I have been on NAL 25 mg for 12 days now. I have noticed a reduction in my desire not to go out and get another bottle. So, something is happening and I am pleased with this progress so far.

However, coming up to Christmas and my birthday on Christmas Day I am tempted to stay on 25mg's until after The New Year. (I am also Scottish, so we all know what that means!)

Could I have an opinion please for those who have either thought, or done the same, or similar?

Thanking you in anticipation.

Why are you on 25mgs?

I had a bad reaction to start, so did 12.5mg's until I felt ok, then upped to 25mg's......I can definitely feel the benefit. I want this to happen but not too quickly. Today I threw 1/4 bottle of wine down the sink.....so it's happening.

I also don't want withdrawal symptoms.

I think you need to look to your motivations and consider the fact that you may be grieving for your loss (the comfort of alcohol and its buzz).


The amount of Nal you take doesn't influence withdrawal symptoms does it?

I think you are trying to find reasons for not letting go of the buzz. I am not judging you for that but you may want to think about it and be honest with yourself about what you are hoping TSM can/will do for you, and what work you are willing to put in to make it happen.

Hard to mess with success. Ease into it if it helps.

Are you keeping a log of your alcohol intake?

Thank you for that. On 25mg's I do not get a buzz either. The amount of alcohol I can drink affects the withdrawal. The easiest way to withdraw without symptoms is to gradually cut down, and this is what I'm doing. So far so good. I just can't stand the unrestlesness and night sweats. I do also agree that there is a certain amount of grief for my loss. But I think this is normal to feel that?

Thank you for your advice.

I think it is. I know I felt it.

In a way, I still do. I still miss it just as I still miss a loved one who died years ago. The actual mourning fades with time, though.

I'm still seeking complete indifference, but I have faith that it will come in time. Thirty years doesn't truly go away in five weeks, even with the actual addiction broken.

Nal allows you to cut down without withdrawl, unless you are unusual and go tee total from day one it's unlikely you'll suddenly drop enough to go into withdrawal. Many alcoholics do not withdraw full stop, or it's only a bit of insomnia and anxiety(sorry for saying only, but I say that as compared to full blown fitting and DTs) 25mgs is enough for some people but really for the best chance you need to try 50mg. Whole idea of TSM is that it avoids withdrawing.

My first time around, TSM cut my intake right down after only a month but I kept motoring on waiting on a magic "click" to happen and drinking to just stop. I don't think it works that way for some (or most). For most of my 5 months on TSM I still constantly thought about drinking and getting drunk but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't usually get past the 3rd or 4th can. At that point knowing what I know now I should have started to work on coping skills and dare I say it use a bit more willpower.

Its not a magic bullet you need to work at it as well. You should like you want to have your cake and eat it. Thats understandable. Personally I'd try and get up to 50mg as soon as i could just to know that I was covered. TSM can be a long haul and you wouldn't want to get a year down the road and realise you weren't taking enough Nal to cover you.