Hi Craving
I'm sure it will happen. It certainly seems to have come (although at different stages) to the people on the 'Cured' posts.
Thanks for the introduction on my wall.
I'm sure you'll drop below that magic number 5 soon.
Hope it all continues to go well.
6DIJ

6DIJ - thanks for your message. I hope you are right.

The bad news is today 5 units - the good news .... not more! he he

a little boring to post here and to keep on saying 5-5-5-5-5-5-5 ... I think I have not seen a such pattern with any of the other TSM patients!

5 units today.

Lets get away from counting units and look at the changes in behavior

a) I can not drink more than 5 US units a day - and I am very well aware that it will give me a very bad time if I drink more.
b) I drink very slow - I seem to enjoy drinking more than the last months! I am not drinking a full unit in one sip - it is less about the "effect" - more about the taste. Although I am not fully sure about that statement. But clearly I enjoy tasting it more!
c) I am not spending all day thinking about alcohol. But I have the feeling that reason for that is that I have each day alcohol. So no reason to crave for it. In any way my craving should not get worse as long as I keep drinking each day (according to the book from Eskapa and my own interpretation of it!)


Although my units stay at 5 units a day - which I do not consider as particular worrisome right now I think I am on the right way to "rewind" my alcohol dependence.

My idea of how the process of de-addiction works is similar to rewinding a movie. Some have a faster speed of rewinding the addiction - others take longer - but in the end Nal is the tool that rewinds it. We go step by step back to where we came from.

Before I started to empty units by units with one sip I was enjoying the glasses of whisky - to which I am back now. And before enjoying it I had lower units per day - and before that I did not drink!

Although my units do not proof yet, my other experiences have changed significantly positive my life.

I will be away for the weekend from tomorrow on - so no more reports this week. Will be a bit difficult to keep my alcohol intake the same. But I think I will just take a bottle of whisky with me on "weekend vacation".

summary

Week 1
........Mon, 20.04. pre-SM AF
........Tue, 21.04. pre-SM AF
........Wed, 22.04. pre-SM AF
........Thu, 23.04. 5.7 units (SM Start 25mg Nal)
........Fri, 24.04. 6 units
........Sat, 25.04. AF
........Sun, 26.04. 5 units

........Total units : 16.7 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.6

Week 2
........Mon, 27.04. 5 units
........Tue, 28.04. AF
........Wed, 29.04. 5 units
........Thu, 30.04. AF
........Fri, 01.05. AF
........Sat, 02.05. AF
........Sun, 03.05. 1.5 units

........Total units : 11.5 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.8

Week 3
........Mon, 04.05. AF
........Tue, 05.05. 1.5 units (switch to 50mg Nal)
........Wed, 06.05. AF
........Thu, 07.05. 1.5 units
........Fri, 08.05. 1 unit
........Sat, 09.05. AF
........Sun, 10.05. AF

........Total units : 4 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 1.3

Week 4
........Mon, 11.05. 1 unit
........Tue, 12.05. AF
........Wed, 13.05. AF
........Thu, 14.05. 3 units
........Fri, 15.05. AF
........Sat, 16.05. AF
........Sun, 17.05. 5 units

........Total units : 9 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.0

Week 5
........Mon, 18.05. AF
........Tue, 19.05. 1 unit
........Wed, 20.05. 4 units
........Thu, 21.05. AF
........Fri, 22.05. 4 units
........Sat, 23.05. AF
........Sun, 24.05. AF

........Total units : 9 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.0

Week 6
........Mon, 25.05. 5 units
........Tue, 26.05. AF
........Wed, 27.05. AF
........Thu, 28.05. AF
........Fri, 29.05. 4 units
........Sat, 30.05. AF
........Sun, 31.05. 4 units

........Total units : 13 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.3

Week 7
........Mon, 01.06. AF
........Tue, 02.06. 5 units
........Wed, 03.06. 4 units
........Thu, 04.06. AF
........Fri, 05.06. 3 units
........Sat, 06.06. AF
........Sun, 07.06. AF


........Total units : 12 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.0

Week 8
........Mon, 08.06. 4 units
........Tue, 09.06. AF
........Wed, 10.06. 4 units
........Thu, 11.06. AF
........Fri, 12.06. 5 units
........Sat, 13.06. AF
........Sun, 14.06. 5 units


........Total units : 19 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.5

Week 9
........Mon, 15.06. AF
........Tue, 16.06. 5 units
........Wed, 17.06. 4 units
........Thu, 18.06. AF
........Fri, 19.06. 6 units
........Sat, 20.06. 7 units
........Sun, 21.06. AF


