Hi Keke

Welcome to the forum! Aren't computers a pain sometimes?! Without them we wouldn't have this wonderful worldwide support network though.

I agree you need to give this a year. Or more in my case - I have been at this over 13 months. It has been a real roller coaster ride and at times I have felt quite discouraged, but the fact that I am still hanging in there and haven't gone back to trying to stay sober in AA is testimony to the power of nal.

I am 50 & married, but a much older mum than you - my sons are only 13 and 10. The youngest just did a football/soccer opportunities course. He was encouraged to do well at school and later apply for an athlete's scholarship to an American university. (We live in New Zealand.) If he were lucky enough to get one it would save hubby and I thousands in college fees!!

Looking forward to keeping up with your progress. It's great you have hubby on board. Mine has been very supportive.

Cheers
Sticky

Welcome, Keke(d) I'll chime in with everyone else to say that a year is a reasonable amount of time to see change. Don't expect overnight miracles (even if the honeymoon period sometimes feels like a miracle!) but try and keep track of your drinking and thoughts around drinking. Subtle changes will show you that TSM is work, in the long run.
Good luck!

Thanks for chiming in EL & Sticky, Last night I took the 12.5 mg's of Nal & went to a party. I'm guessing I probably gave it around 45 minutes before my first drink. We were at a place that free-poured rather heavily, so I'm counting 4 drinks as 6. I asked hubby to get me a 5th drink before the 4th even took effect and he declined. I owe it to him that I don't feel absolutely horrible today, since we were home by eleven and I really didn't need any more alcohol. I think I can up my dose of Nal, since I didn't notice the 12.5 at all. Also, I am going to pay more attention to whether I am really craving a drink or I just want one out of habit. We have another friends birthday dinner planned for next Sunday & I'm not sure if I could decline the wine, so I am going to have to do a little juggling of drinking days. I am trying not to drink two days in a row and would like to limit the drinking to two or three days per week. I would like to hear from more people who think the I've-had-enough-switch is working with the Nal. Thanks, Keek

Quick question: were you initially upset he didn't get the next drink?

Welcome Keke. You've found a great place. I'm so glad you came back and are adding Patience to the mix because I think that's needed in TSM. You wondered earlier if you could de-addict by not Nal'ing and drinking every day, only taking Nal on the days you do drink - that certainly worked (works? I'm just about there or there but not committed to calling myself "cured" yet! ) for me, and other non-daily drinkers. There's lots of discussion on this subject throughout the forum - I looked into it when I first joined to see if TSM would suit my drinking patterns. The simple answer is to follow the golden rule: take Nal 1 hour before drinking - and the extinction process will work its slow magic behind the scenes until you reach the place you want to be. Good luck, it takes work (remembering to take the Nal, being committed to taking the Nal), but SO worth it!

HF, in answer to your question as to whether I was upset that hubby didn't get me another drink? The answer is YES. Fortunately, I was already pretty blottoed, so I didn't put up much of a fight. Hubby said I wanted him to stop for a bottle of champagne on the way home and I barely remember doing so. He said I pouted and that was about it. We stopped for greasy taco's instead. Today is day 3 AF after the binge. Last night I have to admit I was jonesing a bit, but it was after eleven and I wasn't going to get out of bed to go to the store. I am trying to plan drinking days and this week it is going to be Thursday & Sunday, since those are "event" days. Last night I thought I might drink tonight, but I think I'll try to make it until Thursday just because I am enjoying not being hung over. I just have to get it in my head to take Nal for the rest of my life before I have a drink. The stuff that is going through my head right now is "since I can go 3-4 days AF, why not enjoy the buzz and skip the Nal when I do drink". This is why I quit before and we all no where that got me with my alcohol abuse; absolutely nowhere!! The good news is that I am planning my week around TSM and am not afraid of social events. Here goes week two with TSM. Thanks to all for your support! Keek!

Pre TSM approximately 35 units per week, 1-2 AF
Week 1: 13 units, 5 days AF

Keke, we've all been there about wishing to not take nal (esp when TSM is working!) and enjoy the high. I would advise against it. HOWEVER, what I am experimenting with, is taking only 25 mg on the nights that don't pose any danger to me (low cravings, low risk situation, etc). So far it is working great for me, and I don't have hte horrible side effects of nal. And yes I do enjoy alcohol more, but am able to stop after a couple. I wouldn't recommend it this early on in the game for you, but it's something to look forward to down the line perhaps?

