Started boozing at 13. About 34 yrs ago. Always been a way of life here in Australia starting young. I was a successfull student and went to the gold mines in the outback. Good idea at the time but in hindsight deing surrounded by drinkers all day everyday didnt work out so well. As time goes on we lose ppl friends family through death and self medicate. Lots of suicide and not understanding why. Alcohol has always been my friend through good and bad times. Its seems more so now that its a constant painful acuaintance than a friend. If uour need for booze outweighs your relationships with friends family partners then a problem exsists. I have spent endless money on treatment courses phycs etc but still in the same predicament. Id just like to say that you can keep trying and not give into the evil of this addiction. I feel your pain. If AA dosnt work whick it didnt for me over several tears there has to be an alternative. And its not a liver transplant. Stay strong ppl and know this battle is long and arduous. Im still confident i can win and hold onto that belief.cheers Ben
Hi Ben. What life you have had...time to slow down?/Only one question: do you want to live longer and if so, try to stop...Robin
Ben, let me introduce you to what I used on my 30+ year alcohol addiction:
http://patient.info/health/sinclair-method-for-alcohol-use-disorder
I'll send you some links via PM too. I was at this for about 6 months and it took me from over 80 US drinks per week to under 6 per month. It backs the addiction out the way it came in, but rather more quickly. Not so quickly as detox, as I said it takes months, but people generally drink less each month without white-knuckling it or having to hold off the craving. I believe the Gov't will even underwrite part of the cost for the medication, but it's not terribly expensive in the first place, as the patent has expired long ago.
I feel the honesty and pain in your words. We have all been there and done it in our own way. Its hard because the rational part of our brains know that we dont want it but also there is a part that tells us its fine.
To be fair i would consider meds if you havent tried before. I am personally thinking that this might be the right course for me too after a lot of attempts to not drink and stop altogether. Its sounds like you have tried a lot of other ways so maybe this is the way forward.
Its great you have come on to here. There is lots of support. Just any time you need to talk come on and someone will always be there. take care and keep in touch x
You nailed it Sharon. We're literally of two "minds" about it, one isn't so taken with it while the other has fallen in love with it. Unfortunately, the two parts don't communicate that well and the majority of drinkers can't seem to get the problem to budge.
Of course everyone wants to stop once you have reached a stage when you have lost everything. Ironically at this stage booze is still there. Tried everything and all pharmaceuticals make it worse
I have looked into that. Not so available in Australia. I dont like meds or pharmacy drivin rubbish but it sounds legit. Thats the problem. After so long drinking its hard to imagine a mass produced drug will help?? Who knows. Thanks for the advice 
Thanks Shaton. Lots of ppl look for help but it just isnt there. I feel lucky to have made 47 yrs and lived a good life. I want to change but if some youngsters read what i have put down ots not wasted spce. Appreciatte your reply x
Can you use these meds with chronic liver disease?
That might be a tough one, but my own TSM doc said he prescribed it even in some cases of liver disease, as it was a ton easier on the liver than drinking was and the liver actually improved on TSM. Bottom line though, you'd have to check with a specialist that was familiar with using Naltrexone in cases like yours. You might want to have a talk with Paul Turner here on patient, he might be able to give you a little more info to go on.
Another approach might be to use Campral, but you have to detox and it takes a couple of weeks to kick in. But it has no impact on the liver afaik. With Campral, the stuff that would normally "drive you to drink" just bounces off and doesn't have you running for the bottle. RHGB is a member here that Campral, so you might want to look him up.
Tried capramal. No suck luch. Like you say it reduces cravings 2 weeks in and lots of nausea and the sh*ts
You may have to reword that, Ben. The automatic moderation filters here are a bit quirky.
I'll be hitting the sack soon, so I'll check in on this thread tomorrow morning.
No worries
That's when campral works. It literally after a week alters your brain and you suddenly realise you've not thought about drink for a while. It's difficult to explain to someone whose not experienced it. RHGB will explain it better. My simple view is that it alters your brain or resets it so you don't think about drink. Worked for me, and I drink socially now.
ADE
are you sure you're not on commission!!! I am joking, just some people have no sense of humour haha
Well, you have dropped in, two major clues in your posts; chronic liver disease and liver transplants.
Care to expand on those points?
Umm drinking. Thought i mentioned that. My brother died from liver failure at 34. Different forum maybe. Forgive me
How do you reply to that? Ive been to AA over here and some ppl get up to speak about having drank for a year. Strange stuff
And lucky to have made 47 and had a good life.
If you could give us a bit more info, how much are you drinking, have you been hospitalised, have you spoken to Drs, counsellors etc?
The more we know, the more we can advise
Got the runs outa my behind? Seriuosly like alcos dont swear. Well i wont last