Hey there sinclairmethod.net.

I'm a computer scientist by profession. As I write this, I'm hammered.

I've ordered and carefully read Dr. Eskapa's book. I get it. I'm ready to start, the sooner the better.

I've ordered a bunch of Naltrexone from the internet. Maybe it makes it here from Canada, maybe it doesn't. I'm considering my backup plan. Maybe you can help:

I've searched far and wide, in this site's forums and elsewhere, and found little: does anybody know of any doctors in the Washington, DC area that are genuinely familiar with this stuff, that have seen it work, that understand the science? This might make things a lot easier. I've found one place (outside of baltimore, far from here) that apparently exists only to sell prescriptions for Naltrexone and DVD sets. It looks kinda sleazy. I just want an honest doc who is willing to test my liver and refill prescriptions.

Another easy question: apparently one should keep a log of one's consumption, this way you can see it slowly reducing (i'm thinking of the week-by-week logs that appear in various people's signatures)... what's the best way to do this? i'm looking at a half-empty bottle of port and I would have a very hard time figuring out how many "U" that is.

Wastedly yours,

Ned

Hi NN, and welcome. Look on the bright side, soon you'll be hammered, full of port and naltrexone, and making great strides toward your goal. One thing: don't be dismayed of you don't find slow, evenly declining numbers when you start keeping a log. For most of us it doesn't work that way. It's more like a roller coaster, and the steady progress only becomes evident when you look at the really big picture.

I'm sure others can give you the formula for figuring out the units in port, but the important thing is to use a consistent measure for yourself. I don't count units, rather I count drinks so as not to confuse myself. These days I'm counting a lot fewer of them

Good luck - Fire

So great to get a reply so quickly... thanks a million.

Counting "drinks" (regardless of what a 'drink' is) rather than units does make good sense. On any given night the drinks could turn out to be stronger|weaker than another... but I suppose if you start out unable to calculate what a "drink" is, and later are capable of even remembering the end of the night, something is clearly going right. As you suggest, I'll fine-tune the recordkeeping later, when I can expect to remember it.

fistbump

Ned

I am close to dc..was living in bethesda for years...I looked an didn't find a GP in the DC area so I ordered online...For me I'm gladI went that route as I have read naltrexone for alcoholism can make issues for life insurance and possibly health insurance.

Good luck with the journey

Good Morning NN -- How's that hangover? (jk)

Dr. Eskapa gave us a link to a list of doctors who are qualified suboxone -- a drug used to treat opiate addiction. Suboxone has properties similar to naltrexone, so Eskapa thought they might grasp TSM. In any event they are likely addiction specialists with an rx pad at the ready. There's no guarantee but quite a few on this board have had luck finding a doc to prescribe through the link. I notice there are quite a few in the DC area. Here's the DC link:

http://heretohelpprogram.com/treatment/ ... 0&state=DC

About counting: I absolutely agree with Firebird. Being consistent yourself is what matters so you can monitor your progress. Because we're all over the board in the way we count our drinks, you'd likely be comparing apples to oranges if you compare yourself to others. If you want to know where you stand as to consumption, Eskapa has some discussion of counting units around p. 115. I believe port would be a fortified wine.

Meanwhile, until you get the naltrexone, you'll want to perhaps re-read Eskapa's book and learn all you can from this board. Keep us posted!

Heh, port makes for a nasty hangover. Thanks for the replies. The Nal is on its way, I think it could be good not to leave a paper trail with this. If straight nal+drinking is good enough for Dr. Sinclair's rats, it's good enough for me. I passed a liver check recently, there's no danger there.

I'm quite encouraged, overall, even before starting. There is solid science behind this, and no requirement to go any lower than I am. I don't find it so incredible that the method isn't well known and widespread... there are plenty of other issues out there where science does battle with religion, where evidence doesn't immediately topple long-held beliefs (or perhaps more importantly, long-profitable business models). I'm looking forward to being able to go be sociable without making an ass of myself, I have become very socially withdrawn... I don't get in to trouble if I stay home.

Thanks again for the replies. I will definitely keep youse posted.

-ned

Welcome Ned.

You have good reason to be optimistic. This method works for the vast majority who try it, but not exactly as outlined in "the book" -- assuming you've read it. Most of us are finding that we have sharp reductions in both craving and consumption but it takes considerably longer than three to four months advertised for many of us. I believe the amount of time the method takes is directly related to how long/how much you've been drinking. Beware of temporary side effects with nal: upset stomach and sleep disturbance are most common along with a little "feeling spacey." Take 25 mg the first time to see how your body reacts and take it on a full stomach.

Fistbump.

Call and make an appointment with Dr. Suena Massey at George Washington University's Alcohol and Substance Use Consultation Clinic. (202) 741-2884
She studied under, and then worked with, Mark Willenbring, who was head until recently of NIH's alcohol research unit and who worked with HBO on their addiction series. Dr. Willenbring, who unfortunately has just moved to Minnesota, has been quoted extensively on the benefits of naltrexone as a tool to control drinking. He told me Dr. Massey had very similar views. I"m not sure of their stance on TSM in particular, but I know they believe in naltrexone and are pretty cutting-edge on what's going on in the world of alcohol research.
Good luck!
Sabrina

Many in the rehab industry who purport to be "cutting edge" mis-use naltrexone, prescribing it as an anti-craving drug to promote abstinence, for which it is virtually worthless, except for the first few days, then perhaps a short time longer as a placebo. I have fond two wildly expensive programs that use naltrexone this way: One an inpatient program called Enterhealth that charges $37k for a month's inpatient treatment and uses the long-acting naltrexone injection called Vivitrol. I can't recall the name of the other one; someone at MyWayOut mentioned she was paying a fortune for outpatient treatment using CBT and naltrexone to promote abstinence. What a waste. So it's wise not to assume an addiction treater understands naltrexone.

Many of us on this board avoid the "paper trail" you mentioned, NN.

Lena is entirely correct. The moral of the story is that you may get your hands on naltrexone and then be given the incorrect instruction to take it with abstinence as opposed to the correct method, TSM, or one pill an hour before drinking, every time you drink.