Hi,

I just stumbled across "The Sinclair Method" today while doing some research on Naltrexone. I've been in AA for a little over three years and have had periods of sobriety (17 months at one point), but never continuous sobriety. More troubling is that the mental cravings have never left me, regardless of the length of time that I have been sober. I have never had that moment that I hear so often about where I no longer think about alcohol. I have worked the program completely (steps, etc., etc.) and have become discouraged and am willing to try something new because I am sick and tired of being controlled by these cravings!

I've been seeing a psychiatrist of and on for several years and went to him about Naltrexone a few months ago. He suggested I try Topomax. That turned out to be a bad experience, so I again asked about Naltrexone and he prescribed it for me on Monday of this week. I've taken 25mg the first few days and have been abstinent, but the cravings won't leave me alone. My typical consumption pattern is reasonably controlled with 1 pint of either vodka or whiskey (mostly whiskey) in the later afternoon/early evening. When I go beyond that things start to get difficult with the wife and family. So far I have experienced some dizziness and anxiety and an incredible urge to stretch (as if I have just woken up. Is that normal?). Any suggestions and/or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

JSM,
Remember, you have to actually DRINK after you take Naltrexone, or you're not doing "the Sinclair Method." Also, if you don't drink, you'll never be "cured" by TSM. There's no evidence that Naltrexone stops drinking levels in the long run with abstinence. Gotta drink!!

Barry,

Thanks for the advice. I followed your instruction and I am looking forward to positive results. I hate to use the phrase "counterintuitive" in relation to this treatment, but here I am. I'm going to purchase the book tomorrow.

I was abstenant I think for the first week of TSM, mostly because I was tapering off baclofen and I just wasn't interested in drinking.

My recommendation is to drink when you feel like it, if you don't, then don't.

I too had tried AA, did get a sponsor at one point, and I understand the 12 steps but like you the cravings never went away, and each time I ended a period of months of abstenance I was crawling the walls to drink again, which I did in spectacular fashion.

TSM removed my cravings, but I also used some of the techniques learned in AA, plus external work on myself to speed this up and complete what I see as recovery(although it's not completed by a long way because I'm forever developing and learning about myself).

Hope you too see some great results from TSM.