My BF has not been looking very well lately so I made him go to see his doctor even though he no longer has insurance. He just sent me a message telling me the doc wants him to go detox in the emergency room asap, staying there for three days, and then spend a month in an inhouse rehab. This is so awful, I guess I'll take him to the hospital right after work. I don't know what to think about the rehab. I made him go to the doctor because he started looking really yellow and jaundaced in the skin and eyes. She said he is in pretty bad shape. Just when I felt like he was getting so close to the finish line. Oh my god I just want to cry, I don't know what to do. I'm so worried and I have to stay at work for 2.5 more hours!

Oh Im so sorry to see this. I have been following his story with interest and hoping for the best for ye both. Please let us know how things at the docs work out. Im not much of a prayer but I will say one. Best of luck nmarie, we will be thinking of him.

Thanks Mario. Well we spent ALL night last night in the ER trying to get checked in. Apparently everyone in town decided to have a seizure or break their leg all at the same time. By the time we got him into a bed he was having withdrawals pretty bad. They calmed him down with some meds and saw that he does have some liver damage, but it looks like nothing some sobriety won't fix.

I honestly think for the past several weeks 90% of his drinking is just to avoid going into withdrawals. He's not really into it like he used to be. Once they get him cleaned up, hopefully that cycle will be broken and he won't feel much desire to drink. He needs to stay clean for a while so as not to hurt his liver any more than he already has, so I'm really hoping he will have the willpower to do that. I know it will be a lot easier since he has spent so much time on nal though.

Now as for the hospital bill, I have no idea how we are gonna pay that. Too bad we don't have Obamacare already.

My thoughts are with you both. I'm glad he's at least in a safe environment.

I hope they understand that you'll do your best,...I think there might be some alternatives if you don't have the money but I don;t know what state your in ....

My question is,...I'm wondering once he has a day or two of sobriety, I'd be curious to see how he feels in regards to cravings.....

I'm gonna guess if he's like me the few times I've been AF, after the midnight hour comes and your still sober, its like ,...wow that was kinda easy.....

My best, Jim

Thanks Jim. I'm hoping AF comes easy for him once he gets the hang of it too. We all know that old cycle of cleaning up for a week or a month and then binging out bigger than ever...but I feel like his mindset is quite different now because of the nal. Let's hope so anyway.

nmarie I dont say this lightly, he is a lucky guy to have you. Will be thinking of you.

Wishing you my very best in this trying time.

Nick

Update: They have diagnosed my BF with alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. His liver has 15% scarring. I don't know how he managed to go from totally ok liver results to that in such a short time, but he did. The docs told him that his chances of survival are 85%, but only if he is completely abstinent. They also want him to go to AA meetings and some kind of outpatient rehab type of deal. He's still going through withdrawals. They also told him that naltrexone and the anti-withdrawal med he took occasionally (Librium) contributed to the liver damage.

I do think that the nal helped him brain-wise during the time he took it. His attitude toward alcohol really changed as far as I could see. So maybe it won't be as hard for him to be abstinent as it would be for a "normal" alcoholic. Does anyone have any experience with sobriety programs that aren't as big on the whole AA "give in to your powerlessness over alcohol!" vibe?

Thanks everyone on here for all your support, it really means a lot to me.

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nmarie -
I'm soooo sorry for the sadness you are suffering w/ your guy. But I also want to applaud you on your loyalty and love for him - for however long that may last. He is a lucky guy, at least for now. I can't imagine how hard it is for you to be so loyal and strong for him. I hope he can get himself clean for at least a little while before starting another treatment again.

Ugh - I can only imagine how hard this is for you and of course, for him. Hang in there - and don't give up hope. Between NAL & Baclofen, I think there is hope for a cure.

XO