After a few trials and tribulations I finally got some Nal. I'll breakdown the logistics in case anyone is in a similar situation.

I live in Vancouver, Canada but I'm not a resident, nor do I have any from of medical cover which would pay for a doctor or Nal.
I set up a 'will call' account at Ballard Mailbox in Seattle. (the package arrives, you call them and check its arrived, you pick it up and costs.... $2).
I ordered 120 pills from Allday chemist. I paid for them on my credit card and I was not asked any questions.
I went to Seatlle on Froday night. At 11:00am the next morning I picked them up. Took my first one immediatley (50mg). Was surprised how different I felt on it (spaced out?) but it wasn't unpleasent. After an hour killing time I went to the pub- I was planning on eating too but the Nal took away my appetitie and I didn't eat the rest of the day. My first few drinks I seemed to drink slower than normal, one drink in particular I had to force myself to drink faster because I was worried the barman was thinking I was there just to watch the football and not to eat or drink anything. I ending up drinking at a couple of pubs and eventually blacking out about 10pm. I don't remember how or when I got back to my hostel. I woke up in panic about 4am though because I assumed I lost my bag with my nal in it and my passport! I was shocked to see my bag next to my bed!? Even though I still blacked out I was encouraged by my slower drinking, and I never seemed to get the happy rush I usually get (I'm usually a really happy drunk until I blackout).
Next day I started throwing up about 10am and procedded to throw up maybe 20 times that day. Most of it on the bus back to Vancouver (this never happens to me). Lining up at customs to cross the boarder, I nearly passed out. At one point I started walking to the front of the line to ask to use the bathroom to throw up but I stopped myself just in time. I got interviewed jet white, shaking, with blood shot eyes. If anyone was going to get searched, it was me, but they didn't.
Perhaps I should have taken the 25mg.

Welcome to the community!

Ow! That was a helluva ride! Sorry you had such a bad reaction to it!

Yes, food, then 25mg and a full glass of water. Always best to wait till you're back at home base and (way) better if you don't have to do anything for a couple of days.

I've been at it for the better part of 2 weeks, felt a kind of like I had a high fever, that kind of dissociation, also like I just got off a boat. That's been fading away day by day, but still have to be careful in the shower.

When you feel Nal cutting your desire to drink, don't fight it, don't force yourself to drink. You only need one drink after the Nal for the extinction to progress. It's a bit early for this, but it can't hurt to put a limit on the amount you're going to drink, like say you'll have 8 for instance and see if you can stretch them out and cap it at 8. Be mindful about your drinking, that really seems to help limit it and also helps you use the Nal to find a crack or fissure that you can exploit to get the upper hand on your drinking habit.

Welcome again and thanks for posting! Stick around for these early days and let us know how you fare. Check your PM's, I have a bit more info for you...

NZ

Wow what a first day. Not to worry about the early black outs - I would tell you not to drink until you black out but if you could stop yourself you would not be traveling all over the place looking for the cure of NAL! So just know that this can work for you even if you experience some original black outs from drinking to much . I experienced the same thing and although I still have extended drinking days (no black outs anymore)every once in awhile it is nothing like 6 months prior. As Joe said, you may want to cut pills in half to start and definitely eat and drink water.

You worked hard at getting the NAL so don't get discouraged - and keep posting

"Yes, food, then 25mg and a full glass of water. Always best to wait till you're back at home base and (way) better if you don't have to do anything for a couple of days" that's some good advice. I used to swear black and blue that I would never drink the night before a longhaul bus or flight- it never worked. With Nal it might work- through shear fear!

'So don't get discouraged' I'm far from discouraged. I'm excited. Battling a 20 year drinking problem is sapping. Nal is going to be bloody interesting (just please not another hangover like that!). I certainly didn't expect to pop 1 pill and be cured.

That's a great attitude NZ, I like the way you think!

So it sounds like you're a binger, is that a once a week thing, do you keep it down to a dull roar most of the week, what's your style like?

I'm a daily drinker (30+ years) and just started on Nal a couple days shy of 2 weeks ago. Side effects every day, but fading fast. Weird and inconvenient to deal with, but a small price to pay. After graduating up to a 1/2 rack of standards per night with a 5pm start time (pre-TSM), I'm presently halfway through my 2nd pint. Don't even know if I'll finish 3 pints tonight (which would be 4 standard beers). Before Nal, the first pint would be gone in 15 minutes or so.

Have you read Dr. Eskapa's book yet?

Oh man that sounds like a trip. It's probably better that you were going into Canada rather then into the US while looking like a junkie

Anyway, to any new comers, let this be a lesson, start off on a half or even a quarter pill

Good luck nz...

nz, good luck to you, I am so impressed with all the efforts you made to get the nal. Sorry for the awful experience. I hope against hope that the nal works for you, and sooner rather than later.

xoxo Newlife

"what's your style like?" I guess it's more of a binge drinker. I drink every time to blackout and if I'm hungover I'll drink but if I can have an AFD day then the next day AFD is easier. In saying that I drink everyday that I don't have work the next day and I used antabuse to try and not drink during the week (half pill on Sunday would tie me over to Wednesdayish)

I tried NAL for the 2nd time on Thursday. Had 2 drinks at the pub then went home and craved lollies wtf!? went out and bought some. Funny, after a few days of not drinking I crave lollies but this has happened during drinking- how strange. I've never had only 2 drinks before.

Friday night, I lead a hostel pub crawl. It's a *cough* volunteer job of mine. I get free drinks to lead a pub crawl round the city. I'd managed to do it once pre-Nal and not get fired (getting fired was a matter of time pre-Nal). Anyway, I had 2 drinks and bailed on the pub crawl early (it was only Australian guy's this time so that made it easier (no offense my ozzy friends). Now going on a pub crawl and having two drinks and going home has DEFINITELY never happened.

Drinking doesn't seem to be much fun anymore.

PS I read the book Joe

Wow! That's a great response to the Nal, nzspeak! How is it going with the side effects?

Interesting protocol, alternating with the Antabuse.

Do the lollies have a chocolate center? Chocolate releases endorphins, so might explain the craving.

Side effects: I'm not quite so 'spaced out' when I take it but I can still feel it. I haven't drunken enough again to get another NAL over but I certainly feel more tired the next day/spaced out the next day even after having only a couple of beers. I've only ever taken the full 50mg every time too- I was worried if I started taking 25mg I could become like those people who don't follow the only rule (50mg an hour before drinking) and then complain that the Sinclair Method doesn't work.

The sugar craving thing has nothing to do with Chocolate for me. In my AA days I noticed a lot of people would eat sweets etc. It seems to be a well research phenomenon the sugar/opoid receptor tango- studies even show that NAL increases sugar intake- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3109725/

I'm off now to the pub to watch the NFL play offs. I have an important meeting tomorrow morning but I'm confident I'll make it.