Alcohol addiction

[Whiskey]

Hello everyone i was wondering if any of you know the chemisty involved in the inheritance of alcoholism. What exact parts of the body seem to stray towards alcoholism in a certain family and why?

[Seamstress]

I am an alcoholic (actually dual addicted) and come from an alcoholic family.  I am the only one of my siblings who inherited the tendency.  It's been a long time since I was in school and studied this, but I believe it has to do with how the liver metabolizes alcohol which is very different in alcoholics.  And probably explains why I had this incredible tolerance from the very first time I ever drank.  I was not a cheap date :)

[Hinkster]

Not to ignore you Whiskey but you've got me on this one. Hopefully there is someone here that can help you. There are alot
of knowledgeable and caring people here to help you, regrettably
I'am not one of them. Anything else I can do for you let me know.
Tom

[1fortheroad]

sorry, i don't know much about alcohol, except it is one of the hardest detoxes and needs to be done under a dr.'s supervision for sure.

[DMR]

I was (or still am) an alcoholic.  I vowed never to take a drink again because of the horrible horrible withdrawl symptoms

When I was a heavy drinker,
I use to wake up in the middle of the night with chills and the shakes.  I tried to get alcohol to drink to calm myself but no store would be open or they wouldn't sell me alcohol because they were not allowed to sell during certain hours.

All the bars would be also closed.  I would even try to pop a few Benedryls or Sudafeds.  I would tough it out until 6:00 am I would again run to the 7-11 and buy booze while everyone else was buying coffee.  I needed to drink or I would have gotten seizures.  I would down the cheap wine or beer and go to work...I wasn't drunk but feeling normal.

At work, during lunch I would down a couple of gin and tonics that would hold me over till I got home at 5:30.  While I was driving home, I would stop at the liquor store and pick up a pint of Southern Comfort..

These would be daily ocurrances for a month until I got help...

Alcohol addiction is the worse

[GOD]

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Thank God I was able to get rid of THAT addiction.(also many thanks to A.A.) -- now I just gotta get rid of my "Last Vice" -- Ultram (the "Non-addictive" pain-killer alterative to opiates.....) Right. It has all of the addictive properties and none of the fun. (No "High", but VERY addictive.)

[Francoise]

Boy, you  really hit the nail on the head with this one. As bad as all the drugs are that we get into here, I don't think anything tops alcohol and cigarettes for destruction volume. I used to drink quite a bit, beer mostly, sometimes scotch, and it was getting to the point that my hangovers were just barely survivable. That's about when oxycontin saved me. Right! Saved me.

I am a chronic pain patient and will be taking oxy for the rest of my life I reckon. But you know, as soon as I got on the oxy, I totally lost interest in alcohol altogether. I know my liver is in better shape, too.

As someone has pointed out, coming off alcohol is dangerous. You just can't stop. You'll have fatal seizures if you do. I had a friend who was drinking about 64 ounces of burbon a day. His doctor told him to cut down to 62 a day for a week or so, then to 60, and so on, slowly. It took a couple of months to get down, but he held out and had his doctor's help and he finally made it. He dodged a bullet by getting his doctor involved. He was going to try it cold turkey.

Best of Luck
Francois

[DMR]

Thank God you guys understand !

I thought (at that time) I was the only one going through this so called alcohol withdrawl.....THE WORST WITHDRAWL OF ALL...

THIS TOPIC MIGHT BE OVERLOOKED IN THIS FORUM, BUT IT IS IMPERITIVE WE DISCUSS THIS

People who have not gone through this don't know it and probably think that hydro withdrawl is worse....but let me tell you all something, THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THEN ALCOHOL WITHDRAWL

During withdrawl periods, even if you have access to alcohol and need it to feel normal, it will be difficult to explain to people why your breath smells like whiskey at 9:30 am in the morning.  Especially if those people include your boss and co-workers.

