Hi all,
I am impatiently waiting for my first package of Naltrexone to make it over to Paris where I live so I can start. I just picked up and read most of the book by Dr. Eskapa and am convinced it is the correct approach for me. Basically I started drinking when I was 15 (now 39). Also many other stimulants along the way. I have see-sawed back and forth, never completely becoming conditioned to the point where I drink daily, but pretty damned close. My problem is binge drinking, recently coupled with coke to get that extra edge in...well, not a great routine when one has three young kids...for me the problem is social conditioning, but also the super highway of endorphins has of course been deeply established. My alcoholism goes in waves, good for a month or two (i.e. getting **** faced maybe 3 to 5 times plus well buzzed (5 pints say) 2 times a week, then the pendulum swings and I will be getting shitfaced twice a week...as with you all, work, family, et all suffers. My last series of binges were worse because I tapped back into an old bad habit taking coke. My wife had threatened to leave or do something...well after a night where I got home at 7 am (school day for the kids), she pulled the trigger...separated now...trying to work things out. Its been 2 weeks I have gone sober, but I would really like to get my hands on those damned pills. Went to my (French) physician, as I predicted she referred me to the specialist addiction hospital...sure will go but weeks will be required before appointment. So in the meantime I ordered from a pharmacy, should be in next week. As it stands I am in pretty good spirits, I know I have to change. Goddamn tired of wasting 50% of my time being hung over, waaaaay to much to do to piss it away. But for me, my line of work, I need to at least have a drink or two a couple times a week at work lunches, to grease the other sides wheels a bit. I just cant stand the thought of not being able to smoke a cigar and have a scotch. AA, the religion thing kills my spirit. So voila, happy to join this forum, thanks all for the great threads and discussion some great stuff. I will be on and will let you know how things go. Cheers

Gander,
Welcome. If you saw "Flight," it made cocaine and alcohol go together like peanut butter and jelly. Alcohol was his main problem, though, because that's what would lead him to use coke to get back up after alcohol had worked its depressant magic. Anyway, I've always been a (legal) stimulant junkie, and really enjoy the sharp eupohoria of a stimulant as much as the "warm thrill of confusion" (in the words of Pink Floyd) that I get from alcohol. God forbid I ever try cocaine, because I might like it too much (there's about zero chance of me trying it, though).

Anyway, best of luck. You're one of several people I've read about that got booted out by a spouse before TSM. That really sucks. I would probably go insane.

barryb,
Thanks man.
Yup, I should have never touched the cocaine again, I had troubles with it earlier in my alcohol career when I was finishing my undergraduate degree. It lead to several epic benders, as you say, boosting the mind and body once on the down from the alcohol to continue digging the hole deeper and deeper. It is the perfect facilitator drug...good on you, definitely stay away from that ****. Thanks by the way, I need to check out "Flight" sounds great. Regarding my wife - it sucks. But at the same time I don't think its completely over. I think she might give me a chance to come back, for several reasons (most important being the kids), provided I get my **** together. Its been weird living like a Nomad staying in random hotels recently, though time to reflect too. One thing I have committed to myself is that I will not drink during this immediate period at all. Sports, cigars, coffee, certain other delights (including listening to Floyd, Clapton), but the mind stays strong. Otherwise dude, I am with you, I would have probably gone insane by now.

I take it you're not actually French, based on your English. Is your wife French? As an American, I find French women incredibly hot because they're so much less uptight. We were in Key Largo last year and, straight up in the parking lot, this gorgeous French woman (40ish) just stripped in front of everyone and changed from her bathing suit into clothes. I haven't even seen my WIFE naked in about 7 months (lights out)!!

P.S. Since you have a lot of sober time on your hands, you'd probably enjoy the long, dramatic thread created by Andy_M, who also had marital problems and who was a businessman who "had to drink" like you (although, really, nobody HAS to drink). Just search under "Members" above. He posted about 6 hours worth of baby mama drama.

Gander,

Your stuff arrive yet. Sucks to hear about the separation. I feel pretty lucky that my wife has stuck with me so far. I vaguely recall trying coke once before I was 21. It didn't do anything for me. I figure that was a blessing. Either it truly didn't work on me, or what we had was fake. Either way, it could have led to bad events.

Keep us updated.

I used coke with alcohol for a period of about 2 years, and I was also more of a binge drinker but I decided to get it(the coke) out of my life 15 months before I found TSM, did have one night during an alcohol relapse approx 10 months later where I bought some of the drug, but do not know whether I consumed it, or threw it down the lavatory - I'd often buy it then wonder why because I never felt it did anything for me. I suspect I had a small amount (used to pop it in my drink believe it or not) then flushed the remainder away.

Cocaine apart from not giving me any noticeable hit, was causing me so many issues - things like the guys selling it harassing me, often right in full daylight in the main street of town, and so didn't want to arrested for it I decided to quit it once and for all.

I now do not want any illegal drug in my body, or in fact in my immediate vicinity - not because I'd be tempted, more the implications.

Removing mind altering drugs from my life was the best thing I ever did, only things I do consume these days is the occasional glass of wine, and a certain amount of caffeine but I do keep a weather eye on that too.

I think you'll find a whole lot of peace of mind by quitting coke and getting the alcohol demon under control. I really, truly hope TSM works for you - some say it's very successful for binge drinkers.

Hi Gander,
I'm very curious about the outcome of your TSM experience
I have a similar addiction
Did you manage to quit cocaine with TSM?
Cheers

welcome and good luck. you sound like a good candidate for TSM. Nal on!