I read these last 2 posts from Lena and G4More and I actually shed a few tears. Thanks for being here with me. It means tons right now. You could not have timed it better. I'm sooo tired and this gave me encouragement to stay focused. I shake my head at how a board on my computer and help from kind people so far away can boost me up. THANKYOU!!!

Potato,

There are just no words to describe the gratitude... Thanks for hanging in there with us. Having been here for quite a while now myself, I worry about discouraging newcomers by not being a 'textbook' example for TSM. But we're real people with complicated lives - not lab rats or ideal test subjects. You've given us hope and constant support, but have been honest all along. I admire that you've kept it 'real' instead of becoming an infommerical for TSM. You're the best TSM guru we could have hoped for!

Thanks Kris and WTE, You Rock! As I may have said before this board is therapy for me. I find care and solice here that I don't find "out there" in my day to day life. The people I have connected with here are like a unique place where I can let out my feelings with people who are in a similar boat with me and that is super valuable for me. I struggle sometimes and being on this board helps me stay focused . I love the encouragement because I live alone and don't have a partener to be supportive. I have been separated for 3 years and am debating divorce. He doesn't want it but I think there has been too much water under the bridge for us to fix this. Of course my doing TSM is not something anyone else knows about except my neighbor and my ex. Anyone I have met believes me not to be a drinker which I find amusing as I take my pill one hour before going out, etc. There is so much they don't know and then when I try to tell some people about my drinking history sometimes they don't believe me because Nal has made me so "normal". Occasionally when things are really stressful I still fall into a drunken night but it is rare now and the consequences are non-exsistant. On those rare occasions because I have taken my Nal nothing dramatic happens. I don't fall down anymore. I have no painful bruises and I don't feel that horrible shame of having made a bunch of phone calls to people that I regret. That is the biggest relief!!. Not to wake up with shame is huge. So the Nal does what it does but the psychological wonderful help is in you. Lena, Houtx , Kris , ART, G4M, Firebird, Bob and anyone else who makes this possible for me. That to me is a huge boost that is like the mental vaccine I need to be better and to live better. I want nothing less for you. Hugs and all that Jazz. Tater

Yes! That is exactly what we are all here for and I was again thinking about how sad AA is now. The meetings exist but no one is free to discuss anything really personal, no cross talk!

Bill started AA so people who had a liking for AL COULD MEET AND DISCUSS.

I am so very thankful for all of our abilities to share here, this is what we need, no one understands other than ourselves together.


potato thanks for being here, and including me in your list, it really means so much to me, just to read and to know that you are thinking of me and digesting my thoughts.

You are very vital person, and I am so very proud of all of our "group" in our endeavors, in our battle in regard to over coming our addition, but I think I am most proud of all of us in our abilities and our successes in so many of the other life challenges that we have met and dealt with in positive ways.

This is the reason I truly believe we shall have success in our dilemma with this physical and mental challenge. We are the A plus people of the world. I am proud to be a part of this discourse with all on this forum.


HEARTFELT ENERGY TO YOU ALL!

Hi, wanted to chime in and say that although I don't live alone, I am alone most of the time. I think it is tough at times because other than this board we really don't have others to talk to about all of this. My husband is a great guy but my thoughts about tsm and this process stays in my head except when I post here. Yes, it can be more than lonely and I for one have drank to excess out of boredom and loneliness much too often. Nice to be able to come here and vent. Most of you have been here longer than me and I admire your honesty and courage. I think it has helped me to speak out too.

Ditto for me too

Thanks Tater. I picture you at your computer in a cute little cheerleading outfit, pom-poms at your side, just cheering us all on with all your might! At four months in I'm experiencing a sudden spike in drinking this past week or so, and it is discouraging. Now I see that women may need a higher dose of naltrexone than men, and wonder if I've wasted all this time.

But, my drinking is still less than when I started, and there are still a lot of other good benefits from drinking on nal, so guess I'll just have to 'wait and see.' I'm eager to see Dr. E, or Dr. S, respond to the question regarding male/female drug metabolising. I'll get an additional script online, if need be.

G4M and others --

I'm glad the question was put to Dr. E, but in the meantime here are (hopefully) words of comfort. Remember Julia's story from Eskapa's book. She is female. Remember Ella from http://wellnesstalkradio.com/. Female. Remember our Potato. Female. All very heavy drinkers. All Female. All cured.

There were plenty of females in the specially bred rats in Sinclair's studies -- and they were "excellent mothers", btw (Eskapa at 189). It's the endorphin-related behavior Eskapa calls, "Ooh, the baby" (Eskapa at 121).

So as we await an answer, let's keep a perspective: One study seven years ago is the only suggestion we have to date on this topic. We as women are familiar with not getting a fair shake in clinical trials; heart disease and heart attack symptoms are huge examples. So we naturally have a visceral reaction when we hear news such as this.

It's going to be okay.

Well Hello all! I am free!! Wrote the final exam in business mathematics this morning. What a grueling experience it was. I was a nurse for over 18 years and have a degree in Biology so math is not my forte to say the least. I studied my bumm off for it and got in the room and froze from being so tired. I could not think. I think I bombed but I had 70+% going in and it was worth 40% so we shall see. I can only hope my guessing was ok. Ha ha. I have not written an exam that badly since I was 24 years old. What a humbling experience. This time tho it was not for lack of trying. I now know what hell in exams feels like. Anyway, today is first beers since 6 days ago and not feeling anything but tired. I can't wait to golf and have fun again after 7 weeks of hell. ( I sound positive don't I?) lol. Hope you are all doing great. Hugs Tater.

Took my pill first but got really drunk last night. I feel terrible today. I even threw up last night. The whole thing has become a scary reminder of what can still happen. I know that I have been really stressed out lately so I need to start watching when I am stressed out. Will check in later when I feel better.