I'm here, and about to begin my extinction (tomorrow, 03-05-2010) because I've been trying to drink only at parties/socially, but cannot. I only drink an average of 8 beers per week, usually on F night, but it saps my energy and I believe it is making me depressed well into the week. I obsess about F night, beginning around Tues each week. 8 beers is my "dose". It keeps me buzzed for the evening, and any more than that and the hangover is too severe. Occasionally I will drink both weekend nights (holidays, party, etc) but that is rare, as the hangover is too much. I recently had a full battery of blood tests, and my liver enzymes and everything else is normal. I've been self-employed for 24 years, am 51 with a wife and 2 teens.

I've been drinking since high school, almost always weekends. This was followed by 8 years of college, where binge drinking is almost mandatory. The units/week were much higher then, and have come down with marriage, a business, kids, etc. My wife does not think I have a problem, and she has the peculiar ability to drink 1 glass of wine all night. For me, it's 0 or 8. (more if I'm at a wedding, a party, or with my old pals) Almost always 8.

So I guess I'm sensitive to alcohol? Nipping it in the bud? A wuss? My goal is to break the habit and drink only occasionally, possibly only at parties or get togethers. My parents are non-drinkers, and I overheard my mom say something about my # of drinks behind my back. She's a counter. A very fearful person who counts everyone's drinks.

Here's a question: I had hip surgery 09-22-2010 and was on liberal doses of Vicodin for about a month after the surgery. Am I more likely to have SE from nal?

"doc"??
I am going on the assumption your behavior does not radically change when you drink and you do not become violent, negative or abusive...so therefore...

Are you KIDDING??? 8 beers once a week and you think you have a problem??!! Dude - your problem is not this. You should not even bother yourself or us with this ridiculousness. Yes, your mother is a nit-picker. You do not have a problem. If you want to stop - do it. Duh. You do so 6 other nights a week...what's the big deal??!! So what: you obsess! OK - you apparently are able to deal with it until Friday night or holidays or whatever?! And then you have what, 2 - 4 extras = 10 or so beers once a wk/1 - 2x/year or so?? WHATEVER!!

You are nowhere near the addiction those of us here legitimately suffer. You do not belong here. It is a waste of good medicine if you get on naltrexone. Quit or cut down your drinking & you CAN do it on your own at your levels! or (my advice) go for it for those 8 beers every weekend & more or less as the occasion calls... JAYZUZ!!! You are sweating the small stuff. Go ahead and obsess about it from Tuesday until you breakdown Friday and have EIGHT!!!!!!!!!SHEESH - You are FINE!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry - your wife is right and I find your post trivial and irritating. 8 beers once a week?? Get over it & go to bed. GAWD.

Dear Spinedoc,

PLease do not take houtx's attacks but with a grain of salt. She (I think she) is a great person and I am shocked by her response. Yes, your usage does not come close to my 60-90 units a week,....drinking daily, BUT HERE'S the point where you qualify IMO to partake here, post, and use the method.

If you're obsessing starting on Tuesday, to me that's the seeds that flourish sometimes later into full blown raging disease.

If we start qualifying who's the drunkest and most alcoholic, it gets silly. I can't get an alcohol free day in, Nick could when he was active, does that make him less alcoholic? I liken it to roma versus cherry tomatoes. I wouldn't(and we're both tomatoes) You area roma, and I only make Italian dishes once a week, but I'm a cherry tomato and I'm used every day in my salad....

I bet you'll find people that agree with me too.....If not OFF TO THE BOXING RING , Much Love, Jim Clark

Dear spinedoc,

I agree with my good amigo Jim Clark. I pass no judgement on the Texan in the corner, except to say that not everyone is from Texas, and not everyone "does it big" like they do in Texas.

The thing about your post that stood out to me is that you say you "obsess" during a particular period of time, and that the time period is quite long. That to me, is indiciative that you are in pain somewhere along the way, and of course, this is something that you only, can judge. Your wife (lovely though she may be) is not the arbiter of what is, or should be, "normal" for YOU. If she can nurse a glass of wine for a whole evening, well, bless her heart and keep her over in the corner with the knitting club. As for me (also a woman), I'll be over with the "boys" trying to drink the biggest guy under the table. (Call me competitive). So while it's all dandy for your wife to be oh so dainty with the chardonnay, she's far from typical for a "social drinker". Quite frankly, I think the definition of "social drinker" is one of the most fluid in the English language (I also speak a few other languages and it's just as fluid in them too.)

