I've been lurking on these boards for weeks now, reading all the stories you've all so bravely shared about your ups and downs with TSM. Tonight, after several hours laughing and crying reading Andy_M's incredible tale, I decided it was time to introduce myself. Be forewarned though, my story is fairly mundane in comparison to many I've read here, and I'm not nearly so engaging a writer as some of you.
One reason it's taken me a while to share, and maybe some of you other binge drinkers will agree, is that my problem hadn't yet progressed into full blown alcoholism. I was definitely on the way though, so I am hoping TSM will save me from that fate!

Although not a daily drinker, alcohol was/is certainly causing a lot of problems in my life, and I have tried many, many times to moderate, or just not drink at all-with little to no success. My problem drinking is somewhat linked to social anxiety, and generally things tend to get crazy when I'm out, rarely when I'm drinking at home.
Like so many of you, I seem to have lost (or did I ever have one?) the off switch. A 'couple of drinks' turn into all nighters, blackouts, dangerous behaviour, falls, staggering around incoherent, being taken home by friends because I'm so drunk I can't walk, and basically being a total liability! Luckily I don't drive/have a car as I know that would not have gone well! I am really really lucky that I have not been mugged, raped or worse-given the vulnerable positions I have put myself in in the last years.
My friends tend towards being heavy drinkers, no surprises there-but I have definitely developed a reputation as someone who is 'out of control'. I hate it. It's so humiliating to wake up with 'the dread' and try to piece back together your stupidity from the night before.

I can't remember where I first read about TSM, but I was immediately interested in giving it a try. I downloaded the book and ordered nal online. It arrived incredibly fast- less than a week to come from India. I started two weeks ago with 25mgs, but it was a little too much for me. I'm pretty small, so perhaps thats the reason? Couldn't sleep at all that night, groggy and generally pretty unpleasant SE. Dropped the dose to 12.5 and that seemed to work with very few SE. I have had two 'nights out' so far on nal, and they have been successful. Both times I have taken another 12.5 at a later point in the evening, and have had no trouble calling it a night and heading home at a reasonable time. So, at this stage I am optimistic, but cautious. Next time I go out I will try again with 25mg and see how it goes.

Thanks again to all of you for being so open and honest with your struggles. It's been a real support just being able to read all the advice and encouragement. I haven't yet told anybody that I'm using nal, so it's a great help to have found this community.

Warmest wishes to you all,
ms. liberty lawn

Sounds like an awesome start. I betcha you'll be able to handle 25mg with more exposure. It may take longer since you're not a daily drinker, though.

I was a binge drinker too. Two times a week, maybe three, 10-12 drinks per binge. Some people (although not me) find that they start drinking more often now that they're "allowed" to drink. That's nothing to worry about unless it goes on too long or consumption levels don't drop. Just so you know.

Welcome to the forums. Don't be a stranger. It can be helpful to read all the different varieties of experience that we've each had during our curing process.

Thanks Melissa!
I just read your progress thread - seems like nal has been really effective for you. It's difficult to tell how many people are having good success, as I imagine after they are cured and alcohol is no longer a problem, there is no reason to come to TSM forum and talk about it constantly! I'm hoping to be one of them

Re. drinking on nal, I have to say it does feel weird - i definitely get drunk, but without the rush. The relentless desire to keep going, keep partying, is just gone. I haven't been doing nal long enough to miss that wildness yet. At this stage I'm just grateful to get home at a decent hour, with no blackouts or other stupid behaviour. I can see that this is something that might come up for me later though, that I might start to miss that craziness.

Yeah, that does sound like my experience. Mine was actually stronger -- at first it was almost an active revulsion. One does adjust, though.

FWIW, you sound like a good candidate for a fast response. Just from reading these stories, my sense is that people who immediately sense something different tend to respond more quickly.

And, yeah, I do have to remind myself to keep visiting here. I think it's worth doing, though, so that newcomers don't see only people who are struggling. That's misleading. TSM does in fact work for a healthy majority of those who use it.

Hi Liberty and welcome! Best of luck with the increased dose. I just upped mine to 50mg last night and didn't have any of the side effects I had on 25mg. I have found I need to add food into the mix - both when taking the Nal and when drinking.

You and I started around the same time so hopefully we can aid each other through this journey.

Warm wishes,
Kerri

It's interesting that your side effects disappeared at 50mg. Maybe I'll give that a try over the weekend.
For me, the worst SE is the sleep disturbance. I really need my sleep, and to lie in bed tossing and turning all night trying to fall into a deep sleep drives me crazy! Not to mention that I'm a zombie the next day.

I'm not sure how much of that is nal and how much of that is less alcohol. I've been having dreadful sleep trouble, and I haven't had either nal or al in enough days for it not to matter.

It took me around 3-4 weeks with no alcohol for my sleep problems to go away. Funny thing was i thought i was going to have more of a problem sleeping without alcohol.

At this rate, I'm not sure I can hold out that long.

I'm thinking of exercising to exhaustion tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be too sleepy to want to do it, but I may just have to do it anyway.

That won't help with the waking up too early, though.

I have been on 25mg of NAL for one week now. It's taking me 3-4 hours to drink my usual bottle of wine, which I would normally have finished in under an hour!
I see this as a result so far. My problem arises when I go to the pub , I then get carried away to the point of passing out!

Sleep is a problem too and I put that down partly to lack of alcohol as I used alcohol to help me sleep.

I am very positive about this and contemplating upping my does if I go to the pub this weekend....but we'll see.

I hate not sleeping, but it is preferable to waking up not remembering how I got to bed, or home for that matter!