I don't know if you will see my reply as you posted this some time ago, but Thank You! Your eloquent and well thought out message is so valuable to those of us doing TSM as well as our family members. I do not think I am ready to share this with my husband yet, well I don't think he is ready to read it, but I will keep it in my back pocket. You put into words everything I would like to say to my husband, other family members and friends, and when I do share TSM with them I will have your post to guide me. Thank You!

One more thing a big shout out Thank You to Firebird for telling me to read this.

My wife was very skeptical about TSM as I was getting started, until I showed her that post. Since then she's been behind me all the way. Bravo to the author.

I apologize for being MIA for so very long. My business, farm, and completing a new book kept me pretty well focused on other things. That, and I wasn't sure that "micro-managing" the cure by being on this forum all the time was the most effective way to go.

The good news is that both my partner Jake and I have drastically cut back on drinking - him even more than me. However. Though drinking far less, we're still not drinking at safe levels, and I feel really rotten on days I abstain. Other unrelated health issues are no doubt also playing into the picture. The bottom line is that I've just decided to make abstinence my final goal. Who needs this roller coaster ride?

Starting today I'm going to begin tapering off, drinking just enough to avoid the worst side effects (tremors, night sweats, sleeplessness). It's really these that drive me toward drinking at all, as my craving and enjoyment of the taste of wine (my poison of choice) has been eliminated. I don't even enjoy the stuff any more! How crazy is that?

Now that I've made this decision, I'm confident it's something I can accomplish with the help of Naltrexone. There are so many other things I want to be doing with my life, and I want to feel good again!

I will begin to post here, if not daily, at least regularly.

God bless us all!

Welcome back! I was wondering how you guys were doing.

Unfortunately, it sounds like you and Jake fall into the 20% TSM does not work for. Since you've been gone -- and I left for many months also -- dozens of people are reporting that TSM has saved their lives. Unfortunately, our experiences here mirror the studies: a small minority does not respond to TSM fully.

You were missed on this board! And unlike you and Jake, I regained control of my habit at about week 36 and I'm drinking at healthy levels. TSM saved my life. Hopefully, TSM will help you with your new goal abstinence. It sucks it didn't entirely work for you. No one deserved it more than you!

My best,

Nick

Thanks for the update, Nick. The past two days, I've been easily able to cut back to healthy levels of drinking - and last night, I had two glasses of wine, and actually enjoyed them. Didn't even want a third, and slept like a baby. I realized there is often a point where I feel I've had enough, but then "push through it," and once I've gone past that point and poured another glass anyway, I just keep right on going.

My goal is not to exceed three glasses a day this coming week, then to cut down to no more than two the following week, etc. Wish me luck!

Well it sounds like TSM has worked, to a certain degree. As I recall, Dr. Sinclair states in Eskapas's book that benefits from TSM were seen up to three years. Maybe you'll be a three-year cure! I sure hope so. Good luck!

Well, looking at your drinking log, I guess I can say that I'm probably more "cured" than I realize. These days, if I drink 4-5 glasses of wine, that's a lot! It used to be I could (and did) easily put away 10-15 glasses in a day/night. Jake and I used to hit a couple of local bars every single night of the week, and get totally hammered. These days, we only go out once or twice a week. Invariably, our old friends buy us drinks - and rather than drink them, I've accumulated a pile of drink chips.

Red wine has always hit me much harder than white, and I've totally lost my taste for it. I stick exclusively to Chardonnay, and never lose control (except once when I took my first dose of a new prescription drug and 3 glasses of wine had me totally blotto). Of course, I had to be at my son's for dinner that night - ouch!

My goal has been to get down to the recommended "safe" level of no more than 7 drinks per week - and that I have not managed to do. Maybe I'm expecting too much? I know that checking back here has been an inspiration, especially since it seems I'm drinking at levels that are considered "cured" by a number of Board members. Jake is doing fantastic! He goes 3-4 days in a row without a drink, and usually has no more than 3-4 beers when he does (though on occasion he still can put away a couple of six packs.) I still have trouble getting an AF day, mostly because of the physical side effects. I think if I can routinely cut back to one or two glasses, these will be eliminated.

Jake insists that I'm doing great - but I really am worried about long-term health concerns.

Well you and Jake are Exhibits A and B why I dislike the word "cure." As I've said ad nauseam on this board, TSM works for 80% according the the studies and a rough estimate of the members here, but the degree it works varies. Some people dislike alcohol and never want it and completely abstain. Others drink within healthy levels. Still others drink a tiny fraction of what they once drank but would like to drink less, like you folks. I'm glad your are doing so much better. A 75% or more reduction is huge.

Best of luck to you in your ongoing journey. And even if you don't improve from where you are, who knows, you may very well be able to live a full and happy life. Keep in mind what Lena once wrote on this board about at length some time ago: the "safe levels" estimated by the medical establishment were basically pulled out of thin air.

More on safe drinking limits - keep in mind that they vary a lot by country. My family is French, and my dad was a doctor over there. Both of my parents drink a cocktail and two glasses of wine with dinner, every night. That is considered normal and healthy. Although by American standards my parents are potentially alcoholics, I honestly feel that they have ZERO problems with drinking. And they almost NEVER drink more than that.