Campral and drinking
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Campral and drinking
AH finally got to a psychatrist yesterday and told me he was honest about eveerything--that he knew if he wasn't there was no point in going (something I had told him when we went to marriage counseling many moons ago). At the end of it he was prescribed campral and they are setting up immediate counseling sessions to work on his mental health issues and anger issues in conjunction with his alcohol and drug addiction.
The thing that struck me when AH was talking to me about this is that the psychiatrist told him he could drink small amounts and occasionally get high. I just read some information online about campral and is says the person has to have stopped drinking and that they should not drink while using it (although it does not have effects life antabuse). I told him that and he said the psychiatrist said that was not true--that with almost any drug they tell you not to consume alcohol. He also told me the psychiatrist told him he could prescribe him THC pills. Amazingly AH said no, that would not take care of the problem--it would just making getting high OK because it was prescribed and he did not want to do that--which sounds admirable, however I have to admit the concept of still behing able to use does not exactly sound like recovery to me.
I asked him if the psychiatrist thought he should be in treatment and he told me that he is going to go to regular counseling and that the root of all his alcohol and drug use goes way back to when he was a kid and used it to escape life with his familiy--and that from that point on anytime something stressful occurred he just continued to do what had worked for him in the past--making himself numb by drinking or getting high. So he is going to discuss his family issues, anger issues, stress issues, etc.
I am not sure how this is going to work and I am leery about the whole "I can still drink and get high while I am taking campral--is just reduces the urge to get high" thing.
Does anyone know anything else about this drug and have experience with it? Is this something I should cross-post in a different section of the forum.
Thanks. I am just one of those "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is" type of people. And it does not sound good to me but it sounds pretty darn good to AH.
The thing that struck me when AH was talking to me about this is that the psychiatrist told him he could drink small amounts and occasionally get high. I just read some information online about campral and is says the person has to have stopped drinking and that they should not drink while using it (although it does not have effects life antabuse). I told him that and he said the psychiatrist said that was not true--that with almost any drug they tell you not to consume alcohol. He also told me the psychiatrist told him he could prescribe him THC pills. Amazingly AH said no, that would not take care of the problem--it would just making getting high OK because it was prescribed and he did not want to do that--which sounds admirable, however I have to admit the concept of still behing able to use does not exactly sound like recovery to me.
I asked him if the psychiatrist thought he should be in treatment and he told me that he is going to go to regular counseling and that the root of all his alcohol and drug use goes way back to when he was a kid and used it to escape life with his familiy--and that from that point on anytime something stressful occurred he just continued to do what had worked for him in the past--making himself numb by drinking or getting high. So he is going to discuss his family issues, anger issues, stress issues, etc.
I am not sure how this is going to work and I am leery about the whole "I can still drink and get high while I am taking campral--is just reduces the urge to get high" thing.
Does anyone know anything else about this drug and have experience with it? Is this something I should cross-post in a different section of the forum.
Thanks. I am just one of those "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is" type of people. And it does not sound good to me but it sounds pretty darn good to AH.
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It is difficult to say whether your AH is lying or simply quacking.
From Drugs.com:
Any psychiatrist who says that an alcoholic whose drinking and drugging has done so much damage already to himself/his family should CONTINUE to drink and drug, well, they ought to lose their license. Like, today. If, in fact, he actually told AH that, which is suspect.
Ridiculous.
From Drugs.com:
Campral is not likely to be helpful to a person who has not already quit drinking or undergone detoxification. It may not be helpful to a person who is also addicted to other substances besides alcohol.
Ridiculous.
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Originally Posted by Wife2Kids 
The thing that struck me when AH was talking to me about this is that the psychiatrist told him he could drink small amounts and occasionally get high.
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I agree with freedom, A's will tell you anything to make you believe them. Since you were not there to hear it yourself, I definitely would be sceptical.
I have to admit, my AH will tell me what I want to hear but his actions prove most of the time (99.9%) that he still is in denial.
I have to admit, my AH will tell me what I want to hear but his actions prove most of the time (99.9%) that he still is in denial.
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I have always stayed in this part of the forum--is this something I could post to another forum in SR? It sounded like quacking to me too and telling me what he thought I wanted to hear (which is weird because why would I ever want to hear that he can still drink and get high
) Of course that is logical thinking and I think logic left him long ago.
) Of course that is logical thinking and I think logic left him long ago.
