Sorry you hit the wall. She sounded like she was going to be supportive. Did she read the section to physicians? These doctors have to understand we aren't talking about bowling! We are asking for a drug to save our lives.

I am fortunate that my MD was/is so easy to work with.

Well, one advantage about the internet is that you retain your privacy.

Your doctor seems to be half right. Either she has not synthesized the results from studies in recent years or she is CYA'ing. The Yale study (indirectly & inaccurately) showed NTX+drinking+counseling=success. The COMBINE study and many others showed counseling beyond basic medical management (i.e. emphasizing to patients the importance of never taking a drink w/o first taking NTX) is extrinsic to the outcome of NTX success.

Eskapa recommends that, as we have discussed elsewhere on these boards, we chart our craving and intake. Writing down goals is counter-productive in that the only realistic goal at the outset is to be rid of alcohol addiction; only after we achieve that are we able to choose whether to abstain or to moderate. Setting long-term "goals" before that point is unrealistic.

This method is elegant in its simplicity; that's why it's so hard for patients and practicioners to get their heads around.

If your doctor doesn't capitulate, there's always River (online) Pharmacy . . . . But it seems she's trying. It's up to you whether you want to wait for her to catch up on the learning curve. Best -- Lena