Hi - I thought I would start one thread for the March newbies to post to since I keep missing posts that are buried in other threads. Just to get us through the first days and then we get to post to weekly progress!

I went up to 50 mg on Sunday with no problem. I have been taking my pill right before dinner and that seems to help. However, I have to say I really, really hate the feeling of being on this medication. I have a funny taste in my mouth all the time and I just feel disoriented, like I just spun in a circle 10 times and can't quite get my spatial orientation right. Still better than being hungover and over drinking. On the plus side, my cravings are still at a 2 on a scale of 1 to 5...I only put it at a 2 because if I had a drink poured in front of me I would likely drink it, although I do not actively think about it these days.

Last night I drank a full 2 glasses of wine..so (I know that doesn't sound like much of a big deal to some, it's all relative though) I think my intake is going back up. I was back at work yesterday so no naps. The medication still makes me tired, but I consciously tried not to drink caffeine in the afternoon and lo and behold, I was able to finally sleep through the night. So, may be something to do with napping / drinking coffee / lack of excess alcohol that has been interrupting my sleep instead of the nal.

Today is Day 5. Seeing the same pattern of response to the Nal. I wake up feeling great, no issues, then around 1 or 2pm I start feeling sleepy and disoriented. Took a 10 minute nap on the train ride home and don't feel to bad right now.

I'm going to wait a bit to take the Nal and have my wine after the kids are tucked in bed. I have to say my plan is to make myself drink every day for 2 weeks and then switch quickly to having a couple of abs days if I can do it. I am very thankful for this method, but I am longing to have a Nal free day

How are others doing on their first week?? Shasha, Cash, Samsara, anyone else? I know Waiting To Exhale is still waiting right? You'll get here soon enough!

Nal-Cheers!

Happy-

I too hated that disorientated feeling the first week.

On top of that I had pretty bad nausea- I did not think I would be able to continue. I cannot remember around which day it started to improve exactly, but I think by the time I started week 3 it had gone completely.

Now I don't feel anything at all, so take heart, it will pass.

I wonder if taking it as soon as you finish your dinner might be better then you will be taking it on a full stomach?

(I was mostly kind of taking mine in between meals, as I was looking more at the drinking pattern than the eating one).

Hi Happy, good idea starting this thread. Here's my progress so far:-

Started Fri 6/3/9 - pre-sinclair 84 units/wk ie, 12 units/day (assuming 1x75cl bot white wine is 10 units)

Fri 25mg 11 units craving 9
Sat 25mg 10.5 units craving 8
Sun 25mg 11.5 units craving 8
Mon 25mg 11.5 units craving 8
Tues 50mg 11.5 units craving 7

I have had no nausea at all, have felt a bit spacey after taking tablet, and feeling sleepier than normal most of the time. I think I could easily have drank less with a bit of effort. Last night especially, my parents turned up post 10pm to pick up their dog and I had to "wake up" to deal with them and subsequently, I think, drank more than I really wanted. Also, the whole weekend was domestically very rocky and I am sure without Nal that I would have gone over the top at least once. So - some sort of progress, but feeling a little bit disappointed that I don't seem to be having a SM honeymoon.

How's everyone else doing?

Hey HAppy4once,

My hubby and I are on day 3 today. I probably needed this way more than him but as he is a pretty big drinker he thought he would join me. Unlike me he seems to be able to switch off and not need/crave a drink for eg when he is on call with work. Me - rubbish. Back to the progress - 50 MG. I felt a little sort of wobbly the first night but came good after 45 mins or so. I find it helps to do something ie feed my babies dinner (5pm) so as not to think about it. I haven't had the tiredness in the day so much as I felt brilliant today after sleeping really well last night and no hangover for two days. I was amost in shock the first night not wanting do gulp my drinks down and not immediately getting up to refill it once finished. So good to find this and know we are at a similar stage. I have learnt so much from the experts (Springer and Marb to name a few) So any other newbies - come on and lets enjoy the ride together.

Looks like we are experiencing reduced cravings which is great.

Thank you Marbella for the peek into the future, I can't imagine not 'feeling' this in a few weeks but I believe you. I am very sensitive to medication as I think you have posted that you are as well, so hopefully I will get used to it as you have. Last night was a bit better, and I think I ended up taking the Nal after dinner, so yes that helps. This morning I slept in a bit but feel wonderful. Had some great dreams last night which always helps. 2 glasses of wine. Slight desire for more but I didn't push it.