Do you guys know of anyone who has gone through the DTs ???....DTs are the worst thing one can experience...it feels like there are numerous bugs and snakes rummaging through your brain and you just want to bang your head against the wall

I went through an inpatient detox for alcohol (twice) in the mid-90s...and it saved my life.  Each time it was 5 days long.  My liver is OK but not as healthy as it should be

PANCREATITIS:

This is the most painful internal organ condition one can ever experience.  I was in the hospital for 3 (THREE) weeks due to this condition.  A direct result of heavy drinking.

After being dry for 3 months, during one summer, I went through a week of heavy drinking (2 pints whiskey/day) combined with eating pizza and other nasty high fatty foods.  One night (around 2am) I felt a deep pain in my left side and rushed to the hospital...they admitted me and the pain was INTENSE !!!!  It was so bad that they had me on continous demerol drip for 4 days, which I have no recollection of.  when I regained consciousness on my 5th day in the hospital, I was screaming with pain, they again had to sedate me with benzos and narcotics.

This was 5 years ago, and to this day, my pancreas is only about 90% healthy.  Do anyone of you know anybody who went through pancreatitis ????

[skipper]

hey people:

about alcohol...yeah, it's one of the real dangerious ones. it's
side by side with barbs and benzo's! yes i've been thru dt's. i
didn't get them from alcohol, got em from w/d of pentabarb. sodium! compared to opiate w/d they were real wierd. i spent 6
weeks doing the "berkly method," which is the most painful method
to w/d with. i did get off the barbs without any permanent brain
damage. i think this was one of the most frightening and out of
control periods of my life! i did have several siezures and "word
salad" (know what i'm talking about? if so, i feel sorry for
you!)for several weeks.

i gave drinking a shot, but it never worked out. junkys make aw-
ful drunks. i never was able to contol (modulate?) my drinking
like i could my intake of most other drugs. in 1978 i did my best
to be a lush....thank god i broke my leg (on the job even) real
bad!! it was sort of the beginning of the end for me and enabled
me to meet my wife and stay clean for 17 years. it's a long story
and i really doubt anyone wants to hear it, and besides i don't have time to tell it. i still love to go to AA, 'cause so many alcoholics get upset being included in the same group as drug adicts!!

keep an angel on your shoulder
kip
and dope fiends.

[Jagstarrr]

My Mom's an alcoholic. she is in total denial. She has never been drunk in her life. right?? WEll, every night she is gone by dinner. She forgets phone calls and now that I've moved out, she forgets when my daughter is getting off the bus at her house or not. she says, "Oh yeah, you did tell me last night" stuff. Well anyway, alcohol is the most dangerous drug I feel for addiction. It's easy to get and hard to leave. ONe question, how the Hell can I help my MOM? She will not admit she is sick. does something have to "SCARE" her to stop and admit she needs help? She is labeled a funtioning alcoholic. Any ideas? Thanks People

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm back again and this sounds like an interesting thread to me. Many of my family and friends didn't have a clue as to my alcohol addiction.  Even my own kids were shocked when I entered the detox ward and started going to AA meetings after my release. My father and uncle are alcoholics and in the same vein as me.  

We could drink around the clock, literally, and still function!  My father has had two heart attacks, my uncle is now blind and I'm in need of a liver. Yep, it kills you one way or another long before your time. We had some pretty memorable times together, alcohol and me, but there is that price we must ultimately pay. And so it goes as well with any addiction. Oh, to be free again!  I can't remember the last time I felt....free. It's more of how we bound ourselves to these substances and struggled than the mootness of a hereditary condition that we can blame it all on.  There is no one or thing to blame except us and the drug.

J.B.

[1fortheroad]

i went to the chat room...i pop in there once in awhile always to find myself alone.  there was an actual person there.  we started to chat, and she asked what i was doing there.  i said, well i'm an opiate addict.  she says, "what's an opiate" - i thought she was kidding...she wasn't.  i guess it isn't an addiction chat room?  i laughed and laughed - it was so refreshing.  then i said, i'm a drug addict.  well, she was polite, but she got out of there fast...hahahahaha.

how come no one ever goes there?

