Seeking Opinions From Alcoholics/Others Treated W/ Prometa

[c_man611]

After quiting Oxycontin (~90 days clean w/ exceptiion of one small slip) I then tackled years of alcohol abuse. After detoxing & being 5 days sober - with mixed feelings I took Prometa "protocol" treatment.  Told if I'm committed to quiting drinking, sober when taking treatment & follow-up w/ drugs, vitAmins, nutrition & THERAPY-expensive Prometa treatment will give me greater odds of staying sober.  Prometa treatment not FDA approved but uses combination of approved drugs that results in miricaculous cure for alcoholics & meth & coke addicts.
I have mixed feellings re: treatment that "reprograms" brain & receptors.  More so, I'm having strange side effects -insomnia or when I do sleep, very graphic lucid dreaming & some strange physical feelings.  Love to hear from others who useed Prometa + their experiences/side effects/opinions etc.

[rod44]

Hi, all i can say is that it gets better with time....forget the labels for now.... what are you doing to help yourself, there are some self-help organizations out there, I go to AA but this is a personal choice, AA has worked for me....check around and find a self-help group that you are intrested in and..... stay away from one drink....for one minute, hour or day depending how you are feeling and you will be ok.....

Ray

[c_man611]

I thought I responded but it’s not showing-so if this is redundant I apologize.  I’m 51 & given my history, with the exception of some problems with asthma, in generally good health.  Vicodin/Tylenol OD episode was in August several blood tests show liver functions are all normal w/ no apparent damage despite years of alcohol abuse.  I’m a very frequent drinker rather than a binge drinker & was very functional despite decades of heavy drinking. Don’t get me wrong - being a different type of drinker doesn’t preclude me from recognizing & accepting that I’m an alcoholic. While I hate that label I do have trouble with the “disease” concept. I’m now +3 wks - Friday Nov. 13th. I am finding that the “1 day”s at a time are getting more difficult. Thanks for your ongoing input & words of support.

[ibizan]

there is a woman in my Recovery Group that i have worked with on/off for 20 some years.Her Vic Perc and Oxy use like urs or more with previous hx of alcoholic drinking.At one time she had 9 years recovery then relapsed with some surgeries.She came to me again weighing 90 lbs and barely able to walk,She had blown out her liver ducts and had to have a surgery there.She is 63 now and just celebrated 14 months sober/clean!Still takes 200 mgs.Zoloft.U hang in there dude!There is always hope...how old are u and how is ur general health?

[c_man611]

Lengthy posting (preceding last) that I thought was submitted apparently got erased.  Therein I responded to your post (& lots more). I was 1st on Vicodin, progressed to Oxy which I was on for ~4 years taking 400-500 mg's daily.  Tried stopping by switching to Vicodin.  CRAZY PART:  After being a heavy drinker for 20+ years & addicted to Oxy, I landed in ICU after just a few days of taking 3-4x prescribed amount WITH ACUTE LIVER FAILURE AS A RESULT OF ACETA..?..PHINE...(TYLENOL) POISINING!  Was treated w/ antidote that will either stop & reverse the effeccts as liver "restarts" - or you'll go through a very lousy dyinng process as your other organs stop functioning as well.  As wacky as it sounds they imediately put me back on Oxy-albeit at minmized doses until I srtabilzed, was relewased & got to Dr. who successfully treated me.

[c_man611]

(hit send early - but just about done).  To clarify I continued to drink after being off O's and tackled alcohol +3 weeks ago.  Prometa treatment was used for alcohol only & after I detoxed with phenobarbitol & was already sober 5-6 days. PROMETA was not used for opiates.only suboxone.

My apologies for babbling but once I started venting couldn't stop. It was cathartic & I Thank you for your input & encouragement. Much needed therapy next on menu.

PS -   Vicodin adddicts - as well as my addixtion specialist - expressed surprise of my liver failure from taking ony ~20 Vic ES's daily for a few days.  Apparrently addicts taking 50 or more pills daily is not uncommon.  If you're susceptible the tylenol - not the opiates - can just as easily cause a deadly OD!  Solution, get help & stop as one or the other will eventually kill you, emotianally, physically, financially and/or spiritually.

[ibizan]

oops....i see that u already did the prometa!thought u were considering it!my mistake!

[ibizan]

u didn't indicate in ur original post how long u used opiate drugs for...how long and how much per daily basis.I really don't see how a few trials of injectable drugs to alleviate craving of the opiate receptor endings in the brain would  eradicate the damage done to the receptors by long term drug use.i base my opinions on the Adult Recovery Group i run with the high number of opiate addicts in it who have opiate drugs as drugs of choice but cease opiate use and ping pong tween other substances as u have described urself doing.They report cravings for months even with the use of anti-craving medications and anti-depressants.One of our local psychiatrists who is highly respected uses Buspar and Campral with meth/cocaine speed based drug addicts as well as the Campral being good with alcoholics who relapse easily with high cravings.But all doctors differ in treatment as well as alcoholics and addicts who hopefully find their individual recovery program.If you have the bucks to do the Prometa...what the heck?U'll never know until u try!Best of success to u!:)

[ibizan]

opiate drugs include vicoden percosets and oxycontin and many of the opiate addicts i encounter at work use alcohol cocaine pot and speed based drugs when not using opiates.also have encountered some folks who went to hospital for a anesthesia based flush...flooding body to rid it of all drugs specially the opiates....costly and again no guarantee.There are many who have posted here who object to 12 step programs for a variety of reasons and that is their choice.There are alternatives to 12 step...rational recovery and SOS.Wikipedia link gives good info and attempts to be non-biased...presenting facts.I don't see ppl succeed in recovery unless they have a strong support system albeit church family 12 step whatever.

[c_man611]

I appreciate response & input. Sounds like your experience & recent research not too   If you googled Prometa the info/propoganda (and part of my reason for posting) is generated by Prometa or others with similar biased intersts. However, your two experiences cite opiates - although second refers to alcohol & meth with heroin being OD agent.  My Dr. & all Prometa info I've found clearly indicate that it's not a treatment for opiates, but meth, coke & alcohol.  Recommend googling/seeing 60 minutes video 4 some objective pro & con insights.  Is your opinion that 12 steps is only effective treatment? I'm too new at sobriety to think I'm "cured" - but continue to take things 1 day... Congrats on your success & thanks again too you & all respondents for your help.

[ibizan]

i googled Prometa and found very interesting info under the Wikipedia explanation of it.Lindsay Lohan underwent it if that tells u something!:)Now theres a success story!Very costly!

[rod44]

Hi I agree with ibizan, 12 steps is the way I got sober, 7 years a day at a time....
no drug can change thinking patterns or lifestyle...most drugs have unwelcome side-affects

good luck and well done on starting your journey into sobriety, I pray you find a road that suites you....
Ray

[ibizan]

I have had encounters with 2 ppl who went thru the Prometa......one relapsed quickly with heroin and the other stayed clean for a year then began to drink,smoke pot do meth then his parents came home to find him gone of  heroin OD on the living room floor.I have seen success with opiate addicts who follow the Suboxone program,come to counseling group therapy 12 step get rid of the cellphone numbers of dope contacts.....a radical 360 degree LIFESTYLE change and changing addict thought patterns is a necessity and a hardy endeavor.Many inpatient and hospital programs will tout a treatment as the answer the cure...their is no ironclad guarantee that prometa works......like 12 step says it will work if u work it and all i have mentioned above works......i celebrated 26 years sober/clean 11-22 and did the above!