Thank you for the welcome. I feel right at home, a proud "knuckleheader". It's the only way I learn anything!.

I'd appreciate some input on a dilemma. I'm about to leave on a much-needed, delayed vacation. Have five kids - know, I know, that in itself explains my fondness for fortified grape juice - now grown up but able to press the buttons and create upheavals nonetheless, including changing a wedding date, hence the delayed vacation. So... grateful as I am that I was able to change dates and get away, I now have to figure out the alcohol thing. I am spending a week on an island, off of an island. Very remote and rustic. Think no running water and outhouses. All food and drink has to be taken over. In years past, I've used this time to detox. Once I"m out there, there is no place to buy, or bum, a drink. Usually, at the outset, I'm resolved not to take any. Then of course, by day two I'm climbing the walls, spending hours fantasizing about a glass of vino. Or seven. This time, I'm not sure if it's a good idea NOT to drink. Would it mean when I got back, I'd have to "restart" my treatment?

Added to this dilemma, is that when I return I'd due a check-up with my doctor to see how my liver and kidneys are doing on the nal. Both readings were slightly elevated when I had them checked about three months ago. Nothing to get excited about, but I'm thinking that I should try to abstain from any alcohol for a couple of weeks to get the readings down. (Too late. probably.)

Another twist - I first tried to get a Nal prescription from my therapist. Took the Cure book with me, showed her the relevant chapter for Medical Professionals, talked to her about the treatment Totally upfront about what i wanted to do. She balked. Wouldn't write the prescription if I was going to continue drinking. So I dropped that plan and went to my doctor, but this time said I wanted to use the nal to help me stop drinking. Got a prescription no problem. Didn't like to fudge but you do what you have to do... However, since I am still drinking - and know that I should to make this work - I'm worried about the enzyme levels. What if they're up. Will the doc say that I should not take nal. Is any of this making any sense?

Bon courage.
(Apologies for posting this in two spots. Not quite up to speed

As to the vacation, drinking or not, it doesn't matter but do not go without your Nal. You wouldn't have to start over, theoretically you'd be a week farther away from cured (was it a week?) but a week doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of TSM.

As for the enzymes, personally I'd rather have an accurate picture of what was actually going on rather than fudging the results only to return to active drinking later. If my doctor were concerned about my levels and the Nal (which is about as hepatoxic as a 200mg dose of tylenol) and wanted to pull the plug, I'd get five second opinions.