Interesting conversation wih my doc...
 

So I go in for the cold finger and we get to talking. I have a great relationship with him and he's been my doc for 15 years, he knows my business issues and asks about my alcohol use/abuse from the stress. I'm honest and tell him I'm having much more than ever before but I rarely if ever get "drunk". I told him I've been having a big nightcap most every night.

He then tells me I need to stop(of course) and says he would rather prescribe me some pills to help me mellow at night than see me hit a few fingers of the Bushmills. I was really shocked as this guy is very conservative in his approach normally. What are you guys thoughts on this?

There’s a big difference between alcoholism and just drinking alcohol, even if it is every night. You tell us (or yourself, if you want to keep it private), where do you think you fall?

An old college buddy of mine was having a drink every day after work to wind down, he was never a heavy drinker. He ended up going into rehab and now sees a person to talk to once a week.

My tummy does not allow me to drink every day, I need another stress relief.

I don't think I'm an alcoholic in the sense that I can't go without it though I'm sure I would be diagnosed as one due to my habits.

I can and have easily gone days without it and I'm fine. I don't get shakes or any other withdrawal symptoms. I don't drink during the day and I don't get drunk. But certainly that's what any alcoholic would say right:D

Hell I don't know, the definition is vague.

Look up addictive personality, people even become addicted to food. Anything can be addictive.

Also see that porn thread.

what meds does he want to prescribe? Those can be as bad or worse than alcohol.

Oh, I know it's bad for me I'm not trying to defend the behavior. I'm just asking if you guys think my doc's idea is a good or bad one in the attempt to change it.

Xanax .5mg

Sounds like married people and sex.:D

Sounds more like a habit than an addiction? But as with me the habit was not easy to shake until the legal system stepped in. Your right, The definition is vague, but what I have found was if you cant stop drinking once you start, then you have a problem. I had a shrink once tell me, If you have ever had a drink and then drive, your an alcoholic, wow, then there is a lot of alcoholics out there then..

I usually drink one drink every night. Either a glass of red wine or one manhattan. My Father did the same and died at 80 or so of bone cancer. Doubt that the nightly drink caused that.

OH. HELL. NO.


Xanax is one of the most over-prescribed, abused, misused, and addictive "anti-anxiety" medications out there.

That's my $.02 and I'm not a doctor. But everywhere I go, I see people poppin those things like PEZ, and it drives me ******* nuts.

Stick with 2 fingers, daddy. Just make sure it's not 4 fingers. And skip a day every couplea days.

I know xanax pretty well. How long does he expect you to take it? Frankly, 0.5mg is more than I would have expected. Usually you will go with the minimum effective dose, especially with an anti-anxiolytic. I would have thought 0.25mg.

You can get psychologically hooked on xanax pretty easily. Some docs don't like to prescribe it, preferring ativan or other related benzodiazepines. But it totally depends on the person. I didn't find ativan to work very well for me. Xanax does. But you have to watch it like a hawk.

Are you having anxiety attacks? Inability to get to sleep, edginess, etc? Is the booze just to "take the edge off" or are you wanting to get a buzz or ? Meds and/or booze are treating symptoms, but the can be necessary and make a world of difference. If the underlying issues aren't addressed, you'll be stuck on them.

My doc recommends a glass of red wine a night, but that is for the heart, not the head.

or smoke a bowl. Easier on the liver...worse for the lungs.

Jeremy is right-- I had a real problem with Xanax--relied on them waaay too much. Very addictive. Quit them cold turkey after my daughter asked why I was acting "weird" one night. So...it was back to whisky for me. I think you're fine man.
Christian.

Thanks guys. I'll give it more thought.

As needed I guess. He said have one at night instead of the alcohol. I took one yesterday just to see and I didn't find it to have a great effect. Certainly nothing that effected how I was acting.

I would easily choose the booze. As long as you keep the daily intake low and only at night, without any tendency for gradually raising the doses, it is quite plausible you will only experience the positive effects on your health.

My evenings usually include a couple of beer and/or a few glasses of wine.

OK, I am a doc with a bad habit. So what! :D

Woo Woo Xanex - Xanex is the only thing in my life that I have taken - and I looked forward to taking it - first few - no big deal - after awhile - woo woo - just get that stupid grin -

I'd steer clear if I were you Len.

Have a couple of pops a few nights a week - try and take a brisk walk - exercise a few - you'd be amazed what the endorphins from a little exercise can do...

Exercise. --the best thing for helping to not have an edge at night.

Turn off the computer, find tasks that have you moving all day. ...like organize the garage, wash the cars... keep a reasonably fast pace; but do pace.

Funny, the Doc want's to take control of the drugs going into you. --that's not much of a solution, imo.

Meds are better than ethanol (physically speaking). Now if you ask TABS, he will go into some crazyass psycho babble - from a guy that drops thousands on spoons and rusty guns. Ya, OK.

one other thing...if you want/need to go on psychotropic drugs, see a psychiatrist. imho most general docs don't know that much about them and the tendency is to hand meds out like candy *or* under prescribe.

xanex - the preferred choice for 4 out of 5 school rampage shooters!

So no one likes this stuff(barring the school shooters:D)? My doc is no pill pusher believe me.

It's my understanding that Xanex acts much like alcohol but without the other health risks. I probably don't understand the clinical definition of psychotropic, is alcohol also a psychotropic drug?

