daisy1

Hi guys. I'm 15 days sober - a week of that was hellish detox so I feel like it's only been a week of being at home learning neŵ behaviours etc.
I'm doing well,still weak and shaky but I'm walking my dogs and cooking proper meals, and my daughter is visiting me a lot :-)

At the moment the thought of alcohol makes me sick and I feel I will never want to go through the hell I have been through and put my family through ever again. I'm going to a wonderful SMART group and am about to join an abstinence only support group.

An alcohol advisor in the hospital has strongly advised me to take drug called Campral. He said I am in whAts called the 'honeymoon period' of newly discovered sobriety but am still vulnerable as life can throw anything at anyone at any time. Has anyone taken this drug and did it help them? Hope it's ok to ask this.

Kaily

Hi Daisy, congratulations on 15 days sober!
I have not used Campral as I am yet to get sober but if I was I would definitely give it a try, anything that helps.

I hope you don't mind me asking but did you get the Detox from the NHS? The reason I ask is because I have been trying to get one for over a year now.

sweetichick

I took Campral when I was sober a while back. It definitely helps lessen the cravings. I was on 6 a day.

carlingford

Yes I took c ampral currently have run out and need money to go to doc for prescription as i have temporarily stopped i have noticed the return of brain fog, lack of coordination walking and paw symptoms generally.it works very good for me and helps the brain recover.good luck and keep us updated how you get on.

daisy1

Kaily I began getting abdo pain and bruising and went to the gp pretending I had no idea what was wrong. The next week I went back and told her how much I was drinkng. She gave me a number for a service called CADAS (community drug and alcohol advisory service) and I had to refer myself. They saw me very quickly and agreed I needed detoxing because of the amount I was drinking and because of the withdrawL symptoms I had if I didnt.
If I hadn't have been such a heavy drinker and had withdrawal symptoms they would have not accepted me.
This was at the end of November. They said they would book me into a place either 30 miles away or 60 miles away depending on when the bed came up. They said it would likely be February so in the meantime keep drinking please. I was devastated.
In the end my ex found me covered in blood (massive nose bleed due to clotting not working) and covered in sick. He dragged me to the GP somehow and she arranged an emergency bed in hospital.
They detoxed me there because my kidneys and liver were packing up so they kept me for two weeks. They don't do routine detoxes in hospital just emergency ones. It's woefully inadequate. Do you have a CADAS in your area?
Just realise I spent two weeks in hospital and have been at home a week so it's more than 15 days..... God I'm still confused haha.
I really hope you get help :-( xx

daisy1

I'm 24 days sober! What a numpty.

daisy1

Oh kaily I meant to say the detox places would have been nhs yes. I could have had a bed more quickly privately and the cost ranged between 2-4 grand :-(. My ex was arranging to pay this for me but it ended up too urgent, luckily (if you know what I mean)

daisy1

Thanks guys I will try the Campral - I need to use every bit of help out there I guess xx

Kaily

Thanks Daisy.
Yes I am attending an alcohol centre but as yet no detox. I did stop drinking before Christmas very briefly but had withdrawals, I went to the local A&E who told me to keep drinking and sent me away.
Good luck with the medication and thanks again.

daisy1

With CADAS here they detox at home and visit each day. Isn't there anything like that - have you asked your GP? It makes me so angry there isn't enough help.

Dee74

Check with your Dr Daisy - what worked for someone else may not work, or even be suitable, for you.

D

Kaily

Believe me I have asked everyone!

daisy1

Dee I'm detoxed I was answering a question from a fellow Brit about NHS provision, not anything else. I told her the story of what led to my detox being quickly available on the NHS, and telling her what provision there is in my county. It seems to differ from county to county I was just asking her if the same services are available in London. I was in no way advocating anything, just trying to help her find a service where she lives.

daisy1

Oh did you mean the campral? Sorry lol. Of course I will check with my Dr she will be the one deciding and prescribing after all. I was just interested to hear how others found it. I'm not daft I do realise everyone is different

Meraviglioso

Hi daisy, I'll copy and paste what I posted in another thread. I took Campral and had a good experience with it.
I took Campral and found it to really help with cravings. It lessened the frequency and intensity of the cravings and made them manageable if I chose to manage them. So what I am saying is you need to have a solid recovery plan in place for when the cravings hit. The medication won't take care of everything by itself, it is just a little boost.
And don't let anyone tell you that by using medication you are taking and easy way out or not doing "real recovery" anything that helps you stay clean is a winner in my books.
Make sure you take the medication as prescribed though. I imagine you need to take a certain number of pills three times a day, that is generally how it is prescribed. I found if I didn't take it exactly as prescribed the effect was less. I was on 6 pills- 2, 3x a day.

Dee74

Yes I meant the campral.

I certainly wasn't implying you were daft - just my job to add these responsible little caveats....these threads may be read for years to come....

D

August252015

This topic has come up on several threads lately so I will again add my experience.

I am 11 months sober as of yesterday. When I quit drinking, my dr and I worked out a med regimen that works great for me; we have done some tweaking based on my honesty with her and my needs. I take campral 3x/daily and imagine I will indefinitely. I can honestly say I have had ZERO physical cravings- if this is why or part of why, amen and I will happily take it forever.

I work a very hard program and drinking is simply not an option. I also took Antabuse for the first 90 days (this is the med that makes you very sick, possibly dead, if you drink on it, as a short summary for it). Some people report that Campral lessens the cravings; many still drink while on it. I would not suggest the latter.

IMO and IME, any drugs that support my sobriety and healthy life are great tools in my kit for sobriety.

Good luck.