I ask this because after, say, 3-6 months of using naltrexone and then stopping, what happens if you need opioid pain relief for something like, say, surgery? With the gradually upregulated opioid receptors, would pain management with morphine in normal doses actually cause a life-threatening overdose? Or do the opioid receptors return to their normal states after a few days of stopping the naltrexone? This is potentially a scary scenario that would be helpful to have an answer for.

I'm at the end of my third week on the Method and so far have noticed no progress (yes, I realize it's much too soon). I had a tough time convincing my doc to prescribe the stuff and he finally agreed to 30 days, providing I come in for liver function tests before the Rx runs out, which I will do. I hope that if I pass the tests, he will understand that the process takes months, and continue to prescribe. He can't seem to grasp the paradoxical mechanisms underlying the theory which was new to him. "If it is so successful, why hasn't it become common practice given the alcohol problems in this country?" he said. I don't want to overwhelm him with material since that would be off-putting, but next time I see him, I might bring a brief synopsis of Dr. Eskada's book, or perhaps a printout from an NIAA publication about the matter. Any suggestions re: the latter?

Finally, the matter of using naltrexone when taking benzos. I happen to have essential tremor of the head and neck, together with some cervical dystonia. The pulling on the muscles and neck tension can be painful at times while the bobbing and shaking of my head is embarrassing in social situation. The only things that help this condition in my case (and I've tried the gamut of choices suggested by neurologists, short of having electrodes implanted in my brain) are GABAergic substances. Hence 5-10 mg. diazepam (prescribed by my doctor) with occasional "holidays", plus 300-600 mg of gabapentin, as needed. I've done so since the 1990s. However, even more effective for the tremor, unfortunately, is alcohol. Two or three glasses of wine in the evening, and the neurological condition vanishes like magic--only to reappear next day. (A well documented effect of alcohol upon essential tremor). But I've been drinking much more than three units at night, escalating alarmingly over the past several years. Thus it appears to me that I'm both a GABA AND an Opioid type drinker--GABA for a real palliative issue and the Opioid for subsequent pleasure--the latter of which most likely causes me to lose control. Despite the provso that the method won't work for people on benzos, since my drinking is for two entirely different purposes, medical plus pleasure, I do wonder if removing the pleasure part via the method would help me control my intake to normal levels just needed to control the essential tremor despite also drinking for GABAergic effects. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Mike

Welcome, Mike. Excellent questions, and I think you should post them under the "Ask Dr. Eskapa" thread as well. He must be travelling, but always does get back here to answer questions eventually.

Now I'm not sure, but you might be a candidate for the use of baclofen, an anti-spasmodic, anti-anxiety medicine that eliminates cravings for alcohol when taken in high doses. It's a very safe substance, and might cure both your essential tremor as well as your alcohol dependance. Some folks combine it with naltrexone for a double whammy effect. Ask your doctor about this.

Why not tell your doctor you're using naltrexone for abstinence, since he seems unlikely to get on board with TSM protocol? While you hate to lie, it may be necessary in order to keep obtaining your prescription - most doctors don't mind prescribing it on-label, to eliminate cravings (which it won't do - but they don't know that!).

Good luck, and keep us all posted!

Thanks, Goin4More. I'll cut and paste the post on the Ask Dr. Eskada thread. As for baclofen, I tried that several years ago and it turned me into a sleepy zombie. Same with an attempt with propanolol, usually the first line of treatment for essential tremor. Neither seemed to work for the condition, but maybe my brain chemistry has changed enough to give baclofen another try, or maybe it's synergistic with naltrexone. (Propanolol also slows my heart rate too much and makes me exercise intolerant.)
I'd love to toss the benzos and find something non-addictive to replace them but I realize I can't just go cold turkey. It usually takes a very long and careful taper to get off them.

BTW, how does one report the progress (or lack thereof) at the end of a message--enter it manually or is there a plug-in somewhere on this board? Perhaps in the Attach a signature section? Also, what's the UCP, and what's the BBCode?

Thanks,

Mike

UCP: User Control Panel
Yes, use the Attach a Signature from the UCP for tracking progress at foot of posts
Don't know what BBCode is - Bulletin Board Code, but what's that mean?

You're in good company here, as there is a whole group of benzo users who are supportive of one another. Your baclofen story is interesting, as that's one reason I decided not to take it. Can't afford to sleep my life away! I'm wondering if you titrated up slowly enough? I understand it takes some time at low doses b/4 the sleepiness goes away. . .and then you titrate up again till the sleepiness subsides, etc. But maybe it just doesn't ever go away for some people? I'd hate that!