New Medications To Treat Alcoholism

Old 05-06-2007, 08:06 AM
  # 21 (permalink)  
Hope3
 
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Red face

Originally Posted by TryingisDying View Post
Even if they had something that stoped you from drinking...you would switch to something else because the reasons that you drank are still there.....its not a drinking problem it is a thinking problem
Personally I wish it were that simple, it is a thinking, physical, neurological, genectic mess........god bless us everyone, hope3
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Old 05-06-2007, 05:10 PM
  # 22 (permalink)  
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Hi All, good topic.

I have heard camporal has a great deal of benefit for those experiecing withdrawal.

In terms of my experience, I rely on anta abuse to this day. I keep a prescription and if I am ever feeling that compulsion I immediately pop one. Many would say that is wrong and it is not the AA way, but it works for me. If I feel the compulsion, I have it at hand, I take it, the compulsion now cannot become a reality b/c I would become very ill and then I have time to reflect on why I was feeling the compulsion.

In terms of my experience with doctors, the city doctors seemed to be at a loss. They wanted to help, but didn't know what to do, so you were just refered to a spin dry (dry out) place.

Then I came north. The doctors up here are wonderful. Not only do they know about the issues that relate to alcoholism, they actually seem to know what to do about it in terms of medications that are helpful, including prescribing vitamins to help rebalance the alcoholics brain chemistry after stopping.

I then looked into why the difference: the explanation is that in med school they only get a very brief exposure to the issue with very little real information. You have to take extra training to actually learn about it and how to treat it, it is not part of the curriculum. Surprise, surprise, surprise.... 'little Gomer Pile there!

So why do the norther doctors seem to know more? Because it is more in the open in the north apparently. Towns are smaller, people with alcohol problems aren't able to hide it as readily; people seek treatment; their doctors care because they actually know the person.

Peace, Levi
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Old 05-07-2007, 10:17 PM
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"Science may one day accomplish this, but it hasn't done so yet...."
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Old 05-15-2007, 11:20 AM
  # 24 (permalink)  
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antibuse is scary stuff, though. It helped me a lot with total sobriety, but, I once had had a wacko counselor who suggested using it on and off and have "sober days" and allow myself a drink on non-sober days. What horrible advice!

The first thing I discovered is that my body couldn't handle that. Antibuse stayed in my system for DAYS. The idea of taking one tab on a monday and waiting till Friday didn't work because it was still in my system on Friday. My heart rate would shoot through the roof and my face would turn the color of a lobster, after one single drink. I ditched that system right away.
It was frightening. I guess you could say he was one of those "uninformed".
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Old 05-17-2007, 06:39 PM
  # 25 (permalink)  
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naltrexone

I have been taking 50 mg/day of Revia and it seems pretty subtle. I never had a big problem with physical withdrawal and I think it was designed more for that than psychological cravings. It would probably be futile if you tried to continue to drink.I was intrigued that they measured chages in the mri's of subjects when it was being tested...and wonder how they can tell it was the meds or just the persons physical brain recovering from being sober?
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Old 05-29-2007, 11:14 AM
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Jeff070204
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Physical addiction

It was interesting to read the...um, 'debate" amongst some of you about the physical addicitiveness of alcohol. I've long wondered what the range of experience is or has been among any group of individuals who consider themselves alcoholic with respect to physical addicitin and withdrawal symptoms.

I've often found that when I speak about "the shakes" or "being physically incapacitated" or even about my hospitalization for withdrawal seizures (the day before my sobriety date), many people seem to have little if any idea what I'm talking about.

I kind of marvel at people who are able to walk into any of the meetings I attend today and announce that they have "one day". When I had a five days, I still needed assistance to stand up from a sitting position. One of the most unpleasant memories that stays with me from my early sobriety was the experience of having nearly every one of the 50-odd guys in the rehab facility where I was a patient ask me at one time or another why my hands were shaking.

My understanding of what the AA Book means when it describes the disease as "progressive" has as much to do with the physical addiction as much as anything else. If I remember correctly, the last time I began drinking again after a period of absinence, physical symptoms (e.g., the shakes) began to appear after maybe a week. With the relapse prior to it, maybe a month. Were I to pick up again, the onset of physical addiction would, it seems to me, be virtually instant. Knowing this simple fact is one of my most powerful "tools" in the maintenance of my sobriety.
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