GC, you're right not to beat yourself up about a blip on the radar. I'm right there with you in thinking 14/wk would be my goal, but 18-20/wk is a more reasonable one for right now and my (very social) lifestyle. However, I'd also like to maintain AF days, so this becomes a tricky operation of not drinking too much on any one given day hehe!
But I just wanted to say I'm following your progress because I think (and hope!) we're a lot alike in our response to nal.
EL

My time is so crunched right now, I don't get to check-in on the forum often, but I'm on-task and keep up with my spreadsheet tally and monitoring habits. And, I DON'T miss my NAL doses.

Since I corrected my NAL intake from 1/2 tablet to a full, I've seen good progress. I have also been very good about AF days (though I took the AF notations out of my signature in order to save allowed "keystrokes"). I am doing 1 AF every week, and some weeks 2--and I do record them on my spreadsheet--highlighted in red for reinforcement!

It's going well and the AF days really bring down the weekly units. Actually, that is fine with me. I generally drink 2 - 3 glasses of wine when I drink and that is OK with me. There are the occasional 4 unit days, but they are occasional because they don't "feel good". I've noted those 4 glass days happen when there is an event where I might start drinking earlier than "usual" and the routine is broken so I'm more careless. I adhere well to my longtime rule of never drinking after 8 PM--it's too disturbing to sleep and it's a rule I have always been able to follow.

Has anyone else noted that doing two AF days in a row is easier than spreading them out?

If I weren't doing AF, I would still be drinking too much, but AF is a perfectly acceptable approach for me with this number of units. No more slurring words, forgetting, or "wine-rages" at this rate.

This isn't cured because the urge is still a little too strong, but it's coming.

My last order of NAL was uneventful--no credit card fraud -- yet! I used the system my bank recommended and have watched the account. All's well so far.

Best to all and NAL ON!!

GC, it sounds like things are progressing well. A few more months of extinction may work to reduce craving. In the meantime your drink levels don't seem to be negatively impact your life and that sounds like control to me. I'm glad you checked in I've been wondering how your doing and glad to hear things continue to improve.

Great numbers gain control! I'm envious. And yes, sometimes it feels easier to do two AF days in a row...

Hi GC!

Just wanted to say hello after a long absence. Glad to see you are still keeping up with TSM, tracking, etc. I just learned what happens when you give up - not good. I am back now, starting today. Hope you are well!

YG

Hey GC - You are doing fabulously! Looks to me like fairly normal drinking, although I understand what you mean about the craving. I too still have the craving so I just keep on Nal-ing and figure in time that too will pass.

Glad to see you check in.

Checking in. I stay on track faithfully--due to a class and some regular evening meetings I do at least one AF a week--good! I'm still hoping for the day when I can do a 1 drink day, and an AF day....though a whole NAL for just one drink might not be so clever!

Thanks for the encouragement and hello's from "our group". Halfaglass, you are so smart sticking with it---I wish the cravings were gone, but at least there is a good amount of control. It looks like it will just take time (NAL and effort!). Progress is progress even if slow.

Yoga girl, thanks for the warning...I admit sometimes I wonder how much the NAL is really doing, but I'm afraid to even try giving it up. If I still have the cravings, I don't trust any of the controls I've managed to put in place. Thanks for the warning.

St Vincent--still the leader!

One evening my husband decided to comment on my drinking and although it made me angry since I've really done this whole thing on my own, I admit that the little nudge his "don't drink too much" comment (and it was the first glass I had poured!) gave me has been a good nudge. I faithfully stick to my 2.5 units so I don't get any more reminders!

Best to all of us!

GC, you are down 72% from your pre-TSM numbers. That is fantastic progress. Let nal keep chipping away at the addiction and you'll end up where you want to be.

Wow! Week 31. I guess I'm really doing great, but I still feel the struggle. This isn't automatic yet. My units are going down, just like St V says--stick with it and it does eventually take hold.

I've had two one bottle days in the past 6 weeks--both times I was alone and started drinking earlier than I usually would (though with NAL). I felt SO lousy, I slept so badly, that both times I ended up with a few AF days following just because I did't want to SEE a wine bottle let alone drink it. I'm totally confident those 1 bottle days will disappear. Honestly! When I started on TSM, I ALWAYS drank a full bottle--usually plus two glasses every day. Now even 3 glasses leave me with a headache and a shaky following morning.

Things HAVE changed. How great! Even though my units are way down, I do not yet consider myself in total control because I still think about wine too much, I have to focus a fair amount of effort to stick with my goals, and like I said above, it's just not automatic yet. BUT, I can skip drinking totally, even when out, and I honestly don't care (I NEVER thought I would say that); and my best days are when I have 1 - 1.5 glasses of wine while cooking and eating dinner.

So, I'll be in and out of the forum to check in and record my progress until I think I really have "gained control" and it's more normal to NOT think about that glass of wine and not bother with it than to struggle with how I'll manage my control each day. No doubt at all that day will come.

NAL ON!! Good luck to everyone. If I can do it, you can do it!

Awesome post gaincontrol! Thanks so much for giving those of us still struggling the motivation to keep going!