[Francoise]

'cause I don't know how!

FT

[1fortheroad]

hi - you go up to the top of the page, and hit "chat" - it will ask you for a log in name or something, so you probably would use francoise.  then it takes you to the chat room - you just type your message in and hit enter.  on the upper right part of the page will show you who's in the chat room...i think that's right. it's really easy...don't worry.

[Jagstarrr]

HEY I was just there. No one home. Lights were on too  LOL! Lets make a time to all get in?

[JoseCuervo]

I am drunk right now I've been drinking for 2 months straight everyday. Iget these terrible headaches and shakes and hallucinations that make me think Im crazy.I have to drink to get well I lie about it to everyone I know saying I've cut down or Im not drinking.I am terribly afraid of quitting this time because I don't know if I can handle the whole life thing sober, Iam afraid if I stop then everything will be so different, too much.

Should I go to rehab for the 4th time or keep going?

[Jagstarrr]

HEY JOSE!  Go to a rehab! NOW! I've been watching my Mom for the past five years. NOt pretty. Has anything really made you happy? go back to it, as long as it's not drinking. Me? I moved 1500 miles away from where I lived to get away from drugs. Was clean for 3-1/2 years then was hurt in an accident and became clinicly addicted. I'm stopping as we speak. I want to be the way I was 2 years ago. I had wants and desires. The drug you and I was and still are taking takes away all that from you. Lowers your self-esteem, depresses you. You weren't always a drinker, right? Think back then. If you weren't happy then, what will make you happy and then grab it. There is a wonderful life outside of drugs and alcohol. Am I right?

[skipper]

Jose:
welcome to thwe forum! always room for just one more addict in
here!

at the very least you need a clinical detox. after you have been
properly detoxed, rehab would be an option. so would a half-way
house. ater detox, you have a lot of options. you don't have any
other choices as far as a in hospital detox goes. my point is,
the most important thing to worry about and act upon is getting
deoxed in a hospital! worry about anything else AFTER you have
beeen hospital detoxed!

keep an angel on your shoulder
kip

[DMR]

Whatever you do....DON'T COld TURKEY on the drinking...

Cold Turkey with alcohol means terrible shakes and "DELIRIUS TREMENS", which is the most uncomfortable feeling in the world.  You will be in a constant panic, getting cold sweats, won't be able to read or write, and might even get a SEIZURE !!!!  To me the experience was awful, it felt like there were cockroaches and scorpions inside my brain

Slowly taper your drinking and go to a medical detox center.  When I was in inpatient detox, I got lots of support and lots of librium, a benzo drug that eliminates the shakes and DTs.  On the third day, they will taper off the librium.  And a couple of days after that, you will be feeling normal.  But it really takes a full month to get your liver, kidneys and pancreas to get back to normal.

If you get a prescription of librium, DON'T DRINK WHILE ON THE LIBRIUM OR YOU WILL STOP BREATHING !!!!!

Also be careful about your pancreas.  Stay away from spicey foods for a week and give your pancreas a rest.

JOSE, IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE...DO THESE THINGS

[Jagstarrr]

AMEN TO what you just read!

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

Do you really think he took all of your advice?  I'd like to think so but...he did say he was drunk "right now" and had been for two months straight.

At any rate, a cry for help shall always be near and dear to our own hearts.  

J.B.

[chancycook]

WOW! Some people are actually coming forward with drinking problems. I still haven't receoved a response on how to approach AA. Everyone says to ask for help but, without insurance they all say go somewhere else. My husband is very supportive of my drinking but, not of my getting help. We have kids so I am at a loss since my mom died a long time ago. Any ideas for help with alcoholism? Thanks, Chancy

P.S.
I kind of think that he wants me gone.

