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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by scratchpad on May 8, 2007, at 8:03:51
A week after having to discontinue Cymbalta suddenly, I find I am having a hard time wanting to stay sober. I've Held The Course but it's been really hard. All sorts of protection that the antidepressant gave me I'd no idea of. Anxiety is way up, so the wicked tease of oh so temporary release just hangs there like a strip of fly paper.
Still taking Campral, but maybe I should ask my doctor if the dosage should go up while I'm vulnerable? Does anybody else here take this medication? Hellooo?
One year and coming up on nine months. I don't want to blow it. I want to hold on. This gets so hard sometimes. Traipse me through wine country and I'm fine. Leave me alone with my wormy little mind and I'm on the edge of a cliff. It's disgusting.
sp
Posted by zenhussy on May 8, 2007, at 13:18:39
In reply to Wow, I did NOT expect this, posted by scratchpad on May 8, 2007, at 8:03:51
it isn't disgusting. it is addiction. and it is very hard to manage.
dunno about the medication you're taking but it has seemed to help you greatly during the course of time you've been taking it.
would definitely ask doc about taking more if that might help. utilize ALL your resources right now to get through this challenging time.
there is nothing disgusting about facing your reality and truth. you haven't hidden from the work of healing and you continue to face it day in and day out. that is courage. there is nothing disgusting about being courageous enough to keep working on getting better. it is admirable, not gross.
pls be kind to yourself. you know your friends wouldn't think of you this way, and you don't choose lame friends so why not listen to them and try to come around to their way of thinking? (which would be---be nice to SP, treat her kindly and gently, ask doc for extra med help, reach out to the support network, post if it helps, etc)
a very dear friend went DOWN due to alcoholism and depression. friend is on meds now. alcohol isn't the crutch and saviour it used to be in this friend's world. so many ppl around this friend when this was happening did not think the friend would survive let alone overcome. things aren't back to normal yet but the alcohol has been removed from the equation, ADs are on board and hope continues day by day.
Posted by scratchpad on May 8, 2007, at 15:48:55
In reply to Re: Wow, I did NOT expect this » scratchpad, posted by zenhussy on May 8, 2007, at 13:18:39
Some days are just not good. I do find it puzzling that so many people I encounter in the health fields have never heard of Campral. It seems that every time I put it on my list of daily meds, someone in the process of being seen is bound to say, "what does this med do?". Granted, the last time this happened was in the allergist's office. At that time I had two nurses come and ask me about it. Each said, "I have a friend who needs help..." I was more than happy to relate my experiences with the med. (It suppresses alcohol cravings and, um, anxiety about cravings.)
This isn't a straight path. It's meandering, it loops back on itself sometimes, it goes through scary dark places, it opens into brilliant light and lets me see beyond the end of my nose.
I realized that this latest adventure was scaring me silly. I'm glad I posted here about it. I'm even gladder for your encouragement. Babble pretty much IS my support system outside of my spouse and my therapist. There is a women's group who has helped me in the past, but the online experience lacks the empathy and understanding that real live meetings give. (Plus I don't take well to preaching of any kind, and cliches send my eyeballs rolling back into my head.) I have promised myself that upon reaching my 2-year mark I'll look into starting my own local group.
thanks for listening,
sp
Posted by antigua on May 9, 2007, at 7:59:39
In reply to Wow, I did NOT expect this, posted by scratchpad on May 8, 2007, at 8:03:51
You can also ask your doctor about antabuse to get through a tough patch. You just can't drink on it or you will get very sick.
Just a thought,
antigua
Posted by muffled on May 25, 2007, at 0:12:56
In reply to Wow, I did NOT expect this, posted by scratchpad on May 8, 2007, at 8:03:51
(((SP)))
Campral was not avail when I was quitting. Just the antabuse(and boy does it EVER make you sick, even after several days not taking it...)
Just try and remember that the alcohol does NOT help. Thinking of its release is just the addiction talking. It'll just make things worse, there's a reason you quit in the first place, you just can't handle it. It will destroy you. Remember all the bad times of drinking.
Mebbe this sounds preachy, but it helps me....
I been a good 10 yrs dry after drinking from mebbe 13-33 or so, I haven't kept track. But still hits me bad sometimes....
Addiction is real sneaky :-(
Hope you can be OK.
M
Posted by scratchpad on May 25, 2007, at 6:38:41
In reply to Re: Wow, I did NOT expect this » scratchpad, posted by muffled on May 25, 2007, at 0:12:56
Thanks, Muffled. I do try to remember all the bad stuff. Sometimes I just don't care enough to care. But I have stuck with it a long time. It just feels like I need extra help right now. AA meetings are so triggering for me. I've never gone to one where I didn't want to drink afterwards (like, what do I have to lose when you hear other people's stories?). So I know that's NOT a safe place for me.
Babble is a safe place for me, I just have to keep posting about it.
thank you
sp
This is the end of the thread.
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