I have doubts that more NAL will change things. I started on 50mg and went through similar changes in drinking motivation. I was first repulsed by my favorite brews but relearned to enjoy beer and appreciate SOME mellowing from ALC. The big compulsion was gone, however, and upon realizing that was exactly where I wanted to be, ie IN CONTROL, I actually started cutting back on NAL. I found no difference eventually cutting back all the way to 4mg. I would of course take more for an extended session of drinking but I almost never do that. I never really had serious SE's and responded immediately to NAL. The larger dose is really to block recepters for a longer period of time. Theoretically. Not harder but longer. Again, it is quite telling in the use of ULTRA Low Doses of NAL (.02mg) in combination with opiates to facilitate pain relief without addiction.
My point...NAL has done its work on you. It has extinguished the compulsion caused by endorphin rush from that hit of ALC. The other habitual stuff is UP TO YOU. Again, NAL can't slap the glass out of your hand.
I think you have done fantastically, by the way, and I applaud.

Steve

Temptations are still there, but I do not act on them wholeheartedly. I am traveling at the moment and there are many opportunities to get free drinks. So - how am I handling that? First, when it was still possible, I had two AF days this week. After, when events started happening with drinks all around, I switched to beer. In the last two days, I had each day three small beers (330 ml). I could have had two on both occasions. The last one was somehow for old times sake. I did not feel drunk at all, since I had one at lunch time and two at dinner. However, I am afraid that I am not yet cured. I still desired these drinks. I was not repulsed by them. I took 12,5 Nal before lunch and nothing more later. Maybe that was a mistake. So, I might in the future take another 12,5 ml before dinner, too, and see if that makes me desire less those two beers. I know that I will altogether not have more units this week, however, I am still rather disappointed in myself that I take that second beer at the time of the dinner. It is a habit that is hard to crack. I have never been a beer drinker, only liked wine. But now, I enjoy beer more because it last longer and does not have that much of alcohol. Now, I need to slowly switch from beer to water with ice, I guess.

tamtam I feel the same way about beer and wine. For some reason I can still drink way too much wine, nothing like in the past mind you, but still more then I would like and I think it's just because it's such a small content of liquid. I used to be able to drink wine just as easily as beer in fact I could easily pound a glass, a big glass, of wine and often did as it was more bang for the buck so that's probably why.

My advise to you and others comes from my understanding of TSM and that is don't be disappointed. In fact drink when ever you want to and when ever it beckons you too as long as you take Naltrexone at least one hour before. There is nothing at all to be disappointing in doing that because you are actually doing your self a favor. Each drink is one more lesson in the process of reverse learning and extinction every time you drink on Naltrexone. Remember it only works if you drink so don't be disappointed. The time will come. You cannot force yourself to not drink and in fact this is the old school method of abstinence and works against TSM. Let it run it's course and it will come.

I think you are probably right about the dosage but be careful too. I've read of people having really bad reactions to Naltrexone if they take it while already drunk. So if you drink a couple drinks at lunch make sure a couple hours pass before you take a booster and then wait another hour to drink.

No, Steven, it cannot. That is where I am. Maybe I need somebody like UKBlonde to come down (over) here and do it for me...........Newlife

I am finishing week 5 and am happy with my units. Because of 2 AF days this week, I only consumed 15,8 UK units which is about 9 US units. If I continue in this way, I will be happy with myself. However, I am rather lucky these days that I am a lot with my kids and usually I only drink one beer when I go out to a restaurant with them. I am still taking only 12,5 mg Nal, so that I have no side effects. I drinking slowly and mostly drink beer so that it lasts longer. I do not feel that I am cured yet, but I do drink far less than before.

I am slowly transitioning from beer to wine and have decided to only have a small glass (125 ml) with dinner when I eat out. This works very well with the small dosage of Nal (12,5 mg). I have no SE and craving is also not a problem. Funny, but I now prefer tea in the evening to wine. the most important thing for me is not to drink alone at home. Once I stopped that, things were much easier. My only fear now is what will happen when I will meet my friends who truly drink a lot. I hope that they will not be bad influence.

Tantam, it will be interesting to hear how your friends who drink a lot react to your not drinking as much. At a party recently I watched people constantly trying to get someone who usually has a few drinks to have "just one" when she didn't want one. She was traveling the next morning on an early flight. I did notice that the people who were badgering her were the people who were going to drink to excess.

Deena - I agree that this might happen. It is a particular form of "cruelty" where you want others to do the same stupid thing as they do. It is easier for them to continue drinking if you do it, too. My friends, happily, are not like that. They do not care if someone is drinking or not.

I now need to learn to order more consistently small drinks. Today, in a restaurant, I ordered a pint of beer, but I could have easily order half pint. I ordered full pint because I thought I would enjoy drinking longer, but then in the middle of my drinking, I lost interest in this beer. However, I still finished the glass. For old times sake!

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I am slowly finishing week 6 which with the amount of alcohol consumed probably stands as an example of a week when I am exceptionally socially engaged. Every day there was an event that involved drinking. I thus could not do AF days, or better, I had no desire to do them, if I am honest.

I am happy with the results nonetheless. Although I consumed more (19 UK units or 11 US standard drinks), I am happy to report that I did no drinking alone at home. This is a major step in my life. Nal has been of tremendous help in achieving this. I simply do not think that I should have a drink at home – although there are two small bottles of wine in my storage. There is also no urge when I pass a wine store or when I see at lunch in the canteen the possibility to buy wine. I have no desire to drink wine on my own at home or during the day. However, when I am social, I drink – slowly and without terrible urge to have more. I relish in wine or beer but do not crave them. This is miraculous change from how it was before. I feel much better physically now, I have saved a lot of money by not buying wine for home use and I am far less anxious and stressed.

Although there have been stresses in my life this last week, I did not react to them by procrastinating with the bottle. I just accept that there are ups and downs and then try to do as much as possible to sort things out. I am much more productive now that I do not have hangovers and am not asleep during the day because of too much wine.

Nal on – my dear friends! It works!