Drug to Diminish Alcohol Craving

[kim]

Dear Doctor:

Please help.  My brother has a serious problem with alcohol and is about to enter rehab for the fifth time.  I don't have much faith in these centers and wonder about a new drug I've heard about that decreases the craving for alcohol.  Do you have any information on this you can send me?  Maybe THIS can save my brother's life.  Again, please help me.

Thanks,
Kim

[Barbara]

Kim,

The name of one drug to reduce alcohol craving is Naltrexone, brand name Revia.

I am currently taking it, I started it five days ago. I discovered it on the internet and asked my Doctor to prescribe it for me since I have been fighting slipping on and off for three months now and I am really tired of going through withdrawal, especially the "shakedowns".

So far it appears to be working for me but I am only on day-12 of sobriety. I was up to 27 days last month before a weekend binge due to craving. I will see when I get closer to one month whether the craving is really reduced or whether it is psychological at the moment since I just started it.

It is expensive!

Here is the internet URL

http://health.upenn.edu/~recovery/pros/nalfaq.html

Hope this helps!

Barbara

[bill]

Someone please teel me how to quit without going to those god awefull aa m1eetings!!!

[Kathy]

Bill,
Aren't those AA meetings boring?, dark?, and depressing?....Oh and talk about abunch of crazies!.....that have VERY strange stories to tell.....
Funny thing is when was the last time you pulled a "good" one,and thought maybe you were funny in a bar, or with friends, and next day said, where the heck did I park the car?....and oh! damn I said that! while drunk......
Yep those meetings can be boring, or what ever the out look on it depending on how "clear" your eyes want to be...I have seen some miracles come out of those rooms, and if you want to quit, like you sounded, then you will go to any lengths, AA metings, or just praying to your higher power,
May you find him, and find peace.
As the "demon" will just beat you down,
Good luck,
Kathy H.

[Sara]

I felt just like you Bill for about a year before I quit. I wanted desperately to quit but wanted even more desperately not to go to AA. I tried everything I could think of including some of the other recovery approaches. But I stayed drunk.

I finally tried AA. And it worked. That is the bottom line. Not every meeting is a good one. Not everything you hear will apply to you. But if you shop around meetings you just might find one that fits you. And you just might get sober. And that is the greatest thing in the world.

Believe me, I was just like you. I did not want the answer to be AA. But for me it was. And today I am grateful!