I have been using NAL since February. I have had my moments that I felt it was working. Recently I feel that I am back to where I was before NAL. What is wrong with me? Maybe this isn't going to work. I am so discouraged with the fact that I don't have the desire to moderate my drinking. Help me figure this out!

I am no expert but I have been in your shoes as far as worrying wether or not the Nal is working for my husband. He has been on it since June and there was a short honeymoon period but then he went back to drinking heavily. Now he is not as bad but he has his moments. I read on this board somewhere that some people will actually get worse befor they improve between 4 and 6 or 8 months as the brain tries one more "burst" of cravings to try to get that high from the alcohol and then things improve.

But also know that it can take some people 8 months to a year to see a difference and the change can keep gettign better for up to 3 years. Also some people have had to go to 100 mg of Nal but I think that you need to give it more time...you are only at the 6 month mark and so you may be just around the corner from your ability to control...hang in there!!

Lynn

Don't worry... reading thru these posts, many people take much longer than the 4-6 months that the book says. It took me 12 months to realize I needed to put forth a little effort. Think of it like this: addiction is comprised of the physiological addiction as well as the habits that support it. Have you ever tried to change a habit, like maybe beginning an exercise program? It's not easy -- you might start several times but quickly go back to your old ways -- but with continued effort, you CAN create a new habit.

Prior to Naltrexone, I could not change my habits because the physiological addiction was too strong and kept driving me to drink. Now, I know that the addiction is broken but I still have to change my habit -- whereas I would always drink to get smashed I am now able to drink, catch a buzz, and then switch to something else. If I want to keep the buzz going, I can decide to have another drink or I often just say "no, I will have to drive later, so better not" (like I used to do before I became a raging alcoholic). This mindset shift hasn't been easy, but at least it is now possible because I'm no longer physiologically addicted like I was prior to Naltrexone. I liken the effort to that of changing exercise habits. Not easy, but completely possible. Since I've made this mental choice to change habits, I have cut my drinking by approximately half.

At some point, after several months of taking Naltrexone, I think you have to just believe that it is working and then start taking the action to change all the habits that supported your high alcohol intake. Good luck -- let us know how it goes!

Don't worry... reading thru these posts, many people take much longer than the 4-6 months that the book says. It took me 12 months to realize I needed to put forth a little effort. Think of it like this: addiction is comprised of the physiological addiction as well as the habits that support it. Have you ever tried to change a habit, like maybe beginning an exercise program? It's not easy -- you might start several times but quickly go back to your old ways -- but with continued effort, you CAN create a new habit.

Prior to Naltrexone, I could not change my habits because the physiological addiction was too strong and kept driving me to drink. Now, I know that the addiction is broken but I still have to change my habit -- whereas I would always drink to get smashed I am now able to drink, catch a buzz, and then switch to something else. If I want to keep the buzz going, I can decide to have another drink or I often just say "no, I will have to drive later, so better not" (like I used to do before I became a raging alcoholic). This mindset shift hasn't been easy, but at least it is now possible because I'm no longer physiologically addicted like I was prior to Naltrexone. I liken the effort to that of changing exercise habits. Not easy, but completely possible. Since I've made this mental choice to change habits, I have cut my drinking by approximately half.

At some point, after several months of taking Naltrexone, I think you have to just believe that it is working and then start taking the action to change all the habits that supported your high alcohol intake. Good luck -- let us know how it goes!

I've gone back to where I was - not totally though. I am now having binges every 1-2 weeks that involve 2 bottles of wine, that being around 15-20 units and affecting the following day. I am able to drink on other occasions inbetween and only have 1 or 2 drinks but to be honest I neither physically crave, nor enjoy alcohol AT ALL in any quantity. I also cannot let go of it enough to abstain. I want to do something though since abstenance the majority of the time is my ultimate goal.

I have noticed that the spikes occur when I mentally WANT to hurt myself by getting drunk, times of frustration. I'm not giving up on Nal and am now taking it in the hope it will help me not drink, and secondly a insurance but am hoping to avoid drinking full stop. Not prepared to have another day like yesterday, which has impinged upon all my plans this weekend and made me into a horrible person.

So going to carry on taking it when I see the need, but generally am avoiding alcohol and aiming for as many AF days as possible.

By the way I'm somewhere around week 18 I think, so possibly right at 'that' time.

I agree with the above posters, and can add my own experience. First of all, doubt is basically written into the TSM process. There are times when you will feel like no progress is being made and you have reverted back to old habits. We've all been there. Honestly, if you had initial response to nal, there is no reason that medically TSM won't work for you. However, as others suggested, I think that after a certian time on TSM you can start to exert effort. Changing habits is not just a physical thing...you need to mourn your heaving drinking self and realize that you will be a somewhat different person once you have regained control (at least I do!). You need to WANT to not drink too much to fully complete the change, I think. This all takes a very long time. I was doing the pyschological work for years before discovering TSM, which I think has helped things move along a bit faster, but I'm committed ot this for years.

See this link posted by Dr Eskapa:

http://www.thesinclairmethod.net/community/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2528&sid=ea52f585a1134ebf1dea8fdc88b95d7c

Note in the body of the note from the MD, he notes Dr. Sinclair saying it takes a long time, he says 9 months. Don't despair. None of us learned to drink to excess in just a few days. It took us months and years. Then we have all done it for months and years.

In that same article, the author states in COMBINE only 12% actually didn't respond to treatment. This time the odds are heavily on your side!!! TSM is about as sure as something gets!

For what it's worth, you have my best wishes and sincerest hopes, you keep on keeping on!

Hi Dancer,

I’ve just re-read every post you have made. From what you have written, you have made some excellent progress… allow me to summarise:



You’ve also said:

I do believe some of my problem is I drink out of habit - I would usually drink a bottle of wine in an evening, pretty much every night of the week.


Maybe I am just expecting the medication to do ALL the work for me. I have to remember that it is just a tool to HELP me gain control.

The future?

Your first post, mentioned that you have done 21 days alcohol free.

You also mention that you come from a family of "recovering" alcoholics that have used AA to get them to a good place in their lives.

Your husband certainly doesn’t want you to keep drinking. But what do you want? Do you really want to stop? If Nal doesn’t work, is this an excuse to go back to the old ways?

From what I can glean, Nal is working for you. You could try a higher dose at 75mg. Or you could try and abstain for a while… but if you are feeling down and unmotivated, then doing any action will give you confidence that you are trying to sort your self out.


As you said, Nal just helps you achieve your goals. We all want you to succeed – so have a think about your next move to fight this b*tch