Hi, My name is Annette. As you can see from my username, alcohol is not my only addiction! Anyway, I am new to this site, but have been reading some of the posts and not only am I amazed at the number of people who share this disease, but the encouragement and support from other members is AWESOME! There really are people out there who 'get' the insanity.
I am in an intensive outpatient program and attend AA meetings regularly. I haven't had the nerve to ask anyone in person about prescription drugs for fear of being viewed as 'weak'. I try to keep myself busy but on a daily basis I still crave alcohol. I'm hoping it will diminish with time...I'm still what you call a 'pigeon'. Anyway, has anyone tried prescription drugs, such as Topamax, Campral, or Naltrexone? I know it won't help with my sanity, or insanity, but if it can help get me through this early stage of recovery without cravings, I would like to know. Thanks :)
and welcome to the board. None of those drugs were available when I got sober. I'm not a Dr. and certainly won't give medical advice, however most of us were able to get sober without the aide of prescription drugs, and unless you're diagnosed with bi-polar or clinically depressed, you probably can too. Don't sell yourself short, and if you feel severely depressed or suicidal, than get to a doctor.
This is a program where you gotta do your homework and I am so glad I didn't have to do it alone either. On the subject of prescripts I can only tell you to keep reaching out to others for their Experience Strength and Hope (ESH) and get both sides of the story. I use to only look for the stuff that supported my motives until I recognized I wasn't getting any better at this working a program. Gotta take the bitter with the better and stay honest. I've read up some on Naltrexone with the same ole same ole feedback some say it works for them and some say it don't...most say that they are concerned that they gotta drink during the use of it or it doesn't work at all. Doesn't make sense to me. I'm a chemical tolerant drunk...prescripts had to come in large doses for me in order to show the MDs that they were having an effect and then I was taken off of them completely years ago (survived it) and had several "toxic shock" episodes with alcohol before my journey got me into AA. I do believe for some prescription drugs help...for me I've never known. In support
Annette, I'm not sure you need meds to rid yourself of cravings. I would give the program your best effort. It would seem that if you are addicted to shopping/spending (which is the guess I'm coming up with from the screen name) that there are possibly some more serious impulse control issues going on with you, but that doesn't mean you have an impulse control disorder worth taking meds...it is likely that the other addictions (like mine) are all wrapped up in the same glob of "disease/general addict type stuff." How long have you been sober and in AA? Cravings for alcohol went away fast for me but they turned into cravings for other things. A huge dose of AA in place of all of what I thought or was craving helped a lot. I'm not perfect and still have the personality that will get addicted to things. I still AM addicted to cigarettes....but...I don't really crave alcohol. I crave feeling different and crave escaping my feelings on occasion, but it typically doesn't occur to me that alcohol will help that cuz it made me miserable towards the end for a long time and that really clicked in my head from the start of this journey...thank god. Welcome to the board. Pray when you get those cravings to act out/drink. I heard it a lot in the beginning and I didn't see how it was working or would work, but I think it's really a forced way of meditation and relaxation/getting out of self and a big part of our cravings and what not come from just not having any tools to relax and let go when we start getting sober.
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Thank you to everyone for replying to my question. I absolutely believe in a Higher Power and if finding sobriety through my OWN strength and the help of AA will bring me closer to my Higher Power, then prescription medication is not the answer. I hope that someday I can look back at this time in my life and remember the hardship, chaos, and finally...surrender. I believe it will give me strength, pride in what I have accomplished, and the ability to help others.
I want what you 'Old Timers" have. You truely are an inspiration!!! Again, thank you.
Just like Mark, (pinkchip) I also summised what addiction you were eluding to.
We see on occasion, thankfully not too often, see Sponsors telling new trusting newcomers to stop take meds. for some very serious diagnosis, and it make us all go....GRRRRRRR!!!!
Just my own little suggestion, if you have a good doctor that is very familiar with the 12 Step program, and that you are in Recovery, that is the most critcal to my way of thinking, then I would completely rely on what your own Doctor has to say.
I also have heard of the drugs that you mentioned, but dont really know, I also have read articles on how they really do benefit some......but that is something completely between you and your trusted Doctor.
The person responsible for writing the script, well he/she is the person that should be well educated and versed on this subject of the chemicals involved, the reactions, the contraindications, ( that's a big word for when the med should not be taken)
I have a Son that is a Pychiatrist, one of his two jobs is being on call at one of the major Hospitals in the city, in the ER, he works with the mentally ill, and people also that are addicts, and firstly he really loves his patients, is completely devoted to them, and he spent so so many years preparing for this work, and in those years, became well versed on every medication, and every reaction to that medication, as it relates to a specific person.....no two people are alike....that has to always be a part of it.
