Mark75

I have been wondering how important your physician's role was in getting sober, initially... Please participate in this poll only if you are successfully sober (no time minimum... just that you quit drinking) and please, speak from your own experiences, not someone else's. Feel free to elaborate!

:

EternalQ

I have not told my PCP. I feel a bit bad about this cause I like him. Its time for my 50 yr old physical now so maybe I will tell. I don't want the official alcohol dependence diagnosis on my record. I did tell a psychiatrist friend of mine I quit right in the beginning. He doesn't treat me and is just a work friend but I felt better that some Dr knew.

FinallyFinished

I didn't discuss it with my doctor. I would have if I was concerned about anything, though.

I haven't even discussed it with my husband though. He never minded my drinking and has not mentioned noticing that I stopped.

I like it this way, thankfully.

Elisabeth888

I feel more comfortable discussing it with a psychiatrist and a therapist.

Fandy

my doctor did not do much after reading me my test results and telling me I needed to quit NOW. except to refer me to one addiction specialist. THAT was a bad experience. I called and left a message, 9 days later I got a return phone call from his office (not the doctor) to give me "details" CASH only, no insurance accepted, was offered inpatient detox for 4 days and a phone DX by the person on the phone, I don't know if she was even a nurse. Ithought it was a horrible way to do business.... How can someone dx you with zero information and never even see you?

I drank for 2 more weeks, then found SR and work with the support system here and my other physician (specialist).

MIRecovery

Mine was a negative and was a potientally fatal interaction (fifth a day drinker.) She did refer me to a substance abuse couselor. Gave no counseling about the dangers of withdrawl, refused anything to prevent accute withdrawl even after counselor begged her, no blood work, no pep talk on the dangers of alcoholism or health effects. Basically not my problem if you are a drunk.

The counselor wanted to admit me but their detox facility was full. He gave me a very stern warning about getting to an ER if things got bad.

Needless to say She is no longer my doctor.

There are some excellent health care professionals out there but my experience has been you have to seek them out.

bbthumper

I had to make amends to my Doc after lying to him to get meds then showing up in his office the day after my last drink a complete emotional and physical wreck asking what I should do. He suggested inpatient rehab. A suggestion I am glad I took. While in rehab he sent a letter home stating that I was no longer welcome in their office since I had broken their policy by lying to get more medication.
Wrote him an amends letter when I did my 9th step.

paul99

My doctor knew about my drinking (I went to see him a few times after having a few even!), but not the extent. He didn't ask, and I didn't tell. He knows now, but I can't say that he was instrumental in any way with my recovery. I think he's just content that I am not drinking. His admin assistant was more concerned about me, actually.

It's a great question. Doctors being human, I imagine that they aren't all as illuminated as we'd like them to be. I went to one specialist (on a totally unrelated ailment) and my alcoholism came up (he had seem my history) and I told him that I was in AA and hadn't drank in a bit. He asked if we did "mental exercises" in AA. I wasn't going to get into the whole thing, so I just said "yes, mental exercises".

2granddaughters

Like you, Paul, my GP knew I was crashing but pursued the psychiatric and medication avenue. It wasn't until I went to rehab and quit the pills along with the drinking that my recovery began.

Doctors don't (usually) treat spiritual diseases, nor did therapy or Valium.

I am not a problem drinker, I am an alcoholic as described in AA literature

All the best.

Bob R

Elisabeth888

I just found a new addiction-specializing psychiatrist that is housed with a bunch of psychologists and I am excited. Yes, I am a total freak. I like that they can all communicate though.

sugarbear1

It's in my medical records (since 1985) and has not impacted anything other than receiving the best medical care for me and my body's condition.

I don't take narcotic meds, unless necessary (well, I will if necessary) and I think it's important for the doctor(s) in my future to know my body.

Halzuzu

My GP was very concerned about 2 years ago when she ran blood work and my liver levels were off the charts. At the time I lied to her about how much I was drinking but I think she knew I was bullsharting so she referred me to an addiction specialist. I gave it a try but it was a horrible experience. The addiction therapist was rude and judgemental and called me at all hours of the night. Even went as far as to chew me out in the front office in front of other clients when she thought I had missed an appointment. Need ess to say I never went back and my heavy drinking continued. A month after I quit drinking I had horrible abdominal pain and went straight to a Gastro rather than my GP since digestive issues are not her specialty she wouldve referred me to a Gastro anyway. My Gastro has been awesome. I have been 1000% honest about my drinking habits..he jumped into action immediately getting me blood test, ultrasounds, etc..I am on meds for Gastritis and have liver disease. I havent seen my GP since all this has happened but will fill her in on everything when I see her in a few months. She has been my GP for almost 20 years and I know that she will be concerned with all that has happened and supportive in my recovery.

adamjet

I'm not sure how to vote on this one. My physician told me to go to AA, but I found that to be more harmful than helpful.

