Dr. Eskapa, my husband and I are in agreement that this program is worth a try for us and he's supportive, but we have a very unique living arrangement. Our home is in the midwest and he works on the west coast. We are often separated for 3-7 weeks at a time. He doesn't want me to begin this program while he is not here. We have traditinally had an agreement that I would maintain total abstinence when my husband is away. My actual behavior has been a 3-4 day drinking binges each month while he's away. I have done dangerous things like drive cars and emotionally devastate our son....not to mention falling, bruising up my body, drunk dialing, letting my work and home totally slide. I had all intentions of remaining straight, and in June made 28 days, and then went into a binge. I just finished another 30 days. I do testing at a lab to prove that I hadn't been drinking.

Now I want to begin TSM as soon as possible, today...but he leaves on Thursday and won't probably be home again for 3-5 weeks. Just to complicate the matter, I share custody of my other kids with my ex husband. Due to the severity of my past drinking problem, I am ordered to complete EtG testing the day after the kids return to their Dads house (urine tests at a lab that can detect any alcohol use in the previous 80 days)...so needless to say, I wouldn't be drinking at all while they are home with me nor the two days before they arrive.

So, my bigger question is this. I will have gaps of time that I can't take the Naltrexone and drink (some weeks it will be between 5-15 days) other weeks it will by 0...and then there's the husband's travel. He in time will be ok with the drinking + naltrexone once he sees some initial results and commitment, but isn't convinced now is the right time to start. I want to start today, then stop later in the week to prepare for the kids to come and then go back to it the day after they leave.

If I can't use Nal. and drink every day (some weeks everyday, some weeks none at all) can I still make this work for me? Especially if at first, it's going to be very spotty...or should I just wait until I can devote large periods of time and just remain abstinent for now?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

DO Both. If you can sustain sobriety for that long on your own, you are in better shape than most of us ever were! In theory, your 'cure' (the point at which you have lost interest in alcohol), will take longer, but there is no reason why it could not work for you. You will have built up a great expectation for a drink and the unconscious opiate reward will be blocked when you do finally take the long awaited drink. Over time you will yet learn that Alc does not reward your heroic abstinence. Good Luck!
(BTW: Dr. Eskapa does not routinely visit this site)