You say you would like to be a social drinker. My response to that is that's great, and I understand your desire. The problem is, it depends on several things:
1. What country you are in. (If today is Friday, I'm not sure where I am...let me check.)

2. What country you are from and identify with.

3. What your immediate social circle is and what is the "norm" for them.

4. What you are willing to put up with and how far you are willing to go to acheive it.

In short, if you think you need Naltrexone, then my opinion is: you're right. You do.

I'm one of the rare people on the planet who think that individuals should be permitted by law to prescribe for themselves the treatment they wish to receive. Especially if they are the ones paying for it.

My hat is off to you. Best wishes. Never mind the naysayers. What do YOU think?

I completely agree with Jim Clark and Pyrata. Obsession is obsession; so is depression and being tired from 8 beers. I am also guessing that since your habit is so relatively small that the amount of time necessary to extinguish your triggers will be relatively brief. I am guessing that if you have the honeymoon and immediate decrease in consumption that you might not ever spike back up.

HouTX, you know you are my girl and I love you. But you sound like an ass here and I know you are not.

It's a problem if it's a problem. It's not a contest.

I think the package insert may say how long since last opioid dose to wait before taking Nal, I'm thinking it was something like three weeks. September would be irrelevant, if so.

You all are right. I acted like an ass and I am sorry. I am weepified sorry. I was way too strident in my comments, and to all, I apologize. My only time to post is night and last night it was late and I was under the influence and pissed off about life in general and was too harsh. PLease forgive me. I usually maintain more control.

HOWEVER:

doc, if you think you really have a problem and need to take NAL, go ahead. I suppose obsessing for 3 -4 days is a big deal. But it's a stretch IMO, quite frankly. If you can abstain for 6 days a week and are worried because your consumptiom is "0 or 8"...and want to cut your consumption to holidays or parties and think you need NAL to do it...go for it.

But I am really having a problem wrapping my head around your obsession vs addiction, in that you do not have the latter. I appreciate and sympathize with your worries, but I think you are sweating the small stuff and are NOT an addict, and thus do not need to be on NAL. If you are white-knuckling from Sun - Fri, then maybe so. But you sound like a normal drinker to me, and having 8 in a single session once a week, you are not ruining relationships, quality of life etc., then I fail(ed) to see the problem. Not to trivialize it, but really, 8 is no big deal in comparison around here. I welcome your addition to this board and hope you find it helpful.

Again, I apologize for saying what I did in such a hurtful and harsh manner, belittling you. I am very embarrased, chagrinned, and sad I caused you any hurt or pain by my response. I suck at life sometimes.

Can I buy you a drink...or 8?! :-))

P>S> Me being an ass has nothing to do with being from Texas! LOL It has to do with me being a fallible human being w/ mucho problemas. It will be ok though, I'm pretty sure.

And if I could say I've never posted under the influence, or made mistakes (I recently went off big time on an NPR blogster who dissed the Who for the Super Bowl,....I ended up apologizing...even though I had a point) I'd be a lying sack of brussel sprouts....

Hence why I qualified how much I love you...and everyone did,..your reputation preceded that person that posted,.....

Now to your other points,..cool,..now thats the spirit of this board

Again though think about this houtx,....did you ever lie about how much you drank? My brother once famously said "Jim, when we were kids we would exaggerate how much we drank now I have to double what you tell me you drank cuz I can smell you from here..." Ever think he's under estimating? just a thought, Jim


units tonight 2 wines, 2 beers and it looks like a vodka....oh well,...sober with the mrs at our reastaurant, not freaking out drinking mineral water...BUT I am drinking now,....soooo as I said, I am not cured , but he dangerous episodes seem to be gone...Best, Jim

Wow! Thank you all for the passionate and cogent responses. I predict that you will hear from more of my ilk as TSM gets the attention it deserves and "early stagers" extinguish before more damage is done.

houtx, I have been know to "sweat the small stuff" (over and over), but you can buy me 8 drinks if you wish!

I'm moving over to the "Weekly Progress" thread.

Cheers.