Shasha - sounds like you are doing great if you had in-laws over (if I am remembering one of your previous posts correctly). I love my in-laws but they are big drinking fests when we get together. So, well done! Also, I count a bottle as 6 units...5oz = 1. So, my #'s will likely look lower than yours but I don't want to switch counting that way now.

Cash - I think that's great you are doing this with your hubby. I've found the same thing about the nausea/disorientation -- if you get up and move around, do a task, it seems to get better.

Good luck today everyone!

shasha - we all respond differently and you have just started the full dose. Give it a chance.

Happy and Shasha - I can look back and see where I analysed every drink after starting the SM. I guess that is natural since we had so little guidance and were questioning whether we were doing it right. I now understand that the only way to do it wrong is to drink while not on Nal.

There will be days where you drink more than the previous day and getting drunk is not unusual. Remember, you are repeating your drinking patterns that were normal except that you are now doing so on Nal. That is how it works. That is how it must work.

As long as you are following the Golden Rule, you are on your way.

Thanks SpringerRider - always great to get your perspective on things. I read your update and it made me feel very positive - your progress is inspiring to follow. I am not really too discouraged - just want my "honeymoon" - boo hoo - poor me! (smilies won't work on my PC (why???) but if they did I would put one here.)

Hi guys, quick prog report. I started last Friday but had four nights on 25mg. So only day 4 at 50mg. So far, so good

Pre sinclair: 84 units/craving 9

week one: 71 units/craving 7/8

No nausea, just feel quite sleepy after Nal plus a couple of drinks.

I feel generally much better but think I might be missing some of the temporary feel-good of alcohol - the self-medicating arm of the beast! Still, am v. impressed with effects so far and hubby is delighted. Also, slight SOH failure (maybe because of decorators camping out in my kitchen all week - who knows?)

Glad to read everyone's doing pretty well, and thanks to "old-timers" for encouraging posts.

Anyhoo, popped Nal an hour ago so, Cheers Folks! - drinking to our increasing good health!

Shasha

Shasha - congratulations on week one, well done! You get to post in the weekly progress now

The most dramatic thing I noticed this week was the decrease in craving. It is like a little blanket over your brain...a little blanket that makes me dizzy right now, but soon it will just be a nice warm blanket.

I noticed an increase in cravings last night so I know this week I will go back up. However, I just did a hypno session so that may help. I like not being hungover and the extinction will still happen if I keep the drinking down. Not trying to fight nature, just doing what works for me to keep the cravings comfortable, I'm not fighting the process.

WTE - similar story over here. Before you get the Nal I know you are soooo anxious to start you look to multiple doctors to help you...but, odds are they won't unfortunately. Most of them won't put themselves out on a limb. I put myself through several embarrassing sessions with my MD and a Psychologist and ended up empty handed. Here is what I learned though: the extra time waiting, was really good for me. It forced me to do some soul searching and figure out what I really wanted from this treatment and what my expectations were. I started honestly tracking my drinking, my cravings, my moods so I could see the difference once I started. AND - River ended up delivering early. I am betting you will have pills in hand next Friday. So hang in there one more week! Once you start, it's a long journey.

Have a good weekend everyone - I will hopefully be away from my computer doing productive things, with no hangover

~Cheers

Shasha - What is with the Avatar?!! Between you and the Q-mister...

WTE - I am not here to tell others how to do it but eventually you will probably have to come clean with your MD. I was leery as all get up about that aspect. I was even going to go back to AA in a town 25 miles away because I didn't want to pick up a white chip in front of people who knew me. But I just swallowed my pride and it worked out great.

I never used the "A" word. I said I had a little trouble with drinking and though that maybe this would help me and handed him the book. I must admit that we were friends outside of the clinic. But by my third visit, they were so impressed with my progress that one PA said that a family member might benefit from this.

We are the walking message and if the works, I will push with all my might to convince people that we are cured! That is what sucks about the AA recovery ****. Tell someone that you are a recovered alcoholic and they will say, "that cool man". But it isn't cool. Some will avoid talking about drinking in front of you in case it might tempt you to drink. Or else you are the designated driver for every company picnic for the rest of your life.

I want the world to learn to think of alcohol addiction as the flu. You catch it. You take medicine and then you are cured.