New to recovery... maybe not.
 

Maybe some folks remember me from a while back. I have been steady drinking rum for about 5 years now. Funny thing is, I still run (not drunk) 4 to 5x a week. Been a runner 17 years now. Lost 60 plus pounds before and after having my now 6 year old son. I have suffered depression and anxiety since I was diagnosed at 15, I am now 33. Turns out I have been properly diagnosed as Bipolar. Explains a lot, especially why I used alcohol to self medicate. Don't get me wrong I have been able to manage my drinking much better, but cannot risk the liver damage of drinking with my mood stabilizers. No worry, drinking is gone. Not worth it. I'm on a mission to better myself. I thought that straight rum and flavored water was calorie efficient. Nope. Did myself a disservice all these years, even when running consistently. 1 shot of rum alone is about 80 calories. If I was drinking half a bottle of rum a night...yup...bad news. Puts things into perspective though. No worries. I got this...we all do. I promise to post more as I go. But no wonder getting to my goal weight has been a uphill battle!

I hope our support can help you achieve lasting sobriety. :)

Gidday Trubs,
Excess alcohol causes liver and a lot of other damage whether or not you mix it with meds, and whether or not you are an alcoholic. So it would seem knocking off the booze will be a win on all fronts. Such medication as you have to take will even work better.

I always thought, though, that there must be something wrong with anyone who drinks rum. As a source for my drug of no choice, alcohol, I got down to rum in the last few months. Mainly because I couldn't drink enough beer to get the effect, and also because nobody else seemed to like it so they were less likely to pinch my drink.

Didn't have any kind of a weught problem though. Quite the opposite, malnutrition was my thing, and exercise was something that never happened. The boozy life style left me so puny a 9 year old could beat me in an arm wrestle.

Alcoholism is as much about what happens to me when I don't drink as when I do. For me, just not drinking made matters worse, not better. I had to find a whole new way to live. But in your case it sounds like removing the alcohol can only have positive effects. Just keep an eye on how you are feeling about life.

Us alkies tend to become very uncomfortable and disatisfied with life after a few days off the booze. If you find that happening, there are lots of folks here who can share how they got past it and on to a more rewarding life.

Welcome back Troublelove :)

D

I was misdiagnosed for years with unipolar depression. Treating bipolar depression properly was a godsend. Unfortunately I went off the meds and went back to self-medication with booze and coke. At present I'm off my mood stabilizer, but I know from experience that it's far more needed in the winter months when the bipolar depression/SAD kicks in, so I will probably start it up again in late October/early November.

Anticonvulsant mood stabilizers and/or lithium are deadly when mixed with alcohol, especially in large amounts. An old work friend was an alcoholic and put on seizure meds and told not to drink. He did, and he died of liver failure at 39.

Plus they just don't work well when mixed with alcohol.

Good for you to get a proper diagnosis and treatment AND staying off the booze.

Thanks everyone. Everyday I am going to keep my eye on the prize.i was on lithium for a few days but I am sodium sensitive and gained a **** ton of water weight. Going to work today, then a nice run afterwards at the gym. Looking forward to getting back to the me I remember without alcohol.