Question by J-WO: Is it possible, or even safe, for an alcoholic to quit drinking “cold turkey”?
I’ve finally acknowledged to myself that I have a drinking problem. I’m 46 and I started when I was 14, to kill the pain of an abusive father and VERY dysfunctional family life. I’ve let some close, good friends know so that they can support me. However, I noticed a couple days ago that I was becoming very irritable and nervous. It has only been a little over a week that I’ve stopped drinking. I didn’t drink every day, but sometimes I would go on “spurts” of drinking every day, and even started drinking in the morning. I also have gone on “binges” – becoming quite sick, vomiting, blacking out – the whole thing. Then I could go for a few days or even weeks , without it. However, lately I have experienced a lot of personal trauma – the break-up of a 7-year relationship, raising two teenagers, my job has been extra stressful, and of course facing the holidays. I have been handling it horribly, by drinking constantly. So, I made the decision that I truly need to quit. Alcoholism is in my family and I need to straighten up. But like I said, I found myself to be horribly shaky and grouchy a couple of days ago. So, I had one drink, a mixed drink. And I felt relief. I didn’t crave it as much and I remembered all too well the horrible experience and 2 day hangover I had a couple of weekends ago (which led to my decision to quit). I take Valium for anxiety, only as needed, but noticed on the information that came with it that it is also used to treat alcohol withdrawal. If I make an appointment with my doctor and tell him my problem, is it possible for him to adjust my dosage and handle my addiction that way? Or do I really have to attend AA meetings? I do have a strong support network and adding more meetings/appointments, etc. to my schedule would do me in. I’m a single mom and need to stop running everywhere every time I turn around. Any advice out there? Anyone been through the same thing and had success at it without attending any meetings?

Best answer:

Answer by flutterby
my brother in law finally quit cold turkey.

he was sent to a program that told him he had to start drinking again to do the program. it’s been 10 years and he is still sober.

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Question by jojo928: i am 4 month sober and have done so without AA, can it i last?

Best answer:

Answer by Joe
It will last as long as you let it.

I think you’ve done really well by stopping on your own. Keep it going!!!!!!!!!!

Add your own answer in the comments!

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Question by mdGreg C: I Saw an Ad for Tums “Dual Action”, the Other Day, Could the Equivalent of “Pepcid Complete” Be Made With -?
-Omeprazole?

Perhaps if it was Micro-Encapsulated, and Enterically Coated?
Thanks Byte Me, So, One Think it Would Have Been Done Already, BTW, it has to Be Enterically Coated.
Byte Me, I Used to Tell Patients, “If you Lost Weight, Many Problems Would Disappear”.
Hey Byte Me, Have you Been Scoped Again, After you Lost Weight, to Ensure that All the Metaplasia has Gone Away?
Byte Me,Shouldn’t Happen, but I’ve Seen this Before, “If you can’t Afford What it Costs to Stay Alive, then Die”.
Byte Me, Famotidine, I Looked it Up, to Make Sure.

Best answer:

Answer by Byte Me
Yes, it certainly could.

But Prilosec (omeprazole) is more of a maintenance, a long-term-type drug treatment (“proton pump inhibitor”), while Pepcid Complete is aimed at short-term (the antacid) and medium-term problems (the acid reducer – is it ranitadine?)

Omeprazole, while good for long-term acid erosion prevention, is pretty useless for _immediate_ pain because you have to be taking it for awhile, and build some up in your system, for it to work.

So my answer is, yes it could be done (and you wouldn’t even need the enteric coating), but it doesn’t make sense to try.

(EDIT: just researched it a little further – you’re right – coating WOULD be needed)

Antacids are used for immediate problems, “acid reducers” for the medium-term, and Prilosec or its cousin Nexium for long-term.

By the way, even slight weight losses have been shown to be dramatically effective in reducing GERD. When I got skinny I was able to cut my antacid and acid reducer use to almost nothing.

EDIT: No, I haven’t. This is the slow period of the year in my work and I’m short on $ , and have no medical insurance. We’re probably looking at another year or so.

They found the Barrett’s about a year-and-a-half ago. If it became cancer in the meantime, I’ll just have to die.

That’s life under capitalism.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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