here, HnH.
I think the sensible thing, your best bet, is to speak with your Dr - make a clean breast of it - and then see what he suggests...he may even want to change your treatment based on the new information you're giving, who knows?
If you find yourself concerned tonight about any aspect of your health, please get yourself to an ER or some kind of after hours medical facility.
D
None of us are doctors here, HnH.
I think the sensible thing, your best bet, is to speak with your Dr - make a clean breast of it - and then see what he suggests...he may even want to change your treatment based on the new information you're giving, who knows?
If you find yourself concerned tonight about any aspect of your health, please get yourself to an ER or some kind of after hours medical facility.
D
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
I have to agree with Dee - alcohol withdrawal can be serious, so it's best done with the help of a doctor, and being sick on top of that could make it even worse.
Glad you're here and wanting to get sober - I didn't think I really wanted to give it up, but alcohol just wore me out and wasn't fun anymore. Once I had a little sobriety under my belt, I wondered why I waited all that time! (the nature of addiction I suppose!)
I hope you get over your illness soon. Stick around - you'll get lots of support and info here!:ghug3
Glad you're here and wanting to get sober - I didn't think I really wanted to give it up, but alcohol just wore me out and wasn't fun anymore. Once I had a little sobriety under my belt, I wondered why I waited all that time! (the nature of addiction I suppose!)
I hope you get over your illness soon. Stick around - you'll get lots of support and info here!:ghug3
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 1,066
Welcome.
Not a doctor....but I took the same antibiotic you did a few years ago for an infected tooth; the dentist warned me they called it "Barfomyacin" because it made a lot of people nauseated. It did me, I felt awful for a few days although it did clear up the tooth thing. I think the combination of quitting and taking that would not be a good idea at all, just my lay opinion. Call your doc.
Not a doctor....but I took the same antibiotic you did a few years ago for an infected tooth; the dentist warned me they called it "Barfomyacin" because it made a lot of people nauseated. It did me, I felt awful for a few days although it did clear up the tooth thing. I think the combination of quitting and taking that would not be a good idea at all, just my lay opinion. Call your doc.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,780
Yes, please tell your doctor of your drinking and ask for help in getting safely thru the w/d. And yes, drinking while taking those meds would not be a good idea. I hope you get help to stop drinking and start to feel better soon.
Welcome to SR. You'll find a lot of support here.
Welcome to SR. You'll find a lot of support here.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
Posts: 618
Hi HopelessNHopful...Welcome.
There are a couple of threads in this forum that
Can help you make informed decisions. Visiting a doctor
Specializing in addiction medicine -like I did - or an
Alcohol counselor should be your first option though.
...Good Luck....
Here are the threads:
Quitting-what-expect-what-we-did
Recovery Programs and Resources Information
There are a couple of threads in this forum that
Can help you make informed decisions. Visiting a doctor
Specializing in addiction medicine -like I did - or an
Alcohol counselor should be your first option though.
...Good Luck....
Here are the threads:
Quitting-what-expect-what-we-did
Recovery Programs and Resources Information
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 139
Regardless of what your doctor told you, if you didn't tell him you have been drinking large amounts of alcohol, it still might not be safe even if you quit. Not mdical advice just a fact I happen to know. Some drugs can affect you even if you are not drinking when you take them if you have been drinking heavily in the recent past. Just tell the doctor the truth. Your medical records are confidential due to HIPPA laws.
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