Hi all. Well I got through an really tough period at work where i really didn't have time to do much else but work, eat (and drink lol). But the drinking was very limited so that was good. I am back on regular hours now so I will make a point to post more. I did continue to take Nal an hour before drinking and it continued to make subtle changes in my drinking during this period. Once I got a little more free time the numbers went up for a few nights, but I would think that would happen if I was a "normal" drinker. I need to spend alot of time catching up on all of your posts, and it's GREAT to see a lot of new names here. I can attest that it works! I am not sure how far it will take me, but if this is as good as it gets, I have already saved my marriage, my job and my life. I guess I would take that! But I feel confident that I will continue to improve.
Nal-On!
Dave

Awesome Dave! Interesting how your units DRAMATICALLY dropped off immediately and have sort of hovered there this whole time. Either way, saving the marriage, job, and life is all that counts!

Dave, glad to hear things are going well for you I wouldn't be surprised to see even bigger changes in the next 3-4 months.

Hi Dave, you've definitely got the right attitude and I will be Nal-ing On! Your figures are down to about a third of what they were pre TSM so thats awesome and it sounds like your outlook and other factors have improved out of sight too, well done you.

I had a good 2 weeks going, I went AF for 8 days in a row! I am trying to give my liver a break and I need to get bloodwork so I am trying to go AF for a few weeks or so before the bloodwork. That might be cheating but I want to see if I am ok after the heavy drinking I have one for the past few years. Last time I had a check up about a year ago they said I had a "fatty liver" and my enzymes were elevated. But I had been drinking heavy even the day before the test.
Well yesterday I decided to have 1 or 2 drinks, wound up having about 9
Feel like crap today, horrible Nal hangover. Definate Deprivation effect! Good news is pre tsm it would have been about twice as many drinks. The 8 days AF weren't very hard, it's the "controlled drinking" that has been my problem. But before TSM I don't think I could have done the 8 days as easily. Hopefully this will lead to more extinction and less DE next time.
I think I will do some more AF days and see what happens next time I drink. I will try to manage my intake next time I drink after being AF for a while.
I hope everyone is hanging in there and seeing the (slow) progress!
Dave

Hey Dave - You're progress is very impressive. I can equate with the disappointment re overdoing it - I'm early on and had a fall after the honeymoon and the hangover sucked big time.

About the moderation vs AF, though, I posted in my progress thread about how surprised I am at how different it's felt a couple of time to stop vs what it felt like without the nal. I did have to put some effort into even trying to stop at that level, because I know it normally makes me feel like a caged badger, but I just didn't feel that at least a couple of times. I hope you might find that to be the case too if you cut if off early. Pre nal, my only success in limiting has been an all or nothing. FWIW. I'm just a noob looking forward to your level of long term progress...

Hi. Well I just finished week 23 and hit it real hard during the holiday weekend and paid the price. Most days weren't too bad, but there was definately some extinguishing of triggers going on! I drank alot of vodka and/or rum and feel like there has been alot of the desire diminished. I still didn't have any days over 10 units and my overall weekly total was half of pre tsm. Looking for another big change in my drinking attitude and drop in numbers after this session. My numbers were way down after the last time I drank real heavy, and it seems like that happens with some of us. A spike, due to whatever triggers, usually results in a reduction in weekly numbers.
Dave

Hey Dave,
I realize this is a late response, but near the beginning of this thread you used the analogy of your drinking experience being a Wile E. Coyote experience. I laughed out loud, only because I think that hits my relationship with alcohol on the head during high stress or big events. Wile E. Coyotes is actually a pretty profound characterization of the alcoholics , if not the human, experience. It feels at times the laws of nature are set out to make you FAIL!! I'm glad that through Nal and the SM people on this board have been finally able to catch the roadrunner ....
Best,
Phil

Hi to all...
I pretty much quit TSM since I went on vacation in the beginning of July. Since then I have been drinking way too much, not counting, no AF days. The only thing I HAVE done is take Nal before drinking, although not always a complete hour beforehand.
I think I have gone through some major triggers, with expected results. The damage wasn't as bad as pre-tsm but pretty close. I haven't been on the site for about 6 weeks and thats a big difference for me I know. Checking in here keeps me focused on why I am doing this and what it used to be like and how it will become.

I am now back on the mindset of trying to fix my problem, where as I was just taking the pill and expecting it to do all the work. I have found that I have the ability to drink through the Nal and pretty much lose all control if I allow myself to. I have been drinking everyday and feeling like crap. Technically, things are better than pre tsm, but not alot and nowhere near how I want to live.

So here I am ready to start counting and posting again.Good job to all who are hanging in there, I WILL continue this journey, redouble my efforts, and expect even better results than the first 6 months!
Dave

Dave,
Welcome back … I was wondering what happened to you. I completely understand the ability to drink through the Nal. During my three week vacation to Brazil I had one week that was at 100+ units, however I have to say that thankfully I didn’t have any embarrassing behavior. Pre-TSM I certainly would have made an ass out of myself at least three or four times.
Glad to hear that even though you weren’t keeping track of your units you were continuing to take the Nal.
I am certain that we will all get there … it just takes time – for some of us – a lot of time.