I'm a 46 year old female from the UK. I've been aware that I'm drinking too much and need to cut down for some time now but I'm never able to maintain it. I read the Allen Carr Easyway to give up alcohol book and that worked for about 6 months but I was always wanting a drink. As I seemed to be doing well I began to think I can just have one or two. Of course, as soon as I started to have the odd one here and there the craving intensified and I was soon back to where I started. Nearly every Monday I tell myself "this week I'll quit" but I crack by Wednesday when the little voice in my head gets too strong. I've spent so much time wondering what's wrong with me? and why can't I just stop? I try to frighten myself into quitting with the thoughts of all the harm it does or try to motivate myself with the thought of all the money I could save or how much better I'd feel but, of course, it doesn't work.

I've been seeing a counsellor for a while now (not specifically for alcohol problems) but that has helped me to see how I have used alcohol (and food) as a way of coping with unhappiness. My daily drinking really began about 8 years ago after my sister, whom I was very close to, died of a brain tumour. A glass or three of wine helped numb the pain and meant I didn't have to face the reality of her loss. Time has passed and the pain has lessened but I'm now left with a brain that is hooked. There is a lot of alcoholism in my family (I have maternal and paternal uncles who died from alcohol related illnesses) so I think I already had a genetic predisposition to problem drinking and I think the emotional stuff pushed me over the edge.

I average about a bottle of wine a day, every day (60-70 UK units per week). Although this may not be as much as others, I know that it's too much for me and I need to get control of it. I'm not sure if I want to give up alcohol completely but it would be great to get to the take it or leave it stage. Mostly I want to get away from the twitchy feeling when 5 O'clock arrives and my brain says it's wine time!

I found this website when looking for ways to help me quit and I read the book with great interest and hope. I ordered my Nal from Goldpharma and it arrived last week so I'm now on day 6.

The first two days were great. I started on 25mgs which I tolerated well with only a slightly lightheaded spacey feeling as a side effect. On day 2 I went out for a meal and ended up leaving my last glass of wine as I really didn't want it. However, since then I've been feeling really sick when I take it. I've cut back to 12.5mg but even on that I start to feel nauseous after about 30 mins and it lasts for the rest of the day. On the plus side I feel so yucky that I don't really want to drink! Today I've bought some anti-sickness tablets which I'm going to take with the Nal and hope that that helps.

Could someone please answer this question...If I've taken the Nal and then feel sick and don't want to drink should I have a glass anyway just so that the Nal has something to work on? Will it matter if I take the Nal and don't drink?

Thanks for reading,

Ruth.