Hi all,
I've decided to start posting progress, as I get huge support and encouragement reading other's progress. I am starting my 6th week on NAL, and I don't really notice that I drink less in the evenings, but I have been able to go from no AF days, to 1 to 2 last week, which is huge for me. I haven't had an AF day in over a year and a half. I do feel this anxiety mid-afternoon when I think of going all evening without alcohol, but I take about 30 drops of passionflower tincture in a little water (which is amazing for anxiety) and about 30 minutes later, I feel much better. I have used alcohol for generalized anxiety disorder for years, so I have to reroute my thinking and be patient. This week, I would love to have 3 AF days, but I know that I am moving pretty fast and don't want to feel down on myself if I don't make it. I am hoping to get support from people here on the board, as I have been a secret drinker for years, and no one knows I have a problem, so I am all alone on this. Thanks for reading.

Welcome aboard Server! I wouldn't try to force too many AF days at an early stage as you need to get as many extinction sessions in as possible. Of course, everyone is different and do what feels best for you. I waited until W10 to start adding AF days and my drinking amounts and patterns were almost identical to yours. Good luck and I will be watching your progress with great interest.

Thanks for the support Merlot. Yes, I want to take it slow and easy, especially since I am stuck at 25mg of NAL. My side effects are horrible; worse than a hang over, so AF days resulted in dreading both the nausea and headaches from the NAL, and the headaches from a hangover! I am hoping that slow and steady will win this race. My ultimate goal is 5 AF days a week, and less on the nights I do have alcohol. As a woman, we are supposed to stay under 9 units per week. I am far away from that, but making progress!

Too bad about the side effects. According to TSM protocol, you only take NAL if you are planning to drink. So on AF days, there is no need to take NAL.

Another Canadian! Welcome and looking forward to reading your posts.

We Northerners can fight the winter blues together!

Passionflower, huh? I might have to try that. I know anxiety is one of the reasons I drink so much, especially around crowds. Welcome to the board!

Well, finished week 6 and very disappointed with myself. No AF days, and what seems a big increase from last week. Christmas, social gatherings, and a family of heavy drinkers didn't help matters. If I had to find something positive, it would be that I still drank less over the week than I would of six or seven weeks ago (at least 10 units less). I never got drunk and never did anything silly. I honestly don't know if I should force myself up to the 50mg of NAL, side effects and all, or force more AF days, or just cut myself some slack. Any advice is appreciated.

I'm certainly no expert, but I wouldn't gauge progress by what happens around the holidays, especially if you're only at week six. You've already seen some progress on your current dosage, so it seems to be working. Once the holidays are past, you'll be able to judge more clearly whether you need to up your dose or not. I'd say just enjoy the season and revisit after the first of the year. But that's just me.

Don't be hard on yourself--6 weeks is still very early in the method (although I can appreciate wanting progress to hurry up!). I couldn't tell from your post if doing silly things while drunk was part of your past (it certainly was part of mine) but that alone is a huge victory to accomplish, especially over the holidays. I had a spike in my numbers in week 5 which I understand is a relatively common phenomenon. Many of the veterans on the forum distilled TSM down to the most basic truth and it's a good reminder--take your NAL an hour before you drink, every time you drink, and let TSM work its magic.

I am truly at an impasse. I cannot get up to 50mg...the side effects at 25mg are crippling. The nausea, vomiting, abdominal spasms, it's crazy! Worse than any hangover I've ever had. I cannot participate in holiday meals, and have missed both Christmas Day and New Year's Day festivities with family because I'm so sick. I don't want to give up; at 7 weeks, I have seen improvement, but I don't know what to do when the cure hurts as much as the disease. I keep telling myself that I just have to outlast; that if I can get more AF days in the future, I won't have to take the NAL and won't feel so sick. Can anyone who experienced side effects give me any advice about how to control them? Should I be taking it with a meal? I only ever drink between about 4-7pm, so I usually take the NAL around 3pm, without food. Has anyone quit NAL because of the side effects? Even my husband begged me to stop the NAL because he can't see me this sick anymore, which is not good. Any advice is really appreciated.