........Total units : 22 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.5

Week 10
........Mon, 22.06. 6 units
........Tue, 23.06. 5 units
........Wed, 24.06. 5 units
........Thu, 25.06. AF
........Fri, 26.06. AF
........Sat, 27.06. AF
........Sun, 28.06. 5 units


........Total units : 21 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.3

Week 11
........Mon, 29.06. 5 units
........Tue, 30.06. 6 units
........Wed, 01.07. AF
........Thu, 02.07. 4 units
........Fri, 03.07. 4 units
........Sat, 04.07. AF
........Sun, 05.07. 5 units


........Total units : 24 units
........AF days : 2
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.8

Week 12
........Mon, 06.07. AF
........Tue, 07.07. 6 units
........Wed, 08.07. 5 units
........Thu, 09.07. 5 units
........Fri, 10.07. AF
........Sat, 11.07. 3 units
........Sun, 12.07. AF


........Total units : 19 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.7


Week 13
........Mon, 13.07. AF
........Tue, 14.07. 6 units
........Wed, 15.07. 5 units
........Thu, 16.07. AF
........Fri, 17.07. 6 units
........Sat, 18.07. AF
........Sun, 19.07. AF


........Total units : 17 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.6


Week 14
........Mon, 20.07. 3 units
........Tue, 21.07. 4 units
........Wed, 22.07. 1.5 units
........Thu, 23.07. AF
........Fri, 24.07. 2.5 units
........Sat, 25.07. 3 units
........Sun, 26.07. 2 units


........Total units : 17 units
........AF days : 1
........avg. units per drinking session : 2.8


Week 15
........Mon, 27.07. 6 units
........Tue, 28.07. AF
........Wed, 29.07. 3 units
........Thu, 30.07. 3 units
........Fri, 31.07. 2 units
........Sat, 01.08. 4 units
........Sun, 02.08. 4 units


........Total units : 22 units
........AF days : 1
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.6


Week 16
........Mon, 03.08. 4.5 units
........Tue, 04.08. 3 units
........Wed, 05.08. 3 units
........Thu, 06.08. 4 units
........Fri, 07.08. 5 units
........Sat, 08.08. 4 units
........Sun, 09.08. 4.5 units


........Total units : 28 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.0


Week 17
........Mon, 10.08. 3 units
........Tue, 11.08. 4 units
........Wed, 12.08. 4 units
........Thu, 13.08. 5 units
........Fri, 14.08. 1 unit
........Sat, 15.08. 1 unit
........Sun, 16.08. 4 units


........Total units : 22 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.1


Week 18
........Mon, 17.08. 5 units
........Tue, 18.08. 5 units
........Wed, 19.08. 4 units
........Thu, 20.08. 5 units
........Fri, 21.08. 3 units
........Sat, 22.08. AF
........Sun, 23.08. 5 units


........Total units : 27 units
........AF days : 1
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.5


Week 19
........Mon, 24.08. 5 units
........Tue, 25.08. 4 units
........Wed, 26.08. 5 units
........Thu, 27.08. 5 units
........Fri, 28.08. 5 units
........Sat, 29.08. 2.5 units
........Sun, 30.08. 3 units


........Total units : 29.5 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.2


Week 20
........Mon, 31.08. 5 units (switched to 75mg)
........Tue, 01.09. 5 units
........Wed, 02.09. 5 units
........Thu, 03.09. 5 units
........Fri, 04.09. 5 units
........Sat, 05.09. 7 units
........Sun, 06.09. 5 units


........Total units : 37 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.3


Week 21
........Mon, 07.09. 5 units
........Tue, 08.09. 5 units
........Wed, 09.09. 5 units
........Thu, 10.09. 5 units
........Fri, 11.09. 5 units
........Sat, 12.09. 5 units
........Sun, 13.09. 5 units


........Total units : 35 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.0


Week 22
........Mon, 14.09. 5 units
........Tue, 15.09. 5 units
........Wed, 16.09. 5 units
........Thu, 17.09. 5 units
........Fri, 18.09. 2 units
........Sat, 19.09. 3 units
........Sun, 20.09. 1 units


........Total units : 26 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.7

I was this weekend out of town - so it was difficult to drink. On Sunday I could not drink a lot, as I was driving - and I was stopped by police to check for alcohol levels - luckily with 1 unit that was fine.

The next weeks will be more interesting.

5 units today.

Most likely I am quite drunken now, because I was not drinking a lot the last days. Of course 5 units is like a huge shock to my body now, after 3 days of drinking avg. 2 units!
Weekend was different as I had less triggers and less possibilities to drink. Sometimes I think that I am having the habit of "custom" - doing things just out of "routine". So if I change scenes - routine changes too.