So please come back and share more on what is going on with you, and congratulations on how hard you are working, love how you put it, remember the hardship, the chaos, and finally...the surrender.....that is how we all have done it, and getting sober and staying sober, one day at a time, you will see is an unbelievable journey, full of life on life's terms, and how we all get to live without an alcohol drenched brain.....and the wonder of life... all the beauty.....it is all there waiting for you too. The tranference of that compulsion and relying on alcohol, TO the trusting of a HP, whom I choose to call God, and it has with it a much stonger compulsion to make that tranfer, the first represent a slow death, and the latter, a full sun light life.....my opinion. No more isolation, and no more secrets.
Hugs Annette, and again WELCOME!!!
-- Edited by Just Toni on Friday 8th of January 2010 01:09:43 PM
Exactly what type of drugs are we talking about here--some people have been told to give up all drugs besides the alcohol.
It depends on the type of drug--there are some a person has to take no matter what just to keep alive.
You need to make sure your Doctor knows that you are now recovering from all the abuse you did to yourself from alcohol and to reevaluate any drugs you are taking now.
Had I to have doses changed on mine 3 times in my first year of recovery--Blood Pressure, Thyroid, and Cholesterol, even though she knew I was drinking before.
What with stopping drinking, also I started having anxiety attacks and weird dreams--but with changing diet and getting proper sleep patterns that all stopped without resorting to drugs.
-- Edited by jonijoni1 on Thursday 7th of January 2010 09:42:10 PM
Well said, Joni I agree entirely.
As a taker of various prescription drugs, I can say that I cannot condemn anyone who takes them
1. For a specific illness/condition 2. Under close medical supervision 3. EXACTLY as prescribed 4. Because the quality of life will be improved by taking them.
I get the impression you are thinking maybe wean off the booze with another mind-altering drug may be good for you? Well, I dunno, but as already been said, none of us are doctors, and if anyone IS a doctor, they'r NOT a doctor in AA, so no-one will really give any advice about it...........EXCEPT JONI And that is great advice IMHO
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Serenity is Wanting what you have, not having what you want
Always remember non-alcoholic beers are for NON-ALCOHOLICS
You'll get a hundred different answers to this question.
The Big Book encourages us to seek out the help of qualified physicians. The person sitting next to you with more sobriety, even your sponsor, they are not physicians who are treating you. No one in AA has any right to tell *you* what is right for you. If you see a doctor, are prescribed meds and take them as directed, that is between you and your doctor and no one else.
This came up with one of my first discussions with my sponsor, and after she expressed some hesitation about me being on anti-depressants, I drew the line in the sand. It's not up for discussion. Period.
This thread is a bit old, but I just did a search on "Naltrexone" and this thread was found. I had to put my 2 cents in. As most have said, you will get many different answers on this topic. My experience is this: I do take antidepressants and I just started Naltrexone to help me diminish my cravings for alcohol. For me, ALL the medications I take have been wonder drugs. The Naltrexone especially has been a wonder drug in a very short period of time.
I have been in the AA program since April, so I am in no way an expert at all. I was sober for 3 months and then relapsed. I am under the care of a psychiatrist who suggested the Naltrexone to possibly help me. I am willing to go to any lengths for my sobriety so I agreed to try the med. I have literally been on the med for a few weeks and to my surprise the cravings are gone, really completely gone. I had thought that taking this med was a "crutch" as most of the people I have met in my AA groups are pretty much "do it drug free" and "do your step work". At this point in my sobriety, I just simply do not grasp how to do this. So in my mind, as I continue to learn at my meetings that I go to regularly, talk with my sponsor, I am going to an intensive out patient substance abuse group, am under the close care of a therapist and a psychiatrist, the Naltrexone is just the final piece I need to stay sober and FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. I do not feel tormented in my brain like I used to because of my cravings, I can live my life so much easier and am truly grateful for that.
I agree, anyone who takes these meds should be under close supervision of a doctor/psychiatrist. These meds are powerful and require that supervision. I really hope with my strong plan of treatment, I will be able to stop taking the Naltrexone (and the antidepressants too) altogether and learn how to find that "higher power to turn my life and problems over to". But right now is not the time for me.
I do not consider myself "weak", for right now I feel very strong and capable to live my life today and on today's life terms and not pick up a drink.
And that is great advice IMHO