I think the first step is having the thought process that you're having. The second step is acting logically in consequence to it It takes a little while for our brains to not TRY and get buzzed anyways, even though we know it won't happen. In addition, at 30 weeks, I'm STILL getting feelings of really looking forward to a drink...it's just that most times, after about half a glass of wine, I really can't be bothered to drink the rest. Someday, I bet I will be less excited about the first drink, once my brain realizes that it's no longer than much fun.

Thanks EL,

And I hope you are enjoying your last week before the new job! Hey, its a paycheck.... And I agree with you on the stages before the AF days. The thoughts I've been having about that come and go. My sick alcoholic brain has found a way to make red wine more appealing. I hate spending big bucks on expensive wine just to get through TSM. (Special events are different) So I usually buy the cheaper wine which doesn't taste half as good. So now I'm mixing a harsh Spanish wine with a weak Cab to create a fairly good tasting blend. Still, last evening I only had 3 glasses. Quite an improvement from 5-6 or even 7 glasses of the white, which I favor.

I see you have a totally different style of getting through TSM. While I drink mostly every day, most of your days are AF, with just a couple of drinking days during the week. My thought process is the more drinking sessions I go through, the faster the Nal will do it's work. But I think I read in one of your threads that the AF days reinforce TSM. Just wondering what your thoughts are on this?

Well, enjoy your week and Nal on my friend....

Best,

Hi Nalway - I had a quick thought about this.

In my (limited) experience, I found that introducing AF days as soon as I felt they were "doable" went a long way to help eliminate my habit-based/daily drinking. After a few weeks, my routine had changed enough such that coming home from work and NOT drinking became the habit. Chaining together AF days during the week became a breeze after that.

I still have a lot of work to do regarding binge drinking sessions over the weekend, but I think if you can squeeze in a few AF days once the cravings are diminished, you'd be surprised at how fast they become "the norm." I think this is how TSM is reinforced by AF days - especially for daily drinkers.

Just my two cents - keep up the great work!

-H

Well, for me AF days were always a part of my routine - a lot of the time because I was hungover, but there were usually at least 2 a week back before TSM. It's not hard for me to have 3, and only a mild challenge some weeks to shoot for 4. The thing is that I just feel SO much better when I haven't drank the night before that enforcing AF days is more of a health thing, for me, than a TSM thing. It makes sense that the more you drink on TSM, the faster it might work, but I'm also trying to maintain a good quality of life while doing TSM. And since my hangovers are so crippling, I really can't afford them. AF days are also a bit of a remanent of the past, because since I could never be moderate, I would drink heavily or not go out and drink at all. I still find that if I go out and drink I like to "make a night of it," even if I have no problem staying home and not drinking the rest of the time.
I think personally styles might differ, but we'll all get there in the end. TSM will work, because it's science, not because we think one way or another

Hi EL,

Hmmm, its funny, I used to not drink during the week like you. But when I started TSM I felt motivated to "get the process over with asap". I guess the difference is I don't usually feel hungover unless I pass the 6+ unit mark. Not often at all. Also, I have zero side effects from Nal. So my hangover's are relatively mild if at all. However, I think you are smart trying to uphold a healthy lifestyle in spite of going through TSM. As you've heard me whining about my weight gain, this is the result of drinking every day. While you have control over your weight and are probrably much healthier since you don't drink each day.

Anyway, I see positive changes this week as once again last night only three glasses of wine were consumed. I'm at 15 units so far this week, however last week at this point I was at 24 units. So if I keep at this pace I should be at around 25 units for the week instead of 40 units consumed last week. Progress.......

Hi Nalway, I totally see your logic in wanting to accelerate the process. I think Dr. Sinclair says to continue drinking as we normally would, if you weren't a daily drinker before TSM and now are drinking daily on TSM, I see that as a double edged sword, on the one hand you are accelerating extinction but on the other, you are creating a new habit... plus, you are missing out on the lovely up-regulation. I think it would definitely be worth a try.

Curi

Hi Curi,

Thanks for your reply. What is up regulation? I never heard that term before.

Anyway, about last night..... Just like all week, I had three glasses of 120 Cabernet Savignon. Like I was telling EL, I almost never have a hangover, headache, nausea or otherwise, unless I pass that 6+ threshold. However, around 12:30am I woke up with the most excrutiating headache I've ever had in my life. I can't explain it. I did not overconsume and normally have no ill effects. I didn't know which way to lay down and actually found that standing up was less painful. I paced back and forth with a wet towel on my head for an quite a while, forced myself to vomit, went through 2 sets of Ibuprofin and finally fell asleep. Then, as usual I woke up on time at 5, and felt totally fine. Hmmmm, can't explain that one. I wonder if the wine was bad or something. Rest assured I will never drink that brand again.

So, I've been exersizing and actually lost 1.5 pounds this week without even trying. I feel really great out there running again. I trudge along really slow. But it still feels so good. I feel light on my feet. Yay!

So sorry to hear about the nasty headache! You are lucky to otherwise not get bad hangovers or side effects on nal. Seeing as I get both, that's also why I try to have fewer drinking days!!
Up regulation is (for what I understand) when after taking nal, the body then gets a miniflood of endorphins if you engage in an activity like exercising. So sometimes 48 hours after taking nal some people feel GREAT (if they haven't taken nal again and drank). I don't get much upregulation personally, but I guess it could be something to try.

Happy happy happy !!!!! 28 units total for the week!

Congrats Nalway!