Every day. Alcohol was everything. The most important goal I had was not to be hung over. Naturally, I wasn't very good at goal attainment. I had at least 3 hangovers every week. Had done so for decades.

Clarion here, just checking in on my 2 year anniversary of discovering TSM.

All is wonderful. Nothing better could have ever happened to me. Career, life, love. -All good again. Just like when I was a young man starting out.

When I read here about all the hangovers I remember and am so grateful to not have them any more, -but at the same time it seems impossible to remember that I was that guy.

I think I quit for like 7 months after I got cured. Then I got into a little trouble because if you don't drink and no longer take the pill, -taking a full pill on the rare occasion will ruin the occasion (side effects). So I started cutting up pills, which is fine if you still usually never drink.

But I was always a Mediterranean type of drinker. I usually only drank (drink) once the meal started (wine). But for me, the meal never ended...

Well, with the cut-up pills I started having a glass of wine wth dinner. Can't do that. All receptors not blocked.

Nothing bad happened. Just a warning.

Over the last year I got back to being me: I have as much wine as I want every night with my dinner. But of course I always take my Nal first. Many times I have a stressful day and my promised reward (just like the old days!) is tons of wine. And I say fine! Clarion, -drink all you want, -you deserve it! And I put it all in front of me.

But the Nal works every time. I still imagine that I am going to drink multiple bottles. I allow myself to drink multiple bottles, -but after just 2 or 3 glasses with my dinner that decades old urge has run it's course and I am finished, -returning the wine to the kitchen.

Day after day, night after night, month after month.

No (nada) hangovers.

Sometimes I think I spent too many decades craving alcohol for the initial urge to ever go away. But I don't spend much time thinking about it, really. The only thing I ever think about a lot is to always take my pill at 4:30pm as I am leaving work. I will do that for the rest of my life.

And you know what: nothing bad ever happens when I do.

Small price.

Thanks so much for sharing

Hi Clarion,
Thanks so much for checking in. I, also, have had no hangovers in the past couple (at least) months. That is good. I used to be a horrible binger, also kind of morning drinker if I had too much the night before. No more. I still think I drink too much. Usually a bottle of wine every night. I know I can cut down, but there still seems to be some sort of resistance in my brain. I take 50 mg every time I drink (one hour before).
Do you take a full pill every day at 4:30? And, does taking it every day have any side effects that you notice?
I am 4-1/2 months in and sometimes I can do with two drinks and sometimes the old craving sets in and I finish the bottle and want more. Although I don't get more, which I used to do before.

Susie,

I take a whole 50mg. I take it everyday. I never think about if I am going to drink or not, or take the pill or not. I just take it. I take some other daily meds, so I just consider the Nal to be the same thing. No side effects for me.

It will get a lot better for you. 4-1/2 months still early.

I used to always have 2 or 3 bottles of wine with dinner (and mornings too when I had too many the night before). Now it's 2 or 3 glasses. And drinking in the morning is now inconceivable! Looooong time since I've done that!

Awesome Clarion!

That's great Calrion! Good to hear too. I think a lot of people come here first, find great success, and then just move on with their lives. It's good to hear from someone who has been doing this for two years. I know one of my biggest fears was the 'Awakening' scare. From that movie Awakening where catatonic patients were cured with a drug and became normal but after a few months slipped back into catatonia. That was my fear with TSM. It worked so good it was a miracle so there has to be a catch right?

So far not.

Clarion - that's awesome. Looking back to one year ago for me when starting TSM the cravings were terrible and all-consuming - I had forgotten how bad life was when your whole day surrounded the plans for drinking that night.

I am so grateful that those cravings are barely there any more. I have also wondered about the 'not drinking' and then taking NAL (I take Selincro and the side effects are awful in the beginning). Maybe your way is the answer - to just keep taking it every day regardless. The only problem with Selincro is the price - its £4 per tablet so makes drinking very expensive - but my quality of life is so much better it's worth it.

Good for you Clarion and thanks for coming back to share how things are going for you.

Take care, Newlife

great to hear from you, Clarion! as someone who is in for half as long as you, I'm amazed at how far I've come. but your experience makes me consider taking the Nal everyday, regardless. thanks for the post.

Just to clarify: I don't think taking the pill if you are not going to drink helps in any way.

Rather, it's that I am most likely going to have some wine with my dinner, and if I start fooling around with "should I take a pill?" it just creates all kind of stress.

So, take the pill already and (as I said) nothing bad ever happens. I also get my pills at Walmart, so the expense, compared to the benefit (!) is not even worth thinking about. But to be honest, even if it were to be terribly expensive, -I'd pay the price!

Getting out of hell? -Priceless!