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My plans have not changed. I still do not want to sell the house until after school is out. When he asked me this morning why I had not asked about his psychiatrist appt. I told him that was his thing--not mine--though he did wind up telling me the outcome. I know he did not hand pick the doc--with our insurance you have to go through a phone line referral system and the pick the doc they think you should see. I did not ask him the doc's name. The one thing I did ask him was if the psychiatrist was combining medication and counseling with a treatment program. Uh, no. Just the counseling for now and then he goes back to see him in a month to see how things are going.
Also, since I had been relying on him (ridiculous I know) to get a decent job so I could stay home part time with the kids and leave a job that I really do not like--I have started to work on getting a job I am better suited for. I'm not a sit behind a desk person so the search is on. Applied for one yesterday that would be a transfer from my current position. One is in the same city and the other in another city 78 miles from where we live (our state requires that if you move it has to be within 75 miles of the other parent). So that would also have an impact on moving (of course I need an interview first. . .) But I am keeping a positive attitude about the job search. Since I started taking my and the kids existence into my own hands I feel much more confident and less wigged out.
He is trying like a madman to show me he is making changes but from past experience he will only be able to do that for a few months before he resorts back to his usual behavior.
Also, since I had been relying on him (ridiculous I know) to get a decent job so I could stay home part time with the kids and leave a job that I really do not like--I have started to work on getting a job I am better suited for. I'm not a sit behind a desk person so the search is on. Applied for one yesterday that would be a transfer from my current position. One is in the same city and the other in another city 78 miles from where we live (our state requires that if you move it has to be within 75 miles of the other parent). So that would also have an impact on moving (of course I need an interview first. . .) But I am keeping a positive attitude about the job search. Since I started taking my and the kids existence into my own hands I feel much more confident and less wigged out.
He is trying like a madman to show me he is making changes but from past experience he will only be able to do that for a few months before he resorts back to his usual behavior.
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That is really the issue, wife.
Is it okay with YOU if he keeps drinking and drugging?
The rest really doesn't matter. A psychiatrist (especially one who got his license out of a cracker jack box) can't tell you if you should be happy with this or not. You have to decide for yourself.
I think that's just great!!!
Is it okay with YOU if he keeps drinking and drugging?
The rest really doesn't matter. A psychiatrist (especially one who got his license out of a cracker jack box) can't tell you if you should be happy with this or not. You have to decide for yourself.
Since I started taking my and the kids existence into my own hands I feel much more confident and less wigged out.
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I am not sure how this is going to work and I am leery about the whole "I can still drink and get high while I am taking campral--is just reduces the urge to get high" thing.
Ummmm.....Isn't "using" the opposite of what campral is supposed to do? What is the point of reducing the urge if your going to do it.
What is it the RA's say?, "One drink is too many and not enough all at the same time"
That is like a dietician giving you a diet pill, telling you to loose weight but saying you can still eat Big Macs and Milk Shakes
....not likely
So he isn't ready for recovery, what are you going to do?
Oh and my AH when he was seeing an addiction councelor told me that the councelor told him that he didn't need inpatient or outpatient treatment......sure, your asking for it and he says, no you don't need it.......again not likely
Maybe it is time to set up a new boundary?
(((hugs))) I know how crazy this can be.
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Originally Posted by Daisy30
That is like a dietician giving you a diet pill, telling you to loose weight but saying you can still eat Big Macs and Milk Shakes
....not likely
....not likely
I would say he is not ready for recovery. He wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to continue to drink and get high--but just not as much as usual or he will consume less alcohol and dope. As a friend at work told me one day--sounds like he is still living in Egypt to me. What?? DE-NILE! Now all she says when she walks by me is Egypt.
I was proud of the fact that I did not ask for the psychiatrist's name so I could call him up and (1) ask him if he actually told AH that and (2) did he really think it was a good idea for an alcoholic/drug user who is still active to use a drug that "curbs the urge"
AH thinks what he is doing is adequate. I will need to tell him it is not--and why. I will also tell him I have done a little research on campral and nowhere does it say anything but the person needs to detox and stop using BEFORE they start using it and that if they relapse they can continue to use it but need to talk to their doctor right away.
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Wife2Kids - I went through a similar thing with my AH & Campral. Our marriage counselor recommended him to another dr. in her practice since she couldn't prescribe meds. He made an appt. with this dr., who barely even got his medical history, wrote him a script for Campral & sent him on his way. He didn't tell AH anything about the drug or how it works (nor did the marriage counselor --- yet another reason I/we stopped going to her.) When AH finally got around to getting the script filled, he continued to drink & didn't notice any changes in his drinking habits. I decided to read up on the drug (hadn't done so before b/c I was trying to focus on me, not him) & found the same thing as you ... Campral is to fight the cravings when you're *NOT* drinking & committed to sobriety. I told AH this & he basically said "oh well" & as far as I know never finished taking the Campral (I never asked) & never stopped drinking either.
