Hi!

35 years old, male, swede. I'm currently in a clinical trial, 20 mg Nalmefene OR placebo. 28 weeks to go...

Welcome NalmefeneSwede,

So, you don't know if you have the placebo or the Nalfemene? That must be very rough - what week are you on and how do you feel so far?

Is the trial associated with Dr. Sinclair?

I've tried Naltrexone in the past, worked perfect...as long as I ate the pills. I soon found out that if I didn't take the pill, I could get drunk as I've always gotten drunk...revelation, ehh?! This time I'm eating the pills!, instructions are to have one 1-2 hours before drinking alcohol or if you've missed it, to have one with the beer. All persons differ, the CNS effects of naltrexone were small, but significant...I have the real deal (nalmefene), no doubt what so ever about it. I've never been a very heavy drinker, but a steady one, and now and then one of these kamikaze style night outs, waking up in a cell.

So, does it work? Yes, it does. For example: Yesterday I was invited to a party, took a pill 3 hrs before. I had one (1) beer! Somewhere I felt like drinking more, like getting a little pissed off..."what's wrong with this beer?"...my brain was highly confused...because even if I felt like drinking more...I didn't feel like drinking more??!!, the urge to drink more was a very weak echo deep within my mind...and the bottom line is that I perfectly well knew (a primitive part of my brain knew) that I only would get tired and somewhat poisoned by the alcohol. It was no use to drink any more. In the past I've tried several times to "drink past" the Naltrexone...and well, it can be done, but to what use? No euphoria, just plain stupidness and poisoning. It's rather scary, to have been used to having strong feeling/urges whatever...remembering them in a intellectual kind of way...but not FEELING them. The thing is, now what? Alcohol fills many a void deep within our psyches. A major part of the void is of course that some people, like me, are vulnerable. When exposed to alcohol, we drink too much and **** up our lives, this is genetics. But, there are of course other things. It will be interesting to relearn how to talk to people sober, or close to sober...at a party. Okej, just at the beginning of a 28 week journey so we'll see how it goes...but the thing is; I haven't thought for a second of all those free beers at the party, and the fact that I left early. Without the meds, I would have been the last one out...having stuffed all the pockets with beer...rambling, smoking and looking for my keys and my wallet.

In ten years time, pharmacological treatment like nalmefene or newer substances will be the first choice in treating alcolholics. Personally I can say, that if I continue with for example nalmefene for the rest of my life...on demand or daily, my drinking problem is over. Yes, you heard it, over. And that without invoking any spirits, powers or confessing to be a mean egoistic fool. Still plenty of other work to do...but without having to fight the desire to drink oneself into oblivion every night, things will be easier.

I'm part of a major trial taking place in several european countries, Finland, Sweden, UK and several others. I haven't seen sinclairs name mentioned, but he's the major one guru...so it's reasonable to assume that he's working in the trial...especially given that it's takin place in Finland also.

Welcome! Great post.

Wow - I am awestruck by this. Nalmefene has been mentioned before - but don't think it's available in the US?? Please keep posting Swede - I am very interested & excited for you (and us)!

Hey swede,
When you were on naltrexone, did you do the sinclair method? If so, was it prescribed in that way or did you have to go about it in a more clandestine manner.
Keep us posted.

This is what I think im going throught right now. Im trying to drink past the Nal. The first couple of drinks, normally beer, find myself feeling tired...my eyes actually start to close like Im tired. It really a lame feeling...but I notice if I get to 3 beers, that feeling goes away. So now when I drink, I drink fast to get to the 3 beer point. This also has prompted me to look at harder AL, which is a danger spot for me. If I go past a certain "drunk point" I find I will drink wayyy too much. The differences are Im not acting the complete fool I used to pre TSM. But still a disappointing feeling afterward. Oh well live and learn or unlearn eh?

Thanks for your input here, its certainly very valuable insight.

hapful