HopefulC,

Glad you found us and that you are reading the book. I just wanted to chime in and give you some hints and words of wisdom that have been thrown around the forum. I know you know the number 1 and golden rule of always taking a pill an hour before you drink. here are a few others;
Keep spare pills in a key chain medicine container in multiple places. Purse, car, husband's car, and anywhere else that you might need one.

Do not sweat it if you have a little or even a lot more to drink than you wanted to! no need to beat yourself up. As long as you took your pill it is just another step towards the cure. Sorta strange but that is the way it seems to work. In order to stop drinking - you have to drink with NAL.

Forget the 3-4 month cure. Unless you are really lucky it will be longer. You will see results and feel different about your drinking but to get total control it will take longer.

It is a roller coaster ride - you will have good days and bad days. Good weeks and bad weeks etc. Just keep on going.

There is no reason not to take NAL and do TSM. Some people say it is to expensive but count up the cost of those bottles of wine and all the health problems that go with drinking - not to mention legal and marital problems. NAL and TSM are cheap dates!

It helps to count your drinks (I see from post you are) but you do not have to really get obsessed with it - just do the best you can as it will help you look back when you are further along to see your progress.

Keep posting because it helps you and others!!

Hi and thanks so much for the tips.
One thing that helps me now is that I really can't get pass out drunk with 2 babies. Where I would happily drink 2 bottles of wine a night before children, my need to care for them helps me keep the nightly intake down. I don't stock up on wine. I try to buy it daily, so the temptation to drink more is lessened. I try to wait until later in the afternoon to have a glass. I am not getting out much these days other than a run to the store, but as I get more comfortable getting out with 2 babies I will make sure there are nals in both cars and my purse. I think getting out more will also help me start drinking later in the day because I'll be busier. I know boredom hurts me with regards to craving.
Luckily the cost of nal should not be an issue for me. I had zero co pay when I picked it up at Walgreens. I will keep posting/reading here because that will help me. I don't understand all of the terminology here yet, but hopefully finishing the book will help with that. I'm fitting in a chapter where I can.

Last night I had about 6 glasses between 3 and 8 pm. I did pour out half of my last glass again, which is new for me.

Thanks again. I am so happy to be here/have found tsm.

This is all sounding good, Hopeful!

Not stocking up on wine, delaying the start time, those are 2 great techniques. It sounds like the Nal is beginning to help you be indifferent to wine too. Excellent!

You'd asked earlier how many drinks in a 750ml bottle of 12% ABV wine. Looks like it's 5, but that can vary based on the percent Alcohol By Voume (ABV).

The boredom may well ease as you get further along and your brain understands that it's "favorite toy" doesn't work anymore and it rediscovers some old toys (things you used to enjoy) that make it happy, or finds new ones.

I really like your results so far, Hopeful! Steady as she goes!

Thanks Joe! Have a great day.

keep it up, hopeful! not having wine around is key for me. the more you can "understock", the better. Nal on!

Welcome Hopeful,

I do hope that you stick around and share your experiences with us. This is a rollercoaster ride (like Ocean said), but with your invisible friends here on the forum those down hills are not as bad.

And please make sure that you have a pill with you at all times. I know that leaving the house at this time in your life isn't that often; however, there will be that one time. I think it happens to just about all of us at one time or another, so always be prepared. There is a keychain pill holder that you can purchase at the C-3 foundation http://www.cthreefoundation.org/key-cha ... tMQWseGfww (hopefully the link works).

Besides of the no white knuckling rule, this is a guilt free zone when it comes to alcohol.

It also helps to try to put yourself first (I know that is easier said than done at this point in your life), and try to do some fun/relaxing things just for you.

It looks like you are having a good honeymoon period.

Keep posting,

Jaba

Good luck Hopeful. Glad you have found this method and I hope it reduces your drinking to safe, moderate levels or whatever your goal is. I agree with the above that you should never "white knuckle", but I do believe one should take an alcohol free/abstinence day as soon as humanly possible to remove the stigma-habit of drinking daily as I think it hastens things...