Justfor1

Well I've been sober a few weeks now & am dealing with the damage of my 3-4month bender. My fingers are peeling now due to frostbite after passing out in the snow when it was 10degrees out. I'm afraid I have nerve damage? I had to fire my psychiatrist who kept giving me whatever script I wanted. Feeling of hopelessness has set in & a desire to drink "just 1 bottle of good Vodka" has set in. The psychiatrist I kept wants to see me more often because "shes concerned." Heck I'm concerned too. I went to a sober Superbowl party at the local AA club where I was chairing meetings intoxicated. They seem to shun me now. I suspect that they gossip behind my back. Sobriety sucks right now.

Murray4x5

Yup, sobriety may suck right now, but it sounds like you've been given a 'get out of death free' card. You really dodged one there. Look at it as the gift it was, get your game face on, and get back in the saddle!

Wishing you all the best,

Murray

Dee74

The best damage control of all is to make sure you never get in that situation again, I think.

I agree with Murray - like me, it sounds like you had an angel on your shoulder.

Looking back I'm extraordinarily grateful for that.
D

Justfor1

I agree. I have had enough "war stories". If it wasn't so sad it would be almost comical. I guess laughing about the pain helps. I have gone to probably over 20 hospital detoxes, in-patient and out-patient treatments. Several sober living places as well. Docs told me i can't take Antabuse anymore due to high liver count. This last detox the hospital staff treated me surprisingly very well and for some reason that gives me hope that God has sobriety planned for me.

MrDavid

No Damage Control Needed, JustFor1, Just another day of living sober will suffice –for now.

If I had a dollar for all the times I relapsed then I’d be a rich man by now –spiritually speaking of course. Actually... I am a rich man, thanks in part to the wonderful network of people whom I call my friends. It was because of these newfound associations that I discovered the true measure of my worth, not ones based solely on my feelings. I have never looked back since and with their continued support strive to become a better person one day at a time.

I felt hopeless too in the beginning, especially after every failed attempt to get sober. I've adopted a new philosophy about sobriety that has helped in my recovery ever since and it goes like this:

Keep hoping, keep praying, and keep believing in miracles until you become one yourself.

Don’t give up on yourself…Keep focused on your sobriety...Remain close to the rooms of AA – With a group that supports you all the way – and never give up. This forum will continue to be a reminder of how precious you are, and stand together with a firm resolution to "Love you until you’re able to Love yourself" once again.

~God Bless~




Miracles do happen...just wait and see.

CarolD

Go help another struggleing alcoholic
Tell your home group you chaired drunk and need their help.
Get back to step 1 with a sponsor.
Pray for clarity...direction and healing

All my best as you move forward...

UniqueNewYork

Ok this is how I would think.

I would look at my hands. Whoopdeedoo.. seems like there is always something going on in life. I'm not saying this to be a its just a fact of life. Something is always up it seems. If it wasn't my hands, it would be my best friend has something going on, my mom is sick, etc etc. I'm damn happy its just some peeling and nerve damage to my hands and that I'm not going to lose them.

Thank god I kicked that dumb psychiatrist to the curb. Enabling me like that. I have to admit though, I need a shrink in my life. Just not one that is going to make me a pill popper. Got enough problems already and got stuff I want to do with my life.

Of course I wish I could drink, I'm an alcoholic. Doesn't mean I have to. I'd better call a friend I can count on or go do something productive or fun, and if I can't think of either of those, I need to find some new friends and hobbies. Actually its time to go lift weights. Lifting weights is the best.

Slits

I have been an alcoholic in somewhat struggling recovery since Dec. '06. I have had about a dozen relapses in that time, all continuous severe binges that got progressively fewer and farther between and Exponentially Worse each time. The last two withdrawls almost killed me. Did AA and Outpatietent Treatment with various success. it always seemed that after a period of time I would get the Itch to Drink again when an opportunity presented itself and then I would start Obsessing about it until I caved. My last 7 day binge ended August 5th last year. My Wife came back from an out of town trip to find me lying on the tile bathroom floor covered in blood after I had passed out and fallen and hit the tile. I had massive bruises, a black eye, and a broken toe (all Home Alone Drinking). Cold Turkey Home Detox took 4 days of unimaginable suffering.

Anyway, I finally broke down and went to my Doctor and told him everything so I could get some Antibuse. I was in relatively good health due to the long periods (many months) of sobriety in between binges. He wrote me the script but there was a Hold on Antibuse at the Pharmacy and they were not filling the prescriptions. I asked him for Naltrexone instead. Now I had used Naltrexone before in a Treatment Program and it had no side effects and did a decent job of stopping craving and Obsessive Thinking but wasn't a complete solution. However what was different this time was my Dr. wanted to prescribe Lexapro as an Anti-Depressant (which I had also had before). I told him I didn't like Lexapro due to the Sexual Side effects so he prescribed Pristiq instead.

That changed everything. The Pristiq and Naltrexone together had nothing short of a remarkable effect on my nagging Alcoholic Brain. No side effects from either and I completely lost all desire to Drink. I never even thought about it. No Drinking Dreams even. It was amazing. I am still on both meds to this day (1 each in the morning), have never once thought about going back (It actually makes me a little sick even if I think about it), been around all sorts of Drinking Social Events and Parties, never bothered me. Been to no other Treatment or AA meetings because I didn't feel the need. This is not a Treatment Industry Recognized combination but rather one I stumbled onto by Accident so I don't know if it works for everybody. I do know that in the Years I have struggled for Sobriety, this is the best and most confident I have ever felt. Anyway, good luck with your Journey.