Sante - so glad to hear of your progress. My weird dreams, thankfully subsided in the first few weeks. They were too weird to attach much significance to, though, as I suspect yours are. It's just a drug acting on your brain warping the nuerons or something. Dreaming about alligators w/ noses that light up like Rudolf's before they attack you is not something I want to really cut apart and think about. haha Maybe this is the beast vs me?? I dunno - it was just weird and scary and blicky. I hated having the weird dreams...

Sante,

Are you still with us? its tough i'm finding to adopt a program which has no history,..but the history it has seems to support its efficacy(80%)....

PLease post and tell us if you are still hanging in there....the advice is perfect...just take your Naltrexone ...it couldn't be easier...WHENEVER YOU HAVE A CRAVING!!!!!!!

It puts out those fires.....(according to those more experienced and cured)...I'm finishing week one disclosure....feel good after 5 units and am going out with Mrs....we'll see how the evening progresses

Hi Jim and anyone else reading this post,

I'm hanging in there and taking NAL everyday, as I am still drinking daily. My daily consumption is still too high, but my weekly units are down versus where I started in July. My downfall/weakness is when I'm alone at home. I do fine when I am on-the-go and occupied, so...I'm working at keeping myself out-of-the-house as much as possible. I'm at week 14 now, so I'm hoping to see some dramatic changes in my drinking consumption in the next month (hope, hope, hope).

We're sprucing up the boat and getting ready to sail south to sunny Florida. With luck, we'll be on our way in another week.

Sante

Hi Sante - good to hear from you again. I find being alone is still a huge trigger for me, and I think it will be the hardest one to tackle. I believe in my case, it has a lot to do with all the sneaking I did - naturally I had to drink alone then in order to keep it from my family. Funny thing is (and I think this is true for most alcoholics), I wasn't fooling anyone!

Hi Everyone,

It is Oct. 15 and we are waiting for two heavy weather systems to pass before we jump on our sailboat and head south. Right now, it is SNOWING in NNJ, believe it or not!

I've been doing well. Still taking the NAL every morning, and drinking 3 or so drinks a day, except once or twice a week when I overdo it. However, this is a MAJOR improvement over where I started and I'm feeling optimistic.

I'm still dreaming, but the dreams aren't quite so wild anymore and seem to have relevance, or at least I think they do.

Had my annual physical last week. I'm waiting for the blood work to come back, and I'm interested to see what the results are. My doctor actually asked if I had found a source for naltrexone and I told her, yes. When I reminded her that should could have prescribed it for me, rather than having me buy it on the net, she was unphased, continuing to claim she wasn't "allowed" to. I'll be changing insurance companies in 2010 and plan to hunt down a new/different PGP. There's got to be someone out there who is better informed!

One of these days, I'll plot my consumption on the google graph. In the meanwhile, I'm doing a much better job of tracking my daily consumption.

Sante

Hi Everyone,

I'm back. Still taking NAL every day (and drinking every day) and can't say that I am seeing much progress. I haven't given up, even though I've been taking NAL for 17 weeks now, because I'm at my wits end and can see that others here have had success despite their heavy drinking histories (like mine).

Unlike a lot of you, I still get drunk and experience blackouts and say/do embarrassing things while drinking. So I figure I'm really hard core and may need to take NAL a lot longer to get results.

Since today is Dec. 1 and my routine will be a little more predictable this month, I plan to be more diligent in keeping records about my daily consumption. And I'm going to aim for at least one AF day a week, if not more.

Any words of encouragement are appreciated!

Sante

It's Jan. 14 and I can't believe we are 2 weeks into 2010. The last month has been a nightmare for me. I hate the holidays and my resistance doesn't help. Why can't I just accept, accept, accept and let go, let go, let go?

Anyway, the drinking continues, as does the naltrexone. I'm committed to giving this program one year. And, this year, I'm going to try hard to keep count of drinks (which I don't do or don't do well).

I'm wondering if any of you sees a connection between stress and drinking? I've dabbled with meditation and other stress-reduction approaches in the past, and I wonder if I was less uptight, if I might find the need to drink less. Just a thought.

Happy new year to all who read this post,
Sante

Hi Sante,

I definitely think stress is a major factor in heavy drinking, so anything we can do to reduce it will help. Not only about drinking, but health in general - stress takes a toll physically even for non-drinkers. If I can get to a more relaxed state of mind, I find my craving level goes down. It's the highs and lows that still cause spikes for me, but I think even "normal" drinkers tend to over indulge at those times. If meditation or other methods help, you should go for it - my brains seems too restless for deep meditation, but just going to my yoga class is a big help.

Happy New Year to you as well - I hope 2010 will be the best year ever for you, and all of us!

Sante,

I too struggle as well,

Hang in there. I think we need to give this a legitimate shot. I'm experiencing no reduction in craving right now but then again, I'm 4+ months out.

I have glimmers...this is true....but each night (I have to hide my drinking) i find myself planning my booze for the evening. These days I switched to Jim Beam adn Coke. I will stink tomorrow as I give her a ride. I need to plan on Altoids b4 i give a ride.......ughhhhh

Good night . Hang in there friends, jim Clark

Start Week 31 today. Can't believe I've been taking Nal this long. Still averaging 6-9 drinks a day. Way too much and not a significant change from when I started. Not giving up...just reporting in and being honest.

Sante