Feels good to be drunken again. I am still thinking clearly. I feel all numb also when tipping this message now.

I am pretty sure that you could cure part of my alcoholism by doing a psycho therapy on why I want to escape the reality!

i am not posting every day as I think it will get quite boring...

so far every day 5 units.

monday 5
tuesday 5
wednesday 5
thursday 5


One might say - hey that looks boring - but I say it is quite surprising that I keep on that levels and pretty much never surpass this.

I am really curious on the weeks to come ... if it does not go up it can only go down - and we got the cap at 35 units (7x5) ...

summary

Week 1
........Mon, 20.04. pre-SM AF
........Tue, 21.04. pre-SM AF
........Wed, 22.04. pre-SM AF
........Thu, 23.04. 5.7 units (SM Start 25mg Nal)
........Fri, 24.04. 6 units
........Sat, 25.04. AF
........Sun, 26.04. 5 units

........Total units : 16.7 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.6

Week 2
........Mon, 27.04. 5 units
........Tue, 28.04. AF
........Wed, 29.04. 5 units
........Thu, 30.04. AF
........Fri, 01.05. AF
........Sat, 02.05. AF
........Sun, 03.05. 1.5 units

........Total units : 11.5 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.8

Week 3
........Mon, 04.05. AF
........Tue, 05.05. 1.5 units (switch to 50mg Nal)
........Wed, 06.05. AF
........Thu, 07.05. 1.5 units
........Fri, 08.05. 1 unit
........Sat, 09.05. AF
........Sun, 10.05. AF

........Total units : 4 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 1.3

Week 4
........Mon, 11.05. 1 unit
........Tue, 12.05. AF
........Wed, 13.05. AF
........Thu, 14.05. 3 units
........Fri, 15.05. AF
........Sat, 16.05. AF
........Sun, 17.05. 5 units

........Total units : 9 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.0

Week 5
........Mon, 18.05. AF
........Tue, 19.05. 1 unit
........Wed, 20.05. 4 units
........Thu, 21.05. AF
........Fri, 22.05. 4 units
........Sat, 23.05. AF
........Sun, 24.05. AF

........Total units : 9 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.0

Week 6
........Mon, 25.05. 5 units
........Tue, 26.05. AF
........Wed, 27.05. AF
........Thu, 28.05. AF
........Fri, 29.05. 4 units
........Sat, 30.05. AF
........Sun, 31.05. 4 units

........Total units : 13 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.3

Week 7
........Mon, 01.06. AF
........Tue, 02.06. 5 units
........Wed, 03.06. 4 units
........Thu, 04.06. AF
........Fri, 05.06. 3 units
........Sat, 06.06. AF
........Sun, 07.06. AF


........Total units : 12 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.0

Week 8
........Mon, 08.06. 4 units
........Tue, 09.06. AF
........Wed, 10.06. 4 units
........Thu, 11.06. AF
........Fri, 12.06. 5 units
........Sat, 13.06. AF
........Sun, 14.06. 5 units


........Total units : 19 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.5

Week 9
........Mon, 15.06. AF
........Tue, 16.06. 5 units
........Wed, 17.06. 4 units
........Thu, 18.06. AF
........Fri, 19.06. 6 units
........Sat, 20.06. 7 units
........Sun, 21.06. AF


........Total units : 22 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.5

Week 10
........Mon, 22.06. 6 units
........Tue, 23.06. 5 units
........Wed, 24.06. 5 units
........Thu, 25.06. AF
........Fri, 26.06. AF
........Sat, 27.06. AF
........Sun, 28.06. 5 units


........Total units : 21 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.3

Week 11
........Mon, 29.06. 5 units
........Tue, 30.06. 6 units
........Wed, 01.07. AF
........Thu, 02.07. 4 units
........Fri, 03.07. 4 units
........Sat, 04.07. AF
........Sun, 05.07. 5 units


........Total units : 24 units
........AF days : 2
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.8

Week 12
........Mon, 06.07. AF
........Tue, 07.07. 6 units
........Wed, 08.07. 5 units
........Thu, 09.07. 5 units
........Fri, 10.07. AF
........Sat, 11.07. 3 units
........Sun, 12.07. AF


........Total units : 19 units
........AF days : 3
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.7


Week 13
........Mon, 13.07. AF
........Tue, 14.07. 6 units
........Wed, 15.07. 5 units
........Thu, 16.07. AF
........Fri, 17.07. 6 units
........Sat, 18.07. AF
........Sun, 19.07. AF


