Jaba, right on point again. It's so true. It's impossible to really explain what it's like to someone who doesn't know. As a child I started learning about addiction very early as I would watch my father get drunk every night then later my older brother went deep into alcoholism. At that point I was only just beginning to learn. Sure enough I followed right in my fathers footsteps and it really was only then that I understood. My wife is the only one I confide in with regards to alcoholism and even then it's only minimal but she just simply cannot understand and often times proof of that would be when I was abstaining for a period of time she'd ask me if I'd like a glass of wine with dinner.

No matter how hard I'd try to explain that would lead to me binge drinking for the next 3 months she just can't understand it. I have no resentments about that BTW it's just the way it is. Even trained professionals, addiction specialists, therapists, physiologists etc.. if they themselves are not addicts then there is something primal and fundamental that they just don't get. Well, thankfully Dr. Sinclair did at least understand more then most of them and has actually cracked that nut and turned upside down on it's head a $6 Billion dollar a year industry based on this fundamental misunderstanding of addiction.

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Jaba - I was nauseated initially but kept my dose low at first and also made sure that I took the Nal with food - which is what he said he was making sure he was doing now .....

Hugs, Maggie x

Ocean, how frustrating it must have been to have your wife offer you wine while you were abstaining, but it absolutely does prove how difficult it is for others to understand. I am constantly amazed at the disdain with which alcoholics are regarded, as if this is something we have chosen.

Jaba, I took 25mg twice and then went right up to 50mg. I remember feeling a little spacey and weird but don't remember stomach issues. The perspiring has stopped for me, too!

Deena, Wow, that was powerful what you wrote. I do understand so much of it. How hard it is at first to admit your an alcoholic. And how hard it is to admit to your husband. You must love him very much.

I loved reading how you stalled at the restaurant to have your hour on nal! Good job! Your quite creative!

But I love your honesty. I need to hear things like this, that help me to understand my own drinking. I agree about the habit with the stress. I posted today in my weekly progress how I was so stressed yesterday, that I couldn't wait to drink, and knew it was a habit for me. But right now I don't even care to try to do something else to relieve the stress. In fact I don't think I can right now.

But you give me hope.

And you are doing so wonderful. I'm so happy for you. Please keep making these great posts.

Hugs.

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Jaba - seeing as I am this far in and am still at 50mg, there is no way that I am going down in dosage - WHEN I am 'cured' I will consider it - but until then I am not tempting fate .....

Hugs, Maggie x

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Tamara, thank you for your kind words. Sharing our struggles and successes makes us all stronger. Hugs right back!

Jaba - why do you have to be AF for another day and night ? And if it is that hard - maybe you need to rethink it .....hang in there,

Hugs, Maggie x