[GOD]

Hey there! Good morning to you - If you're reading this on saturday morning, of course...

When you said you needed some advice about how to approach AA, did you mean finding out where the meetings are in your area, or just that scary first step of actually GOING to a meeting? I can help you on both of THOSE questions! First of all, if you need to find out the "Where and When" locations, Etc, just go to http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/ -- that is their MAIN webpage that can answer all your questions.... VERY helpful site to me when I first decided to get help for my addiction. Check it out! But the BIGGER question of going to that FIRST meeting, what to expect, Etc... THAT was my problem. You know- hey, what if someone saw me there and "Ratted" me out? Well, if someone sees you there, THEY are there for the same reason YOU are! The LAST thing on their mind is GOSSIP. They want the same thing that you do, which IS anonymity. My first meeting surprised me in that I DID, in fact see TWO people that I worked with... Same building, at least. They both came up, shook my hand, and said they were glad to see me finally getting help! It's funny that you may THINK that aquaintences would have no idea of your addiction, but the funny thing is, that once you get sober for a while, you will realize that it's more surprizing that MORE people didn't realize that something was "Wrong" with you. But anyway, I know that the first time to a meeting is a bit overwhelming; but try to realize that you DON'T have to talk about yourself or even say that you are an alcoholic if you are not ready in the beginning. I just said, "Hi, I'm just hear to listen and learn!" The people are GREAT... there is NO pressure, because the whole point is that you ARE THERE. Later I started saying, "Hi, I'm Jess, and I'm an alcoholic...." It was no different other than it really DID make me feel better just saying that I WAS an alcoholic. And DO NOT worry about going to a meeting, then drinking later that week, and then being ashamed to go back because you slipped. It happens to ALL of us. The ONLY requirement for "Membership" to AA is a "DESIRE to stop drinking."

In fact, here is the Quote directly from the Cental Office:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

• The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions.
• A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
• Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wish you only the BEST in your road to recovery. AA is a Lifesaver! It saved MY life.

Good Luck!
Jess

[Mike565]

I was looking at all these posts.  I must of been quite lucky.  I quit drinking alcohol about 7 weeks ago after I was told I had a fatty liver. I hope that is the worst I have.  Haven't had any other test on liver yet other than blood work and a sonogram. What I mean about being lucky is that I was drinking 12 to 15 beers a day for a year or more and drank before that but not as much. I quit cold turkey without any withdrawal symptoms.  I did have minor hand tremors for a couple of days, but these were worse when I was drinking.  I was worried that I might have withdrawal but took a chance and quit cold turkey anyway.

[chancycook]

My mother's family doesn't drink. My father's family is full of  alcoholics.(They all drink a ton of beer and seem to be fine.) I know that it is said that it is genetics but, mysister doesn't drink yet I do. She portrays all of the symtoms of the rest of the family yet I don't. She looks like my dad's side while I take after my mom's. I am the alcoholic she isn't. I respect your research. It sounds like a college paper. If you would like, I can offer the input for my family. As to the part of the body that leads to alcoholism, I think it is the brain. Hope this helps a little. Chancy

[jafco]

Hi Everyone - What a great forum! I've been lurking behind the scenes for about two weeks, finally got the nerve to post. I am currently weaning myself off of a 10-12 a day 10/325 Norco habit as well as 4 X day .25 Mg Xanax habit. On top of it I'm an alcoholic, so I'm glad that this subject has come up as well. Starting this past Monday I've been cutting down the Norco by 5 Mg a day, I'm at 6 today, and so far so good. I've also cut the Xanax intake in half, mainly because I was going to run a week short on my next script. I must say that up to this point it's the Xanax withdrawal that has been the worse. What a strange drug! You can go into withdrawal between doses because of the short half-life of this drug. (I've been doing a lot of research!) I read somewhere that it's best to switch over to a longer acting Benzo like Klonopin, along with a drug called Tegretol for possible siezures. You can then wean of both slowly. The hydro withdrawal is really not that bad yet. I feel like **** and I can't see straight, but I can deal with that. I know it will get worse before it gets better! I was going to go to an Addiction Medicine specialist and get the Buprenex and the stuff I mentioned for the Xanax transition but decided to tough it out because I'd only have to wean of of that later on anyway. I drink about 6-8 beers a day, and I will quit that as well, but I just can't do everything at once! Next is the cigarettes! Well I just wanted to thank everyone for the insight I gained from this group. Wish me luck, I certainly wish the best for all of you. Sorry for the long post, just needed to vent a little.

