Hello - I am just starting week 4. My pre-TSM weekly levels ranged from 20 - 48. Weeks 1 and 2 I was on 25 mg of Nal, Week 3 I bumped up to 50mg. I have been following the golden rule MOST of the time, a few times I drank after 40 minutes instead of an hour.

Week 1 - 21 units/1 AF day
Week 2 - 35 units/0 AF days
Week 3 - 46 units/0 AF days

Once I hit that 2nd or 3rd drink, there is no stop button. This is not where I want to be! Any advice would be appreciated . . .

Actiongirl,

My heart goes out to you, for I have been there. Your honeymoon is over!

I think most of us experience this. Think of it as your brain not believing those endorphins are not coming, so it keeps you drinking to find them. Things will balance out; however, please, please please follow that golden rule each and every time! Set an alarm, talk to a friend, clean your bathroom, do what ever it takes to make sure you wait that hour (I have found waiting longer than an hour can actually help, but it is not necessary; however, it is necessary for you to wait that entire hour).

Continue to do what you are doing. Try to sip slowly and listen to your brain, for one day your brain will no longer want that drink.

Jaba

Thank you Jaba! it is hard to believe right now but I just have to have faith. I will stay the course!! THank you

actiongirl, have a look here at the mindful drinking suggestions:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... hints-tips

Eventually, mindfulness will win out over the urge to drink unconsciously, so beginning to practice will strengthen that part of your brain while the Nal is working on quieting down the unconscious urge to go on tossing them down one after the other. In time, the Nal might well remove the compulsion by itself, but mindfulness will make things go more smoothly, not to mention that it's a skill will likely benefit you in other areas too.

Other mindfulness methods, don't hold the drink in your hand. If you smoke, don't take the drink with you. Perhaps after a certain point, pour a drink and take a sip or two, then leave it elsewhere while you get up to a little task that might take 10 or 15 minutes. In other words, start breaking up "the routine". Don't have the drink with you while you're on the phone. Watch for when you empty the glass more quickly during the evening and break that up somehow (be creative). Give the conscious mind a chance to intervene wherever you can.

That being said, this does indeed sound like the "Honeymoon", so practicing the above (don't worry if you're not good at it right off the bat) will help you bring your numbers down and will validate that you can make a conscious decision about drinking and have it stick. Keep at it and you'll see your conscious decisions gain more strength, as the Nal helps you get to the point of "meh". I think this is especially important as those with AUD have so often tried to use determination to control their drinking to no good effect and have given up on it to one degree or the other. Not that you should try to fight the craving, as that's counter-productive with TSM. What mindfulness will help you do is to control the quantity per session.

All good suggestions Ag - I have nothing to add except my support. I know it can be discouraging when that happens but you will have ups and downs - it is indeed a roller coaster ride. You just have to keep plodding on ..... have faith!

hugs, Maggie

keep on keeping on---this is sometimes par for the course. if you can, try to start your drinking later in the day/evening and see if that helps your numbers. what you're going through is not unusual, but it can be discouraging. have faith that your body will start sending your brain different messages. it's very early and you'll see a change eventually.

Thanks all . . . I will just keep going. The good news is I do not have any side effects from 50mg of Nal. I have found even if I don't take it with food I am ok which is one less thing to worry about.

Actiongirl

Keep on chugging along. It takes time for it to work and there are plenty of ups and downs. But if you keep following the golden rule it will work out for you

It is disheartening when the honeymoon ends, actiongirl, but it is all part of the process. Just stay committed and you will be fine.

-Dee

Alright! Definitely time for a change. I am going away for 5 weeks on Monday. I'm hoping a change of environment will help. I'm also wondering what will happen if I don't take the Nal tonight. Perhaps it is giving me an excuse to drink and if I don't take it I can't drink.

Week 1 - 21 units/1 AF day
Week 2 - 35 units/0 AF days
Week 3 - 46 units/0 AF days
Week 4 - 54 units/0 AF days