Thanks, Kiwi! We are probably closer to the same than it looks, because I think US units are much bigger than elsewhere. Here a 5 oz glass of wine counts as a unit (at least according to some sources, the onese that have served my habit well ), in the UK my units would be much higher. What is a unit in NZ?

Sounds like UK units and NZ units are prob same. I am counting 100ml of wine 1 unit. 5 oz is equivalent to 147 mls. So, yes the US units are bigger. So that would make a bottle of wine in the US 5 units? Yes? I count a 750 ml bottle as 7.5 units.

My big question then.... When we look at the "safe drinking levels" as being roughly 18 units for a woman each week....is that US or UK units? I must admit, I hope it's the US units... especially given they say no more than 4 units in one sitting. That's only 2 glasses of wine with my units! LOL.

I s'pose its just important to measure al the same way all the time...and the measure between NZ, UK, US is less relevant.

Hope you are having a fantastic week 7 !

Kiwi

I have not posted in quite a while ... over three weeks to be exact. I think I got sick of obsessing over TSM, and after 6 weeks, I sort of calmed down and just started living life as I normally would, with the one exception that I always take Nal an hour before I drink.

My units have been pretty steady, in the low 30's. I had a few weeks in the 20's, but lately I have been polishing off bottles of wine fairly regularly. I was at a family reunion one week, and family is always a major trigger for me. Then the summer neighborhood parties, hanging with certain heavy drinking friends, all are certainly factors.

On a positive note, I do continue to notice that my drive to drink, that obsesssion, is no longer what it was. Five o'clock comes and goes without me noticing, where before I was counting the minutes to pop open that bottle of wine (I always had a rule, no drinking till after 5pm.) So it is interesting to me that I do end up drinking, and drinking a lot, even though I am not dying for that first drink. Habit? Maybe.

Anyway, I am in the middle of Week 10 now, and planning an AF night. I really have no choice, I have to pick my husband up at the airport at 9pm. The good news is, I am not stressing about it ... and I just noticed that it is almost 6pm and drinking has not even crossed my mind.

I guess what I am saying is, although the numbers do not indicate much progress, I still think TSM is working. My relationship with alcohol IS changing, slowly but surely. I am in for the long haul, just trying not to worry too much day to day. I am frustrated that I still don't naturally want to quit drinking after one two, or even three, but I will stay the course!

Well, I am starting Week 13 now, and I am feeling a little discouraged. I know this is a long process, and I need to be patient, but I feel like I am right back where I started. If I drink one glass of wine, it will be five or six. I am back to all my old tricks, sneaking, hiding, gulping, etc. I sooooo want to be done with this mess!!!!

I have an AF day here and there, but never two in a row. I am working out pretty consistently, so you would think that would be a deterrent, but it is not. I still have that "f- it" mentality late at night, when I want that last one or two drinks. I think I had that famous honeymoon period in the first month or so, and I was feeling like I was really making progress. The honeymoon is most certainly over.

I know I need to hang in there, but this process can be demoralizing!

Yogagirl -
I rarely check in here, but I identify w/ your struggle & just want to encourage you to continue on. Gawd - I so know what you're talking about as do countless women on here, lurking, before and beyond. We are not alone. The wine women...

But a recent post by a long ago/original TSMer really gave me pause..."Going4More" has post on here that she has been using NAL for 16 mos !!! and seen a significant reduction in her numbers. I gave up after a year, as did many...Lots to look at and say on this subject.

Many of us have gone on to other meds...etc. Bottom line, YG - keep on with NAL. You may need to up your dose at some point but I think you should stay the course and be resolved this is what you should do: take Nal 1 hr b4 drinking always.

It's late where I am and I need to go to bed. More later so hope all else is well & will get into this and more later. Hang in there girl!!
XO

slow down grasshopper! week 13 is too early for almost anyone to be cured that I've seen. I mean I'm sitting here all fired up about some newfound AF nights, but sat night I had 15 units. it's a slow process that happens in the primal brain, not the conscious one. this site keeps my conscious brain placated while I let the Nal do the rest. breathe in/out whatever yogagirls do. and BTW I'm a big wine drinker myself, not a woman though, but it's working so..... what's good for the winogoose s good for the winogander i s'pose

You slay me.

It seems like a long slog sometimes, for sure. I guess we have to look at it as driving from, say, Florida to New York. About halfway, you're getting really tired of being on the road, although you know you're making progress. You wish you could just be there already, and wonder why Star Trek's beaming technology hasn't been invented yet. None of these thoughts make your destination disappear, and if you keep driving, eventually you'll get there.

This board is kind of like having someone along for the ride, helping distract you and even entertain you on the way. Taking the journey with others always helps.

Respect

Hey YG hang in there. I'm convinced this thing works and I'm sure it will for you too. I love weird-ohs analogy. He/she is sooooo wise.
Huge hugs. It'll happen... Just ride the storm.
Kiwi. X

Well, thanks - usually when someone calls me wise they append the word "ass" to it. I think the wisest thing I'm doing right now is continuing to visit this board; nice to know I'm not struggling out there alone. I'm about two months in and having the occasional blue-sky moment, but for the most part the urges are still about the same. The difference is that I seem to be more aware of my behavior when I've had a few, which is a big relief to my wife. Apparently I used to think I was much funnier than I really was when drunk.