I have been on Naltrexone for three months and have dramatically reduced my drinking but am starting to slowly increase it beyond what I want. I have been taking 50 mg per day and I wonder if increasing the dose to, say, 75 would be promising to reduce cravings.

May I take that to mean you haven't read Dr. Ray Eskapa's The Cure for Alcoholism?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/60fs7gmvbyzs1kk/Cure%20for%20Alcoholism.pdf?dl=0

It is recommended that you do so if you're going to use TSM.

Claudia Christian does mention in her introduction that some people seem to require 75 mg, but that should be worked out between you and your doctor. She also says that she's seen it take 9 months at 50 mg, and she's seen people succeed at 75 mg after 6 months of frustration.

It could just be that you're ending your "honeymoon" period. When you say you've dramatically reduced your drinking, what exactly does that mean? When you say "beyond what I want", what does that mean?

How do you feel after waiting the hour, then sipping that first drink slowly? Have you had any alcohol-free days, and if so, how do those feel?

And then there's the whole question of what else is going on in your life, and what alcohol is doing for you in the context of that. In other words, why are you drinking more now than you were?

There are lots of things to examine before you jump to changing the dosage.

By the way, I'm just a "concerned spouse" who just started using a half-dose of nal for binge eating, so please wait for the others on the board who have more experience with the problem drinking side of things. They'll give you lots of good advice.

Depends on what camp you're in. Are you relying on the NAL to reduce your drinking, or are you letting it help you change how much you drink ?

Most evidence suggests 50 mg is plenty to cover the receptors, and higher doses mean more side effects etc. Some, myself included, find that 12.5 works just as well.

YMMV

Fiddleplayer,

You are so early in the game, it does take time. I hate to see anyone suffer, but more may not be good. If (this is a BIG IF) you were extremely obese, I may encourage you to think about upping your dose; but I would advise you to talk to JoAnna at the "Options Saves Lives" forum before you did that. I do have her email address and you can email her (this is not a working link) joanna@cthreeeurope.com (you will need to setup a normal email, not hit it as a link). She has helped 100s through this process and will be more than willing to guide you.

I think the book simplifies this process so much, and we are all so desperate to see results now (for it is that type of world).

I had to play mind tricks with myself...take pill at 6...take pill at 7...take pill at 8..I would still wait that hour, but pushing back the time that I take my pill forces me to realize I can live an hour longer without a drink. And before I knew it I took my pill and forgot to drink, and when I looked up at the clock and it said (10pm) I thought I should drink before I go to bed...why am I even doing this...
I need an af day. Sometimes our habits are so strong that we forget that drinking can be a habit.

When I would take my pill later I use to do things to get my mind off the fact I had to wait even long...going to the grocery store (at 6pm will take you longer regardless of how little you need), doing the dishes, combing the cats, playing with the dogs...anything that I used to do with a drink in my hand I would try to do sober while I waited for that pill to kick in.

I think you are doing great in your progress, just give it a little time. And find a mind game (for that is what the nal. is doing) to play to help trick you.

Jaba

Oh and when I thought this wasn't working for me I did up my dose for a week, and I did not feel any difference.