DeathKnight

Hi all, i've been lurking abit here and there for a while like most ppl tend to do. I started drinking about 4 years ago give or take 6months. A GF introduced me to in my mid 20s and it was all fun and good at the time and very new. Being an insomniac it had a dual purpose for me, providing the fun/high feeling booze gave me and putting me to sleep at night. Now 4 years down the road and having drank nearly every night i'm totally ashamed of my self for getting into this position. I use to joke that my new years resolution was to become an alcoholic so the following year i could quit.....not so funny now (still a little). I ended marrying my GF and shortly after getting a divorce which sent me spiraling down hill. I was still able to keep a job etc, all that stuff is good but would drink half of a 750ml bottle of hard liquor a night, now im trying to figure out how to get back on track. I'm scared for my health. I don't think AA would be a good path from me since i have 0 spirituality.....i do how ever have a personal therapist i see every 2 weeks. Any Advice there? Also, im wondering if i should be scared of DTs? when i go 1-2 ddays w/o drinking i feel fine... I dont want to tell my doctor for fear of having it marked on my medical record and maybe losing insurance coverage, i had a blood work up 4 months ago and had elevated ALTs of 76 (40 is normal) has anyone had any experience with this?


Sorry for the rant im just hoping someone can toss me something i can use.


- failboat.

Horselover

First off welcome to SR! You are making the right decision. Your health must be a priority in quitting and I would say its necessary to talk with a doctor about it. Especially if you've been drinking the quantity you have and nightly. I was worried about the health insurance issue myself and I can only share with you what happened when I confided to my nurse practitioner. I asked her straight up if this information was going to be reported to my insurance company and she said no that it was in her notes for her to refer to only. So far so good. I can't be sure it will stay that way if records are transferred, but she had to know for treatment purposes. I can't help you on the blood level information as I have no medical background nor any knowledge on that. I do hope you will talk with your doctor though. They can help you during the withdrawal period. As far as AA goes, there are other programs out there. One off the top of my head is Smart Recovery.

Again, welcome to SR!

DeathKnight

Well, sadly my doctor is at Kaiser which is also my insurance company as well.

Horselover

Don't give up hope DK. I am sure there are other people that might have some information that will help you. There are so many helpful people here. I'm glad you found SR. It will help.

Dee74

Hi DK

Welcome to SR.
You'll find a lot of help and support here - some advice too
Many of us have been exactly where you are.

I can only stress to you the importance of seeing your doctor.
I didn't and I wish I had. Your health should be your first priority.

D

yeahgr8

I wouldn't concern yourself with spirituality at AA at the moment, this is definitely running before you can walk. Just go to AA to get the help you are looking for in order to get the support you need to stop drinking and to have the life that you want...simple as:-)

Asta1

Welcome! I am relatively new here too. This is day 16 for me. I am basically an atheist/agnostic (depending on what day it is). I have found SR a great source of inspiration (not sure if that is the right word). But by reading others experiences, such as yours, it really helps keep me motivated not to go out and buy the liquor. The last time I had blood work, my ALT and AST tests were high. I had to research on the web to find out what normal was. Anyway, I went to my doctor a week after I stopped drinking and fessed up. It was easier doing that when I could tell him in the next sentence that I stopped drinking altogether. I have an appointment scheduled for the beginning of December for follow up. He seems to think that if I stay off the booze my liver functions should be pretty close to normal. By the way, my web research says that "normal" for ALT is from 7 to 56 units per liter and AST normal is from 5-40 units. I haven't tried Smart Recovery. I wasn't even aware of it. But I think I will do some research on it. Maybe you can do the same? In the meantime, keep reading here and keep posting. Even tho I don't buy into the higher power aspect of AA and don't see myself going to meetings (I had to when I was in rehab many years ago), there is a lot you can use and learn from the steps and the "Big Book" without conceding. Don't know if anything I said was useful. But if I can go 16 days, I'm pretty sure you can too! Don't give in to that disastrous urge. You'll just make it worse & worse.

Anna

Hi and Welcome,

I'm glad you posted and it's great that you have decided to stop drinking.

We can't give any kind of medical advice, so you really should talk to your dr.

I use SR as my inspiration and lifeline, and I hope that you will continue to read and post.

DeathKnight

does anyone have any info on rather or not insurance can drop you for being an alchy? My GF and i need to keep our coverage and with how insurance companies screw everyone over, im not sure how to go about it.

roflcopter

well, i guess im going to talk this over with my therapist next week and make a plan...i may see a independent doc if needed to prevent kaiser from knowing.

Horselover

Deathknight and Roflcopter are one in the same or not? I'm now confused.

DeathKnight

same, was an older account i thought i lost pw 2. guess my pc had it saved, sorry! but ill be posting on this name.

Horselover

That's totally fine, and it doesn't take a lot to confuse me.

DeathKnight

hehe, so is it cosher to chat here and ask QS while still drinking? im not sure how well this is going to go for me, but id like to make some friends here that can help me.

Dee74

Hi again DK

We can close that roflcopter account for you if you like.

You might get some differying views, but I believe SR is for the people struggling more than anything else.

We just ask everyone here, drinking/using or not, to have respect for everyone else and remember the rules and regs

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ting-tips.html

D

DeathKnight

i understand, just wasent sure if id get flack if im drinking.

Sebastian2

Glad you are thinking about it. I am not very spiritual but find the AA meetings to be very helpful, and I have a sponsor I can call 24/7. NO ONE at AA pushes religion, you can say higher power, buddha, my pet rock, whatever you want. Take what you need and do whatever it takes to get sober. I personally don't think the internet is enough. We all still need human interaction. This is great for a lift, but not enough for me... My 2 cents!

roflcopter

yeah, thats partly why i have a therapist, but its prob not the same.

DeathKnight

sorry all for posting on wrong account again!

Wolfchild