I started taking Nal over a year ago. Desperate, dying, 12 units or more a day, not eating, lord knows how I managed to get myself up for work at all during that time. 20 years of drinking got me to that point and when I discovered TSM I was terrified that it wouldn't work for me - I was convinced it was my last chance - it had to work. Happily, it did. The initial side effects were staggering, but I barreled through a week of that and within a month I was having AF days and had almost no desire to drink. It was amazing. I got my life back, I made some really great decisions and I'm happier now than ever - except I stopped taking the NAL. I've also lost over 20lbs this year by simply not drinking so much.

So, I decided to only take the Nal once a week. 25mg. The Nal didn't just change the taste of alcohol it changed my ability to enjoy food, I was worried that it would effect my enjoyment of all sorts of things: exercise, sex, a good book. So I decided I didn't need to take it everyday. The problem with infrequent use is that the side effects would kick my ass every time I did take it. And I didn't enjoy the alcohol at all - which I didn't like and somewhere in my head I decided it was ok to enjoy alcohol if I could keep it under control. Which btw, I am able to do, for a while, and then very quickly the cravings kick in, the compulsion to drink more and more, until I'm sitting in a dark room by myself downing my 2nd bottle of wine and my family is heartbroken again coz everyone thought I was getting better.

^^ That was last night. And a night last week. The promise of a good life, the happy family, the creative flow, focus, a clean room, vegetables that don't rot in the fridge, going to the dentist, waking up in the morning; y'know stuff like that - quick to go when the alcoholic lifestyle creeps back in. How sad.

So, I need to recommit. For my family, my friends, colleagues and coworkers that all depend on me for something and love me and want me to live. And what I keep reminding myself is that I don't want to lie down on a hospital bed wondering what I might have done instead - with aLifetime.

Thank you for sharing your story here. It was very touching and I'm sure it will help many here on the board who need to know TSM works and also that it's benefits can be undone by drinking without NAL. You've probably learned a very valuable lesson the hard way and happily if NAL worked the first time there is no reason it won't work again for you. Please come back and post the second half of your TSM story. It sounds like you have a lot to live for and a lot of reasons not to drink alcoholically.

Alifetime,

Thanks so much for posting. Here is hoping that you can get back on the wagon with Nal in no time. For other who might one day find themselves in your situation, could you please provide some details?

By the time you decided to stop TSM and only take Nal once every week, what was your consumption like? How many units on average per drinking day and how many AF days per week? Once your started slipping without TSM, what was the time course like? Week, weeks, months? Was the increase in consumption very gradual or was it eventually triggered by one large event? Any other details you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Good luck and thanks!