aclcohol allergy

[Frank]

In the past years of my youth, I drank quite heavily on weekends but have slowed down over the past 30  years. Now, when I drink even a glass of wine or 3/4 beers I get a slight pain inmy chest(lungs) and feel a shortness of breathe. Am I allergic to alcohol?

[Frankinscense]

My sincere congrats to you. Research by the addiction xperts say support of the spiritual variety is intensely needed to accomplish sobriety. 18-24 monsths clean is the recommended period of time to elapse before one can claim success. MMT and LAAM is there for people for whatever reason, cannot cut abstinence. If you cannot become sober by abstinence this is not a failure. It is not a will power issue! Specfically it is a chemical imbalance(endorphin challanged)that some cannot overcome. Methadone and LAAM act as medicine that stabilises the chemical imbalance. This is where most people are confused in regards to opiate agonist therapies. It is NOT a replacement drug! It is a chemical, that is unfortunately a schedule II narcotic that helps stabilises the neurotransmitters that have been depleted while opiates are being abused. Even the most educated people still do not know these facts. ALmost all the information that people hear in regards to these therapies is FALSE.
  Steve Adleman (Dr. Steve) has echoed my statements many times. THe majority of medical doctors only know of the analgesic properties of methadone/LAAM and no nothing of the endorphin stabilising properties of the two substances. My Sincere best wishes and prayers to you Charlie.
Dan...
ps:I have never heard through talk or articles, writers give accurate information into the practices of opiate agonist therapies. There are so many untruths due to people being uninformed about this medical practice. Three Experts in the Field>>References:Maxwell (Marc) Shimmerman?? orShinderman MD>>>website I am not sure about the spelling of Dr. Marcs' Last name
2.)Dr. J. Paytes MD>>> website (dear doctor letters a must read)
3.)Dr. Vincent Dole MD  researcher that mainstreamed MMT
If you want to be one of the informed in regards to MMT or LAAM read info from Dr.J.Paytes website>> at least give it a peek. Dan...

[Charlie to C]

Even though I may disagree with you at times, I appreciate you taking the time to try and help people with your advice.  For myself, I recently quit cold-turkey after a 4 year period of sobriety.  I was using to the extent of about 300 - 400 mg. of hydrocodone daily.  When I couldn't get hydrocodone, I used oxycontin, up to about 400 mg. daily.  Needless to say, quitting cold-turkey was a real *****.  The withdrawals were terrible and I seriously thought about giving up a few times; but I hung in there and I have about 65 days under my belt now.  I don't know enough about the methods you are suggesting to kick the habit, but I do know the relapse rate is pretty high quitting the way that I did.  In 1995 I stayed in an in-patient facility and stayed clean for about 4 years.  When I relapsed, I had quit all of my support groups and various other therapies; (I think the main reason for my relapse was due to letting my spirituality completely disappear).  Also, I was involved in a pretty nasty child custody case, and I let my ex-wife live rent free in my head and eventually drive me to using.  Again, I appreciate your input in your posts.  If people choose to take your posts so personally, maybe you are really hitting home to some of them!!!
CHARLIE

[Frankinscense]

Thank you Tom and Joan. You both give a sense of stabilty to a forum that could easily take the wrong path concerning support for this horrible disease. I am glad that we have our own ideas concerning this disease. Diversity is needed to promote creative discussion. WE need positve support from one another to discuss techniques that have worked for one another. Coming here like some, to encourage sometimes illegal methods of obtaining narcotics makes me a bit angry. I bring and stand behind one method for keeping this disease in remission. Another method is abstinence. But due to the nature (or pathology) of this disease, the relapse rate for this method is almost impossible for most. Personally, I do not want to spend every waking moment fighting the cravings. For the average working man trying to support himself and a family,30 - 90day medical detox is a luxury that cannot be afforded.  A slow detox with a longer acting opiate is proven to be effective for withdrawals. Rapid detoxes are dangerous (some instances can kill)and costly,and in most cases have a very high relapse rate. Detoxes are simple compared to fighting cravings,depression,insomnia,anxiety,no energy and other symptoms that come with abstinence. Abstinence or attempting it is extremely necessary to determine how much of a hold the disease has on you. And it is necessary to determine if this method can be accomplished by the addict. IT MUST BE attempted. Only if there is several failures should one consider methadone or LAAM maintenance. These are my thoughts and feelings that I have gathered over the years in battling this terrible disease. If I am wrong so be it. Most addiction doctors such as Steve Adleman agree. I only know what has worked for me, a person that has been afflicted with this disease for many years. At least,at this point in my life I have control of the disease,it does not have control of me.  We must work TOGETHER to stop the suffering. If someone does not agree with my ideas, I am saying that's fine. But unless you HAVE a solution to help fight this disease,why try to find holes in my opinions. LETS hear some other solutions. I am all ears.
My Sincere Best Wishes TO ALL,
Dan

[tom to Dan]

Dan, just keep on keep'n on ... you're alright in my book. The best thing about this site is the diversity of style and content. Oh, and please respond to my post above in the buprenorphine thread.

tom

[for Sick and scared/beware of Vicky!!]

Hey guys
I am leaving this forum because of all the bullshit that is going on. I feel like we are not allowed to even make a suggestion here without CERTAIN people on here that feel that they are the only ones justified in handing out advice. Just scroll up and down and read all the fighting that takes place. It goes from name calling to correcting someones spelling mistakes and improper grammer!!
I always have taken in everything that everyone posts and try to learn from it and very rarely do I post but god help me when I do. I am either totally ignored or degraded for my suggestions. I am glad Joan stood up for Dan. I hope Dan continues to post advice and suggestions.
Good luck and Adios.

[dans the man]

i bet people leave his place of work and say what a dickhead.