Hi everyone.

I started using Nal in the autumn of 2013, and the results were great. Before starting, I was drinking some 2 liters of beer every day, even more on some days. And the cravings were quite bad on the days when I didn't drink.

I started Nal at 50 mg, then upped it to 75mg (it "felt" better) and did that for more than 2 years. I don't know if I was "cured", but I could go for days without alcohol without any trouble.

Then, in April this year, I went for a holiday and left the pills at home. I drank for about a week without Nal, and stupidly enough, I continued to do so once back home (even though there were also days when I did take the Nal).

Fast forward to now, I am back to drinking more than two years ago, when I started the Nal. And what's worse, it seems that the Nal doesn't work for me anymore. I started taking it every day some 2 weeks ago, and I am still able to drink more than 2 liters of beer on Nal, which I couldn't in the past. Also, that feeling of going "numb" when drinking on Nal is also not there, I actually get pretty "high" from drinking. Also, the cravings are there, everyday, towards the late afternoon/early evening. Basically, I've been going to bed drunk everyday this last month.

I am horrified at the idea that I somehow messed things up in such a way that Nal will not work for me anymore, and I will get back to the point where I can't control how much and when I drink.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I am not on 75mg - shall I up the dosage to 100mg, for example?

Please, if you have ANY advice, do share it. Thanks a lot.

Hi Koni,

I am sorry for your experience with Nal this time. I know that people here have used other things together with Nal - some have even used some herbal things that affect GABA receptors. However, changing habits will be one way to go (together with Nal). For me, removing alcohol from my hose worked very well, but socially I still need to work hard to keep my numbers down.

Good luck the second time around!

Hi tamtam1,

Thanks a lot for the quick reply.

I think I can control things better when I am at home. But I am away from home a lot (weeks in a row), and work in the hospitality industry. Given my position, I have access to anything I want from the bar, anytime, for free. I am sure you see how that is a major issue.

At this point, I am simply scared of the prospect of Nal not working anymore. I obviously kick myself for being so stupid and drinking without Nal for a few months, but that's done now.

What are the products used to affect the GABA receptors?

Koni, I'm glad you came in to post of your experience and I am sorry for what you are going through. Unfortunately at your expense this is a good reminder to all of us that we always must follow the rule. There is no cure to alcoholism but there is a treatment that works and that is TSM... That's my humble opinion...

But anyway Koni, I've never read anything that suggests people can build up tolerance to Naltrexone. There are only so many endorphin receptors in the brain and generally 50mgs is enough to block them. If anything over time as those receptors weaken and go extinct I would think you would need less Naltrexone to get the same job done. It is true though that some people have reacted better to larger doses. You may also want to try waiting an hour and a half before drinking to let it get into the system good.

There could be other factors at play here including fear. Fear of course is very powerful and could play a role in your thoughts about the effectiveness of Naltrexone. A reverse placebo if you will.

I'm certainly no doctor or expert but just throwing out ideas.

Unfortunately they don't really understand fully the mechanism of alcoholism in out brains. They have shown in repeated peer reviewed studies that the process of extinction does indeed occur. That our years and years of 'learning' how to become alcoholics through reinforcement has physically altered our brains such that we built super neural highways in the brain that are fast and efficient and triggered by the presence of alcohol and the process of endorphin release and receptor rewards and so on. TSM has sent a demolition crew out in our brains to destroy those highways so that nothing can travel down them anymore and as such the receptors at the end die off.

But there must be some other system in there. Perhaps like a strong memory bank. A computer that stored the information, the blueprints, and the construction techniques used to build those highways and when we drink without Naltrexone and trigger the Opioidergic system once again then this time the construction crew goes out and has all the materials and know how to build these highways again and immediately gets to work.

I don't know. I'm just making **** up but essentially they don't understand why we are still susceptible to going right back to drinking but we are, as you know. But I think if you stick to the Golden Rule you will be ok. It's a set back but there is no reason why you cannot get back to where you were.

Koni, I don't have any personal experience but I have never read that nal stops working for anyone. It is possible it will just take more time for you this time for some reason. But if it worked once I have to believe that there is every reason to think it will work again.

What Ocean said about a possible reverse placebo effect makes a lot of sense to me.

I would just keep taking it and I bet you will find that it works, it just might take you some time.

Sorry for what you are going through. Please keep posting there is a lot of support available for you here.

xoxo Newlife

Koni,

I wanted to welcome you, but I am sorry for the reason that you came here. My heart goes out to you, and believe it or not that is my reoccurring nightmare of mine...being away and not having my pill and drinking to the point of no return...being drunk in a dream is different and frightening.

I think the nal. should work, or rework, on your receptors just like they did before, but I do know that some addictions are caused by other pathways. I am not trying to frighten you, I am just merely stating facts; however, since you had control with the nal before, it should, in theory, work again.

I would email JoAnna at the C-3 foundation, for maybe she has worked with someone that has been in your situation. I think if she hasn't had experiences in this she probably knows of someone that has and can point you in the right direction. If anything, she may just be able to give you the reassurance to keep doing what you are doing and what you are experiencing is normal. (her email address is joanna@cthreeeurope.com...this is not a working link, you will have to set up a new message and type in her address). She will respond within 12 hours of receiving your email. She is a great lady, and very giving, for she does what she can to help anyone out. She also has contact with Dr. Roy Eskapa if she needs a medical opinion.

Please let us know how things work out for you,

Jaba

Always so impatient!

How many months did it take to work the first time?

Now you've gone off and violated the one rule we have, and the second time around you want it to work in weeks?

Your brain is a lot smarter than you credit. You gave him a taste again and he remembers that! You'll have to go through the whole thing again to make him forget.

But he will.

Just remember: The Golden Rule is for life.

Lesson learned. Hopefully by all, -but unlikely...

Koni,

I think you should not panic yet. Keep taking the pill if you drink. It will work again. But give it he necessary time to do its job. Where you a quick responder last time? Did you post on here before so you can look back and see if you kept track of your intake back then. I know at two weeks I was drinking a lot still. So don't panic OR give up. Just remember that golden rule.

Koni,

I am glad that you posted on the Options Saves Lives forum and JoAnna did answer you. I felt relief, as I am sure you did, to find a couple of answers.

I do hope that things are going okay with you,

Jaba

The same sort of thing happened to me. Great going first time before running out of pills and just becoming a touch complacent. When I tried again it wasn't as easy going and I sort of lost hope.

The only thing I can say is that the second time round my drinking had become worse so in theory I wasn't gonna see the same quick results as first time round. For example the first time round I was drinking on average 15 UK units 4 times a week which halfed right away to around 7 (3-4 light beers). Second time going I was drinking way more and also going on week long benders. Looking back my units probably halfed again but I was looking for a drop that I shouldn't have really expected.

The way I look at it is if your gonna keep drinking and you not gonna go in any other direction help wise then there's no harm in keeping on with it. For me, I'm not getting any younger and can really feel it on my health after a bender so if I can even keep it to damage limitation in happy enough for the time being