I've been remiss in reporting my progress for the last 2 weeks. But I want to thank you nick for your last message here, it's really helped me a lot and actually I've printed out your response and carry it with me in my purse, and when I need a pep talk I re-read it.

I haven't updated my sig line to reflect my small progress, but I finally had an AF day, on Oct. 3rd, yay! Perhaps feeling a bit under the weather helped, my sinuses were killing me due to the weird weather, we had snow already then!

Then this last Saturday I had dinner with a friend and had only 1 glass of wine (I usually have at least 2) and the one glass lasted through the whole meal and after! I'm now concentrating on trying to cut down to 1 bottle a night or more AF nights, not going so great yet, although there has been 1 or 2 nights with only 1 bottle instead of the normal 2. Baby steps...

I just ordered my second 2 month batch of nal from River and should arrive just before I run out.

petal

Wow, that really makes me feel good to know that my words could help you. Thanks for making my night.

This sounds like improvement! Baby steps!

My best,

Nick

Nothing new to report really, not much has changed, haven't worked hard enough on trying to be AF. But I'm down to my last 4 pills and I wonder if my order will arrive in time, yikes! Monday and today I cut my pills in half to see if I can make it. I'm wondering if I can 'force' myself to be AF until my nal order arrives. I have gone AF days before I met TSM, so I don't know why I'm being all paranoid about it. I would hate to lose the small progresses I have made on the nal. But, I haven't noticed a difference at all really between 25mg and 50 mg, I mean in the way I feel or my drinking habits. I'm going to go look back at the posts by those who've upped to 100mg, maybe that's what I need to do. As soon as my order arrives maybe I'll have to order another right away, but pricey! But then again, so is booze, eh?

petal

Petal, I think it is too early in the game to be considering upping the dose. One post I read here is that changing the dosage only influences the duration that the nal is blocking the receptors in the brain. It said @25, 50, or 100 there is 100% blockage. It was something like 25= 6hours, 50=12 hours and 100=24 hours. In fact I may have read it at one of the medical wesites, I can't remember.
I think if you can go al free for a couple of days while waiting for your nal, it probably wouldn't hurt you that much. It may help so long as you don't take nal. That said I do think it is better to follow the formula and drink as you normally would.
You are doing good, be patient.

I agree with Rapper -- it's too early for you to expect results yet Petal, sit tight. Take 25 mg to prolong your supply and drink within six to twelve hours and you should be covered. And don't forget, it's naltrexone + drinking + patience = cure. Take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that at no point you are drinking without naltrexone -- you will lose any of the accrued benefits and will get re-addicted sooner because of upregulation!

My best to you.

Nick

Another thing I thought of, since some people are more sensitive to meds I can only conclude that there are some less sensitive to meds, so the dose could be a factor. Also, did you ever think of taking the nal a bit earlier, say 2-2.5 hrs before drinking. Maybe this could be a factor. Maybe it is an absorption/ bloodstream thing.
Anyway, I'd still stick w/ the original dose probably til at least the 4 mos. timeframe if not longer.

Gosh, where the heck have I been? I haven't logged on in days! I was down to my last 25mg (half pill) of nal when I found the notice on my door from the post office when I got home from work Wednesday night to come pick it up. Woke up yesterday morning to about 8 inches of snow, tons of closures in town (including both my part time jobs). So, it worked out ok I had no booze in the house, or so I thought. But I had to spend the next however many hours with my 2 year old, oh I don't have a 2 year old, I mean my soon to be ex-husband I spent the entire day and night with, arrrggghhhh!! I kept as busy as possible working on my on-line store. But like a toddler he was always just there, in my face, in my way, bothering me non stop. Finally around 3:30 he took a nap, thank God!! See? He exhausted himself being a pain in my ass!!

I found a bottle of wine (my usual hiding place is my underwear draw, and there was my 'enemy' waiting for me). But I decided I couldn't break it out, not with him there. Had no idea when he'd wake up and didn't want/need any hassle. I did however find a lone can of beer in the fridge, (Coors light, bought from the grocery store). And savored it while he slept... That was all I needed, and I was relaxed. I took the dog out 3 times yesterday, and I tried to urge him to get out and get some air, and burn some energy. He wouldn't, but he did bake a nice cake....

Today, come hell or high water I was going to the post office and work no matter how bad it was out. It wasn't, roads were great and it was comforting and sane to be in the company of adults again.

I'm sorry that I'm patting myself on the back, but making it through a whole day with a pain in the ass in a 1000 sq. ft. condo, and only drinking one beer?? Hell, I need a medal! Or at least a gold a star....

Oh, I mean Tuesday night.... I've got so confused.... cabin fever you know....

Good job Petal. Why are you so worried about drinking in front of soon to be ex? If he says something tell him to shut the F up. I know, probably easier said than done.
Anyway good hearing from you again.

Gosh, I've been gone awhile! Rapper, I guess mostly I feel uncomfortable drinking in front of him, I don't know. I always feel his eyes boring through me or something.

Anyway, I spend a lot of time reading here, but can't post at work because I can't get in the frame of mind I want/need with all the interruptions. On the up side, work has picked up, yay, so that is great. As for drinking, not much has changed, although it seems each day I wait a little longer to start and it still continues to taste awful. I'm also thinking more like do I really want to drink? How about that day you only had 4 beers (have to drink beer when watching the Broncos!) Didn't you wake up feeling great? So I think about that more, as I said not a lot has changed except in my thinking about how when I feel great and do I really want to have a drink at all or even a second one? A couple of nights I only had 1 bottle of wine instead of 2, and when I did have 2 I felt like crap the next morning. Usually that never happens, I generally feel fine, I've been downing 2 bottles for gee, I don't know, but a long time. I know it's still early for me, I just entered my 11th week on Tuesday, so I still view this as baby steps and at least I keep moving forward!

petal