Babescake

Hi. I'm new here, perused awhile. A bit of background: 35 year-old woman with a binge drinking problem (2-3x a week, often until blackout) for the past 3 years. I also have suffered from severe clinical depression on/off since age 20. I tried an outpatient program earlier this month and did well, but then stopped going. I can either go back to it after jumping through hoops or enter an inpatient, which I'm thinking I want to for more intensive care.

I'm currently looking at St. Gregory's in Iowa because close to my home. I'm a bit reluctant on it because they want you to wean off all of your prescribed medication (I take depression meds and stuff for a sleep disorder). I have dual diagnosis, I know this. The depression runs in my family (no alcoholism does) and I have suffered through it for several years before the alcohol became a problem. Have any of you gone through a rehab that had this policy? I need to treat both, but I don't want my depression not to be taken seriously. I want to go to treatment, I just want to ensure it is the right one since I'm spending all this money. Thanks!

Soberwolf

Welcome Babescake

biminiblue

I don't think anyone can really advise you on this. It is your call. Listen to your inner voice and make decisions accordingly.

I got off all my meds and then quit alcohol. That was my experience. I'm still off meds several years later, two years sober.

Welcome to the site.

Anna

Welcome!

I don't have experience with inpatient or outpatient treatment, but I believe that prescriptions from your dr are between you and your dr, but I have no advice on this situation. Is there a dr at the treatment center who will be working with you?

Fabat50

Hi there. Welcome.

I can only give you my experience. But when I went into rehab I was instructed to strictly not change any of my prescription meds ( prozac, lithium etc etc for bipolar) before entering. My meds were 'tweaked' when I was in and stable in partnership with the clinics' psychiatrists and with my, and my regular Drs, agreement.

I would not have been able to deal with, weaning from the meds that keep me alive.

Hope that you find the right solution for you.

Bubovski

Weaning can be a problem especially with the highly addictive benzodiazepines such as valium, serepax etc
As we find these supportive we may fail to investigate adequately what may be making us depressed/anxious in the first place.
Talk therapy in conjunction with slow tapering of meds may be the best option.

least

I would not be able to meet this condition as my meds are critical to my good mental health. I don't think it's fair, or realistic, of the place to demand you come off all your meds. I wouldn't go there, if it were me.

letitgo

Is it a requirement they have for you to be off all meds? It doesnt seem right to cut you off your regular meds. I would get a 2nd opinion and ask your current Dr. about this approach given your history.

Babescake

They say these pump you full of neurovitamins or something like that. They say they want you off everything in order to get a baseline, that if my depression meds were working I wouldn't have been driven to drink. I know they follow SMART RECOVERY and are not a 12-step. I have an inquiry into my psychiatrist. I never knew how many hoops I'd need to jump through to get help.

JohnQPublic

Dear Babes. Handling meds is always tricky. It is most important to be in competent medical care when getting on or coming off psyc meds. I worked inpatient rehab for many years and we didn't have people come off their Dr. prescribed meds unless it was something abuse able (like Xanax and other benzos or pretty much any opiates) . I do know of some places that want you to come off all meds for a period of time, especially with dual diagnosis, because they want to be able to make an appropriate mental health diagnosis in the absence of any meds that are making things better or worse. The idea is you cant get a good picture if the canvas is not blank. Then they usually have a Md. or Psychiatrist reapply meds. I understand how scary coming off meds can be and I think that you have to make that decision along with trained medical professionals. Unfortunately I cant really say because I worked on the psychological therapy end and am not a Md. or psychopharmacologiest. I wish you the best and urge you to do all the research you can on a facility before entering it (so you know what to expect) but great for you that you are being so proactive and getting help. I am sending out positive thoughts and courage for you. I hope it all works out for the best. John

ALinNS

In my case (also a heavy, heavy binge drinker) I needed in patient to stay safe because I wanted to deal with events in my past and I am not sure if I could have pulled through as a day patient. For me being in a safe 24/7 was critical, stayed 28 days.

Andrew

Dee74

Like others have said, you need to make the decision for yourself. I'd run it past your prescribing Dr tho (your usual doctor or doctors prescribing the meds)

I have to say comments like this make me nervous, because that's not my experience at all - sure I was depressed but that was just one of the many factors in my drinking.



D

Babescake

Thanks everyone. I talked to my psychiatrist and he heavily recommended not going to a place that would make me go off my medications, so I think this rehab place is off the table. I'm hoping to find one still that meets my needs, sooner rather than later. I'll keep you updated. I'm so ready to kick this thing. It has been 3 years of hell and I'm losing everything in my life.

Dee74

Wishing you the best in your search babescake.

D

Anna

I'm glad you made the decision to not go there.

Fabat50

I am pleased to hear about your decision.

We are all different and it is never right for us to give "advice" on things that we are not qualified to give advice on. But this did not feel quite right.

Depression is depression. Alcoholism is Alcoholism. Are all alcoholics depressed? No, not necessarily. Are all dépressives alcoholics? No.

I wish you luck in finding a place suited to your needs.

2muchpain

If it's possible, I would recommend going to an in-patient facility that is in a hospital setting or is affiliated with one. It's been my experience that you get a more full range of services in that situation for people that deal with a duel diagnosis. Maybe your psychiatrist can help you with this. John

Delilah1

I'm glad you called your psychiatrist, maybe he/she can help you find a place that would best meet your needs, or refer you to someone who can.:-)