Interesting thread. My days usually end in a similar fashion. Often (but not always) a light drink before dinner (small scotch or mixed drink), glass of wine with dinner (maybe 4/7 nights/week), and usually a full-on scotch before bed (2-3 oz?). None of this is to relieve stress, just an enjoyable part of my daily diet. I have no ill effects whatsoever if I have zero alcohol in a day or multiple days, and I have major ill effects if I drink too much (I can't handle inebriation - major headaches and nausea/vomiting).

I'm definitely a bit out of shape and it's been bugging me lately, so I recently started jogging in the mornings - starting light, only about 10 min. I'm going to stick with that for now, and if I don't start feeling better over the next 6 weeks, I'll try cutting out most/all of the alcohol for a while. It's definitely a habit in the way reading the newspaper with your breakfast is, but I don't think it's even slightly an addiction. And no, I don't have an addictive personality, except for track driving.

that isn't what I said. Some years back I would have slit my throat if not for xanax. For people who suffer from anxiety attacks, it can be a life-saver...the difference between coping and absolute misery.

The problem is that it can be highly addictive. In my case I know all about addiction and am vigilent. But while I was never on high doses and tapered off once things stabilized, I still would take 0.25mg at bedtime for a number of months...not because I needed it but because I *needed* it. Eventually I just said, "no more meds" and that was that. But I have a pretty strong force of will when needed.

It also depends on the person. I tolerate them well and was/am able to take "as needed" with discipline and no side effects. But I also was suffering from pretty nasty anxiety attacks. It doesn't sound like you're there. If you are up at 3am writhing on the couch wishing you could crawl out of your skin and praying for death...then belly up to the meds. If you're just wanting to "take the edge off" I'd go with any number of non-med approaches before I'd hit the script. Exercise, meditation, hell, even try acupuncture.

I've been through rehab Len...there were a lot of people in there for Xanex, among other things.

BTW, the rehab didn't take...I did it to save my marriage. Didn't work.

One thing I can say is don't combine vodka with vicodan. Things can get ugly really quickly. :(

I'd take the liquor. I have a drink or 2 most evening. Sometimes Cabernet, sometimes jack on the rocks. Do I look forward to it, hell yes. Is it a crutch, you bet. Do I care, hell no.

The difference to me is that the body seems to build up a tolerance more quickly with pills than with liquor. And I'd much rather overdose on liquor than xanax or valium.

I do take a xanax before I jump on a plane and it helps a bunch. But I feel jittery the next day and feel the need to take another, which I resist.

Liquor = socialite
Pill popper = junky

The definition of an alcoholic is anyone that drinks more than their family doctor.

Here's a question: Could you go a week or more without a drink?

OK, that makes sense. But I wasn't being cute, is alcohol in the same class or not? I honestly don't know.

Then we have the issue of what does "taking the edge off" mean? I mean a buzz. If not for the buzz then what's the point? So I guess it boils down to this: Assuming a guy has excellent self control and can control his intake of both alcohol and/or Xanex, which is less bad for him to taste nightly in the attempt to "take the edge off"??


Beyond that, I have anxiety and have awoken in emotional distress but nothing like you describe.

Sure, I could but I really don't want to:D

Most counselors I know would call you an alcoholic on this statement alone.

Oh certainly, I mentioned earlier that I have no doubt I would be diagnosed as an alcoholic.

Xanex = kickbacks
Bushmills = no kickbacks

Sip and serve responsibly and never before 3:30 PM during the work week.

If it is keeping you from loosing weight, stop drinking loose the weight and then add it back. Ever tried any Isle of Islay whiskies? I tried Caol Ila a few weeks ago, it is very good.

I don't like to trust all that is reported but check this out, I think I would stick with a shot and a beer:

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Kind of off topic but not really.

I have not been sleeping well at all and was self medicating the same way you were Len. I bet I was hitting it harder than you, a bottle of wine does not stand a chance in my presence. Same goes for a 6 pack.

Yesterday I got a call from a past employee, he only worked for me for one summer but he is an awesome kid, son of a retired NYC cop working on a degree on his way to be CIA of FBI, we really hit it off well and keep in touch even though he does not work here anymore. He asks me if I want to meet him at the gym at 7:30 and work out legs. My wife urged me to go when I was leaning towards no. I have not been in the gym in a while and honestly I have been too stressed out / depressed to bother.

I worked out with him for about 1 hour, we did squats, leg extensions, leg presses and dead lifts. I came home afterwards and knew I needed to drink a LOT of water before bed to wash out all the acid, but, I looked at the 3 beers in the fridge for a moment and then passed on them. I felt silly coming home from the gym and drinking.

I slept like a baby last night, I closed my eyes and fell asleep and did not stir until about 10 minutes before my alarm clock.

I am back in the gym tonight......

As a for instance.....

I have a fifth of Jameson in my office here right behind me. I keep it in my cabinet for those late nights when I'm doing mundane stuff like recording bills or sending out invoices, etc.... If I'm here at 8-9pm I'll have a glass.

I've never touched it during the day, not once not ever. It doesn't call to me and I resist, I just don't have any "need" for it. It's a choice.

I got this bottle from a happy client about 6 months ago. I have had one drink out of it on a Saturday about 3 months ago. Sitting here every since.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1206553185.jpg

Looks like it was a healthy drink though:D