Thought I would check back in because I need a little support here. Husband has been on Nal since June 27, 2011 and I am getting a little frustrated with him. He doesn't keep track of his drinking and when I ask him about it he gets defensive. He is taking his pill 1 hour before drinking I do know that...he is religious about it.

But Like last night. He gets home around 6 and between 6 and midnight he nurses 4 beers and as soon as I am not looking out come the vodka and he drinks almost a pint and then goes to sleep on the couch.

This morning I say "Are you feeling any different with this medication" and I get I don't know....I mean I am getting ready to go back to the docor with him to try and get the Nal refilled and I am feeling like I just ought to just cut him loose and let him come back in a year if and when he is "cured". He says that he just can't kick the vodka....his abdomin is swollen and I know that it is from his liver being enlarged and I just want to SCREAM!

So any hard liquor drinkers out there want to tell me if this is normal? After 2 1/2 months shouldn't he be able to leave the vodka and just drink beer?

Lynn

Hmmm it seems to me that your husband is still very early in the game (as much as that may be frustrating to hear). I am also a hard liquor drinker and TSM has not, by and large, managed to kick that in me - I still prefer hard liquor over wine and basically never drink beer. However, TSM is still working for me slowly but surely, my units are decreasing, increased clarity, etc. So no, I don't think that TSM necessarily cures you of your favorite drink/worst indulgence. Bear with your husband - if he is taking the pill before drinking, there's an 80% chance that he will get there in the end.

Hi Lynn
If he is taking his pill as you said, he wants to get well. I know you are frustrated but TSM is a slow process. I am on week 15 and still feel I have a long way to go before I'm out of the woods. As for feeling different...I don't. I'm starting to see bigger changes in my drinking though which makes me believe that it's working.

Patience Lynn, it will happen

I am an advocate of not telling concerned others that one is on TSM. If the TSMer has his/her own doubts about the method along the way, the concerned other has it doubled. He is just starting the method. It takes time and yes it takes Vodka. I drank vodka by the pint with my beer and today its been more than 9months since I had Vodka. The funny thing about TSM is that you have to feed your craving to kill it. Vodka was actually the first to extinguish and I suspect it will be true for your husband if you let it go. The expected pay off one gets from ALC diminishes over time, very little will-power must be exerted. My advice is for you to not monitor his progress, you'll only drive each other crazy. TSM typically has lots of ups and downs before the miracle appears. The more you want TSM to work, the more you will notice evidence to the contrary. Don't fret yet. Give it time. It works!! Good luck! Nal on!

Thanks everyone....I needed to hear everyone's encouraging words. I am just worried about his health. That is why I found this method in the first place. I read book after book, kicked him out and contacted a divorce attorney but he could not stop drinking...and I mean his liver enzymes were up and he talked about suicide....I would find him so drunk that I thought he was dead and an empty fifth stuffed in a couch cushion.

So when I found this method I had hope and just every now and then I need a littel encouragement from those who have been there.

I will take deep breath and go on.....thanks everyone

Lynn

ps...Thanks also to Minneapolis Nick...I found his thread from when he first started and he felt as if he might be in the 20%....and I see how well he has done now....good encouraging stuff!

Hi Lynn,

Vodka drinker here. I am in week 20 and haven't kicked the vodka yet, but have a lot of evidence that this is working. I had a stretch where it didn't seem to be much diffferent from the old days and I was conking out on the couch every night despite being on TSM.

I noticed a big difference at first, but then had a long stretch where I wanted my vodka and it seemed like old times. I was able to drink it a lot slower, but still had similar pattern to the bad old days. My wife was very concerned and at times quite upset with me but, it has been getting better lately and although still on the vodka, I am able to stop after 5-8 units and finish with water like I did last night. Too much, but much better than before.

Did he have a real feeling of it being different in the first week? I did, but then it went back to basically the bad old days for a while.

Getting better now for me, but I am not out of the woods yet. I have been exactly where your husband is. When I was in the middle of my disease without hope, I figured I couldn't ever stop and maybe the family would be better off if I was gone.

I don't think that way anymore, and I am grateful my wife hung in there with me, but it takes a long time. I read a lot of stories on this board, and I figure that someone like me (big daily Vodka drinking for a number of years) will take 7-14 months to fix. I am aiming for 28-35 weeks as my most optimistic hope.

I should add that kicking vodka for beer, I have done for a couple of days at a time, but not fully successful yet. You can read my story. Hoping to soon.

Take care.

LAst night Tom had 2 beers whole fishing and then came home and sat in the living room with us and chatted for about half hour and then went to bed...very tired....did not drink anymore "Just didn't want it" he said....I was tto happy

My concern now is how to get his next Rx of Nal...his docotrs do not want him on it long term because of hte damage to his liver....I lost it and said well how about the damage to his liver from a fifth of vodka? And of course the doctor said that he needs to look into it but wants Tom to continue with AA....UGH!!! I guess I have to start looking for a Docotor that works with NAL and the sinclair method or try to get it online ad $10 a pill....I just want to cry....

Vicki

Hi Lynn, One thing I can say about TSM that is a definite positive - even though I'm still drinking too much I don't feel "desperate". Before I started I felt I was falling into a Black Hole and out of control, and now I don't.
As far as drinking vodka by itself, there are worse things! Frankly I think beer is more dangerous than it seems. It gives a quick "buzz" and then if you are like me you start mixing shots of vodka/rum/whisky with the beer which makes it even worse. Lately I've been sticking with controlled shots of vodka/rum/whisky with diet coke or tonic. What was really bad was when I used to mix nasty 8% malt liquors with shots of vodka (yuck!).
Anyhow, I don't think it matters what you drink - it's the quantity. I know your husband isn't yet keen on this, but I find it very helpful to count the number of drinks I have each day. That and taking Nal religiously helps!

Hey Lynn, that story of two beers after fishing and then bed is a good sign that this will work in the long run. I don't know what to say about the liver problem though. Good luck to you both!