Just a public service announcement..

-00:10 I have some crackers and cheese. Two big glasses of water.
00:00 I take my first tablet of nal. 50mg.
00:05 I feel my cheekbones. Cheeks feel lighty flushed.
00:10-00:15 Brain feels slighty cloudy. Not concerned, I have brains to spare. Feel slightly buzzed. Similar to maybe 1/4 beer.
00:40 Been cleaning the house, keeping busy. Time to go to the pub and have a beer.
00:43 In car driving to pub.
00:48 Something is very wrong. I feel faint and nausea. Getting tunnel vision. Turn hazards on, get to side of road. Doors locked, key removed from ignition.
00:50 Confusion sets in. Convinced Im going to die. Death is a great cure for drinking too much. Really want to throw up. Attempt to use phone to call wife. Cant figure out phone. Want to throw up. Cant get out of car seat because I dont remember the seat belt has a buckle. Fumble with upper belt. Notice beads of sweat on my arms. Forehead on fire. Or really cold. One of the two. Kind of glad Im trapped in car because I have a notion that i cant be trusted near the overpass rail that i stopped on. I go blind for a second or two. Vision returns, but its like a screen that has lost 80% of its pixels. I can see the road and the cars, but its more like outlines. Trying to keep calm mostly because if i freak out ill probably end up running in traffic. Taking deep breaths. Still cant see.

I go through two waves where i thik im getting better, then i get worse.

This takes somewhere between 2 and 20 minutes. I have no idea.

I get better. I can see again. Still nausea. Realize that the seat belt has a buckle. Definitely not going to the bar. I turn the car around and head home. Definitely do not want a beer.

At home I do some reasearch and find out that i went through opiod withdrawal at 60mph. Apparently, being a high stress kind of guy my body makes opiod chemicals that get blocked by nal. My brain did not like going cold turkey. I do not do any drugs except for allergy meds and vitamins. Definitely not any opiates.

02:30 Feeling foggy, but better (as good as you can when you truly thought you were going to die a few hours earlier) I dont want trip for nothing, I have a beer. No buzz. Finish the beer. Not interested in another. Quickest cure ever? Trying to take it easy, i stay on the couch and watch tv.

03:30 Eat dinner. Not getting much satisfaction from eating. I bet this is great for food addicts. Wife opens a bottle of wine. Not super interested, but it was a good bottle, I wanted a taste. Pour a small glass. No buzz. Wine tastes good. Not interested in another glass. Pre nal i would have helped her finish the bottle.

06:30 Go to bed feelling a bit burned out. Skipped taking allergy meds.

Next day...

Foggy head, burned, crispy brain feeling. Went to local octoberfest party. Decided id rather just not drink than risk tripping again. Really wasnt tempted. Trying to lower my stress level. Must be calm.

Day after that...

Feeling much better, head clear. In grocery store, i stopped for a sample of sangria mix. They had alcohol in it. Argh, i already took the sample cup. Took a sip. Threw out rest of cup. Noticed nearly all cups in trash were empty. Damn Im feeling a little buzz, how is that?

Still afraid to take another pill. Going to try non-alcoholic beer tonight. Maybe that works like TSM?

Well that brings us up to today. Wish me luck, and beware if you are starting. The trial showed 3 out of 4 hundred something sees hallucinations. It could be you!

I had a similar experience. Found out after I started that you are actually supposed to start with 25 mg the first 2 days. My first day I popped 50 and had an experience very similar to a bad ecstasy trip. I continued with 50 mg every day (drank every day) and by the 4th day it was gone. The 2nd and 3rd day get progressively easier.