Hi Kiwi & everyone

Thanks for your support and encouragement. (& your email Kiwi.) Am still not sure how this will work for me as the 6-8 mths it might take you guys may take me a lot longer as i want to keep drinking as infrequently as possible. also don't think i am going to be able to do it round my husband so will be more secret squirrel stuff, like my drinking has been for 17 years unless i get sprung! Hard not to get sprung when in the last few years drinking has at times caused me to bugger off in my car for days on end and not answer my phone. My husband will be extrememly sceptical beacuse i tried another pill to cut down thru the website My Way Out (topamax.) I couldn't get that in NZ so ordered online and most of it was confiscated. Hubby said it would end in disaster and of course it did! In fact i heard about TSM thru My Way Out.
Since my binge last week am back among my AA support & have no desire to drink, but that usually only lasts 3 mths max. Will also not be able to tell AA friends/sponsor about this unless i can see it starting to work. Am looking forward to giving it a go though.
No script yet, but will keep you posted.

Cheers
Sticky

Hi Everyone,

I am from New Zealand as well and have been on Naltrexone for two and a half weeks after being prescribed it by CADS. They told me that they recommend a period of abstinence for a while before I start drinking again as I have told them that my goal is controlled drinking in the long term. They have prescribed that I take the Naltrexone once a day and have given me a month's supply with the stipulation that to get ongoing prescriptions of Naltrexone then I need to attend their counselling sessions (haven't done so yet). I haven't drunk in three and a half weeks, mainly because I haven't felt like it and have been doing other things. I am not a daily drinker and go weeks without drinking sometimes and really feel no urge to drink most of the time. The problem with my drinking is that when I start, I find it very hard to stop and I binge a few days at a time which is not good. I only start drinking when I'm socialising with friends but tend to drink more than everyone else and after having a few, I find it hard to control my drinking. I'll then either start drinking again to ease my hangover because I feel so sick from the night before or because I wake up and I'm still drunk and feel like keeping on going. Therefore, my goal is to be able to control myself when I am socialising which I think the Naltrexone can help me with. I am still in my 20's, single with no children and therefore my social life really revolves around going out to bars and parties on the weekend and alcohol is always involved. I don't want to give it up, I just want to be able to drink like most of my friends do where they either slow down or know when to stop. When I start drinking, it is not because I really need to drink or have strong urges, it is because I want to be social and enjoy being with my friends, meeting new people etc. If it's Saturday night and I know my friends are out, then it feels like I am missing out on something.

Kiwichick - I therefore have a few questions for you. I have been reading up on the Sinclair Method and it seems to me to make perfect sense. Having taken the Nal for two and a half weeks I'm anxious to have a few drinks to see how effective it is. However, it seems to go against what CADS want me to do. So my question is, are you taking what they prescribed you at CADS or are you just taking the pill before you drink? If it is the latter, do the counsellors/doctors at CADS know that you are doing it this way? Would they be open to the idea of me trying the Sinclair Method? From what I have read, the way they are pescribing it to me is the method for extinction, which as I understand, will mean that I won't gain pleasure from alcohol in the future. I still want to be able to enjoy alcohol and drink socially, just not to the current levels that I do and be able to stop once I start.

I'm confused, can you help?

Hi Kiwichick & csean

Go the kiwis! If a few of us can get this to work we can reeducate the NZ drug and alcohol profession! I should let Kiwichick answer for herself but from my experience my GP and staff in the treatment centre i went thru in AKL (Bridge)think naltrexone is only to be used as an anti craving med without drinking. As i said before for me it didn't decrease craving and made me feel nauseous. Am still waiting for my script and am drinking as we speak. So much for the cravings staying away for 3 months - more like one week. I think that now i now i'm going to try TSM the resolve to stay sober is gone. My AA sponsor gave me some work sheets to do on step 1 (powerless over alcohol) today and i'm thinking OMG I'm back to the f---ing beginning again! I would so like to be able to drink like a "normy". Am now feeling rather insecure as the only people who know what's really going on in my head re drinking are you guys...

Kiwichick - would love to get in contact with you if i think this might work for me. I can see my support networks will be shot to pieces. Obviously if i think it is working i will get my husband to read up on it and will tell my AA friends, but won't be able to do AA anymore as their only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Also reread your first post and we have 3 cats too. Moggies, 2 from SPCA.

Csean - all the best with this too. Do you live in AKL? Will be keen to hear how your first drinking session goes while taking nal.

Cheers
Sticky

Cheers
Sticky

Hi Sticky and CSean,
So thrilled to have some kiwis on board. The more NZ ers learn about TSM the better.

Firstly let me say - I'm no expert. I just know it works for me... I've read Doctor Escapas book (which I 100% recommend u read and re-read, if you haven't already. Seriously... ALL the answers are in there)

One thing that is different between both of you and me... In simplistic terms I was a daily drinker and you guys sound like infrequent binge drinkers. I KNOW there are binge drinkers on this site where TSM is working for them... But we all have different experiences.

