Supplements and Nutrition

"Vitamins and supplements aren't a cure, but if taken in the proper combination they are a powerful means to overcome your craving for alcohol and will support you during the inevitable withdrawal process as you begin your road to recovery."

Roberta Jewell
My Way Out

…The supps worked wonders for me and took away virtually all of my cravings within a very short time frame. But because I chose to go offshore for my Topa, I had to wait a few weeks before beginning this part of the program. So, to say Topa took away my cravings would be a misnomer, as I already wasn't really experiencing cravings by the time I began taking Topa. But last week (at 75 mg.) something very different began to happen...something Bear had described, but seemed so hard to believe could really be true for people like us who have spent years obsessing over alcohol. The way I feel about alcohol began to change. It somehow just no longer really seems important, or as Bear puts it, it's as important as iced tea, and as interchangeable. As if you could put a glass of tea and a glass of wine in front of me and ask me to choose one, and the sense memory of the wine would have absolutely no impact on my choice. It's surreal because cognitively you know where you've been in your relationship with alcohol, and you just find it a little hard to believe you feel this way, but you do.

I am not yet experiencing these feelings 100% of the time, but know I will as I continue to ramp up on Topa. I feel like my relationship with alcohol is this giant white board I've finally learned to stop writing on with permanent markers. I am no longer trying to find the right solvents to dim and erase the years and years of broken promises I made to myself.

I am by no means completely over the hump of this thing. Only yesterday I had a twinge of a craving. My reaction to it, however, kind caught me off guard. I laughed. Really. I laughed out loud. But what a testament to how far we can come, and how quickly...to be able to laugh at something that merely six weeks ago would have sent my blood pressure soaring.

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HadEnough

...BTW, my modifications to offical MWO program: 1800Mg kudzu 3X daily, 5000g L-glut 2X daily, primrose 3X daily…

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rigpaseeker

From what I've read, it's recommended that you don't take l-glutamine after 3 p.m., lest it keep you awake.

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HadEnough

I've found that the kudzu is a great happy pill. It makes me feel like I just had 2 drinks. You know that buzz that is just about perfect and then you screw it up by drinking more. So I went out last night and packed a few kudzu's. When I felt the need every 3 or 4 hours I took one. It was really interesting watching the crowd between 10 & 11. The women actually got pretty ugly...

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sandym25

I agree with you about the blood sugar/alcohol craving connection. I have noticed that if I eat something (something decent, not a candy bar) it usually will make the cravings go away. But if I get started drinking, I'm getting sugar that way and soon forget about food altogether. Hmmm.... OK, so this 4-6 PM craving is a combination of low blood sugar and habit/expectation. Wow, what a concept! …

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I just posted in the main forum re this. I haven't gotten hold of the Allone, but I do take big doses of L-Glutamine every day, Vitamin B 3 every day, a multi-vitamin daily and Kudzu (which I ordered from the USA and took a month to get here) daily). I also ordered the hypno tapes from this site (took only a few days) and I do some walking exercise.

That's about it - pretty easy and simple really. I commented in the other section about the mindset too. It's the breaking of the habit that's just as important as breaking the cycle of addiction.

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Misha io

...My one really solid piece of advice with regard to your appointment is to bring a copy of the Lancet article with you. (You can find it in the research tab on the website.) No matter how conservative your doctor, they have got to respect the Lancet, and a lot of doctors are pretty conservative when it comes to prescribing off label.

I have been sober for two months now, although I've got to admit that I just had to check the calendar to figure that out. Believe it or not, you can feel that good that fast. It's not easy at first, and a lot of work both mentally and physically, but so friggin' worth it, you'll want to kick yourself for not having done it years ago.

Just know we are all here to help you through it. I'm not sure how many of the little pieces of sage advice you've been able to read through on the site, but there are many. For example, if you get a bad craving, just pop open a kudzu or l-glutamine capsule and empty the little sucker under your tongue. They work wonders to bring instant relief. No questions are too silly, no issue too mundane to bring up. Just ask.

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HadEnough

I'm on my first week of Topa too, at 25 mg. Yes, it does give you the sleepies, doesn't it? I've been assured by others that it will pass after a few weeks. (As will other side effects you may experience as you increase your dosage.)

Kudzu helps to curb alcohol cravings. The book recommends a dose of 150 mg. 3x/day, however, RJ has recently upped the recommended dosage based upon a clinical trial that utilized a dosage of 500 mg. 3x/day. That is what most of us are now taking, if not a little higher.

You may also want to consider adding l-glutamine to your mix. This is a new recommendation as well, i.e., not in the book, but being added to the program. See the Trading addictions and l-glutamine threads for more information. It's useful in curbing cravings, providing energy and supporting a whole host of vital bodily functions.

I have found that an afternoon dose of l-glutamine has been effective in combating the sleepiness of Topa. You may want to consider going back to 25 mg. and giving it a try. As well, I completely cut out Calms Forte when I went on Topa.

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HadEnough

One of the reasons you need to take the vitamins is because you don't eat right. It is a fact that people who drink excessively don't eat properly. That is one of the problems of treating us. I never wanted to mess up a good drunk with a full stomach. As a matter of fact, even if I was hungry I wouldn't eat in the afternoon because I knew it would take away from my buzz.

This board has a lot of information you need, and a lot of people who can help you through this. You can get back on track. When you finish the book, you will need to get the CD's, Kudzu, Vitamins, and OTC meds. Some people have quit without the prescription drugs, but I believe it takes a special person to be able to do that. I tried without the Rx, but I couldn't make it. There are several drugs now you might want to try, ask questions and you will get answers here from people who are using them.

I think you have come to the right place. Become a registered user and you can get email through EZmail.

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MDBiker