Hey I was wondering if we could start a yearly convention? They do it in AA and we could have testimonials and get the word out. I was barely able to get Naltrexone from my shrink today and she was pushing Campral so hard. She didn't even offer to tell me how to use it. I imagine she would have said to abstain from drinking...I will keep you posted. I see her next week and will ask her questions. She had no clue what Nalmafene was nor did the pharmacist.

She had no interest nor did she know about the Sinclair Method and looked at me like I had three heads when I said 80% efficacy rate. I will begin this evening Day 1. Thanks everybody for posts. Its easier that way. And I think we would benefit from meeting every now and again and discussing new updates in treatment. I as well have a question regarding Naltrexone.

Do all behaviors get penalized if you do them while on Naltrexone? i.e., sex, exercise, leisure activities (I'm a professional musician,...will I lose interest in playing piano if I do thee things while on Naltrexone? Does that mean that that behavior will also be extinguished or muted?

PRE Sinclair Method 70-80+ units per week

I think there's a convention of sorts in Sacramento, CA this October, but I haven't seen anybody discuss it recently. Perhaps this post and yours will impel someone that knows more to respond.

To answer the "other things you like" question, in Dr. Eskapa's book, he suggests taking an occasional double alcohol-free set of days to reinforce the habits that are positive in your life such as sex, exercise, sex, leisure activities, and sex. This has worked well in my case, except that I rarely have sex, don't exercise, and never play the piano (sorry... couldn't resist the humor of that old joke about the guy that goes to the doctor with a broken hand and asks the doctor if he'll be able to play the piano after it heals, the doctor says yes, and the guy says that's funny, I've never been able to play before). In all seriousness, your good habits are not extinguished if they are reinforced during these occasional alcohol-free days.

Bob

Actually it's in Santa Barbara. Honest. You'll find a link on this page. ESKAPA AND SINCLAIR BOTH WILL BE THERE.
http://thecureforalcoholism.com

Thanks everyone...I'm a little scared to be honest with this whole thing. But with you guys coming before me,...I guess I'll be ok....

I know some have a spike in drinking as they progress forward....It just shocks me that would happen....I realized Dr Roy said it took us a while to get our brains in this state but its kinda mystifying that you would increase intake.....

I became very intoxicated last night after what I normally would have thought was a "normal" amount. I'm hoping all goes well,..

Hey Jim --

Naltrexone affects "the buzz" differently for everybody. Some, like me, have to drink more to get a buzz; others get a buzz quicker. We are all over the map regarding this issue and it has no relation whatsoever to your chances of success with TSM.

Here is a good way to conceptualize the spiked drinking effect. Imagine a bird that pecks on a lever and each time it does, it gets a food pellet as a reward. Now take that same bird, who after years and years of pecking is used to getting that pellet as soon as it pecks the lever. Now take away the food pellet and guess what happens? The bird pecks more and more frantically, seeking to get the positive reinforcement it has become so used to. The frantic pecking continues for a while and when the bird understands that no pellet is coming, it pecks at the lever at a slower rate and ultimately stops pecking.

The same applies to us on naltrexone. At a subconscious level, our endorphin rush that we love so much is being blocked when we drink on naltrexone. As a result, just as the bird pecks more frantically for the food pellet, we drink more zealously than before, seeking to regain the endorphin rush that we have learned to crave. Eventually, when our mind discovers (on a subconscious level) that the endorphin rush is not coming regardless of how much we drink, the spike in drinking comes to an end. We drink less and ultimately when cured, infrequently or not at all.

Hope that clarifies the "extinction burst" phenomenon.

And in an unrelated note, I'm taking my first piano lesson tomorrow at the University of Minnesota. I just have to get some new hobbies to replace all of the time I've wasted on drinking. Also, my dad died recently and left me a piano which I promised him I'd learn to play before he died. And, oh yeah, that reminds me: there is no way your enthusiasm for playing the piano will be diminished by taking naltrexone, IMO. I am a daily exerciser and regularly engage in sex (whether it's with someone I love (me) or someone else) and have continued these activities on a near daily basis since starting TSM. I'm happy to report I've had no diminished interest in either since starting TSM on May 27.

Hi Jim & welcome!
It's late for me so will comment later if needed; will see how "the others" chime in -LOL. You are in good company & hope all goes well for you!

Thanks Guys,...

Yeah the bird thing makes sense. Of course,...I'm waiting for my rush,..but with that knowledge, I will try and not succumb to it. I do feel definitely different drinking on Naltrexone....Actually felt 99.99% sober after two brews and a shot,...I really assessed it...

And as drinking continues,...I don't feel quite as frantic to get the next one,..an hour can go by,..now mind you,.I am being hyper observational. As most of us probably are a bit obsessive (I am anyways),....

My buzz does seem to increase with Nal,...I had a mini panic attack last night after I took the drug....probably didn't help reading others posting about having em....glad to hear about hobbies and sex. Certainly don't wanna lose that.....Music is too important.

Sorry to hear about pops,. I lost mine a few years back to Alzheimers,..now thats a bastard disease if there was any....He was a professor and brilliant,..Damned disease turned his brain into mud. Take care and thanks for posts. I keep telling folk that there's a revolution going on in treatment..everyone looks blankly back at me...

I've seen that happen before with my grandfather, with alcoholism simultaneously. So he had 2 reasons that he couldn't remember my name, much less how many drinks he'd already had. It's hard to watch.

Just wanted to bump this thread as we were talking about this last year. Jim C

If there were one, i'd go. Especially if I get cured. Ironically enough, I bet dollars to donuts that the following week several of us would log in and report a slight spike in numbers. I'd be happy to toast it up with any or all of you good people here! How's THAT for flying in the face of AA?