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My AH was prescribed Campral. I read all the literature he got with it and what it said basically is that if you fall off the wagon you should get right back on and continue to take as prescribed. It said nothing about being able to drink small amounts and get high occasionally.
Of course, Campral doesn't work at all if you don't take it. We have five full bottles here!
Of course, Campral doesn't work at all if you don't take it. We have five full bottles here!
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My Abf was given Campral after he had sobered up and not had a drink for 3 weeks. He wasn't happy because he got a bit of a rash as a side effect, but continued with them.
He went on 2 week holiday back home and of course being Mr Macho, could not admit to his boozed up old mates that he was not drinking, so "just had a couple". Hmmmm!!
Later he told me he had noticed, "I have no cravings and I can drink all I want and not get p*ssed". OOPS!!
He also noticed he had given himself away to not at all amused me.
The "wonder" effect soon wore off as he ended up with a bright red face and his heart trying to leap out of his chest. Scared the hell out of him, but not the booze. Blamed the Campral of course, as that was what upset his body... definitely not the pots and pots of beer he had swallowed over nearly a month. AAAAAAARRHHHHHH!!!!!!
He went on 2 week holiday back home and of course being Mr Macho, could not admit to his boozed up old mates that he was not drinking, so "just had a couple". Hmmmm!!
Later he told me he had noticed, "I have no cravings and I can drink all I want and not get p*ssed". OOPS!!
He also noticed he had given himself away to not at all amused me.
The "wonder" effect soon wore off as he ended up with a bright red face and his heart trying to leap out of his chest. Scared the hell out of him, but not the booze. Blamed the Campral of course, as that was what upset his body... definitely not the pots and pots of beer he had swallowed over nearly a month. AAAAAAARRHHHHHH!!!!!!
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I did talk to AH about campral last night and he told me I was wrong. Then he marched downstairs, got the flyer the pharmacist gave him and showed me where it said if he started drinking again all he had to do was tell his therapist--then told me I misunderstood him--he never said he could keep drinking some and getting high some. . .and that he has not been drinking.
I knew I should keep my mouth shut but I didn't and told him I begged to differer. Blank stare followed and then I asked him if he was drinking when he went to work (in a restaurant)--only his end of the night drink (so it does not count??). Pointed out that he had vodka, hard lemonade and beer the previous week when we had dinner with friends (I guess that did not count either because it was a gathering of friends). Then pointed out that DS watches everything he consumes and has told me (I did not ask) that when he takes him places to play video games they go to a bar--and then he tells me what he has had to drink. He told me he never has more than one (so that must not count either) although that is not what DS son. I did not tell him that because then he would attack DS.
He went on to tell me he just wants a wife and that if I divorce him I will be breaking my marriage vows--for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. I told him I did not really think what he was doing was model Christian behavior and he proceeded to tell me theology has not talked about alcohol and drug use. At this point I am starting the--just walk away from the alcoholic and he starts to tell me AA does not work for everyone and not for him and that maybe I should stop going to those AlAnon meetings because they are messing up my head.
It gets better--he then accused me of setting him up the last time he drank until he could not walk and then drank more the next night until he blacked out. He said I had called a mutual friend and arranged for there to be all kinds of vodka there and that our friend kept forcing it on him. I have to admit at that point I was speechless but I was thinking--holy cr@p, he has lost his mind and is now paranoid beyond belief.
I am calling my lawyer this afternoon to let him know I have the retainer. I need to talk to him about how to handle the move and arrangements for the kids--since AH will want to see them.
It may be true that he is going to really get sober and get help this time--but past experience tells me it will not happen. AND his comment about some underhanded plot to force him to get drunk--well that actually scared me because I think he actually believed it--he must have been thinking about it to have actually said it.
I knew I should keep my mouth shut but I didn't and told him I begged to differer. Blank stare followed and then I asked him if he was drinking when he went to work (in a restaurant)--only his end of the night drink (so it does not count??). Pointed out that he had vodka, hard lemonade and beer the previous week when we had dinner with friends (I guess that did not count either because it was a gathering of friends). Then pointed out that DS watches everything he consumes and has told me (I did not ask) that when he takes him places to play video games they go to a bar--and then he tells me what he has had to drink. He told me he never has more than one (so that must not count either) although that is not what DS son. I did not tell him that because then he would attack DS.
