Hey guys. I haven't posted in a while, although I have been stopping in and reading now and then.

I'm about to finish week 6 and it looks like I'll be back in the low 40s. Week 5 was high, but considering I went out to the beach for 4 days, that's still pretty good.

I haven't been worried to much about trying to moderate lately. I had several stressful weeks there and I think just maintaining my current level is pretty good.

I definitely feel that the craving is less. Probably partly because I'm not trying too much to control. But also, I think the NAL's working. I reach points where I just really don't want anymore.

And I haven't gotten anywhere near out of control at any point since I started this, which I'm thrilled about. Even last weekend at the beach, I got very tipsy at one point, but didn't go over the line into obnoxious. Then went back to the house and napped it off.

I do better when I'm making my own drinks. I can consciously make them lighter. When I'm ordering at a bar and the bartender makes them heavy, I have a harder time. I guess I need to remember to ask for lighter drinks after I've had a few. I find it funny that I would actually ask a bartender to make me a light drink.

The next few weeks should be calmer and more normal than recent ones. I'm hoping I begin to see my numbers drop a bit.

I see my therapist every 2 weeks and my doctor again in late July. And I have a friend who is checking with me on my progress, and I think he's a bit skeptical of the program. I have to keep them all at bay long enough for this to work. Otherwise they're going to start pressuring me to do something more traditional like AA and abstinence. Don't want to go there.

The good news is that my partner has noticed a difference and he's the one in my life who's sees the most, both good and bad, of my behavior. He actually wants to try it too and will talk to our doctor about it next week.

You guys were so right about the honeymoon period and then this long waiting part. Like the stretch in a horse race. Glad you all warned me or I'd be getting frustrated. I can be patient and get through the next few weeks.

Great news. You're fortunate to have a supportive partner and even more fortunate he also wants to do TSM. Too many of us have to be secretive about it.

I love your attitude, Clay. It's great that your partner is interested - if he's also got a drinking issue, and you get over yours, it could definitely have a negative effect on the relationship. Jake and I are working this together, and he's having much greater progress than me. Most days he's content with 2 or 3 beers - unheard of before. While I have reduced my intake by 20 upw or so, I'm now drinking a lot more than he does - which makes me a bit nervous. I wonder if your partner feels a bit threatened by the prospect of being a heavy drinker living with a non-or-moderate drinker? It may be a discussion worth having. (We did, and Jake assures me that the sun will always rise and set on my shoulders, no matter how much I drink. ) Works for me!

I hadn't been on the board since last week and couldn't find it. Yikes! Eventually found it with a search.

Yes, G4M, my partner and I have both drunk heavily as long as we've been together. 19 years. Probably one of the things that brought us together, in a way. He's seeing our doctor today. I hope he'll prescribe NAL for him. I will have to coach him through the first bit. He's far more likely to have psychological side effects. He's manic already.

Week 7 was a good week for me. My lowest total yet. I was out at the beach Sat. & Sun. and drank more than I have been lately. Not out of control...just a lot. Enough to feel a bit hazy on Monday a.m. I took the Nal on Monday night and then poured myself a good, strong drink (my first one is always strong). And when I tasted it, it was really too strong for me. I found myself nursing it a long time. I poured the 2nd one light and also found myself nursing that one. After that I really didn't want another. Usually I'd have a tug of war at that point about the 3rd and sometimes 4th. But no craving. No feeling of deprivation. I just didn't want it. I'm hoping that's a sign that it's working.

I also wonder if overdoing it on Sunday made the extinction more pronounced on Monday. Last night I had 3 light ones. Didn't quite feel the same ambivalence as Monday night, but still no major craving.

Sounds like progress to me! Just keep at it, even if there are weeks with sudden spikes. Eventually the good weeks will outnumber the bad. Glad week 7 was a good one for you.

Yes, it sounds like "progress" and that's all we can hope for in life, right? My GF says I am a much better partner on nal so that is always a very good test of progress, outside of units consumed and cravings. You could argue it's just as important! I also agree that a HUGE benefit of nal is "control" -- as many have reported, I have far more control while drinking under nal. I also REMEMBER every conversation so that's another big positive! Keep us updated! We are watching and rooting for you!

I had a very chaotic and stressful June and July. Though nothing really bad happened to me, there was lots of stuff going on with people I'm connected to and therefore involved me. I haven't posted much.

One of the good things about that is that I didn't have time to really think about TSM working. I just took my NAL, drank as usual, trying (and succeeding) at not overdoing it too much, and dealt with things.

So I get to August and things are much calmer. I'm on week 15 and, unless I go on a bender tonight or tomorrow night (which is unlikely), I'm going to have a week of about 36 units. That's the lowest since I started.

I actually experienced points this weekend when I was looking at my drink and saying "do I really want this?" If that continues, the next step will be to say "no, I really don't" and put it down and do something else.

And it all sort of happened when I wasn't paying attention.

It's exciting and encouraging to read about those who have made real progress.

And for those who are still waiting for it, I do believe it really does work while you're not looking.

Just finished my 16th week. The last 2 weeks my drink intake was lower than it has been since I started. I think that's more due to the fact that I didn't have a lot going on...no beach weekends, no big events, very little stress. Although I do notice that at night I'm consciously pouring weaker drinks. And after about the 3rd one, I start not feeling well. Like my tolerance is getting less. And I go to soda at that point...realizing, of course, that I should have done that at least a drink ago.

My weekend intake is still the problem. I still drink pretty consistently from Friday when I get off work until Sunday night. I have been good about stopping early on Sunday night. But after drinking for 48 hours straight, except for sleeping, I still feel a bit fuzzy on Monday morning. Not really hung over....just not good.

Though perhaps I'm having less of those compulsive periods which usually happen on Sat. afternoon/night and Sunday afternoon where I feel I have to drink more to get the buzz I should have to really enjoy my weekend. That's all crazy reasoning but I'm beginning to see that's what usually happens.

I have one more calm week and then two long weekends in a row at the beach. I was hoping that I'd be feeling closer to cured by then but I guess it is what it is. Sept. and Oct. is when I hit the 5 and 6 month points. I'll keep my eyes on that.

I was on Facebook and noticed an ad in the margin about drinking and clicked on it. It led me to the following site:
http://www.projectsmartnyc.org/FAQs.html

In turn that had a link to a U.S. Dept. of HHS info page about NAL:
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/BKD268/28c.aspx

You guys may already know about these, but I was surprised to see them. It seems as if the word is getting out about NAL.

On to week 17...

Hey, these reports are wonderful. I wish there was a way to place them where others can easily read them, Lena, Nick???? For the benzo bunch, it was indicated that beno's could be used for alcohol withdrawl symptoms while on Naltrexone. could these links be posted for Dr's Info.???? GOOD NEWS Again

Dr. Eskapa speaks with disfavor about using benzos to manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms. He states that a major advantage of TSM is that these dugs, with their own risk of dependence, are not necessary. Detox is safe and gradual with TSM, allowing for virtually symptom-free withdrawal.