Hi Mario,
Glad to read life is going so well for you. It has been a bit of a yoyo here. TSm...definitely working for me. For my hub, he is better than pre, but still having some binges. No need for hospital of dramatic home detox, but very unsettling. We are not getting along very well because I cannot understand his reckless choices. I don't know what to do. He does not take advice. I want him to go back to the Dr who he saw at the start of all of this and try the other drug he suggested in addition to Nal. If I could find the name of it, I would order it from India!

Could it be nalmefene? It works in the same way as naltrexone, but is supposed to be better for your liver and lowers the chances of relapse, according to this: http://alcoholism.about.com/library/blnaanews990830.htm

Alternatively, nal is available as a slow-release injectable, which might help: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 151527.htm

I started last June and am yo-yo'ing all over the place, so I may have to try something else before long. Good thing there are so many alternatives these days.

Could be topamax no? They talk about that on the mywayout forum...

Havent posted in weeks. Yet again Ive proved to myself that I can outdrink nal if I put my mind to it. All I have to do is drink sweet nice drinks like hot whiskies or vodka and cokes.I really suffered last Monday morning.It was the first morning in a long time that I had to go into work late because I was SO hungover. Isnt the alcoholic mind amazing? but the good news is that nal continues to work its magic 90% of the time. I was at an event yesterday and had one Irish coffee and came home, lots of beer at home but there was no longing there at all. Im sitting here now with the same beer in front of me for the last hour and a half and I know I wont finish it. Daughter is away for the week and this would have been a great oppurtunity to go to the pub every night but again no longing. Thank God for nal

It's working for sure! You are on your way.

Mario, one of the things I have always enjoyed about your posts is that you are a realist. Even though we've regained control we can have little hiccups. I think it's healthy that you don't expect your cure to be perfect (what in life is) but if it's working 90% of the time and you are not putting yourself or others in harm's way then what more can we really ask for. A hangover like that once or twice a year serves as a great reminder of all the times we over-drank in the past. Thanks for posting that update to your story and glad to hear it was back to regained control business-as-usual quickly after that blip. It's nice to know that one little slip doesn't set you down some path toward an inevitable decline. Naltrexone and TSM are truly amazing.

I guess what I really feel is that Im cured as much as I want to be cured. Every single occasion in Ireland is built around alcohol which was why it was a long boring three years that I abstained. Have no doubt though that it was much better than the out of controll life I had bouncing from blackout to hangover to guilt to rows with hubby. What killed me most of all was that I knew I was a better and nicer person than the one I became as an alcoholic. No one can think well or highly of themselvs when ones life is built around lies and from once you cross that invisable line into alcoholism lies become a big part of your life eapecially if your married or in a relationship with a non alcoholic.

Having my young daughter have to remind me of stuff I had agreed to or conversations we had litterly tore me apart. Id walk away from her and think 'what the **** are you doing to your child' it used to stick me to the ground with guilt which after many tries was what led me to quit. I just couldnt bear the thought of her turning to me in years to come and saying Mom you destroyed my childhood with alcohol. I explained to her before I went on nal that this was something I was going to try and that I had researched it and believed it would work but that if it didnt I would go straight back to quiting.

I know that she watched me like a hawk for the first few weeks and then didnt seem to take any more notice. One night I had my sister and a friend over for drinks and they got quite drunk and silly and the conversation went a little downhill and I didnt want daughter or her friends listening to it and I told them to go off to the playroom and listen to cds or something. Daughter turned around and said Mom relax woman ,they are saying nothing we havent heard on tv, whay dont you just have a drink with them and chill. This from the girl who would count my drinks before. I was really bowled over a few months ago when she asked me if I would give some nal to her friends mother. This woman is a friend of mine, in fact she was one of the people I used to drink with before I quit, she has been to two inhouse 4 week programs but would drink as soon as she came out. She is really going downhill now. I had offered her nal and actually gave her some but she never took it. My daughters friend wanted to crush it up and give it to her Mom without her knowing but of course I wouldnt give her any. Id love to know what the conversation between the two teens was like.

Anyway basically all Im trying to say is that nal is a true blessing to all my family not just me.

Mario,
Your post really hit home for me. I have two daughters and it kills me when they need to remind me of something that we discussed when I am in the midst of a binge.

Your thread has been very encouraging for me.

Regards,

Just feel like posting tonight. Ive had about 5 units of alcohol tonight and am nicely tipsy BUT hubby decided to go to the pub 100 yards down the road a few minutes ago and because I have to be up early tomorrow to collect daughter from airport but it was an easy decision to stay home and have a sandwich before I go to bed. Now thats something that would have been IMPOSSIBLE a while back especially as I know that all our friends are down there and Ive had two texts allready telling me to get my but down there. I love my nal.

I love reading posts like this Mario. In the old days I'm sure you would have been off like a shot to the pub to continue drinking. Now it's just not that important to you. Good for you and Nal-on!