I just started last night. I took a whole pill on an empty stomach (big mistake)...I was kind of nauseous and shaky, felt sort of sick. After waiting the full hour I poured a glass of wine. It wasn't nearly as appealing as usual but I drank it. Then went to a party had 2 more glasses, a little food and felt better. But no buzz...which was a good thing. Normally I'd be super buzzed after 3 glasses and very little food. When I got home, out of habit not desire, I finished off the bottle I opened earlier. Got kind of buzzed. But I knew I was only drinking it because it was there, not because I wanted it. So Nal clearly affected me the very first time. I'll cut the dose in half next time. But my husband doesn't know about this treatment yet. I need to sit him down and explain it. He's going to freak out when I tell him it involves me drinking. I plan to force him to read up on it so he trusts in my decision to do it. However there will not be a time to be alone together to discuss this (opposite work schedules) and we are meeting at a Christmas party tonight. I can't drink in front of him yet. Should I just abstain or do I need to drink daily right now in order for it to work?? I really want to do exactly as I need to in order to obtain the "cure". Please advise!! Ps crappy hangover this morning!
Robyn
Daily wine drinker, AA relapser

Hi Robynbythesea, good for you that you didn't have huge side effects. It would be good if you read "The Cure for Alcoholism: The Medically Proven Way to Eliminate Alcohol Addiction" to get more information. Dr Eskapa says to drink like you normally would but I get you about wanting to maybe drink every day at the beginning to kick start TSM. My first day I could not drink as I felt so sick from the Nal so I started with 12.5 mg then upped to 25 mg and finally 50 mg. I never had another AF day until the 3rd week but that was just me cause I pretty much drink every day.

You can rent One Little Pill for $3.99 or buy it for $9.99, this has very good information and would be something for your husband to watch. http://www.onelittlepillmovie.com/

Welcome to the crappy hangovers as I got them pre-Nal but more often now, yuck!!!!
Hope this helps and welcome to the Forum!

Okay, one more time -- there is no way to kick-start or speed up or otherwise hasten classical conditioning. It takes time. It just does.

No, you don't have to drink every day. There's nothing wrong with having an alcohol-free day, or a bunch of them, in the beginning or whenever. You shouldn't be battling cravings, but that doesn't mean you have to drink if you don't want to.

You can go AF for the party. Bring some nal in case you change your mind, sure, but it's not required.

I forced an AF day early in my treatment, to take my son trick-or-treating. It did me no lasting harm. Yours, which isn't even being forced, will do you no harm at all. I promise.

The recommended dose is 25 mg for the first two days, then 50 mg thereafter.

Thanks for all the info. I didn't drink today. Still feeling weird. It's been 24 hours so I don't understand why I still feel light headed from the medication. I must be sensitive. Anyhow any AF day is a good day as far I'm concerned. Next time I'll just take 1/2 or 1/4 pill. I think I need to go slow with Nal, the side affects were pretty bad for me.

You might want to read what I wrote for Newbies in another Post on this Forum:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3930

Everybody is sensitive at first which is why you are instructed to start with two 1/2 dose (25mg) sessions and then a full 50mg dose. After a week or two your body gets accustomed to a 50mg dose.

This is per Dr Eskapa:

I do not believe that extinction can be sped up beyond a certain speed. But if one tried abstinence and then spaced out drinking sessions with an opioid antagonist every time 'relapse' occurred .. there would be extinction but it would progress very slowly.

The central concept in TSM is to drink as one normally would - and there are huge individual variation in how the drinking was learned (weekend bingers. daily heavy drinkers, etc) always with the medication to prevent reinforcement to the opioid system. Again, some people respond faster than others. It is probably a matter of genes, physiology and duration of the unwanted learned behaviour. Sinclair suggests that people do not drink to the level where alcohol poisoning becomes a problem.... even with the opioid antagonist.

The idea the more you drink on nal the faster the rewiring (or de-wiring) will occur I do not think has been tested and as I said the rates of response vary among the 80% who can be helped. Claudia was one of the lucky ones who responded quickly.. others take 10 months no matter.

Robyn...so, clarify. Does your husband not know that you drink at all? ALL your drinking is done in secret or what?
Barry

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