You've given this method more than a fair shot. If it doesn't work by New Year's I can certainly understand why you would move on. I still hope it works for you. If not, I hope something else does.

My best,

Nick

Virgil,
Have you ever tried Trazadone? It's not a benzoid, I think it's an anti-depressant. But my dr. prescribed it to help me sleep and it's fantastic. I used to take Ambien (evil drug!) but it made me do things I would never remember in the morning. Sorta like alcohol, right? But with Ambien, I would write emails and forget I did and all kinds of stuff. I heard some people have drove on it in the middle of the night and forgot about it the next day! Anyway, the Trazadone helps me a lot with sleep. I would think it may help with anxiety, too.

Hi h4b,

Many thanks for the feedback.

No, I don't believe I've ever tried trazodone. It may seem a bit strange my putting it in those words but I have tried so many medications over the years that my body has felt like a walking pharmacy at times! I've just had a quick look on the internet and trazodone does look quite interesting. I'll investigate further.

Thanks again.

V.

Virgil, don't give up! Please check out Seroquel, it's an antidepressant that my HB takes to sleep at night and boy does it work. My HB pre-TSM drinking was over 100 units and now after 2 and half months it's half of what he drank. So I know that Seroquel and NAL are ok to take together.


corkit

Hi corkit,

Thanks for the encouragement.

I did a search for Seroquel and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I found the following:

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-t ... =treatment

Reading these comments, it would appear that Seroquel may help with GAD. However, I am concerned about the reported side-effects. Over the years, I have tried many medications for anxiety and some have made me very unwell. Consequently, I am at the stage where I am afraid to try new medications, unless the reported side-effects are minor.

Once again, thank you for your concern and I appreciate your having brought Seroquel to my attention.

All the best.

V.

Hi Folks,

I'm not sure if this post will do what I want it to do - but, I'll give it a whirl.

Firstly, this is not an attempt to win sympathy. Instead, it is simply (!) intended to clarify my use of the word 'anxiety'. You may think that I have an obsession about the meaning of words having recently made a big thing about the 'buzz' word. Perhaps I do. But, in the same way that the 'buzz' word means different things to different people, I think the same may be true of the word 'anxiety'.

Everyone knows how it feels to be anxious - that uncomfortable feeling that often precedes an important examination, for instance. Indeed, some anxiety is important. In my case, however, the anxiety is out of control. With generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), I live in an almost permanent state of fearing that 'something will go wrong'. This means that I find it very difficult to relax and I'm always 'on guard'. I also have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) arising out of a perfectionist nature and a heightened sense of responsibility. The roots of both of these disorders lie in my childhood. The OCD makes me desperately afraid of making mistakes and even posting on this forum can often take its toll on me, particularly of recent. But, I don't want to give in to the OCD. So, I battle on.

As a result of these anxiety disorders, I am tormented by thoughts of disaster and catastrophe whatever I do. And, these thoughts are often present even when I sleep. I know I'm not alone and there are others in this community who also have the conditions to which I refer.

Is it any wonder that I have turned to alcohol over the years to escape this living hell?

Thanks for listening.

V.

You've got nothing to worry about brother. Feel better soon!

Oh Virgil I wish I could give you a hug and tell you it will be all better.

I'll be praying for you

corkit

Virgil, I feel terribly for you, my friend. Your posts are always incredibly insightful, thoughtful and add tremendously to the forum. Please keep posting honestly and any fear that you have ever said a single inappropriate word here is based solely upon your anxiety and not reality.

My best to you,

Nick

Lo0p, corkit & Nick,

Many thanks for your kind and reassuring words; they mean a lot to me.

My best wishes.

V.