I am 41 years old and have been drinking heavily for almost 20 years, for the past 10 years or so, it's been everynight (side note: I started smoking about this time too and smoked regularly for 10 years, but it never seemed to "catch" so one day I just stoped and never have since. Too bad the drinking can't be the same.). Except for a pronounced memory loss, I am a fairly high functioning alcoholic I guess. I go to work where I show up more reliably than my boss and I've never had a DUI. My routine is that I usually start drinking when I get home until I go to bed (Sun-Thr 5:30pm-10:30pm & Fri-Sat 5:00pm-1:00am). Mostly I drink vodka mixed with something (usually a diet drink to keep the calories down) and I would estimate that on a weekday I drink about 12-18 ounces of vodka and on weekend nights probably 6-8 ounces more. So I've been drinking that much, every night, for the past ten years, sometimes I don't know how my liver still functions (I do get my enzyme levels tested every year because I take Humira for back pain).

Anyway, my kids are getting older and will soon start to notice that I drink plus the mornings are getting harder and harder, but also I have started to realize that I haven't been sober since I was in my early 20s and the person I am right now just really isn't me and I have no idea what I am really like or who I am. All that and the fact that I now have the memory of an onset Alzheimer patient have really pushed me to finally want to do something about it. I have always been what I refer to as a "depressive" personality type, even before I started drinking. I have been on various/all antidepressant meds which have been little to no help, but due to my memory, I have a hard remembering or keeping track of how a particular medication has effected me, which has caused me to go on and off the same meds time and time again. I think the welbutrin I am on now helps a little but I'm not sure, but at least it doesn't have the side effects like most others do.

So my psychiatrist suggested Naltrexone about a year ago and I tried it for a couple of months but it didn't seem to do anything so I stopped, but now I have come across the information on this board and elsewhere about TSM and I have started it again, just about 4 days ago. The doctor never explained anything about Naltrexone, just that it helps some people with their cravings. I know I can't just quit drinking and I don't really want to, I just want to drink moderately like most adults and, hopefully, find out who I really am and maybe even be a better boyfriend and father. The last time I took Naltrexone, I didn't ween myself off and I was a huge jerk for a couple of weeks and it really caused a bad time for my girlfriend and me. Now that I've started it again, I am starting to be more irritable and it's worrying her (and me) that I'll start acting like I did before. She says if that's the case she'd just rather I keep drinking. I do also have xanax, so I'm going to see if taking small doses of that with the Naltrexone will help this time around. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that need to see immediate results or I loose interest (I'm ADHD as well) and since I have read that TSM can take I while, I just hope I can stick with it long enough.

I can identify your situation. I am a functioning alcoholic, never had any issues with work or a DUi and only occasional falls resulting in blak eyes or hurt shoulders. I started drinking heavily in my mid 40's but it became a serious addiction which I always claimed I could deal with. "I could stop whenever I anted to, I simply didn't want to". However, as time passed and I felt the burning effect of pure vodka in my stomach and had that heavy feeling on a daily basis I brought up the subject (that I was concerened with my drinking) with my psychiatrist. he prescribed Naltrexone but as a craving mitigator, which means I couldn't drink nd Nal would help me deal with the cravings. This never worked. I gave up on Nal an continued drinking heavily until one day I decided to investigate on Google any cures for alcohol cravings. The lack of control I had on my drinking was very upsetting to me. I found the Sinclair Method, read whatever I could find on the internet, looked for sites or blogs that calimed it was a scam or fraud. Bottom line: I was convinced it was definitely something worth trying. I bought Dr. Eskapas book, read it in one day and was hooked. I ran the concept by my psycologist and then my psychiatrist. Neither one had ever heard of it!!!! Tey both did some research into the subject and told me it made sense. I started TSM in Sept 2011 and I must say it has been a miracle drug for me. The results are AMAZING, I feel good about it and I strongly reccomend you give it a try and be patient. I heave red many entries on this site that encourage me to give it time. I don't want to stop drinking altogether but if abstinence occurs I'm OK with that. I am not there yet but I feel great because I am in great control of my drinking, don't crave it (except once I start drinking, unfortunately). I am just shocked that this methd is not more widely known.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO START AND TRY IT FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN AND YOU WILL BE VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS. SO WILL LOVED ONES AROUND YOU.