Hi Folks,
Hub and I are both alcoholics. I have been sober over 3 years. Hub started battling his addiction 6 months before me. He is a chronic binge drinker. He has long streaks of sobriety under his belt, but when he slips he heads off into a dangerous binge of increasing consumption until he is desperate to stop but can't do it on his own. He has been unable to to accept a sober forever life. We have been researching this method and he is getting started.

We have just returned from hospital detox after a huge 3 day binge. He started NAL today and we are watching his units. He is going to start by trying to keep amounts in check, so that he can attend work. I am very nervous having him drink right after this montrous binge! We are trying to work together to keep units down so he can parent and work.

Wish us luck!

Your story is very moving. First, congratulations on your 3 years of sobriety, that is quite an accomplishment. You are in a unique position to understand your husband's struggle and to help him. Many on the board do TSM without any family or spousal support or without anyone at all knowing they are doing this. John has you as an ally in this and that is powerful. Expect some ups and downs. Naltrexone reduces relapse in terms of time to first drink and severity of relapse. The research is clear on that. Keep posting John's progress. Welcome.

I also wecome you. And want to let you know your' in the right place. I've searched Many years for an answer, as so many others here. We support each other with love, understanding, compassion, & sometimes humor. Again, welcome & feel free to post anytime with questions or just if something is bothering you. We'll help as best we can. Be Strong. Stay With Us.
ALWAYS, JANE

Welcome to you and your husband from me too - I'm one of the cured and I'm also so happy to hear many new voices almost every day. How wonderful that this great method is spreading, one drunk at a time!!

I'm glad that you are able to remain sober using abstinence and how sad that this does not work for your husband. I can remember the many, many times I tried to go even one day without a drink myself. I'd start the day just so pumped - then by 5 pm I'd be reaching for the bottle. I also drank for many years steadily - killing at least 1.5 liters of horrible cheap wine every night - then much more on weekends. So I, and many others here, really really do understand what your husband is going through. Please tell him we are all with him!!!

If you could post his progress it would be so helpful to us all. God bless you for your real love and caring for your husband - and take care of YOU too.

4abetterlife, I truly wish you and your husband the best of luck. Warn him that this method really has its ups and downs and there will be times when you will both doubt whether it is working or not. I still have my doubts, but I'm sticking it out for much longer and if this doesn't work, there are still other options like adding baclofen to the mix. I truly commend you for supporting your husband. This board is extremely supportive and it has helped me a lot through rough times.

Thanks for the welcomes.

Day three begins. John vomited this morning.

Day 1: 6 units
Day 2: 9 units

Drinks were all spread out so that his BAC never got above 0.05

Plan is for much less today...we will see.

Thanks for checking in on us.

Day 1: 6 units
Day 2: 9 units
Day 3: 9 Units
day 4: 9 Units

John has a medical appointment today. He will get a note and return to work. He has a meeting with his boss when he gets there. There is a lot of tension and worry today. We do not know if he still has a job. He has a chunk of time missing from work which he has to explain. He did make contact over the binge and I let them know he went into the hospital on Thursday. This is not the first time, so this could be very bad for us.

Wish us luck.

On Wed he has an appointment with a psychiatrist that treats alcoholism with naltrexone. John will continue self treatment. I will encourage him to use this site to track progress when we get to the other side of all this.

Day 1: 6 units
Day 2: 9 units
Day 3: 9 Units
Day 4: 9 Units
Day 5: 1 Units
Day 6: 2 Units
Day 7: 2 Units
Day 8: 1 Units
Day 9: 1 Units

WOW....I am having trouble believing this...but it is happening. John's psychiatrist wrote him a script for Nal and librium. He does not call the method "SINCLAIR" but so far he is doing everything according to the Sinclair method. Dr wants him to take one 25 nal in the am and another 25 after work. When we got the script filled, the pills were 50 mg like the ones we ordered from The River. Dr also wants him to take the librium with his morning coffee!

John is going to keep the librium for moments of high anxiety when he would be tempted to turn to alcohol. He is taking nal one hour before drinking. On the weekend, he took my son to a hockey tournament. He was far away from me and could have done as he wanted. He chose to have only one because he says that's all he wanted! He could have stayed another night on Sat or come home but CHOSE to join me and our daughter at our hotel for her swim meet! The old John would have headed home instead to get some drinking in undetected. Not sure he wants that here...but had to share the changes.

Feeling VERY hopeful that this is going to be his answer.