He went on to tell me he just wants a wife and that if I divorce him I will be breaking my marriage vows--for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. I told him I did not really think what he was doing was model Christian behavior and he proceeded to tell me theology has not talked about alcohol and drug use. At this point I am starting the--just walk away from the alcoholic and he starts to tell me AA does not work for everyone and not for him and that maybe I should stop going to those AlAnon meetings because they are messing up my head.
It gets better--he then accused me of setting him up the last time he drank until he could not walk and then drank more the next night until he blacked out. He said I had called a mutual friend and arranged for there to be all kinds of vodka there and that our friend kept forcing it on him. I have to admit at that point I was speechless but I was thinking--holy cr@p, he has lost his mind and is now paranoid beyond belief.
I am calling my lawyer this afternoon to let him know I have the retainer. I need to talk to him about how to handle the move and arrangements for the kids--since AH will want to see them.
It may be true that he is going to really get sober and get help this time--but past experience tells me it will not happen. AND his comment about some underhanded plot to force him to get drunk--well that actually scared me because I think he actually believed it--he must have been thinking about it to have actually said it.
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Sounds like he's going a little batsh*t, wife2kids.
I had to laugh when I read that bit about drinks not counting because they're the end-of-the-night drink, drinks with friends, etc. Did you know that certain cookies don't have calories if you eat them with your eyes closed too?
Good for you for protecting yourself and your kids. It's hard, but sometimes doing the right thing is hard. It will get better if you persevere.
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Originally Posted by hadenoughnow
Exactly the same kind of crap my ex threw at me pretty much word for word(breaking vows, setting him up to drink, one or two does not count, that MY head is messed up) right before I filed and threw him out.
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Yep, my b/f that I had when I first got clean was on the campral. We were supposed to be getting clean together. I stopped using and he was supposed to reduce his drinking to a normal level. That was before I learned that alcoholics can't drink normally.
Exabf told the doc that he just wanted to reduce his drinking. He told the doc he wasn't an alcoholic, just a heavy drinker, but I'm not sure what the difference is or if there is a difference.
Ex continued to drink, although on the campral he did have less cravings, and drank about half of what he did before. So 8 instead of 16 beers a night. But gradually, he "forgot" to take it sometimes, and then, guess what? He drank more and more. He had a self-imposed limit of 8 beers a night, so he just made the beers bigger and bigger. Eventually, he was drinking 8 40-ouncers a night...lol...how ridiculous. Actually, nothing but abstinence works with alcholism, IMO. Campral might help someone achieve that, but if they continue to drink, they will probably stop taking it eventually because they will want to get drunk. Cravings are not the only problem. Alcoholics and addicts use to stop their feelings. If we don't address that, IMO, we will go back to using. That's where AA/NA and 12 steps come in.
I think campral could be a valuable tool if used in conjunction with a structured program for abstinence including AA.
Love,
KJ
Exabf told the doc that he just wanted to reduce his drinking. He told the doc he wasn't an alcoholic, just a heavy drinker, but I'm not sure what the difference is or if there is a difference.
Ex continued to drink, although on the campral he did have less cravings, and drank about half of what he did before. So 8 instead of 16 beers a night. But gradually, he "forgot" to take it sometimes, and then, guess what? He drank more and more. He had a self-imposed limit of 8 beers a night, so he just made the beers bigger and bigger. Eventually, he was drinking 8 40-ouncers a night...lol...how ridiculous. Actually, nothing but abstinence works with alcholism, IMO. Campral might help someone achieve that, but if they continue to drink, they will probably stop taking it eventually because they will want to get drunk. Cravings are not the only problem. Alcoholics and addicts use to stop their feelings. If we don't address that, IMO, we will go back to using. That's where AA/NA and 12 steps come in.
I think campral could be a valuable tool if used in conjunction with a structured program for abstinence including AA.
Love,
KJ
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Ummm are you married to my AH? Cause I swear he has said most of that stuff......some of it today!
Oh and I don't know what your plans are, but I know I set a boundary with my AH that he is not to drive with the kids in the car. Now that we are seperated, he is not allowed to be alone with them. All of his visits are supervised.
Oh and I don't know what your plans are, but I know I set a boundary with my AH that he is not to drive with the kids in the car. Now that we are seperated, he is not allowed to be alone with them. All of his visits are supervised.
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