just curious if this is meant to be taken long term. psych doctor is unsure to prescribe it to me...she thought I was aiming for abstinence when I just want to moderate.
thanks
bizi

bizi -

Some people here have been using it for over a year. Have a look here at how long it took various individuals to eliminate their craving by using Naltrexone:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2442

Here is a link about Naltrexone from the National Institutes of Health:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64042/#_A93025_

Naltrexone should not be used if you have liver disease, but "Naltrexone does not appear to be a hepatotoxin at the recommended doses."

"Naltrexone has been administered to patients who are alcohol dependent for 6 months to 1 year with no additional safety concerns." I don't believe anyone has performed studies that track Naltrexone patients for over a year, so there is no evidence that Naltrexone is unsafe to take indefinitely.

thank you for your replies. I will wait for her response, she wants to do some omore research. If she won't prescribe it for me than maybe I can find an on line way of obtaining the naltrexone.
bizi

Bizi -

You can also take a look at CThree Foundations "Find A Physician" page here:

http://www.cthreefoundation.org/find-a-physician.html

There are some verified TSM docs on the list that are quite familiar with Naltrexone and how it's used per Sinclair Method protocol.

You can easily order online from All Day Chemist though a prescription is ideal.

Thank you, will look into that.
bizi

Bizi - it took me nearly a year of using the nal for me to be 'cured'. so I was taking it pretty much daily for that time. The liver thing apparently comes into play if one is on a higher does - they say 300mg. As TSM uses only 50mg, one assumes it to be safe re the liver. I recently had blood tests and everything came back just fine. As far as it being safe long term - once you are cured, you tend to drink far less anyway - and not as frequently. Those that do not get 'cured' in a particular time frame stop taking it I think - at least, two people that I knew that took it did. I have only taken two tabs in the past two months. Hope the psych person gives you the RX!

hugs, Maggie

Bizi,

I had a bad experience with tylenol in my late 20s. My liver enzymes were at critical levels, but in a couple of weeks went down to normal. My liver enzymes have been normal through out this entire process, and I have been on nal since May. Pre-TSM I was drinking 2+ bottles of wine a night (sometimes with Vodka) and now I might have a drink maybe 4 times a month. I would rather be drinking water.

You will not be that interested in drinking every night, and taking the nal everyday once you have been "cured". That desire will not be there. You will most likely be drinking less than moderate. So, maybe if your doctor spoke to someone at the C-3 she would understand this process, and how people really have no desire to drink everyday/night once the brain accepts that there will be no rush with drinking.

Right now you think you may want to be a moderate drinker, but a lot of TSMers become rare drinkers, some become abstinence, and a few drink what is considered moderate or in a healthy range. Until your brain lets go of that need and desire for alcohol you really do not what type of drinker you will become, but at least you will have that choice.

If your doctor cares about her/his patients and not the money, she/he will be open to you trying TSM and reaching out to the C-3. For I am sure she/he has seen how abstinence does not work for a lot her/his patients. If she isn't open to TSM and you trying it, please look for another doctor if you feel you need one. For even though that doctor isn't open to TSM, another doctor may be that is or isn't on that list.

If this a dead end, and it is too expensive for you to order the nal on line, maybe reaching out to your family doctor for a script. JoAnna or another counselor could help you along the way, for they are trained as AUD counselors. You would never be alone in this process, for we would be helping you as well.

I wish you luck,

Jaba

Thank you for your kind replies!
Not drinking feels like deprivation.
I love drinking and socializing. Finding a balance needs work.
I ended up going tothe gym and walking on the tred mill for 2 miles and went to whole foods for a quick beer with friends.
And intentionally got there at last call so that I would have to stop at one beer. So that is progress.
We went straight home and I felt good.
bizi
I started taking kudzu, supposed to help with cravings, maybe just a placebo effect but perhaps it helped me feeling more in control last night.