I am new to this forum, but have been on Naltrexone for about 4 months. I experienced my honeymoon period of reducing my intake from a bottle of wine and 2 to 3 beers a night to 2 to 3 drinks a night. Well, that was the first month. At month 4, I am steadily creeping back up the ladder, and I am concerned because I feel as though I am reliving the early stages of my alcoholism. I am currently drinking about 3/4 to 5/8 a bottle of wine a night, and my cravings are coming back. Does anybody have any insight, advice, or comments that may be helpful? Please let me know. Thanks

According to all the vest on this board -- and the "Cure" book -- you are experiencing the normal increase in levels that happens to many people part way through. It's like "the wall" that marathon runners have to confront somewhere north of mile 20. You just have to push through by taking your Nal and waiting an hour.

Look at the thread about how long it has taken people to declare themselves "cured" or "in control." Don't give up! This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Tiller

Yes, Tiller is right. If you experienced the honeymoon, there's a great chance TSM will work for you in the long run. However, TSM is also a roller coaster and many people's levels go back up to pre-TSM levels afte the honeymoon. I would try and be patient and work through it. If you feel like you can, maybe applying a modicum of willpower to limit your drinking could be helpful. On nal, a lot of people find that it's much much easier to exert willpower than before. Sometimes we are just drinking out of habit.
Good luck.

Quite normal, as a binge drinker I experienced a series of spike events after about the 3rd month. These occured weekly (which is roughly how often I would usually binge in the past), and I was very afraid it was all coming back. Can quite honestly say now that I've had 3 whole weeks without burning cravings, nor getting drunk. Worst was consuming around 7 units one evening which left me tired and went to bed. At the moment I can just about force down 1 glass of wine or one bottle of beer, that's when I do drink.

From my readings most people who fail do so because they give up on nal, or stop taking it because they are finding it's spoiling their fun. I'm at the no fun anymore stage but staying here because I'm not prepared to live the way I used to.

I found it very interesting when UKblonde said he (or she, sorry) was not in the "fun stage" anymore, because I started taking Nal two months ago and must admit I still find some pleasure in drinking, specially in the very first can of beer of the binge.
Even though, an amazing, astonishing, wonderful and undeniable decrease in the quantity I drink has already happened! Before start taking Nal I used to drink for over 24 hours (yes, that was the pattern of my binges, which used to happen once a week), but my last 5 experiences with the medicine took less than 6 hours!
Honestly, for me it's like a miracle, since I've been trying to do so for over TEN YEARS, not succeding at all.
My only concern is about side effects that may show up in a few years, 'cause I'm taking a high dosage of Nal...

Dear My Little Ship,

Please consider how long you've been drinking in an "out-of-control" manner. And consider your age and circumstances as well.

It is a l-o-n-g process for most of us. Think nine months to a year. Be patient!!!

I FINALLY turned the corner in my 30th week!!!!!!!!!

In other words... it took you a long time to get where you currently are and it will take you some time to get out of it.

Just remember the Golden Rule: Nal+Al+Patience=Regaining Control.

Nal on, my friend,

Ketchikan1

Same thing happened here (maybe my forum name says it all?)... Only I quit after 4 months (ran out of Naltrexone and didn't renew w/ doc)... I was on N from April '11 to Aug '11. There was a pronounced "dip" in the middle, but then things ramped back up to similar drinking levels. - To me, it felt like I had learned how to drink heavily again - despite the N still doing it's "thing"...

I now am back to drinking easily as much - maybe even more - and considering getting back on N and giving it another try... - I was so diligent for the 4 months, but it was so depressing to see my drinking levels return to where they were previously - even while on N. - Also, I experienced fairly pronounced "depression" (for lack of a better word) pretty much all the time - and I was getting tired of that. - I know N suppresses all the "feel good" stuff - and wondered if it was depressing all the healthy feel good stuff too (love of my wife, etc.).

I'm also a very physically active person and engage in intense workouts 3-4 times per week - and it seemed like the N was making me exceedingly "weaker" physically too. - I felt a lot of fatigue along with the depression.

Would love to hear from others who have persevered through this period and have come out the other side. - Also would like to know if anyone else has had the depression / fatigue symptoms as well and what they've done for that.

I've had the depression however I realised it was mostly just 'life', and 'me'. Most people feel a bit fed up, bored, lacking motivation more than we actually think. I do also know I feel particularly depressed after an evening drinking with nal -and put it down to simply taking in two things that can depress/flatten your mood. This has actually encouraged me to avoid drinking, and since the cravings have lessened to zero thanks to TSM this is easily acheiveable without the old battles. I also make sure I have something to motivate me the day after drinking, and usually tie it into a social occasion with an activity lined up the next day that isn't drinking, and is something I like doing.

The good news is I have also felt the rebound from this, 48 hours after taking nal and drinking with it I've timed in exercise or something else exhilirating and felt a massive rush. So it's not all doom and gloom at all.

I have verged on horrible depression BUT that is because whilst on Nal I've also had to endure a massive trauma - something that would have floored a lot of people. I have had to force myself NOT to be depressed, because I knew that would just finish me off. I know this all sounds like 'she doesn't know what real depression is', I actually do I am simply a very determined individual. Anything is better than what I went through with my drinking.

Actually no - high dose baclofen was worse than my drinking, and the depression I had with that drug was terrible (sorry to those it offends but this is the truth and my experience) I honestly wanted to die whilst on it, the same as when I was drinking out of control.

Anyway I find Naltrexone very manageable and a godsend. You just need to persevere.

ALL, With regard to depression and other side effects: I think that taking the right combination of vitamins/supplements can help! Remember alcohol depletes your body of many nutrients and even changes your brain chemistry.

I recommend that anyone interested check out the website of the Life Extension Foundation (www.lef.org) and take a look at their protocols for Depression and Alcoholism.

I personally take (just to list the most relevant to depression):

SaME - To avoid depression and protect the Liver.

GABA - Very useful when trying to have AF days. Alcohol makes your brain produce excess GABA and this makes your GABA receptors less sensitive (which is why you might get "jumpy" on days you don't drink, as you are essentially GABA deficient). GABA has a calming effect and is good for AF days (but obviously don't take on days you are drinking).

Vitamin D - Most people are Vit D deficient! Deficiency can contribute to depression and many other diseases.

In addition, I take a bunch of other stuff, such as:
CoQ10 - Great antioxidant
Vitamin C - 4 Grams a day.
AHCC - Keeps your immune system up and running efficiently! Remember that alcohol can weaken your immune system.

I could go on with the list, but as you can see I definitely pop a few pills every day!