Cassie6

If you have read my previous post (I was advised by my Doctor that A. 'I was NOT an alcoholic. and B. To reduce my alcohol consumption. (I actually told the Doctor I was drinking more than I was - In the hope I could get some 'help') The problem is, he said 'You don't look like an alcoholic! (I am a model - who has somehow managed to retain her looks despite this god awful disease) . I have been to AA and if nothing else realised that the word 'alcoholic' can apply to anyone... I met Judges, Doctors, Lawyers, High Profile Business Men, Housewives, Philosophers... Non of these people were your 'down and out, on the street with a bottle of vodka drunks' but again I went back to my Doctor, and got told the same thing.

I 'tried to 'taper' and was doing well. And then the weekend happened - I drank more than I've ever drunk (It's almost like before you go on a diet and have 'one last binge')

Found myself not being able to keep anything down, and then believe it or not(!) did the same thing the next day! Despite throwing up that morning - I must be crazy

I've only had enough to maintain today (half a bottle of wine) in the evening.

But there is no doubt in my mind that this could continue for the rest of my life.

I've tried AA but suffer from claustrophobia so have to run out of the room.

I don't really know why I have posted to be honest, but I know this is a great support network.

Raeven

Tapering failed for me...over and over.

You are smart to recognize it, and you can do this. You are on a good path by recognizing it.

Anna

No, it doesn't. I think we've all tried it and hoped, but stopping drinking is really easier. You will find lots of support here and lots of ideas for recovery.

doggonecarl

I would go to AA if only to get the name of a doctor who might be more sympathetic to your problem.

sugarbear1

private message me if you want online meeting links!

Dee74

You definitely need a second opinion Cassie.

D

HTown

No you are not crazy. We all understand what that feels like to throw up at night only to drink again the next day.

You can do this, you can stop drinking. I agree with Carl, get a name of a doctor who listens from someone at AA . Do you have a phone number to call?

hopscotch123

Hey, switch your GP. Mine "family" doctor was not very supportive at all and told me to taper which didn't work at all. He said that I was young guy (30 young?!) and will easily be able to do it.

I found a private Doctor and paid £900 for a home detox...I failed after a month of not drinking and didn't fancy spending that amount again so...

I switched to a different local NHS surgery (I'm lucky as I live in a very rural area so is easy to do) and the other GP was great and helped out loads. He gave me a Valium taper over 5 days which made my anxiety almost non existent after stopping.

PM if you need any more advice as I battled with my old GP for a long time over this.

Ironhorse1

Devils advocate...I think it can work, under the right circumstances. I have tapered successfully, but in hindsight it probably would have been easier to go cold turkey...rip the band-aid off and be done with it.

Forward12

It seems strange I notice that everyone from the UK that spoke to their docs just told them to taper, which rarely can be done. I would perhaps look for another doc, or ask them for some withdrawal meds to properly detox.

waywardson8260

I agree totally that tapering never works. Been there done that-total failure. The only thing that worked was to pour all of that poison down the drain.

D122y

Cassie,

Imo....The taper thing gets us to a point where we can quit and not go into seizure etc. It gets us physically able to survive w out booze.

Then we have to stop drinking and deal w the mental damage. Periodic drinking...binging...fries the brain and reeks havoc on the body.

The mental aspect of staying clean wears us down. It is all about dopamine. That is why we crave. The booze alters our natural ability to feel awesome.

It takes a long time time for the internal awesome production to return after we quit drinking. That is why folks need rx drugs and/or relapse.

Stay clean long enough and you will get moments of natural euphoria again. It is amazing. I get them now through out the day. I feel happy for no reason. It lasts for a long time as well. It kind of snowballs as well. Nothing bothers me during those times. Sort of a Zen thing.

That is all. Hope this helps.

Thanks.

Carpathia

D122y, I enjoyed reading your very nicely worded and accessible explanation.

5upersonic

I was referred to a councellor who said I needed to re-educate myself how to drink, and to start by buying smaller bottles. My AV was doing cartwheels. Not all advice is good advice.

Oct142016

I have tried for years and years to just not "drink so much". It has not worked. I still go back to binge drinking and as I get older, I get sicker from the alcohol.

I will have to say though that each time I have tried to quit it has gotten longer and longer in between times when I take up the drink again.

5upersonic

Ive only recently realised that moderare drinking holds no appeal for me. Getting drunk is great, but the fallout is catastrophic. So I dont drink.

Fusion

Yes, tapering worked for me. I intended to taper down from a fifth of vodka/750ml bottle equivalent, sometimes more, a day - to tiny amounts over the last few days, so that I wouldn't suffer any withdrawals whatsoever. Thankfully, after tapering down massively for a period, I was a little stuck and coundnt manage to reduce to almost nothing for the last few days and a member of SR suggested that I just stop at that point. It was safe, I'd tapered successfully (as recommended by a doctor in the UK) and to be honest, I was never going to have just one or two drinks for a few days at the end of the taper.

Since stopping drinking, I've engaged in some pretty scary and awesome adventures, purely to boost the dopamine and endorphins system, that was wrecked by daily drinking. I look forward to the natural highs, just for being, that D122y speaks of, once my bio-chemistry/hormones etc., recover!

sobersolstice

Tapering makes me think I can control my drinking. "Oh, I was able to have only 2 yesterday, so it's probably no big deal to have 3 today", which then turns to more on a Friday, or otherwise.

The weird thing is, I'm currently maintaining an 'accidental taper' at the moment. Drinking less and being a daily drinker, am taking days off with the intention of quitting, but it's becoming a routine, and am realizing that this pattern can perpetuate the trap.

FLCamper

My clostraphobia pretty much disappeared when I quit.

When drinking, it made me nervous and panicky to even get stuck in traffic. I don't even think about things like that now.

August252015

Agreed. This advice is typically met with complete dismay in the US, by any of us truly wanting to get and live sober, and anyone who is or knows anyone who is an alcoholic. It was just part of a discussion of the (many) programs for getting sober, at a recent AA meeting I went to, and I can tell you that this "plan" did not get support from any who have succeeded.

I also find it strange that folks are suggesting to go to AA in order to get a new dr referral. This is not something I've heard of in the scenario of "Hi, I just met you and since you're new, I'll tell you all about my situation and here's a great pysch/GP and..." That sort of stuff isn't the focus of AA and not something that would be the topic of a meeting, or IME readily available "advice." Much more likely to happen once you get to know people in a group and/or have a sponsor....

Putting aside the fact that I strongly suggest AA- there are physically different types of meeting, so surely one with a "more spacious" format and good exit points (I still use this sometimes- I sit at the back of the largest room in a big clubhouse, by the door, so I can leave any time)- do you have others in your life to talk to about the specific dr issue? Any kind of referral program within the medical system that you can call? Here we sometimes have EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs), for example, through work, or service numbers with our insurance.

I quit cold turkey from a very significant vodka habit. A lot of people don't recommend this- and I would hope that there is medical support (drugs, a few days in a hospital, whatever) that you can take to just stop.

Good luck.