OK, I am going to use this thread to document my progress, drinks etc, for my own use and also for anyone else to look into who is considering beginning the Sinclair Method.

Drinking History:

Female Heavy drinker from the age of 16 to 43 years.

One 2 year period alcohol free, after a very bad time when I became seriously depressed, anxious, and my nerves were shot to bits.

Since 1997:

1999: 30 days Alcohol Free
2007: 24 days Alcohol Free
2008: 10 days Alcohol Free

A few sparse odd days splattered here and there, but put lots of emphasis on 'few' and 'sparse'.

The last few months my drinking patterns have improved slightly- this is more to do with my current circumstances of opening a small business which requires me to be in it all hours.

I am usually drinking a few beers before leaving the store (I have always been a beer girl) and then one or two when I arrive home. After this amount I would break someone's arm off for another one, but I live in a remote part, and the nearest bar is 20 minutes drive away through woodland, so I generally just go to bed then. This is much better than say a year ago, when 7 or 8 300ml beers a night was average for me. I am quite small boned, the beer I drink is 5.4% proof, so that is quite some beer, 7 days a week. I would frequently have more and often black out. Some days I would wake up and have to start drinking again immediately, these binges could last 3 or sometimes even 4 days until I was so ill, I simply could not take anymore. I would then have to take a whole day in bed, until the following morning when I would manage to shakily get up. By that evening I would be typically be feeling a bit stronger and have a few beers just to put me 'right'. Yeah Right.

Sorry this is a bit long, but it is as much for me to read as anyone else to remind myself where I was and can follow my progress.

So today is Friday, I will be taking 25mg of Naltrexone at around 4pm. I expect to go up to 50mg around this time next week- I am quite sensitive to medication and want to make sure I am tolerating 25mg well before upping the dosage.

I was invited to a party last night- it is the birthday of a man with a huge drinking problem who has somehow managed to reach 70 years of age.
Needless to say all the invited guests are also big drinkers/addicts. I was really looking forward to it, as I have not seen most of the people there for some time, I had arranged transport there and back just in case, but was really confident I could go and drink a couple of beers, not make an arse of myself (even in that company I have managed to do that frequently in the past) and go home reasonably sober to watch a bit of TV and off to bed.

Around 3 pm, I was already starting to fancy a drink-my BF had come into the shop early so I could have plenty of time to get ready and one thing and another, so I took the Nal. I had some shopping to do, and drank a beer in a nearby bar. I then went home, and while I was getting ready I had drank another. It was then time to leave and meet the guy who was giving me a ride- by the time I met him, I seriously did not feel like going- I was tired, and the thought of another drink really did not appeal, and the thought of sitting with all those people drinking appealed even less.

I ended up not going, and was in bed by 10pm.

This morning I feel a bit disappointed with myself!

Keep this thread going. I am intersted in seeing your progress.

Oh Good! I was going to integrate it into the Weekly Progress thread, but now I have a fan, I won't!!

I'm int'd too - keep posting. I have not experienced any kind of aversion yet. Just drank less last week for whatever reasons. However, last night, I downed almost 2 bottles of champagne - the proverbial party with my own bad sef...but was on nal so following, what I HOPE, is the cure.

Sure seems crazy, but I sure hope it works.

Houtx -- I know, right? Permission to drink with abandon. I keep reminding myself what potato says, don't overthink it.

Marbella -- Any pukiness on your first day at 50 mg?? I hope you're over that hurdle!!!

Some of us report feeling drowsiness on naltrexone. I suspect this is not so much a direct side effect of naltrexone as an unmasking of the sedating action of alcohol when not combined with the endorphin rush. Eskapa describes this in the FAQ's where N101CS posted the "missing" chapter of the book. For all who have not checked it out, I'd get right over there. It's a gold mine.

Take care all

Lena

No Lena, no pukiness at all!

I am thrilled because when I dabbled with it back in October the nausea was very bad as it was my first day this time, but all I am experiencing now is tiredness, which I suspect as you say is the alcohol without the endorphin rush. It is not an unpleasant feeling, but maybe rather annoying, as I can't even stay awake to read or watch things I want to watch on TV- I just fall asleep!

At the moment I am still craving everyday, so I think it will be a while before I have a naltrexone free day, but to be honest even if this were as good as it gets, I would be happy.

Last night I had a beer at 7pm, another at 8pm, opened another at 9pm, and could not even finish half of it- I threw it away. That was a very euphoric feeling, but I do imagine this is just the 'honeymoon' thing and I am expecting it will pass.

Marby,
Glad to see you can do the full dose.

I am getting drowsy after I take Nal and drink. I think I will simply defer my drinking until closer to bedtime.

I feel like we have recently kicked the raft away from the bank. To get to the other side, you got to go with the flow, accept the bumps, and be willing to go under a couple of times.

I have faith we will all make it. We're a good crew.

Yes Springer, I guess one of these days in the near future I will actually forget to take it, as my reminder to take it everday is when I get a craving. Then I take the nal and wait an hour- one of these days it will be time for me to go home and I will realiuse i haven't taken one

Can't wait! In the meantime this is fine too- Not being able to stay awake for a TV program is no big deal- Hell, I haven't been able to watch TV much for the last 20 years either due to being in a bar or crashed out, comatose.

Marbella,

Thanks for starting this thread. Reading others' progress reports is the biggest 'upper' for me. It sounds as though the Nal is working really, really quickly for you. Congratulations!