hypochondriac

It took a lot of guts for me to go to my doctor in the first place and I kind of expected something good to happen... he was a really vile doctor in retrospect. He basically said there was nothing he could do for me unless I went to detox which I probably didn't need at the time and was terrified of anyway because I knew someone who had and basically got locked up on a psyche ward and had a really bad experience. I had no real knowledge of alcoholism or of other options available to me. I then had years in and out of the doctors with various health complaints. All of my doctors knew about my drinking and none of them suggested I stopped. They'd do the odd blood test just to check my liver was okay but never suggested anything else. It took a long time before one of them connected my nerve problems with my drinking, even the neurologist didn't make that connection though I knew it was all over my notes. My last doctor I hung on to for dear life because he actually looked shocked when I told him how much I drank and even suggested I go to AA! My experience in the NHS overall has been pretty rubbish though I can understand in a way when so many people are reluctant to quit. If I met someone here (IRL) who wanted to quit I'd tell them to go straight to AA and ask them where to go for help. There were other places I could have gone to other than my doctors which were part of the NHS but my doctor never mentioned them. The services are a lot better here than they were. There are group therapy sessions and one on one at the local addiction agency who previously only offered detox and no after care, and there's at least one specialist addiction doctor, so things are improving, hopefully the doctors will keep up. So no, not really instrumental in helping me quit. I credit that to this place 100%.

Quinne

I've seen a few General Practitioners, but I have been under the care of my Psychiatrist for 2 years and I have to say I'm forever indebted to him.

He initially diagnosed me with borderline personality disorder and I participated in outpatient acceptance and commitment therapy for a number of months. I remember vividly November before last saying to him "OK, you know I've worked at this-you've seen my progress over 5 months. You've seen me come and go from a psych hospital. In your opinion, does this diagnosis hold true anymore?"

He shook his head and said "No. What I believe to be true in your case is that when you ingest alcohol, something changes chemically within your brain. You simply cannot drink." He added that this particular hospital was an unhealthy place for me and that if I were to pick up again, he'd ensure I'd detox, then leave. No prolonged admissions.

The penny slowly started dropping then.

It still took awhile to "get it", but there's no resentment held for continuing drug therapy (I was on an atypical antipsychotic for a year, initially started by someone else), or for "misdiagnosing" me.

I truly believe EVERYTHING that happened had to happen for me to hit my rock bottom.

Xx

Mark75

So far, of those people who responded and sought care, the majority of the answers fall into the "generally helpful" category.

For those who did not find the experience helpful, even for those who did... What should a Primary Care Physician do when an active alcoholic seeks help? What about the active alcoholic who is not specifically seeking help for it... but alcoholism is an "elephant in the room"?

legna

I'm actually quite surprised at the number of people who apparently had a PCP. Alcohol took me so far off the grid, that a primary doctor was about as unlikely for me to have as a stockbroker.

What should a primary care physician do when an active alcoholic seeks their help? Depends on their familiarity with alcoholism of course, but generally speaking, make a referral for them to someone who specializes in alcoholism. That doctor should, imo, begin by having a discussion with the patient - deciding what the best course of action is together.

If the patient has not sought help (the elephant you spoke of), then do not address it.

karilynn27

I did not seek medical advice when I quit. I began to get sicker and sicker and finally went to my primary care doc. I got real honest. I told him everything that was going on, every symptom. I thought I knew it all. Turned out I have some underlying health issues. Guess they go to med school for something. I told my psychiatrist the next time I saw him after I got sober.
I had to learn how to take care of myself the way I would take care of someone I love. Turns out it probably saved my life.

TrixMixer

Hi Mark,

Frankly I did not know what to expect from quiting . I just knew I was not going into rehab.

So I started with an addiction counselor for basic knowledge on what to expect and for accountability day to day.

Once i got through the first week I began having some very depressing thoughts, and I had lost a lot of weight within the first month. I did a lot of reading at the Library to keep myself busy, and realized I just might have a mental disorder that contributed to my alcoholism.

Next step was to go to my doctor and come clean with my alcoholism and my thoughts on depression. He worked with me and gave me my first anti-depress, with the stipulation that I see a Psychiatrist for evaluation.

That was my next step. So I worked with a number of professionals, and it made all the difference in maintaining my sobriety, dealing with the physical withdrawal symptoms, and my mental health. I still advise people now to use at least 2 of the 3 people I used.

I never used AA. I had all the support and confidentiality with my 3 doctors. They were my salvation, and I owe my success to them. I never once felt anxious, because I knew I was being monitored.

gravity

I was seeing a counsellor about stress & anxiety (he knew about my alcoholism but I had quit by then) and he communicated with my family doctor (he had my permission). They worked together to ensure I was on the right medication.

My doctor is an older, fatherly type and has seen it all. He would always ask my about my counselling, sobriety, anxiety etc. and would always call me on my BS.

For me, getting better was all about swallowing my pride and asking others for help. People were there for me and I now try to return the favour.