Hi Everyone!
I've posted on the "doctors" section, but thought I'd better follow protocol

and introduce myself here.
I've been around alcohol my entire life--both my parents used to be heavy drinkers, though they've cut that way back. I refused to touch alchohol until I was in college, and then started drinking lambrusco (ugh!) or beer on rare occasions. Once I got into the working world, I would drink a glass or two of wine every now and then at night to relax me. Over the past several years, I really don't know how many, that glass or two has turned into a bottle of chardonnay every night, and I just can't seem to stop. I wake up feeling depressed and anxious, and worry about driving my kids to and from their evening activities. Sometimes after 3 or 4 glasses of wine, I get irritable at my husband, for no apparent reason, then wake up feeling guilty about it. For me, I think my problem is more a physical one than a mental one--my mental issues seem to stem from the after effects of the drinking!
I've looked into AA, but in my area, all the meetings are closed, and doing rehab just isn't in the picture. Not only does the thought just send shivers down my spine (for all the reasons Dr. Eskapa lists in the book), but my husband travels a lot for his job, and I have 2 kids. Plus I work and bring in almost half the family income.
So I finally got up the nerve to speak to my doctor about it (I have never spoken to a soul about my drinking problem) a few months ago. He suggested Chantix, but after reading about the side effects online, I never got the prescription filled. So I got on Amazon and found 3 or 4 books about moderating your drinking (My Way Out being one of them), but the one that sparked my attention was Dr. Eskapa's book. As soon as it came in, I started reading it, and got SO excited. I felt like he was writing it directly to me. I then spoke to my doctor about it and asked him to prescribe the Naltrexone, but he was unwilling to do so until he did more research. I decided I didn't want to wait around for a possible "no", so I ordered the medication through
www.alldaychemist.com ($125 for 60 pills, incl. shipping). It can't get here soon enough-- my in-laws are coming next weekend and I'm really worried about my wine consumption and embarrassing myself! But I realize this is a long-term cure that takes a while to take affect, so I'm on my own when it comes to the in-laws.
So that's my story. I am just so glad to have found "The Book", and this forum. Y'all seem like a warm, wonderful, caring group, and I think it'll be an interesting ride, especially to take it together.