I have been reading the forums (especially about Naltrexone) and am happy that I found you.
My story is that I have drank to excess for about 25 years. Went into treatment 3 times..maybe even 4, I can't remember and each time I would quit for about a month to 6 months only to relapse again.
The last time I went into treatment was after a binge of drinking myself to sleep for about 3 weeks straight. I woke, drank, slept. Sometimes I ate something in between but not often as it was hard enough to get enough liquor down me to quell the shakes and rapid heartbeat enough to pass out (relief) again. I usually had to throw-up over and over before I managed to keep enough down me for relief. I had to go into an emergency room when I could no longer walk to the bathroom to relieve my bladder. My legs were useless and I had to be carried out by emergency personnel. They sent me to a treatment center. After a few days I began to get back the use of my legs, slowly but surely. I still don't know why I lost use of them and heard not stories of anyone else having gone through such a thing but it was scary.
After being released from the treatment center I began to go to AA. I had been before, quite a few times and figured I was just one of those for whatever reason could not be helped by AA.
I tried hard and did ok for 6 months only to crash after an bad argument with my husband.
I swore though that I would do anything in my power never to have to go to another treatment center. I tried to go back to AA but it was like my relapse was my excuse to drink "a little" again since I knew I could most likely work the program if I really wanted to. I just did not want to think that I could never EVER take another drink in my entire life again. It was just overwhelming to me even to consider it. Even when I was going to AA I was always feeling in the back of my head that I could never really stay off the booze for the rest of my life.
Well, I vowed to never drink booze (liquor) again. Just beer. It was cool at first, I got a buzz and was happy that I could drink in a more controlled way. And I did for a long time until I began to read about eating natural organic foods which led to making a lot of my own food. I even wanted to make my own vanilla extract from beans and 100 proof vodka. Only problem was that it did not take a lot of the vodka to make the extract and I don't like to be wasteful soooo, the only thing I could do was drink the vodka that was left over, AND when that was gone and I had no way to go for more, I drank the vanilla that I was making! And as soon as I could get more, I did. It was horrible. Only two fifths of vodka made me sick and the tremors, painful heartbeats, all of the misery came right back in no time.
I sweated it out for 3 days drinking some beers to try and keep the tremors down. I know it was stupid to do it on my own but I did it. After that I quit for about a month then decided that it was ok to go back to only beer.
And I drank beer for about 2 years and got sick many times still but nowhere near as badly as with the liquor. Nine to 12 a day (mostly only at night but occasionally I would have some in the morning or afternoon depending on how crappy I felt). They hardly gave me a buzz there at the end because I just could not drink enough to get the buzz I wanted.

About 2 months ago I wanted to try some of the recipes I had been seeing on the food network and they included the use of wine in many of the recipes (how easily I could find a way to get more alcohol into me, what a joke) so I got some wine and long story short had a 2 month wine binge winding up with the sweats, shortness of breath, painful heartbeat etc just as before. During this drying out period when I was finally able to get out of bed and sit at my computer I begain searching for ANYTHING that would help me with my problem. AA was out of the question since I had tried it soo many times before.
I read about Campral and thought wow, that might help me. If I don't crave alcohol maybe I can abstain from it. I had set up an appt to see my doctor and kept reading about it and suddenly the word Naltrexone started coming up, then the Sinclair Method was mentioned with a link that I clicked on and was elated to find.
It sounded too good to be true but I just could not get enough of reading about people who were doing so well on the method and I figured I would ask my doctor about that and try it first.
I was still drinking beer to help me get over the bout of wine so I got my prescription from my doctor and ordered the book that was recommended along with the Naltrexone (which I have not yet received) and began taking it this past Friday.
The first night I drank only 4 beers, next night 2, and last night none. I don't know if having gotten past the sickness from the wine had anything to do with my cutting down (since I was finally feeling better) or not but I either way I am elated to think that I might be able to control my abusive drinking in some way and maybe even eventually quit altogether or at least be happy on much less.
So here I am and I am here with lots of hope for better life. A life with a future other than trying to stay "unsick".
I would love any and all advice as this Naltrexone is very new to me and also to my doctor who was kind enough to let me try it even though she was not too familiar with it.
Sincerely, Brit
PS I copied this from another site before I found this one so it is now day 6 and the most that I have drank in one night was 2 glasses of wine and 3 beers..still amazing for me. Last night I drank 3 beers only.
I did wake Tuesday with a craving for a drink (as I do a about once a week when drinking w/o any help) but it was not too hard to shake off.

Welcome Brit0ny to the board! Your story sounds sooo familiar to me. I'm what you would call a controlled drinker but I can't remember a day that I didn't have a drink, not so with my husband who has a story very much like your own. We're both on Nal and it's been about 5 weeks now and we've found that once you get pass the nausea you feel more mentally in control less drinking but it's what they call a honeymoon phase. Read as many of the threads here as you can because as they told me it's a rollercoster ride. Just remember to take the Nal one hour before drinking (extremely important) and keep going and living! You'll get there some people make it in 4 months and others it might take as long as when it happens, so you have support here keep coming back and post as often as you can, we're here for you.

Hi brit0ny, so lovely to see another soul has found the forum here

A very big welcome to you, and thanks so much for sharing such a lot of your journey here - it's a great belief of mine that many many people will follow our stories further down the line when The Sinclair Method becomes more accepted and mainstream, and having these personal stories will give so much hope to so many people even in the meantime.

