I have been concerned about this over the last few days and am wondering about others experience of the loss of a warm, fuzzy drinking glow. I used to really look forward to my first couple of glasses of wine. I could count on a warm feeling, my muscles relaxing, an overall sense of comfort and well-being. I'm now aware that feeling came from an endorphin release. And of course the Nal is blocking that feeling. I'm a little sad to have lost it. It feels like I'm now drinking more to try and get that feeling at some point, but it never comes. By the time I go to bed, I find myself frustrated and a little angry. But angry at who? Myself? I'm taking the Nal - I'm choosing to do this, right?

I have wondered if some people fall off the Nal wagon because of this? If anybody knows what I'm talking about, how have you dealt with this? Don't get me wrong, I'm sticking with TSM, but I have to say that part of the reason I wanted to do this was to be able to have a glass of wine, feel my warm glow, and then be able to say no to a second or third. I'm beginning to see why many become abstinent since there really is no point in even having one drink.

Some of notice it. Some of us miss it. I'm not aware of one person whose fallen off the Nal wagon yet because of it.

There have been a couple of times I thought about falling off the nal wagon. But it is so easy to stay with. Another important difference to the abstinence approach.

I have seen some people complain that they miss the old buzz, but I have yet to see one person quit naltrexone because they no longer get the buzz or "warm glow" they once did. Most of still get a buzz, but a less euphoric one. Personally, not for one second have I ever thought, "This stinks, I miss my old buzz, I'm going to quit nal." But everybody is different. I still get a good buzz on naltrexone but it is definitely toned down and less euphoric.

And if missing the "Warm Glow" means I don't have to end up in jail with a 2nd DWI, fighting with my wife, not remembering driving home, not having a hangover (which I rarely got but the few times a year I did,...that trashed the next day)., losing weight, health returning, complexion coming back, marriage saved, clearer head, ambition, saving money, become a better piano player because I'll be practicing again, be an example for others, then S**T, screw the warm glow!!!

Jim

Ok, I get it - maybe I went the wrong way with this question. I know that a lot of people on this board, of course, have had significant life complications from drinking. The good feelings that you got from drinking before pale in comparison to the havoc wreaked by alcohol. I did not mean to suggest that going off Nal to get the warm glow back was a viable option - I just wondered how others are dealing with this, but maybe I'm the only one missing it. I guess I can count my lucky stars that my big issue is the loss of some silly little warm glow.

Jim, thanks for the wake-up call.

Hi SerenitySeeker, wow now you can see where some of us are coming from very different places with a lot of pain. Can't tell you the hell some of us have lived in but I hope it hasn't touch you to the depths it has to some of us and that's ok. I sure hope you are young SerenitySeeker because you have the chance to spare yourself so much pain with finding tsm and with that said we are all on a journey to non-addiction. Keep posting and we're here for you.

corkit

Hi SS. I think I can relate to what you mean. I've been drinking for 40 years. First 20 were bad and ended in a very bad place so I went total abstinence for about 10 years but it was white knuckle every day. Year 2000 I started drinking again but had long periods of abstinence and hated that - actually got drunk to the passing out stage about 5 times over the past 9 years. So now I drink only 1-2-3 glasses of wine per evening. But that's even too much as I get drunk, sometimes snotty, sometimes angry, almost always red-nosed and red-cheeked, and once in awhile I really go over the edge and get DRUNK. I "used" alcohol strictly for anxiety and to relax and I don't want to give THAT up. My husband does not see my drinking as a problem - he drinks every day too and gets pissed on Saturdays but sees that as "normal."

So now on Nal I'm still having a hard time with the fact that I don't have that automatic toe tingling, warm rush that I had before. Even with all the negative stuff that would happen I crave that warm feeling and the actual feeling of relaxing from head to fingers to toes.

Now I can feel inebriated but not warm glowy buzz. I really miss that. I'm hoping with extinction coming I can find another way to relax...this is complicated for me too because I don't want to be totally abstinent. I'm still after 4 weeks thinking of drinking every day, and have not been calm enough about this to have an AF day.

I would never stop Nal because I know for me drinking without control even if it's only one or two is not the way I want to live. I guess I'll have to settle for drinking one or two and feeling in control. Many out there would kill to have this "little problem" but it's not little to me.

Don't know if any of this makes sense. But I do know what you mean

Thank you for this reply, B. I think you got to the heart of what I am talking about. I am not a binge drinker, but a daily one, and I use drinks for relaxation and anxiety relief. Now I just keep feeling more anxious as the night goes on, then I get frustrated and end up going to bed angry. So, I guess I have to figure out a different way to relax and maybe try to deal with whatever is causing the anxiety Yikes, this is going to be harder than I thought. Let me know if you find something that works for you.

SS, today I know just why I'm anxious, and Sunday I also know my triggers and I can't do anything about them. I think Monday I'll actually do some thinking about what I can do about it. I was going to go to therapy but Hubby would freak if I spent money on something like that - he's a real stoic and does not believe in therapy. Unfortunately I may just have to live with these triggers (mainly my home situation and missing my family and kids etc. and having my real friends live in another town). I don't think most of us can just do things the way we want - but I can't see how I can get through the 4-5:30 time frame without reaching out for that bottle!! As I said I'm only finishing week 4 so have to give Nal a chance to extinguish some more!! As I'm sitting here now I'm wringing my hands and feet with anxiety!! I sometimes deny this to myself but when I start with the feet and hand thing I know I do have this anxiety....Thank God I took my Nal at 4 so I can have a drink soon!!! ha, ha, ha.