Damy,

Stick with it. If you have had some results at 3 months you should see more going forward. Often it seems extremely slow until you look back and see some amazing results. But in order to really see those results you need to somehow keep track of your intake. Plenty of different ways to do that - just be consistent.

I tried everything prior to NAL and TSM and nothing worked for me. This does work. But it is not magic - it is science and it takes time.

Best of luck and keep posting -lots of great people here.

Damy -

I think you're coming along well, all in all. Interesting situation with hubby being a physician! Well, we have resources for him that a physician might well want to know, when you think the time is right.

I don't think I've heard of someone being so nauseous this far in, but I haven't been around as long as many on the board. I hope for the sake of your comfort that it passes soon!

Definitely understand about your daughter. Take heart, I expect to see your numbers start to roll off from here. Do keep the diary, it will help more than you might think. Even just a spreadsheet, days, units, weekly total.

Come back whenever you can spare a moment and let us know how you're doing. We're here to back you up and there's not going to be any blame/shame game going on, like you've had to put up with in the past. You're with friends now.

I want to thank you very much for being willing to share your journey with us and I hope you'll come back and give us an update whenever you can spare the time. I hope too, that once you get to where you want to be with TSM, that you'll drop in once in a while and lend a hand to the young'uns.

That being said, I'm keen to know how it goes with Joanna! Let us know, when time allows!

JSP

Damy, I really think you should reach out to Joanna. Regardless, it's imperative that you _never_ miss any doses of Naltrexone. While harsh I'm of the mind that those missed doses effectively bring you back to square one as far as progress. Once the brain gets that reward again, it simply continues to expects it.

I'm sorry you are having such a problem with nausea. You really shouldn't be taking the pill so early in the day. Instead, you should recognize a craving and then be taking the pill so that your mind associates the craving with no reward. I would try eating a small meal and having a glass of water prior to taking the pill later in the day if you haven't tried that already.

I'm not sure what to make of the sneaking drinks, but I'm inclined to think it complicates matters as I imagine it accompanies a tendency to hurriedly gulp down alcohol as opposed to it being a more relaxed, attentive, mindful experience. Maybe it's time to just come clean and be honest about your consumption.

Damy, if you want to keep a diary on here, you can go to the User Control Panel (upper right of screen), then click on profile and then Edit Signature. Then no one would see it, except us Please get in touch with Joanna, and keep us informed. I hope things get better for you, nausea is horrible!
Susie

Damy - I so agree with Bardo - when I saw that you were taking your Nal at breakfast time then not drinking until the evening, I thought that you are possibly not having much Nal in your system when you drink .... I mean there is still some but generally one drinks 1-2 hours after taking the nal. I also agree that for every time that you drink without taking the nal you are effectively taking a backwards step. you truly are not doing yourself any favours. Re the nausea, to still have it is odd - I had it initially but it did go away after a week or so - I took half a tab for a few days, also always made sure that I had food in my tummy when I took it. I too think it a good idea to check in with Joanna.

hugs, Maggie

Damy, perhaps look into using Bonine for the nausea?

Damy, I saw this post by Moyra and Dr.Espaka on the other board regarding nausea and think it is a solution for you:


http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/thread/182/nauseous?page=1

Da my, one day soon you will be looking back at how sad you are/were &'feeling so much better. But you must stick to the one hour rule, here in UK it's 2 hrs as we use a different drug, only relevance is that I have taken it too late & then still get the buzz, but give it correct time =no buzz = reduced cravings = less/fewer obsessive thoughts about drinking= slowly slowly catchy monkey! Also have you read the cure for alcoholism, Dr Escarpa? A must for TSMers.you are on a journey Damy, you've had some disappointing and unhelpful connections, but you are still on the way. Good luck, I'm on the journey too as we all are here. And Jo @ C3 is my counsellor, will keep you on the best route. Plus it will help until your spouse is on board.

Thank you, Joe and Susie! I really appreciate your kind words. Deeply appreciate them, in fact. Reading something like that is a balm during a hard time, and I thank you. It's so wonderful to know there are other people who understand, especially when it seems most of the world thinks it's about will power.

For the others who have posted, thank you for the suggestions. I do appreciate the spirit of helpfulness. Thank you! Yes, I have read the book. My understanding was that I was to take naltrexone AT LEAST one hour before drinking, and that it would stay in my system for up to/around 24 hours after that. I believe this information came from watching the doctors talk on the documentary, but I've taken in a lot of information from various sources so I can't recall the exact source on that one. I cannot take naltrexone with a "small" meal. I vomit. Not just nausea--vomiting. That won't work. I wouldn't even be keeping the pill down. I'm hypoglycemic, so I can't wait until late in the day for my large meal of the day, so I just have to get the pill down when I can with my large meal (which I have to finesse my way into and force myself to eat--it is very difficult when your life is ruled by nausea and food seems repugnant). This is really not that simple, or I would have already been doing it. Isn't that always the way with these situations? If there were an easy fix, we would already be doing it that way! In terms of missed doses, should I count the ones I've thrown up, or not? Not simple.

I'm happy to report that after three months, I finally experienced some relief for the first time last night. I still live with nearly constant nausea, but I was able to socialize last night without feeling obsessed with the alcohol. That has not happened for me in many years. I went to a knitting group with my daughter--the moms knit and have wine and the kids play. I can only drink one drink at this event because I have to drive home, and usually I just sit there the whole time thinking about how I wish I could have more, and how I can't wait to get home. Last night, I didn't even finish my one drink, and I didn't even think about it! I just enjoyed chatting with the moms. THAT is new, to make an understatement. Then I got home, and my husband's adult daughter paid us a surprise visit. She stayed about three hours. I nursed between 1 and 1.5 drinks during that time without suffering. My sister, who has been abstinent from alcohol for ten years after years of heavy drinking, used to describe the feeling she had after one sip of alcohol as a "giant thumb pressing down on her until she drank more--and more." I always felt that was a perfect description. Last night, for the first time, I didn't feel that. So grateful. So grateful I'm willing to vomit.

Damy,

I am sorry that you are having such a hard time with tolerating the nal, and I wish I had something to add, but it looks like everyone covered what I would have posted. My heart goes out to you, and I believe that enduring this nausea/vomiting it will be worth it in the end.

It sounds like you are experiencing a honeymoon period, which is great news!

I like how your sister described that first sip, for it is exactly how I felt.

Keep doing what you are doing, for it is working for you!

Jaba