Here is my week in review.

It was my first week on Nal. I had a little mental conflict about drinking, because in the past I would try not to.

I have some side effects some days are worse than others. Mostly headaches and upset stomach when it starts to wear off.

I find that if I wait and hour and half to drink the feeling of the first drink is much different. If I know I'm going to drink I take it before I leave work so it works into that time frame.

Over all I'm drinking more than normal during the week, but mainly because I would stop for a few days and then really really binge out, but I do see and feel a difference in the amount and the way I drink.

keep it up!

Congratulations on your first week Providence.

Some tried and true advice for week 1: Try not to analyze it too much...eat before you take the pill to cut the nausea...and get in the habit of recording your consumption daily.

Looks like you are doing great for Week 1 - keep it up! Believe it or not, after the first 2 weeks, the time flies by...

Well this was an ouch of a week!

I started off really good and for most of the week I did great and kept everything in check. I made sure I took my Nal and hour before and then reminded myself to slow down. My main problem is that I can consume a bottle of wine (750ml) in less than 30 minutes and then slow up.

Most of the side effects are gone, I still get headaches (low level ones) and tend to feel a little loopy the next day, but it is not as bad as it was.

Like I said I did great until Saturday when I completely went on a bender and drank 25 units through out the day and into the night. I started pretty early in the day and didn't stop until Sunday morning, so I guess in a 24 hour period that's not so bad. There were a lot of stressful things going on this weekend so that might have be some of the reason.

Not going to beat myself up for the rise in units, just going to continue on my journey.

Just finished week 3 on TSM.

I had an AF day on Sunday, mainly because I had a lot of stuff to do and my body was worn out from the day before.

It was pretty much a normal week with the exception of a personal issue in my life right now. I've noticed I'm drinking about 8-10 units a night but looking back I think my average was 10-15 units with high spike binges on the weekend. Before TSM I would go AF for a few days or a week and binge really bad. So even though I'm drinking everyday it think it is still better than the way I was before.

The side effects are still there. I continue to have a low level headache after I take it so I take advil for that. I still feel very spaced out after taking it and this feeling last well into the next day. I no longer get a stomach ache or feel dizzy.

I have noticed that the last few days my cheeks feel hot. And I've been getting grumpy quicker.

This morning I woke up and open the fridge door and there was wine still left in the bottle. Before I would have taken that as a sign to continue to drink, but after I poured the glass out of habit, I just couldn't drink it, so down the drain it went. I think I'm at the point where I need to ask myself if I really want to drink or am I drinking out of habit.

My husband is a little taken back by this because I think he thought the results would happen quicker, he is still trying to wrap his head around that I'm suppose to drink. I can understand his doubts. Before I would lie about my drinking and he'd find out, now I'm up front about it, but in the back of his mind I think he thinks this is just the ploy for me to go on drinking. I don't think he realized how much I drank because I would go a few days without it.

Providence - you're doing great!

Just let things happens without over-thinking too much. I know what you mean about the"habit thing" kick in. Over the years, I'm sure we got used to and auto refill mode. Empty beer/glass/bottle - must be time to grab another, as if we're running out of air or something.

At my point, I am starting to stop and think before getting another, and it's interesting to listen to my body before reacting. When I'm really honest with myself, I find that many times I don't really want or need more - at least not like I used to. However, at your early stage, I think you should just go with the flow. If you think too much, you'll start doubting yourself or TSM, etc. For so many years, you've kept drinking without a tought, so you need to let TSM extinguish that behavior over many weeks. Just keep going, without worrying about what others think, and ignore your brain when you start to feel disappointed. That will only make you crazy, and might even impede your progress. You're on the right track - just have faith, and focus on that. You can do this!

Week 5 progress report.

The week started out a little rough. What I thought was going to an AF day turned into a 3 bottle wine day. On Monday I have 4 units and went AF on Wednesday. It just happened so I was happy about that.

On Thursday night Mr. Providence and I had a HUGE fight over something really minor. I'm not even sure why.

Mr. Providence has begun working the night shift at his job which has been a really big strain on me at night. He leaves to go to work at 11:00pm but sometimes when I get off work I find myself trying to find something to do so I don't go home and wake him up. He has been sleeping in the basement where it is dark and cooler. Once he gets up then we have an hour or so to spend together but I'm either too tired or I've been drinking. I'm trying to make sure I only buy a smaller amount so I don't over do it.

On Thursday night after Mr. Providence left for work he sent me a txt message (romantic couple we are), asking if I was still up. Of course I was. He was coming down the road (he drives a truck) and said he would be near our house in 10 mins and ask me to come down to the corner of our development. Which I did. Stupid me when to go the side of the road and didn't notice the ditch. That's right -- you guessed it! I feel flat on my face and tore up both knees. But I did get to hug and kiss him and remind how much I love him. I didn't know how bad they where until I got back to the house. Let just say I won't be wearing a short skirt to work this week. I ended up pretty much blacking out Thursday into Friday and didn't go to work and stayed in a drunken mess and lost count of my units. So I just ended up est on the amount of bottles that are empty. I do know that I took NAL about 12 hours a part as suggested just to make sure I keeped it in my system the whole time.

Yesterday I went AF - Step Sons grad party, day with the family and body shot, I really had no choice. Last night (this am) I had the most vivid dreams that woke me up more than once. I only have them when I am not drinking which is odd because before NAL I used to have them only when I was drinking.

I'm getting a little nervous because we are taking a family vacation at the end of May, and I not sure how I'm going to handle the whole drinking thing with all the kids around. I think they know I still drink since rehab, but since they don't live at home they don't know how much.

All in All still not the worse week I've had. Before NAL it would have been much worse I think.

Hey Prov, real progress is being made! Just look at how much less you're drinking overall than you did b/4. . .and don't let the specter of your kids' judgement deter you.

You're doing great!

I just finished week 5.

I think me feeling sick the other day was something not relating to my Nal. I took it Friday, Saturday and Sunday with any problems.

I still feel a slight burning in my cheeks like I"m flushed. It starts about 30 mins after I take it and last until the Nal wears off.

This week I went to 2 1/2 days AF without effort. Actually I felt pretty good during that time.

The weekend was rough again, if you can't tell by the fact my units are 74 but that was with 2 AF days this week.

I continue to take my Nal 2 times a day on the weekend when I know I will likely binge.

I am encouraged by SpringRiders post about being cured. I'm looking forward to the point if I have that feeling that I can put this behind me once and for all.