EL, thanks for the input. I'm titrating up on the Nal & haven't gotten up to 50mg's. So far, I have taken it 3 times at 12.5 mgs. Still am a little quesy, and have that funky taste and mild headache all day long. (I tend to be very sensitive to medication and am only 125 lbs, so I think the low dose is working). Tomorrow night will be my first 25 mg's before a short happy hour with friends. Last night I decided to drink and went to the store for a bottle of skinny margarita's. I knew this weekend was starting to book up with events that included alcohol and I didn't want to go AF then seriously binge for 4 days. New plan: AF tonight & Saturday, drink last night (Wednesday) Friday & Sunday. Anyhow, while I was getting my second drink, hubby accusingly asked if I was going to drink the whole bottle tonight. I got upset with him about micromanaging my behavior and continued to drink all of it. I just had more guilt. I tried to hide the fact that I drank all of it by putting grapefruit juice in the bottle. He called me on it as he was kissing me good by this morning and said the sneaking part was worse than admitting I drank it all. I know this, but try telling that to a drunk who already feels guilty about their drinking habits! He doesn't know that I downed a club margarita on the way home (just wanted to make sure I had enough for a good buzz). Yes, I took the Nal an hour before while making dinner. Tonight we are going to a play and I can get by with a mocha. I feel pretty good today and am still optimistic about TSM even if I am a little fearful of the Nal hangovers and a bit depressed about the whole sneaking drinks thing. Maybe the fear, along with the increased dose, will curtail my consumption on Friday. Let's hope so. Take care, Love Keke

Pre TSM 30 - 35 units, 1-2 AF
Week 1, 13 units, 5 AF
Week 2 .....Anyone know how to track, then copy and paste?

Took my first 25mgs of Nal at 4 pm and by 5:30 I felt a little light headed and my tongue felt numb. It did it's job of nullifying the first two Vodka tonics, but I still wanted more so we stopped for a bottle of champagne. I drank 3/4 of a bottle and was pretty lucid when I went to bed. Fortunately, I took a couple of Ibuprofen with a glass of coconut water before crawling under the sheets, so I am not feeling too hungover this morning. I was worried about the Nal (not enough to not drink the champagne mind you) giving me a worse hangover than usual. Now I won't be afraid to take it on Sunday since some friends are bringing the wine. Tonight we are having dinner and a movie with a young couple who I can be AF around, so I can save my liver from one binge and remember the movie for a change. I'm enjoying the day on, days off planning with the Nal as ammunition. Off to a Yin yoga (stretching) class. Take care my TSM friends, I'll catch up with your posts later. tootle loo, Keek

I think the Nal worked a bit of it's magic last night: Some friends brought over 2 bottles of Chardonnay and even though I was worried about getting enough for a good buz, I didn't hover over the second bottle (not much anyway). I probably had 4 glasses and was a bit intoxicated. It felt like the Nal actually made the sedating properties of the wine more apparent. I did suggest to my husband that he go get another bottle, but the guests said they were fine, so I made do and talked while I kept myself busy cleaning up. I admit I was jonesing for more and was disappointed when the guests said they were fine. We started drinking and eating around 6, the guests left at 9 and by 9:30 I was ready for bed. Weird sleep, but feeling somewhat better about not drinking more last night.

One strange side effect that I think can be attributed to the Nal is that while I was 30 minutes into receiving a massage yesterday afternoon I felt as though I was going to barf. It went away, but made me hesitant to take 25mgs last night (did 12.5 instead). All-in-all not a bad two weeks. On to week 3 and not sure if I should try for less AF days and more Nal to get used to it or just keep plugging away with doing 2-4 AF days in a row and titrate up. I really enjoy how I feel after the AF days, so I think I'll go for the 25mgs on the next drinking day and if I get nauseous so be it. Naling on, Keek.

Pre TSM 30 -35 units, 1-2 AF per week

Week 1, 11-12 units 4 AF (12.5 mgs)
Week 2, 17 units 3 AF (12.5 - 25mgs)
Week 3, ..............