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**mikeupnorth** · August 17, 2006, 03:59 PM

A little introduction

Hey Chuck,

Yes there aren't too many guys around but there are a few of us.

I'm from Fairbanks, Alaska and I'm 38 years old. I have been a drinker since 21 (although I experimented a couple of times in my teens) and I would say it became a problem for me around age 27 or 28. Tried AA a few times, once for as long as 9 months, and found it didn't really fit me. Had one DUI and did an outpatient treatment program in 2002. Of course the whole point of that program was to convince me that I needed AA for the rest of my life.

Found MWO last year and gave it a try.... first without any meds and had limited success. Then I tried with Campral and had to quit that drug because of side effects. I got a bit discouraged and floundered for a while. But now I'm back and doing the program "by the book" this time. I'm up to 100 mg of topa (dosing up to 125 mg this week). I can tell a difference in cravings, but still fight the "habit" -- and if I drink anything stronger than wine or beer, I am off to the races again, so to speak. And vodka is my drink of choice. My doc tells me I really need to stick with beer or wine... that even with topa, the hard stuff is too powerful for this brain of mine to deal with. So I'm working on it. One of my hypno suggestions is to NOT like vodka any more. I have to say, the last few times the taste of it has made me wince.... at least for the first or second cocktail. After that... well, you know.

Anyway, glad to be here, and glad you're here too.

Mike

**Mackeral** · August 21, 2006, 09:28 AM

A little introduction

Hiya Chuck & Mike,
I'm Wayne 30 from The Lake District in northern England.
I know there are a few more of us about..Matt...Kanga..Off the top of my head..
I dont think women drink more than men i just think men have a problem admitting it or seeing anything wrong in it..ie your not a real man if you cant sup 20 pints a night and that its no big deal.
Anyway just wanted to say hello....Take care....Mackeral

**cpn1004** · August 25, 2006, 07:16 PM

A little introduction

Another guy here. I live in Texas and have been lurking here for about a year.
Hopefully I will tell a little of my story later on. I am not using Topa or Campral (tried both) but am
on board will all the supplements.
Later,
Phil

**mikeupnorth** · August 26, 2006, 02:39 PM

A little introduction

Hi Wayne, and welcome Phil -- glad you're here. Yes, the Board can sometimes seem like a girls' club but there are a few of us guys on here. This program can work for us too, I'm sure of that! I agree with you, Wayne -- it's hard for anyone to admit they have a drinking problem, but maybe men have an even harder time opening up with their feelings about it. Or opening up about their feelings in general. Which in turn drives us to drink even more.... Anyway hang in there.

Mike

P.S. Just got a knock on the door -- my delivery of kudzu. Yeah!

**lsg** · August 26, 2006, 07:24 PM

A little introduction

so do you have to take the medication...i want to do this with all the steps except for the medication

**lsg** · August 26, 2006, 07:32 PM

A little introduction

is the medication necessary????

**mikeupnorth** · August 27, 2006, 12:49 AM

A little introduction

lsg,

The medication isn't absolutely necessary. You'll find there are people who have tweaked the program to fit their own needs..... some are using Topamax, some Campral, others no prescription medication at all. I would say the essential ingredients, at least in the beginning, are the supplements and the self-hypnosis. The supplements help with the physical cause of alcohol cravings, and the hypno helps with the mental side. You might even want to check into acupuncture.... there is some information about it under the holistic healing thread.

Anyway, the beauty of the program is that it's not "one size fits all."

Mike

**surfer2** · August 27, 2006, 06:19 PM

A little introduction

another guy

hey guys
my name is mike as well so in order to reduce confusion you can call me mike2
im 56 and i have been dealing with this BS substance for way too long.i had no idea that i was "different" as far as body chemistry is concerned so man i have made some huge mistakes in my life while i was blasted,a couple of almost fatal accidents,lost many friends, and i think we can all relate to this.
i am determined to kill this habit and i want to share something with everybody here not just male but all male/female, everyone.i realized that "i can accomplish anything as long as i can do it slow enough".
sounds really simple but give it a try.
mike

**surfer2** · August 27, 2006, 06:45 PM

A little introduction

accupuncture

here's an interesting article i read as i was surfing looks extremely interesting but whether it works for everyone or long term i dont know also RJ has accupunture in her research area but this is from a down and gritty perspective
cheers and enjoy Attached files attachment.txt (15.4 KB)

**Mackeral** · August 28, 2006, 06:56 AM

A little introduction

Hiya Chaps, nice to see a few of us here now,Chuck,Phil,Mike 1, Mike 2,LSG...So whats the Plan? Abs or Mods?
I decided to give it up all together 80 days ago, but had a slip 2 weeks ago today....I say a slip it was more like a bottle of rum. I'm gonna try and let that not ruin what i have built for myself upto now.
Would be nice to know what other fellas are aiming for out of this.............Take care all....Macks

**mikeupnorth** · August 28, 2006, 09:27 AM

A little introduction

Hey Macks (and everyone)

If you had asked me a few weeks back what my goal was, I would have answered "moderation." I had started with topa and had hopes that mods would work for me.... and in fact it seemed to as long as I stuck with beer or wine. I could have 2 or 3 and call it quits. The problem was that I would quickly get "tired" of beer or wine, and allow myself to have vodka instead, and with the hard stuff, all bets are off (even with topamax). So now I'm on the abs wagon -- and much encouraged by reading Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Stop Drinking. Reading that has really helped me see that I'm really not denying myself or "abstaining" from anything -- I'm just living my life without putting a poisonous addictive substance into my body on a regular basis.

Hang in there, and congratulations on your progress so far.

Mike

**iia67** · August 28, 2006, 10:43 AM

A little introduction

New guy

Yea guys I noticed after reading some of the forums that its mostly chicks drinking a bottle or two of wine. Not sure they could related (nor I relate to them) to my huge tolerance for booze. I'll drink anything and often switch around to different types. Winter is using wiskey, summer vodka and rum with beer being a 12 onth oa year constant. My biggest fear is that I will fail and will not be able to quit.

Brian

**mikeupnorth** · August 28, 2006, 04:23 PM

A little introduction

Hey Brian, and welcome.

I can relate to your switching poisons from season to season.... I usually go through cycles that last for a year or two at a time. I used to be a whiskey drinker, then rum, then vodka. Gin was probably going to be next on the list. Beer and wine just came in handy when I didn't want to get too smashed at social events or in the afternoon! But alcohol is alcohol, in whatever form. And I think you'll find that we have more in common with the wine-drinkers on the general discussion forum than you would imagine. We've all struggled to control it and found we can't so we are here. And I think we all have that fear that we can't quit.... but we can.

Hang in there! This is a good place to be.

Mike

**cpn1004** · August 29, 2006, 05:29 PM

A little introduction

MikeUpNorth,
Good words. I think we certainly have many things in common with the female wine drinkers. Bad habits are bad habits, maybe the women can't relate to drinking a 12 pack of Bud a night but the result is the same.
Thanks for your words.
Phil

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