Allow me to introduce myself. I am Bob, a 50+ year old married man, married to a non-drinker, employed with a well-paying respected industrial job. I have posted here half a dozen times without properly stating who I am. So, I thought I would remedy that with this post.

I have been an alcoholic since 1989, coincidentally the same year I was struck by lightning and knocked unconscious for 20 minutes. In 2004, I was finally diagnosed by a psychiatrist as being "hypomanic" (almost manic, with no depressive phase ever) and OCD (no surprise to me, being a high energy neat-freak that slept only 4 hours a night and didn't drink coffee). The bodily stress of being manic started to take its toll when I hit 40 or so. I had all kinds of physical ailments over those years which my general practitioner could not find a cause for. The last manifestation was parathesia, an annoying "pins and needle" feeling throughout my body as each evening approached. The feeling is similar to when your leg "falls asleep" and starts to "wake back up". Needless to say, this feeling was intolerable. I had imbibed alcohol most of my life from age 25 onward with no problems. I did notice that alcohol relieved the parathesia. So I self-medicated (drank) for years before getting the real diagnosis by a psychiatrist as stated earler that I am hypomanic. I got real meds for this condition that after 2 to 3 years, when my psychitrist and I finally figured out that magic combination of pills so I could function normally, have no parathesia, and sleep 8 hours. Unfortunately, by that time I had become a "hopeless" alcoholic. I could not stop.

Since 2003/2004, I have tried to stop drinking. I am on attempt number 30 right now. Some periods of abstinence are longer than others. I have never broken the 90 day AF "target".

I have tried quitting on my own.
I have tried quitting with a psychiatrist's assistance
I have tried quitting with a psychologist's assistance
I have tried AA (a cult in my opinion that relies on self-loathing and never-ending meetings, no disrespect, of course)
I have put a contract out on myself ($50/week) if I was not abstinent through http://www.stickk.com.
I have tried Schick-Shadel Aversion Therapy (which can be undone, if you find the right "niche" beverage).
I have tried SOS.
I have tried "SMART Recovery" (the best support group I have found to date).

Meds:
I have tried Antabuse for a month with very severe side-effects.
I have tried Campral for a year and a half with no obvious effect.
I have taken Ipecac with alcoholic beverages to train my inner brain to reject alcohol (Schick-Shadel Aversion Therapy) and actually it works fairly well if you can stand the horrible treatment, but Aversion Therapy (AT) still can be undone if you are resourceful enough.

I am now trying Naltrexone.

In short, I have tried everything I or anybody else can think of. I am now trying the Sinclair Method. I am on 50mg Naltrexone per day and partake of alcohol 1 hour after one Naltrexone pill each day (no side effects, except sweating). The alcohol experience is now different. The alcohol still acts as an anxiolytic, but the euphoria is absent. I don't feel like I must have it anymore, although I want the anxiolytic effects, since I am hypomanic. Since my wife was upset that I was "experimenting" on myself again, I agreed to stop drinking until I read the book "The Cure for Alcoholism by Dr. Roy Eskapa" based on Dr. Sinclair's methods. I read it in a few days. She is skeptical and I understand that, since it is a 3 to 6 month cure where you continue to drink. To a non-drinker, non-manic person who doesn't understand, it looks like an excuse to drink for a half a year.

Well... that's about it about me. An alchy trying to quit no matter what the cost or sacrifice and still trying like hell.

Hello everyone!

Bob

Hello Bob. Thanks for sharing your story. The bit about parasthesia is interesting, as I've been experiencing this for the past several weeks, mostly since starting TSM. I didn't know if it was a side effect of naltrexone, or if something else was up. As I'm currently w/o health insurance, and it's not so severe as to interfere with my daily life, I haven't sought medical treatment. I will, however, if it becomes as bad as what you describe.

Gotta go look it up on the 'net now that I have a name for it!

Amazing story!! Did you have symptoms of mania and ocd before the lightning strike? I have heard so many anecdotes about personality changes post-strike. There was an article in the New Yorker about a guy who, as an adult, was struck by lightning and subsequently took up piano. He became a virtuoso but was os obsessed with it it cost him his marriage and much of the rest of his life but he couldn't stop.

I so admire your persistence in searching for a solution. Glad you're with us.

And may I say Mr. Bob that you certainly are looking like a fine gentleman in your Avatar.

The mania and OCD magnified significantly after the lightning strike. Unfortunately, I received no super-powers as I would have liked.

The gentleman in the avatar is the actor who played the character "Eddie Haskell" on "Leave It to Beaver" in the early 60's. According to my "friends", his character portrays my personality quite accurately. So, I use his picture as an avatar.

Bob

I caught that. I guess I was being too subtle. I should have said you were looking especially distinguished today.

Or, "Is that a new dress, Mrs. Cleaver? May I say it is especially becoming to you?"

I love LITB, and especially Eddie.

You chicks and your dresses and pumps and button earrings and simple strands of pearls.