The MOST important thing .... TAKE THE PILL AN HOUR BEFORE U DRINK !!!!!! Don't take it on days that you dont drink. I've TRIED to educate CADS on TSM.... obviously it has had NO IMPACT. GRRRRRRRRRR !!

I'm no scientist... But if u read roy Escapas book it explains why it's sooooooo important we only take Nal on the days we drink. Probably another important factor for the 'binge drinkers' ... The opioid blocking of NAL only works for a number if hours after taking it. (Im really sorry I can't remember how many hours... But I THINK it's 8?) ... So if your on a binge and you get to 8 hours of drinking... you need to take another pill. (again, pls read the book; I'm a passionate advocate but no expert)

CSean, when I got my script from CADS I didn't tell them about TSM at first. I listened to their advice and wanted to SCREAM - YOUR WRONG!!!!!! But u needed the script -listened politely and ran out the door with the magic piece of paper in my hand. BUT... after using my first 3 month script, I then told a senior counselor what I was doing... And he seemed to 'humour me' by listening... But his tone sounded more like 'yeah, whatever, you're an alcoholic what would you know'. I went back to CADS to get my final 3mnth script and I had to meet the psychologist in order to get it. By this stage I was hvg amazing results... And I just HAD TO GET THEM TO LISTEN. I spilled the beans in a face to face meeting with the psychologist. (I'm a business person, who is very well groomed, articulate, educated and I have a great career....I met him with a full presentation, the book, graphs of my progress etc ) The psych seemed to be bemused by me... And I thought he was listening.... Now I hear you got your script only 2 weeks ago and they're STILL prescribing it INCORRECTLY. ARGHHHHHHH !!!!

Sorry posting on my phone ....And accidentally submitted the above post before finished...

CSean, I'm so happy that u hv sought a solution sooo early in your life. I'm 39 (+1)... and found TSM only 6 months ago. It's saved my life, my marriage and my relationship with my beautiful kids. I'd love to give you a hug for being aware of your problem and doing something about it so early. I honestly think you have found the cure.
Sticky, we both sound like we are at similar stages in our lives.... So I completely understand how freakin hard this is... And what it will mean to you, your hubby and your kids to get it sorted. I'm kinda nervous about meeting... Unless we keep our names confidential? I've got a reasonably high profile position and I can't risk my wee secret getting out.... But I would also like to support you. PMS me... And let's work out what's best.

My parting note.... The most important thing I learned in the book... Alcoholism is NOT a sign of a human being who is weak and failing (as AA would have you believe) it's a physiological addiction that must be treated and extinguished if we are going to be cured.

DONT BEAT YOURSELF UP ANY MORE.... ITS NOT YOUR FAULT... ITS YOUR GENETICS! BUT... now u know this.... Get serious about TSM... read the book; follow the instructions... And free yourself once and for all.

Keep posting you guys.... Huge hugs
Kiwi.

Thanks again Kiwi

Being in AA has made me very conscious of protecting people's anonymity. The only time I found it a bit hard was when i got to know a famous actress and couldn't go around telling people i'd met her.
I think it will take a lot more than just one person's experience for CADS to change the way they prescribe nal. Maybe the three of us will have more oomph!
I must order the book. To be honest i was going to try nal first then read it if i thought it might work, but like you say I need to take it seriously.

Cheers
Sticky7

Hi Sticky,

I just returned the book to the Parnell Library if you want to get it from there.

Hi csean

Thanks for that. Don't tell me you live in Parnell too?! Will see if it's still there. My order is on the way from the US. I am picking up my script today. Yay! Got drunk 2 nights ago and fessed up to hubby about TSM. He is very nervous as the time i tried something similar (topamax thru website My Way Out) i couldn't get a script here. Ordered online but most of it was confiscated so that ended in disaster as hubby predicted! Hubby nervous that i will go AWOL b4 Xmas as it is the busiest time for us with our businesses. Tonight might b the night tho - i hv a glass or 2 of wine hidden away.

When do you plan to try nal? Hope it works for both of us. There are lots of young people in AA these days and the older ones say you are so lucky to get into recovery while you are young. I tend to think it must be even harder being young 'cos your 20's is the time you party the most and there is more peer pressure to drink, especially for guys. I worry about my 2 boys becoming alcoholics but if this nal works it will make it not so scary.... I first went to AA when I was 31.
Looking forward to reading your posts and i will start posting my weekly progress once i get started.
All the best.

Sticky

HI Everyone,

My last 2 weeks have been a bit different from each other....but overall I am still happy with the overall results. Hope everyone is having a great week.

Kiwi.

Kiwichick, your latest numbers look great. Do you think you're on the verge of declaring cured? No rush of course, everything in its time.