Hey AJ, you and I have similar numbers. Pre-nal I was a binge drinker, roughly 50 per week. I immediately dropped into the 20s for a few weeks with little craving to drink. I thought I was "cured." Turns out it was the "honeymoon" and I jumped back into the 40s the past few weeks. I say this simply to warn you in advance that if/when you find yourself drinking at your pre-nal levels, don't freak out about it. It appears to be a fairly typical pattern for a lot of us. Progress under TSM is a rollercoaster, but we will all cross the finish line victorious if we stick with it, I'm confident of it.

Hey AJ. I really don't have any insight or explanation for the honeymoon effect. And no, my AF days went down after the honeymoon for two reasons: (1) my cravings, which had been reduced during the honeymoon, came back to pre-nal levels; and (2) I have made no effort whatsoever to curb my habit while on TSM. Before TSM I would drink heavily Thurs-Saturday; on Sunday I'd be worthless from a hangover and hated the thought of alcohol; then on Monday to Wednesday I would think about drinking a lot and did my best not to drink during those days. I had fooled myself into thinking that I didn't have a drinking problem if I didn't drink four days a week. Only problem with that is that I was tossing down 40 to 50 over the three or four days I did drink... My understanding of extinction is that we are extinguishing "triggers" -- things that make us want to drink -- each time we crave a drink, take the nal, block the positive reinforcement and then drink. Furthermore, for we binge drinkers, if we only take nal a few times a week when we drink on two or three nights, extinction takes longer than if you are having fewer AF days. So now that I'm over the honeymoon I'm drinking more frequently and unfortunately, my numbers are going up. I'm not fighting it, although I have to admit, I hate the trend. If it wasn't for this board, I'd be very much questioning TSM right now as far as reducing cravings. But thanks to other's experiences, I realize this is just part of the rollercoaster process of TSM.

You may be one of those fortunate soles who has an ever-decreasing roughly linear weekly decline. I hope so. If not and you get an increase, you probably can expect several weeks before the inevitable cure finally occurs. Regardless, you are on your way, my friend!

Bob

AJ,

Good progress. However, don't be discouraged if your levels rebound over the coming weeks. You are very likely in a prolonged honeymoon stretch. The key is to stay positive and keep working the system, which means drinking when the desires hit after taking NAL. For most, the real finish line is no sooner than 4 months out, but more like 5-6 months.

Q

Eskapa explains this effect in his book. To paraphrase (from memory); early in the treatment, NAL is preventing the endorphine response of that first (or few) drinks. The result is less pleasure early in the drinking session, so less desire to keep drinking.

I found this to be very much the case in my first few weeks.

The honeymoon phase wearing off is your brain chasing after the effects of the endorphines that came from drinking, pre-TSM. This comes in the way of increased craving for AL -- that is, your brain is trying to get that "fix" again and the only way it knows to do that is to have you consume more AL.

True extinction results in these cravings going down to the point that you simple could take AL or leave it.

I'm sure Dr. Eskapa would give a much more technically correct explanation than this, but this is basically what happens.

Q

Hey AJ -- Hardly anyone has asked about why the honeymoon ends and it got me thinking. I may be the first to call it that and it's kind of a good analogy.

Eskapa calls it the "first drink" effect -- the euphoria that makes us so warm and fuzzy after those first few sips. When we are first on nal, we don't get that because it's the endorphin rush, which is blocked. When blocked, something in our brain says "No thanks" to the alcohol. (I suspect there may be some other things physically getting used to nal as well but that's just me). After a few days our brain says, "Hey, rush or no rush, I will have my alcohol!!!" And it is this second wave that takes months, without our feeling it, to stop.

Lena,

Looks like we were both responding at the same time, but I barely beat you to the punch.

Q

Jinx, you owe me a coke! I think we said the same thing.

Best not to overthink it. You will likely go back up to or even past pre-TSM levels. Not all do but do not be surprised or worried if it happens. Just take your nal and drink as you normally do. The most effort this method requires is patience.

Welcome, AJ -
I dunno. Lots o' information here. You will enjoy (I hope) reading thru the responses...late night here for me just wanted to welcome you & hope all goes well!

XO