My 14th week so far has been one of the most uneventful weeks I have had since starting TSM.

I started the week with an AF day (actually it was the 2nd AF day after last Sunday). Then each day this week I'd come home from work with a 6 pack of 12oz. Guinness Stout, take my Nal, wait 1+ hours, then drink the 6 pack over the next 5 hours. Very routine; I didn't want any more than what I had brought home; I didn't want any less than I brought home; just 4 consecutive days of doing the same Nal drinking routine.

Today, I have not decided if it will be an AF day or not, but it is not the usual time that I drink right now, so I don't know if I'll have a craving or not until 4PM rolls around. We'll see. If my local hometown market doesn't have any Guinness, I think today will be an AF day. I just don't feel like driving a half hour round trip to a larger town just to purchase a 6 pack. Maybe I should be viewing this as an improvement in my mental outlook. I am basing the decision of whether to drink or not on whether I can easily buy it and if I can't, I don't want to go through the extra bother. Hmmm, I had not thought of that until I started composing this post.

Bob

Sounds like progress to me! Sounds like consumption is steady but craving down. A pretty standard place to be a few weeks in. Huzzah!

I don't know what your old M.O. was, but I know that pre-Sinclair I would think NOTHING of a half hour trip to get my supply. If I got down to three bottles of wine, I'd begin obsessing. I'm betting you were the same? Lots of people would say drinking a 6 pack a day, with one or two AF days thrown in, is pretty darn near normal! Congrats!

Yes! I used to do absolutely anything to get my alcohol.

Today is different. Of course it is. I just posted a few hours ago how dull the week has been and here I am on Saturday ambivalent about drinking all day long before meandering to my town's market. They had my 6 pack of Guinness which I happily paid $12.09 for with tax. The proprietor was impressed that I knew the total before she did, but when you've purchased something a hundred times it kinda sticks in your head.

Drove home. Took my Nal. Decided I could do some yard-work for an hour to kill the time. Geez, it is HOT in Florida right now! Anyway, that killed the hour, and I had my first beer of the day. It was a bit tough to finish. Why? I don't know. Nevertheless, I had a second which I could barely finish and a I figured that's enough until later. Now, I'm eating supper and I'll see how I feel after that.

Sorry about the step-by-step progress update today, but something is different.

Bob

It is great to hear this Bob. Thanks for letting us know. I am interested to hear how it goes from here because it sounds kind of exciting for you. Wishing you success. Tater.

Yes Bob, I'm happy for you. Hope things keep getting better.

Thanks, tater & Nick!

Well, I stopped at 2 units yesterday! TWO! My old limit when I was in my thirties!

I had a few temptations to get the third, but I kept thinking of how unenjoyable the first 2 were, and never even opened the fridge to look at the 4 I had left. My only thoughts after these temptations were: How am I going to make it 2 more hours to 10PM, so I can go to sleep, and: Is 10PM late enough to fall asleep because I had inadvertently napped twice during the day. Well, I got involved reading posts here and on MWO and suddenly it was 10PM. I showered, went to bed, and fell asleep fairly quickly.

Sleep was good until 2:40AM, when I woke up with severe sweating; it was dripping off my back when I got up. And my feet were cold, so it's not like I was overheated. I attribute it to benzo withdrawal, with some possible contribution from the Nal. I have levelized at 5mg Valium per day and I will not raise it just to get rid of night sweats, as my psychiatrist has recently recommended. I'd rather have these sweats, than take a step backward and raise my benzo intake.

So I guess I'll see what today brings. Usually, I have been having an AF day on Sunday, so I'll probably do that today again.

Bob

Hi Bob, well I can certainly sympathise with you on the night sweats. I was absolutely soaked on and off all day yesterday and it was horrible. We were traveling and I just had to actually fly to the shower when we arrived home! I just could not cool down. Not really sure what is going on because I haven't started the benzo taper yet! Have been on vacation and drinking was off the charts so thinking that could be part of it too. Have also hand nausea and just feel like s..... Well, the party is over and back to counting units a bit better and drinking a bit less. Not too happy with this vacation, it was still way over the top! Binge, binge, binge. Bloody Mary's in the a.m. just to get going, stayed away from the wine but think the vodka and beer may have been a stupid choice also.
Will take days to feel better I think. Good luck with the nite sweats!

LaBear - I wonder if there is a magnification effect for us benzo users. When we suddenly drop or suddenly increase our alcohol consumption, that it magnifies the benzo effects when we increase, and diminishes the benzo effect when we drop consumption. The latter would explain last night's experience for me.

Bob

Bob & WTE, I am really confused about these sweats because there are times when I am having let's say l/2 bottle of wine and I am fine and then with this vacation, I honestly couldn't tell if it was 90 or 50 degrees out because of either the chills and then the terrible sweats. I do remember when I went off of everything back in 96. It was in September and the temps were in the 80's and I was walking around in a sweatshirt!!!! Soo who knows but hoping that now that I will have some AF days and back to my normal pattern it will be better. Right this moment even a thought of a drink could make me barf! I know that will change in a few days. Going to stick my head in the frezzer right now!