Hi Path, well looking at my graph you'll see that I was pretty much consistently above the 40 units mark, no spontaneous AF days, and my really bad event in August, I decided to redouble my efforts and got referred to the MWO site. Obviously you can see that just applying effort has helped since I didn't get the topamax until Friday. Anyway, I was definitely considering Bac but frankly was a little afraid of some of the stories of people that had trouble with it, and I was also really confused about the dosages, so since I had read the My way out book, I decided to just stick with that method as written. Plus I got on a thread with a great group of ladies on MWO that are all doing topa (a few that were from here) so I've already established myself with a support group there doing the same thing.

That's it! I will keep updating.

illuminae,
thanks for the response. i hear you about bac, very scary. i am glad you have found the mwo method and support group. if you run into houtx over there please say hi for me.
i've got my fingers crossed for you, let us know how it's going.
path

Actually Houtx is one of the ones that got me over there and is in my support group. I will definitely tell her hello!

Illuminae,

I was actually thinking that if things don't start to turn a bit soon that I might talk to my doctor about Topamax. I'd be curious to hear how it goes. I know what you mean about the weight thing - my weight has definitely been going the wrong direction When I'm drinking I find that I eat all kids of junk that I normally wouldn't have when I'm sober. Good luck!! BTDT

hey illuminae-I'm just heading over to mwo to check out the thread

Overdue for an update. Been very busy and was on a business trip this week, which brings me to my update. What a difference in my behavior from past trips. Business trips used to somehow give me an excuse to get even more off the hook than usual. I guess something to do with no kids, no fixing dinner, blah blah. I usually go from So Cal to the East Coast, so I used to even plan my flights so that I would have at least an hour and a half layover to get near my next gate and have time for a meal and 2-3 drinks. Then get on the plane for my final destination, have one or two more drinks on the plane, make it to my rental car, drive to the hotel (which HAD to have room service) order up dinner & a bottle of wine, order a pay-per-view-movie, set the alarm, and then blame it all on the jet lag when I felt like holy hell in the morning.

Since I've been on Nal (and now Nal + Topa) things have definitely shifted in my mindset for many things like when I book a flight (concerns about how early I have to get up or the layover silliness) and many other things. For example, I didn't take a single drink on my trip out Tuesday, left SOCAL approx 10am, direct flight to Chicago, got my car, drove 30+ min to destination, settled in lodging, explored the area, decided on a restaurant, had a relaxed gourmet dinner w/2 glasses of wine, stopped at a grocery store on the way back, got provisions which did include a bottle of wine (and ice cream), but face it folks, in the old days I would have been in the bag by now!!! I watched TV and did internet stuff, including posting info about that (sort of anti AA) article that was in American Airlines magazine that (by the way) almost no one said anything about.

Anyway, so today the conference ended, and technically I had my room for another night. I think in the past I would have stayed overnight, gotten pissed, whatever. Some of my fellow Californian's checked out and lugged their bags around all day but I didn't. I had a plan. I was going to head back to the room after the conference, check email, take a nap, have another gourmet dinner (hopefully in Chicago proper) at a famous restaurant or something. Part 1 - heading back to the room was good. Part 2 checking email sucked. I had all kinds of connectivity problems that turned into a big time suck. Part 3 - I decided that a nap while my computer sorted itself out was way more appealing than a fancy restaurant, but still thought I'd have time for a nice meal at the airport. Part 4 - email finally downloaded, pretty anticlimactic, time to pack. Part 5 - Raining, detours, wrong turns, rental car return, air port security line hang ups... bottom line, I end up with enough time to grab some kind of pizza bagel and a bottle of water. But you know what? I was really Thirsty. Really. For Water. That's all. And although I was really pissed that I didn't get to have a nice dinner I didn't give a **** about not swilling booze at the airport. Seriously I remember sooo many times being stressed out at the security line looking at my watch figuring out how much time I had to drink, even calculating where my gate was in relation to where the bar was so I could hear them call the row numbers and stuff like they're only calling group 2 and I'm in Group 5 so I can finish this drink - pathetic! Part 6 - I had 2 wines on the plane while I watched the movie and I couldn't believe how long it took me to drink them compared to the past (honesty.. I ordered the 2 at the first pass of the flight attendants and I know that's habit).

Still, I guess all in all that's progress for me, and again, my thread my ramble

Feeling physically beat down today. Had that trip, was mellow last night but had to be up at 530am this morning for military reserve duty, get a flu shot, then take a physical fitness test this afternoon. I'm tired, sore, dehydrated, headache... don't know what symptoms are from what, tiredness, new meds, vaccination... at least I know it's not a hangover. and gotta get up and work again tomorrow then hit my regular work week

Definitely feel my new protocol working though. will post a proper unit update when I have a chance.

sorry you are so beat but what a wonderful log of your trip! Great that your time was busy, and crowded with lots of different things - and no time to get smashed! But you are right in what you say - in the past you would have MADE the time. Good for you!!

Great progress illuminae! I can totally identify with the challenges of travel for work. I know where every bar is in most major airports, including the ones that have larger wine glasses or non-measured pours where the bartenders are more generous. Pretty sad now that I think about it. Travel now is so much better on TSM.
Is your screen name the same at mwo? I haven't been there in a while but I really liked it and that's how I found TSM. Have you ordered any of the cd's or materials from there? Just curious. I ordered some of the supplements because the prices were pretty reasonable.
I hope you have a great week and feel better.

Thanks BGH and St. Jude!

Yes, my screen name is the same on MWO and I ordered EVERYTHING from there.
I'm trying to do that program to the letter. So CDs, supplements, the whole thing. (except I haven't gotten the exercise part in).