PS. I wonder how many of us are multiply addicted to several substances? I imagine it's rather common.

God Bless

Jafco

[rowanshyne]

It is a very bad idea to go off of Xanax cold turkey, and be careful tapering.  Tapering is the only way to do it safely, though.
It's funny, although a great many addicts like several different substances, Hydrocodone is the only one that's ever done "it" for me.  I don't like marijuana, amphetamines make me sleepy and alcohol makes me hyper. I also don't like the way other narcotics make me feel.
My ex was a hard core, 30 year, heavy duty alcoholic.  We used to talk about the way different types of alcohol changed his personality.  He didn't like narcotics, but he would do them and anything else with the booze to get higher.  He's only 56 now.  He looks like he's pushing 70, and was showing the beginning signs of Korsokov's Syndrome (Wetbrain) 5 and 6 years ago.
I'm so glad you're getting off the stuff.  Real life is actually not that bad, and *much* easier to keep up with Clean and Sober.
You're also welcome at AA.  Like Skipper, I'm considered pond scum because I'm a drug addict.  Guess some folks have to have *somebody* to look down at so they can see up.

Wren

[jafco]

Thanks for the input Wren - Yeah, your absolutely right about the Xanax. Although I take them as prescribed, only 1 MG a day, a single missed dose causes immediate withdrawal symptoms. I've been forced to cut it back to .5 MG a day this past week, otherwise I would have had to go 3-4 days with none at all, which would certainly have been worse. Fortunately I will be able to renew my prescription tomorrow. I'm going to need it to get me through the rest of the way with the Hydrocodone taper as well as the alcohol, which I intend to start immediately after I'm through with the pain meds. Then I'll see if I can get my Doc to switch me over to Klonopin and Tegretol, then taper off that. The Klonopin has a much longer half life (something like 200 hrs.) as opposed to 8-10 hrs with the Xanax. The Tegretol is an anti-convulsant. It sounds like your husband must have been a pretty heavy hitter on the alcohol. I sure hope he's doing well in his sobriety. Am I correct in assuming your still on the Hydros? Or have you since quit? I still have to deal with my pain, which is caused by a serious TMJ condition. I clench and grind my teeth causing severe headaches, jaw, and neck pain. I'm going to try something like Celebrex or Vioxx instead and see how that works. At this stage the Hydros aren't even working anyway, so I have nothing to lose. Of course I still also have anxiety and panic attacks to deal with, which is why I'm taking Xanax. I'm going to try an antidepressant like Paxil or Prozac instead of these damn Xanax. Well, off to bed for me.

God Bless

Jafco

[rowanshyne]

Blessings on you, Jafco.  You'll do fine.

No, my ex still spends most of his time drinking.  

My current husband is very supportive and I'm terribly grateful for his love.

Yes, I'm still taking hydro.  Down to 30 mg a day right now from 150mg.  I'm still tapering, I'm hoping my Dr. in Colorado can prescribe Buprenex the next time I see him.

Rest well,
Wren

[OxyDout]

Hey, I was just reading some of these threads on the lower part of the screen and happened to read "vioxx" I just wanted to warn you and tell you that you should further research the use of vioxx. It has been all over the news for "serious" side effects, they have made a huge issue out of it, atleast where I am. My doctor actually called me about a prescription for vioxx he had given me 8mnths ago, he wanted to know if I took it, and If I finished the bottle, sketchy...........

