I have read quite a bit on this forum and the MWO forum over the years but have not posted. I went to my doctor yesterday and got him to prescribe Naltexone to me. (This is the same Doctor who prescribed me a diet drug about two months ago and I am 5'8" and 145 lbs., basically I can get anything out of him) I did not fill or take the diet drug, I am sure if I quit drinking I would probably lose ten pounds!!!!

I drink about a bottle of wine a night, I do not think I have had one AF day in over ten years except for maybe five days when I had to take some medication for the third time because it hadn't worked the first two times while I drank on it, even then I stopped taking it early so I could drink.

My life basically sucks as I am sure most alcoholics lives do. I met a worker in a liquor store who told me that the guy who was in the line in front of me comes in every night and buys one $98 bottle of wine with a one hundred dollar bill and another $98 bottle on his credit card. Who's he hiding the second one from? Even with two $98 bottles of wine I am sure his life sucks, I am may be drinking shittier wine but...... he's still playing the same game.

I seem to have no problem putting loads of alcohol in my body but I am terrified of the Naltrexone. Maybe I just need to share this with someone, I don't know? Was anyone else just terrified of taking it? I really wish the pharmacist hadn't of told me not to drink on it.

I don't know how long it will take to start working but I just don't want to go into the New Year hammered like I have for as long as I can remember. I have this little thing that I believe that what ever you are doing on New Years Eve is what you will be doing for the rest of the year. Example: fighting with your husband on New Years will equal fighting with your husband all year long; clean, organized house on New Years equals clean, organized house all year. It seems that what ever I have done on New Years has weirdly been my fate for the rest of the year.

Hmmm.....last New Years?????.....drunk!......what did I do all year?????......drink!

I have exactly one hour until I have to go pick up my daughter. I have wine in the house to drink after I pick her up. Even though I am picking her up at 9 pm , I know I can still plow through that bottle of wine before I hit the sack. Should I take the Nal? We'll see if I do.

Fear not. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying it. If you happen to have side effects, they are transient and seldom last more than a week or two weeks. Mine (intermittent nausea during the day - not immediately after taking the Nal) were only bad about a week and were totally gone in about ten days. Start out with a half-dose and stay there until you feel comfortable with it.

Don't be superstitious - if you happen to be nauseous on New Years day I guarantee you won't be nauseous all year long.

Anyway, my drinking was pretty much like yours, a bottle and occasionally another half every night for Too Dang Long. I only really accepted that I was an alcoholic in the last couple years. TSM worked very well for me and the odds are good that it will for you too.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

wow! plain vanilla, GREAT GRAPH!
Maenads: I started to take Nal at bedtime as a deterrent to drinking. It helped me sleep and I had no problem starting with 50 mgs.
I have had a friend that had adverse reactions, I guess we all are different, but no telling what else we have ingested prior to administration of the medicine,soooooo......
Anyway, I wish you good luck (I believe!) in your endeavor.
If you really are superstitious, and I am, make the new years day be VERY positive. You can do it! Even if you have to stay in bed and eat bon bons ALL day and watch beautiful movies....

ART

I took a half (25mgs) naltrexone last night, was my first time. I noticed no side effects... actually I didn't really notice any effects at all. Next time I'll take the other half, if things are still good, after that I'll go with the full 50mgs. I didn't have to drive or anything last night, I explained to my girlfriend that I was taking some meds that might make me spacey, but they didn't really. I noticed that I had no problem stopping for the night after three beers, whereas typically I'd want to have several shots of vodka to 'finish the job' before bed. So far so good. I personally didn't see a reason not to try it, it can't make things worse.

-n

Don't be scared!

The side effects were surprisingly strong for me (I had not expected any) but only lasted one or two days. And personally I believe that if you get any, then Nal will work for you!!

All the best, a pleasure to meet you here, and I look forward to following your progress

(presently, pieces of ) eight

Don't be afraid. Read some of the other posts here about the side effects. I didn't have it but I read naseau is one - but like we all haven't been sick from just alcohol alone without naltrexone? The one side effect I did feel was insominia which lasted mabye a week to ten days. Small price to pay to getting help.

Scary is waking up with your bed covered in blood and you put your hand to your head and it's your ear thats bleeding and you can't hear a thing. The scariest part all you remember was you were out with a friend and have no idead how you got home or how you hurt yourself. You call your friend but he won't answer..utoh must have pissed him off.
This is a direct side effect of alcohol. I have not had or read anything close to side effect like this with naltrexone.

Give it a go it can't make your life any worse and truly can only make it better or at worst case status quo.

I hope it works for good luck on the journey

Hi Maenads, welcome to this board and keep posting. It seems you're on your way with Nal and realize there's nothing to be scared of anymore, good. My SE lasted maybe a week but my husband is still getting some which I guess is good (holds back some of the drinking).

Your story is my story and probably half on this board but now you're one of us NAL people and we're all moving forward to FREEDOM!

corkit

Maenads,

You're also a part of history.

You might feel a LITTLE spacey. Once you're acclimated its like taking a vitamin. You feel nothing. Although for the longest I was taking 25 mg only cuZ i only drank at night. That was maybe a mistake, now I take 25 mg first hour, then another 25 mg on first drink.

Do not fear, and know I was scared too,..I've never taken any meds before so teh idea of taking them scared me as well.....its nothing more than jumping in the pool but only the first time,...cuz everytime after that, you're acclimated to the water...that's actually a good analogy....My best to you, Jim CLark

Welcome to the board.

Your fear of naltrexone is not based in reality -- it is a benign drug. If you asked your pharmacist about the long-term dangers of drinking a bottle of wine a night, I'm sure he or she would tell you that this is far riskier behavior than taking naltrexone one hour before you drink. This drug works well for the vast majority who take it. Forget being "cured" in three to four months but focus on your reduced cravings and consumption. The side effects are minimal and go away almost immediately for almost all of us.

Good luck!

Thank you all for your support, I had to reread your posts three times before I had the courage to take 1/2! Just having someone say it is okay somehow gave me the courage. Okay I just took it three seconds ago and I am a bit freaking out. I am home alone with my daughter and she doesn't know. It is 5:25 here and I will wait the hour to not drink. Actually I am having a panic attack right now, I am going to go get busy and stop thinking about this pill I just took and try to talk myself out of this panic attack, my hands are sweaty and my pulse is racing. Thanks all once again, I really needed the support!