Even if its every night or should I try to space it out. For example I want to tonight but am concerned since I did Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sunday? What does TSM say about this??

Have you read the book The Cure For Alcoholism by Dr. Roy Eskapa? http://www.benbellabooks.com/bookstore/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=607

The short answer is "drink as you normally do." If you have a craving for alcohol that would normally make you drink, then take your naltrexone, wait an hour and drink. If not, then don't.

LoOp is correct: drink through cravings. Do not drink if you do not have cravings. Most people drink daily when starting out TSM. Eventually, the cravings will be reduced. But the whole point of TSM is that when you feel a craving for a drink, pop the nal, wait an hour and drink. That is how your addiction gets extinguished.

thank you, what if u forget or take 1/2 hour before??

One hour, not a half hour. Then your first drinks will not be covered and you will be re-addicting yourself with each sip of each drink you have before the naltrexone kicks in. So, don't do it because you may very well be rendering the treatment useless. And by the way, when in doubt, take it more than one hour before. The requirement is that you take naltrexone at least one hour before drinking. If you take it several hours before it will still work. It is only ineffective if you drink sooner than the hour.

Got it, thank you

Nick is quite right, but as I understand it if there's a rare instance where you don't quite make the full hour don't sweat it, just try to make sure it doesn't happen too often.

Anyway, nice to meet you Dizzy, welcome to the board, stick with us and GOOD LUCK

thank you all! I am very excited about this process!

I have read Dr.Eskapa saying one hour is best but 30 minutes is ok too if you slip and also take it anyway if you forgot and started to drink. I will try to find the thread. .


HERE: DrRoyEskapa
Post subject: Re: Forgot to takePosted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 6:48 pm


Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:39 pm
Posts: 68
Q: If I "forgot" to take my naltrexone before drinking should I take it as soon as possible?

A: Yes. Absolutely. You should take the medication right away - even if you have already begun drinking. It is better than simply allowing the endorphins another chance to reinforce and strengthen the opioid system in the brain. Of course it also depends on how long you have been into the drinking session and how many units you have consumed. Taking naltrexone at the end of the session - after many drinks - will probably not produce extinction but if you catch it in time so to speak you may prevent the 'consolidation effects' - that is during the period after the drinking session when the reinforcement from endorphins settle into the brain. There is very little research on this - however I heard about a researcher in Finland who was investigating the effects of giving naltrexone to addicted lab rats very soon after the animal had already started in on their drinking sessions. Extinction occurred. Despite this, you should take your medication BEFORE drinking and if you are serious about deleting, removing, extinguishing the biology driving craving and addiction please remember to take the medication properly - exactly as described throughout The Cure for Alcoholism - in much the same way as diabetic patients must take insulin or other medications according to the proper schedule. If you have a drinking problem, have lost control over your drinking, crave excessively .... remember Step 5 .... THE GOLDEN RULE: NEVER DRINK ALCOHOL WITHOUT NALTREXONE

(Of course taking naltrexone when you abstain is totally ineffective as over 35 clinical studies showed - including one large one involving over 600 VA hospital patients published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Krystal et al, in 2000)


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I'm particularly interested in this topic. I take my nal every morning cause I know I will drink when the "need" arises. I have never not taken it, but sometimes take it and drink right away, though always slowly as possible so it can hopefully catch up and beat the AL effect. Since I am still drinking every day, am I covered in those situations? Surely after several months of daily nal, there is a build up? BTW, I don't crave psychologically anymore, it's the physical cravings, wdl symptoms I guess, that keep me from having an af day. I get sick if I don't drink. 3 months in TSM, but am in a bad patch. Should I take more nal? Maybe 2 a day? I so desperately want an af day.