........Total units : 17 units
........AF days : 4
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.6


Week 14
........Mon, 20.07. 3 units
........Tue, 21.07. 4 units
........Wed, 22.07. 1.5 units
........Thu, 23.07. AF
........Fri, 24.07. 2.5 units
........Sat, 25.07. 3 units
........Sun, 26.07. 2 units


........Total units : 17 units
........AF days : 1
........avg. units per drinking session : 2.8


Week 15
........Mon, 27.07. 6 units
........Tue, 28.07. AF
........Wed, 29.07. 3 units
........Thu, 30.07. 3 units
........Fri, 31.07. 2 units
........Sat, 01.08. 4 units
........Sun, 02.08. 4 units


........Total units : 22 units
........AF days : 1
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.6


Week 16
........Mon, 03.08. 4.5 units
........Tue, 04.08. 3 units
........Wed, 05.08. 3 units
........Thu, 06.08. 4 units
........Fri, 07.08. 5 units
........Sat, 08.08. 4 units
........Sun, 09.08. 4.5 units


........Total units : 28 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.0


Week 17
........Mon, 10.08. 3 units
........Tue, 11.08. 4 units
........Wed, 12.08. 4 units
........Thu, 13.08. 5 units
........Fri, 14.08. 1 unit
........Sat, 15.08. 1 unit
........Sun, 16.08. 4 units


........Total units : 22 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.1


Week 18
........Mon, 17.08. 5 units
........Tue, 18.08. 5 units
........Wed, 19.08. 4 units
........Thu, 20.08. 5 units
........Fri, 21.08. 3 units
........Sat, 22.08. AF
........Sun, 23.08. 5 units


........Total units : 27 units
........AF days : 1
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.5


Week 19
........Mon, 24.08. 5 units
........Tue, 25.08. 4 units
........Wed, 26.08. 5 units
........Thu, 27.08. 5 units
........Fri, 28.08. 5 units
........Sat, 29.08. 2.5 units
........Sun, 30.08. 3 units


........Total units : 29.5 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 4.2


Week 20
........Mon, 31.08. 5 units (switched to 75mg)
........Tue, 01.09. 5 units
........Wed, 02.09. 5 units
........Thu, 03.09. 5 units
........Fri, 04.09. 5 units
........Sat, 05.09. 7 units
........Sun, 06.09. 5 units


........Total units : 37 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.3


Week 21
........Mon, 07.09. 5 units
........Tue, 08.09. 5 units
........Wed, 09.09. 5 units
........Thu, 10.09. 5 units
........Fri, 11.09. 5 units
........Sat, 12.09. 5 units
........Sun, 13.09. 5 units


........Total units : 35 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 5.0


Week 22
........Mon, 14.09. 5 units
........Tue, 15.09. 5 units
........Wed, 16.09. 5 units
........Thu, 17.09. 5 units
........Fri, 18.09. 2 units
........Sat, 19.09. 3 units
........Sun, 20.09. 1 units


........Total units : 26 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 3.7


Week 23
........Mon, 21.09. 5 units
........Tue, 22.09. 5 units
........Wed, 23.09. 5 units
........Thu, 24.09. 5 units
........Fri, 25.09. 5 units
........Sat, 26.09. 5 units
........Sun, 27.09. 5 units


........Total units : 35 units
........AF days : 0
........avg. units per drinking session : 5



Nothing really new from me.
Week 20 - 37
Week 21 - 35
Week 22 - 26
Week 23 - 35

Still waiting for a breakout to the south ...

This week I have my first "wash-out" very long weekend sheduled.
I am really curious how the supersensitive receptor will make me feel. Will meet family and we will do sports, go out eating, etc...

Wish me luck - I will report on Monday how it worked out!

When I look at your progress I can't help but be reminded of something Dr. Eskapa wrote in the "missing chapter":

"There are exceptions. In the beginning, when the data from the first 20 patients treated with naltrexone in Finland were examined, there were 19 curves going in one the direction of improvement. There was one patient whose curve went in the opposite direction. Despite the instruction, she started out abstaining during the first weeks on naltrexone. A little later she started drinking a little bit, and then more and more. Only when she had started drinking at the level of the other alcoholics did the benefits start developing. Then her curve changed direction and she began getting better."

You weren't trying to abstain early on but this looks like it could be an extremely extended honeymoon effect.

thank you loop for your post. I hope you are right

Today the first AF day since 1 1/2 months - so today is wash out day. Looking forward for positive reinforcement over the next days!