GWH

[jafco]

Thanks for the heads up gwh

I guess I'll steer clear of that one. All those drugs, Vioxx, Celebrex, Motrin, are all what they call NSAIDS or nonsteroidal anti inflammatories (hope I spelled that right). Aside from eating away your stomach lining they are supposed to be non-addictive. By the way, I checked out your post to another thread and that stuff your friend gave you is a musclel relaxer called Robaxin. There is no opiates in it. It's more or less a sedative. However you can get addicted so be careful. Good luck in your sobriety. I was following your progress for the past two weeks. I'm heading for week two of my slow taper off the hydros and so far just feel like I have the flu, a little back pain, the legs are ok. I went from 12 Norcos a day to 6 last week and this week expect to get down to 3. As I said before, I'm sure I'm in for a lot more discomfort which I'm not looking forward to. At least I am able to do this at home, I took a personal leave to get this done.

God Bless

Jafco

[jafco]

I guess the operative word there is "ex" husband. Although I'm sure you still care about his well being. Sorry to hear he is still drinking. Sounds like your doing great with the hydro taper. The Buprenex is really supposed to work great. I was going to go that route myself, but thought I'd give it a go on my own. In the grand scheme of things, I really wasn't taking THAT much hydro. Some people have talked of taking ten at a time, a hundred a day. I can't imagine how hard that would be to reverse.

God Bless

Jafco

[OxyDout]

thank you for the info, I found it on the web, I only took half, so nothing big. I don't have a prescription, plus I hate sedatives. Either way, I'm glad to hear your doing well, keep up the good work, im heading into my 3rd week and things are starting to look good. I'm going to the marathon today (boston marathon) to watch my girlfriend run.  I have to say, being out in the sun is an incredible way to deal with withdrawal. If you have just the flu like symptoms, your very lucky, i had the same thing, along with the aches, the restless leg, it was awful. A lot of people are different though, so don't think to much, just put one foot in front of the other.

GWH

[jafco]

Hope you enjoyed the Marathon yesterday. How did your girl make out? Your right, this weather is a definate plus in the recovery process. It was almost 80 down here in NY yesterday. By the way, I once dated a girl from MA. form a little town called Wrentham, about an hour south of Boston if I recall correctly. Met her down in St Thomas VI and ran back and forth to Boston for the next 4 years. Great town, Boston. The Commons, the open markets, Copley Plaza, Faneull Hall,(not sure if I spelled that one right)but lots of great food. I remember having dinner up on the top floor of the Prudential building, forgot what it was called. Anyway, just remenising. Day nine, doin' fine! Well, pretty good anyway! Keep up the good work!

Jafco

[OxyDout]

Ah yes, the "top of the hub" great food, great view. Wrentham, thats a nice little area, I never go out there, but I drive through it on the way to Patriot games.  Thats too funny about the relationship. I did the same thing when I met a girl in Mexico, (cancun) she is from Hackettstown, NJ, I have stayed in touch with her till this day!! how crazy is that.  Anyway, I'm doing well today, I hope you keep feeling good. Keep up the hard work.

My girlfriend did very well. she finished in 3 hours and 49 minutes.  She is in a lot of pain today, but I have been taking care of her.

[cjd568]

If you're looking to quit alcohol, go to www.rational.org. Let us know what you think.

[Hinkster]

I too being from around Springfield Ma met a girl in Miami who
was on vacation from Wilmington Del. Stayed in touch for 4 years.
Apretty long 10hr drive. It was worth it but, as things go lost
touch and another one won bites the dust.
Tom

[jafco]

Yep, those long distance relationships never work out in the long run. Too many dissapointments and arguments about getting to see each other. She sure was a great gal though! Really too bad.

Jafco