miss kris may never be 'cured' - but went off naltrexone, just went NUTS and .... went back and....naltrexone WORKS! don't give up, I waited for stories like in the book, but they may never come! took almost 3 years, and now, I will NEVER drink w/o NAL again, it keeps me from being ALCOHOLIC and STOPS ME from getting worse, gets me better with alcohol, never worse, don't believe the hype, maybe never to 'normal', or maybe:), but all I know is I backslid, HARD, and the MOMENT I drank on NAL, went back to acceptable levels, "for me", so I am 'cured', when I drink on NAL, which may still be too much for some but soooooooo much better than where I came from, and where I was, and where I was instantly whisked from when I restarted my treatment, on NAL, thank you, thank you, thank you! I can socially drink and NOT be the 'drunk girl', I can say 'that's enough' and go to bed! I can LEAVE A BOTTLE OF WINE HALF DRUNK AND BE OK! Is that like, normal, social drinker behavior? Hell no! But, OMG! I was waiting waiting waiting for the 'miracle' then I realized! I had had it for a few years! I went off NAL and backslid so hard back into my old neurological stuff, and OUCH! WOW! It was soooooooooo painful, for all of you that think it's not working (NOT THAT I ROCOMMEND THIS BECAUSE I MOST DEF DO NOT!!!!!) try a break, and remember, o, i dunno, hell...and then say u r not cured......my goals here are accomplished, thank you:)

Miss Kris - thank you for posting this, it is exactly what I needed to see this hungover and unhappy morning.

I did the same thing - went off Naltrexone and went downhill. I thought it wasn't working. I thought I was maybe a little better than before but still had overdrinking nights and got irritable sometimes when taking Naltrexone. And it is expensive! So one day I decided to quit.

I started in June of 2010 and I quit in April of 2011 - and I have steadily fallen right back into my old patterns, drinking way too much, sneaking more and more, feeling horrible the next day, we all know the drill.

I am here to start again, with renewed understanding that even if I never get have that "cured" feeling some have, I have much more control when I take Naltrexone than when I do not.

You r welcome yoga girl! Funny, I am a certified yoga instructor and my practice is what has saved me from desperation and even suicide with this terrible drink problem (wine mostly). Anyway, I know, I was always waiting for that 'normal' person feeling, u know, like I was never an alcoholic or something, but u know what? The backslide w/o my naltexone only served to show me how much, MY NALTREXONE WORKS FOR ME!!!! At least till i can kick it on my own for good. and just remember, those who try and try and try again, succeed. Good luck, friend:)

You r welcome yoga girl! Funny, I am a certified yoga instructor and my practice is what has saved me from desperation and even suicide with this terrible drink problem (wine mostly). Anyway, I know, I was always waiting for that 'normal' person feeling, u know, like I was never an alcoholic or something, but u know what? The backslide w/o my naltexone only served to show me how much, MY NALTREXONE WORKS FOR ME!!!! At least till i can kick it on my own for good. and just remember, those who try and try and try again, succeed. Good luck, friend:)

actually, GOING TO BED! with wine still available...maybe even a snack...crazy how arrogance sets in...

Awesome!

I think this is a very important point you made. Becoming 'normal' drinkers may not be something thats in the future for many here but having that measure of control that nal gives is absolutly huge. Its funny how it takes quiting nal to prove to us that it has been working all along. I was on holls in January and because I was taking nal every night I thought it was making me feel ill,so I thought I would be fine and only took 25mgs every other day. About 6 days into this I had my first blackout in a year and had to be lifted out of the taxi by hubby. Later around April I thought that 25mgs would be fine as I felt that I wouldnt backslide but withen a week or two I was uping my units and had lost a lot of control. So I think I too have learned my lesson- nal works as long as we keep taking it everytime we drink.

Thanks so much for your perspective on this miss kris and yogagirl!! I think it totally underscores the fact that the changes that are happening are, for the most part, very subtle. I think too many people may give up, even early on, because they think it isn't working. Your stories are important to read and to give motivation to stick with it!!

-dragonfly

Hey MissKris - funny, yoga is one of the many things that made me search harder to find a solution. I was so sad when I would be in a yoga class, feeling horrible and toxic, and feeling like I was living such a lie. The healthy person I appeared to be was a sham. The self-loathing was only intensified by returning to class to look in that mirror again and again, wondering what the hell was wrong with me. I wanted to be that blissful yogi the teacher appeared to be ... was that you and you were struggling just like me? LOL

So when did you start taking Nal again? Maybe we can share this TSM 2.0 journey.

Yogagirl, I WAS THE TEACHER! The 'blissful yogi'. I can do all sorts a stuff n contortions, w my body, including, unfortunately, drinking a magnum of wine plus in an evening. I gave it up cuz I was a sham, one of the limbs is moderation/abstinence depending on what one practices; I couldn't in good faith teach. Please don't hate yourself. We are who we are. Alcoholism is but a struggle and challenge, a season to be weathered.... not WHO YOU ARE...no matter what they say:). We make our reality. We can do it! We will!