It's a great supportive site here and you are among friends who are on the same journey as you!

I think it's a very good sign that you've already noticed the effects of Nal. I had something similar in the first week, but since then my drinking has risen back to previous levels, and in the last few weeks has surpassed them, but I seem to be back on a downward curve again now (I am at week eleven by the way).

I think it's important to extinguish certain triggers and cravings for alcohol on Nal. Sometimes I've gotten really upset with myself that I resorted to drinking in the early morning, or 24/7 again for short bursts, but for me I think I need to do that on Nal to get rid of those drinking patterns. So, I'd say, just go with the flow! Don't fight too hard against wanting a drink. If you REALLY want one then have one, just take your Nal and wait the hour (or as close as you can get!) and you'll have around a 90% chance that you're curing yourself. Wonderful, isn't it?!!

I look forward to reading your progress here Brit, and wish you all the best

8

Wow Brit,

Welcome and ditto per the other comments...

It seems most folk had some sort of an immediate relief..almost unbelievable.

There's so much to read here....enjoy them all..lotsa brains here and a lot of happy people and as you might suspect, pain as well,...but we all support each other unconditionally...Welcome, Jim
PS I am currently week 5 and am noticing something shifting,....cravings down and obsession sort of leaving but drinking daily 6 -8 units...last night I had 7ish. Down from pre TSM of usually 60-80 units per week

Welcome Brit to this crazy (In a NICE way ) bunch of people - isn't it wonderful to find so many people who know exactly where you are coming from? We've all been there done that, in varying degrees. The stories we all have to tell are simply amazing. Please stick around, especially when your honeymoon may fade and times get tougher. There is always a dip, then a surge upwards again. Set your goals and go, girl! BTW, very important to read the book when you get it.

I am so glad that I found you all, not only for the introduction to Nal but for the stories that you all have and the caring that you all show for anyone who joins and needs help and encouragement.
I am trying not to feel bad if I have a few drinks as long as I have taken my Nal.
It is hard because for so long I have drilled (ahem, I worked in a drug and alcohol unit for 10 years) and had it drilled in me that no way can you ever have a drink if you are going to "make it".
I have so much hope and that is something I have not had in years. I am 54 and I gave up on most everything to do with living a couple of years back. I did not care to live any more and I wished for death. I could not stop drinking and my life was H-ll so why try any more? Each time I sweated out the tremors in terrible pain I just knew this would be the one that killed me. Yet I was too chicken to actually kill myself easily.
I hope so much that people who are younger than myself never have to go through all those years of pain. I hope that Nal can give the help that they need to succeed.
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.
Brit

Welcome aboard. I believe the TSM will help many a drunk and spare them all the other crap most of us have gone thru.
Remember to add Patience to the cure. It seems recently people that have just started are getting pretty impatient. I am about 4.5 mos into it and have cut down by about 33% with no huge sacrifice or struggle. still not cured but amazing nonetheless.

Welcome! Wow, what a truly powerful story. I'm so glad you have found TSM and this board.

First, you definitely need to read the book to understand how this works. Second, the immediate reduced interest in drinking is common on naltrexone. The good news is that naltrexone is working for you; the bad news is that this is probably temporary and is just a side effect of your body getting acclimated to naltrexone. Almost all of us here have found a renewed interest in drinking after the honeymoon so do not think you are headed for failure when your interest in drinking resumes. In fact, many of us drink at or above pre-TSM levels several weeks after starting naltrexone. This is part of what we refer to as "the roller coaster." Your improvement will not be linear but will be marked by a many ups and downs. It will take many months before you actually experience a true reduction in your drinking -- what the experts call "extinction." We are discovering on this board that while you will almost certainly see a huge reduction in cravings and consumption, you will not be cured for many months. The book cites three to four months on average for the cure. We are finding here that "in the real world" it takes more like six to twelve months, depending upon how long you've been drinking and how much you've been drinking.

Welcome to the board! And just follow the simple rule, naltrexone one hour before drinking, every time you drink. And as someone correctly points out above, mix in a bit of patience also.

My best to you,

Nick

Hello,
I am eagerly awaiting my the book (it may be here today:) as I want to follow it advidly.
I really am not looking for a quick cure. Thirty some odd years of drinking won't dissapear in a few months I am sure. A year sounds great to me. Two or more years would sound great to me. It gives me the hope that I have not had in long, long time and just having that hope has given me a new start. I already want to do more for myself such as take better care of my body and my mind.

Last night I drank 4 beers and got very sick by the 5th one. Spent about 5 minutes over the "throne" emptying my stomach. This did not even bother me since it was the first time that the Nal had made me nauseous. (I was actually glad that I got rid of the beer). A bit afterwards I had dinner (a slice of pizza) and one glass of wine with it then went to bed.

I am not obsessing about drinking less and I have told my husband that if my drinking increases I am not going to worry about it as long as I know I have taken the Nal before I begin drinking. Luckily he has read enough about it over my shoulder and does not think I just want an excuse to guzzle.

Have a great day everyone!
Brit

Welcome Brit!

You've got the right attitude, and it's awesome that your husband in on board. It's so true that it doesn't matter how long it takes, especially if you've polluted yourself for over 30 years (me too)! I'm already so happy with the change in my life, that I don't really even care if it doesn't get any better than this! Lookds like you're off to a great start. Best of luck to you.