The Golden Rule for us is never drink without naltrexone one - two hours before we drink. That's forever, or we will revert back to alcoholism. Please read the http://www.thesinclairmethod.net/community/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2273&start=280&sid=5b99edf9a16ef6ec60e446e738066d77 Scroll down to the post by Andy_M on Sat 3 SEP 2011. Andy drank off naltrexone. He had a horrible negative outcome he still doesn't know all the ramifications of.

Thanks HF. I have been following Andy's thread. And, yes, I need to stick to the rule.

Hi Folks:

This week the numbers are a little up. I had a few heavier nights that led to blue and anxious mornings with guilt, self-loathing. You know the routine.

But I can tell the Nal is making some sort of difference. Posted about it elsewhere on how it feels to drink.

Made sure to wait the hour this week. Thanks for the firm reinforcement on that!

Tiller: if you have that crazy craving and feel like you can't wait the hour, AT LEAST swallow a Nal as you take the first drink. It'll wind up kicking in over the first hour and provide some degree of protection.

Not ideal, but better than not doing it at all and backsliding.

Tiller? Are you listening?

There is only ONE rule in this treatment. 1.

There are not 12 stupid steps to follow and work through. There is not a rehabilitation center to join where the membership fee is $40,000 a month. There are no bars on an eight by eight cell in which you are captured.

By God, follow the golden rule. Put it on post-it notes and stick them everywhere. Tattoo it on your forehead. Write it on your bathroom mirror in the richest shade of red lipstick you can find:

NAL+AL+PATIENCE=THE CURE

Plain and simple.

Enough said?

Carry on,

Ketchikan1

Yes, I'm listening. Got the message loud and clear!

thanks.

Nal on! That's the important thing and you'll get there eventually

This was mostly a good week. Took the nal reliably every day, at least one hour before drinking. Numbers relatively under control, especially given that I was a central part of a wedding, with rehearsal dinner and big wedding party. Sticked to wine and stayed sober enough to drive home from both events w/o risk to the public. Then hit the hard stuff at home but not to complete abandon.

Looking forward to the day when getting to sleep does not require 1-3 nite caps.

It'll also be a milestone when the cravings don't kick in, as they reliably do, right around 5 PM. I don't experience, yet, any of the "not interested in drinking" progress that others here have reported. I know that will come with time.

But I'm a lot LESS interested in drinking when the nal is in the bloodstream, much less compelled to pound myself into oblivion. And that's great!

Have a great coming week everyone. Thanks to all for the support you give each other and the honesty you share on this big ride.

Tiller

Good work tiller. The fact that once you take nal the drinking feels different is a great sign - you'll get to the "not that interested in drinking" stage soon enough, I bet. It takes a while for our brains to be rewired...

I want to share an experience I had on an airplane recently:

I was seated next to two business women who were talking about a mutual female friend (MF). One of the women described her long and once-close relationship with the MF and the MF's raging alcoholism. Story after story of the MF being inconsiderate, damaging stuff in her house when drunk, behaving like an idiot at work events, passing out on the lawn, etc.

Finally the booze ended their relationship.

I'm generally a private drinker but I've certainly gotten sloshed at parties and acted like a stooge. As I sat there I imagined friends of mine babbling about me that way. It was really (pardon the phrase) sobering!

I'm not into shame or negativity as motivation, but hearing them talk gave me an added measure of determination to stay on plan and beat back the beast!