Hello everyone,

I am new here and have been reading posts for a couple of days now. I am so glad to have found this site! On Wednesday afternoon I downloaded The Cure to my kindle, finished reading it on Thursday morning, started researching TSM and nal that morning and came across this website which is such a wealth of information. I feel like there is hope for me for the first time in a long time.

My story in a nutshell: I’ll be 41 in just over a month and had my first drink when I was 14. I come from a family full of alcoholics/excessive drinkers and I have steadily over the years consumed more and more alcohol, more and more frequently. At this point I drink almost every day and some days I drink all day long. Mostly beer, but occasionally whiskey ( I have a weakness for Crown ). Very few people in my life know about my disease, though I am sure some have guessed at it. I have a supportive husband who knows that I am trying to find a way to cure my addiction and four teenage children that recognize I have a “problem” but do not often voice their opinions about it - they are busy with school and sports - but I know it registers with them. My husband and I own and operate a successful small business and employ 17 awesome people that have to be wondering why I spend less and less time in the offices. Over the past year (after several traditional attempts involving total abstinence) my drinking has increased. I would guess that I am consuming over 60 drinks a week. Ouch.

For my first post I hope this is not too long or tmi. I am not yet taking naltrexone. I have an appointment with a medical/counseling practice early next week and am I hoping they are open to TSM protocol (they currently do prescribe suboxone as suggested in a post). I have a call in to a therapist I worked with several years ago (for another issue) to see if she is aware of TSM and can give a referral to an MD that is familiar with the method. I do not have a close relationship with my GP but will present my case to him if necessary. If all else fails, I know I can try this without traditional medical intervention. If anyone reading this knows of an MD in the Dayton, OH area knowledgeable of TSM, please let me know. You seem like a very supportive bunch!

Thanks for reading. I’m swimming in it now, but trying to find my legs.

Hey Mermaid,

Sounds like you're starting at a good time.

Statistically, results appear bad with doctors and TSM/baclofen. Don't be discouraged if they want you to take it every day or think you should
go to group therapy. Plenty of us (many of the successful ones) do this entirely on our own. I considered doctors at first and decided against it when somebody mentioned that I might not want to have naltrexone (used *only* for the treatment of addiction) on my medical record. In retrospect I'm grateful
to whoever it was that suggested that...

-Ned

Hi mermaid, I'm so happy you found us and now it's time to look ahead and not backwards. A lot of us started the poison in a early age and found it to be something we wanted to keep enjoying but now there's something we can try to make us free. The journey is very bumpy and can be long but patience is key, follow the rule take the Nal one hour before drinking and let it do what it's suppose to do behind the scenes.

Good luck and keep posting we're all here to support you

corkit

Hi Mermaid. As one of the recently cured, welcome to a wonderful site, and a wonderful cure - TSM.

I'm not wary of using the word "cure" because that's what it is. Give it a go, no matter how you have to get hold of the stuff. Take it just the way Dr. S says you should and wait. Be patient. You can drink as much as you need to. Don't worry, this program does work without much effort on your part.

If you do find that after 4 months or so you see no difference you may want to use a bit more effort to cut down. I was so surprised after 4 months of feeling nothing was happening that when I actually tried not to drink for a night I was able. Then the next night the same thing....and after a few weeks of this I feel genuinely that not only do I not need to drink, but I really don't want to. waddya know!!!

So, again, welcome. And good luck!

Welcome!

In addition to the book, copy this article and bring it with you to your doctor. The New York Times has world-wide credibility.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... one&st=cse

Beware of side-effects, like dizziness and nausea when you take the fist pill -- but they go away rapidly (after a few doses) for almost all of us. Take a half pill on a full stomach the first time.

Good luck and ask questions. TSM works for the vast majority who try it, but not as fast as the book says -- think more like six months-plus for major improvement. Progress is not linear but is a roller coaster.

My best,

Nick

Hi all,

Ned, Corkit, BGH, Nick and everyone here,
Thank you for your kind words, advice and encouragement.
I will post my progress.

It won't be easy, I know. I just feel like it's time to give it a new way.

Mermaid

Welcome..yes this place is full of hope and it really works so it's not full of false hope. I FULLY know that weakness for Crown..LOL hence my handle. I think I had more crown in my veins a few months ago than blood. TSM has destroyed my weakness for it and I hope it will do the same for you.

Good Luck and be patient

Hello,

I haven’t posted because I thought I should wait until I had consulted with a medical professional about TSM and let you all know how that went.

The appointment was scheduled for today, but I cancelled - I decided it may be too much of a “dis”appointment.

I have done as much reading and research as my day will allow (which is a lot, because I read fast).

Here’s what really got me today: I’m driving to my office and there is a car in front of me. Wow, jeez, that happens every day. In my state, you get a “special” plate when you’ve been convicted of multiple DUI’s. The car in front of me had THE PLATE

It was the “label”, the license plate, the stigma, that really got to me. I looked at the way that person was driving their car. Due to their “label”. Any other car on the road I would not have taken a second look at. Who knows what they’ve done? Or what they are doing?

Back to why I cancelled my appointment - I decided that I really don’t’ want any doctor or my medical insurance company involved in my decision to try TSM. I have no DUI’s. I have no record for treatment of anything but “marriage counseling”. I think I’ll keep it this way.

It’s a hot topic, I know, but I have seen, as an insurance agent, apps for life and/or health insurance denied to clients that were prescribed commonly used smoking cessation drugs because the drug prescribed was labeled as an anti-depressant. I always fight and usually win.

It’s like someone saying my wheelchair-bound son is “retarded” - the only thing he cannot do is walk - He just needs his chair to get around. I have a real problem with “labels”, ignorance and intolerance. Hmmph...so there.

I’m going to “go it alone”. I will keep you posted. Thanks for the advice and support you always give in this forum.

Hey Mermaid -

You go girl!! The medication is expensive w/o a prescription, but so is slowly dying of this addiction. I support your decision to do that and believe, along with everyone else here, it is a totally safe drug to take w/o medical supervision. Just start slow...I think, given your history, this will probably be successful for you. I sure hope so - keep us posted and good luck! Glad your husband is supportive and I'm sure he is impressed/relieved you are willing to try and do something.

This may be your salvation. I hope so!

Mermaid

I bypassed the whole MD route also. I was nervous about taking medication without a doctor's supervision however I did not want alcoholism on my medical record. Funny I was nervous about about naltrexone with no MD but I was willing to "perscribe" myself massive perscriptions of Crown Royal picked up at the pharmacy called the liquor store daily. After reading things like Bob3d and his drivers liscence BS I am so glad I went the online route...priced higher for a generic drug but well worth it.