I believe I regained control around the 4 month mark, I have however had approximately 3 or 4 heavy drinking sessions since then - heavy being 10-15 units. This is still well below my previous intake of anywhere between 20-30 (and even once 40) units per session(which could be just a few hours, 6 hours max since I'd drink quickly into blackout).

From the beginning of month 5 I didn't experience any cravings for alcohol, sure there was the desire to get blotto but I didn't have any physical drive for it at all. Still don't and as long as I don't drink anything strong, and take my time whilst making sure I have eaten (all recommended for ANY drinker, normal or alcoholic) my normal brain can override my alcoholic one.

I hope to be on the cured list someday. I'm having a really hard time today.

Zippy

Thank You for posting....I needed to see this tonight. Hubby hitting the vodka pretty hard again and he was doing so well and now he is back to drinking way more vodka....a fifth disappeared this weekend but he is denying it (not a surprise) but tonight I told him that if he was going to continue to drink at this level then he needed to sleep in the basement...not up stairs around our girls....my 14 year old hates him because of his drinking....hates him.

But after reading this I realize that he has only been on Nal for 5 months or roughly 20 weeks. So I will stand by to see if it works but he has to take it away from the family.

I have renewed hope...again...thank you

Lynn

Hi Everyone, It's been a while since I've posted anything or provided an update. I've been at this for almost a year (started in Feb 2011). After a couple of months I felt an improvement, in that I didn't feel I was totally out of control. Prior to starting TSM I felt that I was spiraling completely out of control.

As you can see from my signature, I started at about 70+ units pre-TSM, and this past week I hit a low of 39 with one AF day. I've been following TSM religiously (i.e. I have always taken Nal). But now something different has happened over the past few weeks, I just felt that I was getting tired of having 6 to 8 drinks every night and I wanted a break. I took a day off and it was great, and I am taking a day off today as well. I really can visualize in my mind that I will soon be having 3 AF days a week, and a max of 6 drinks on the days that I do drink (this would take me down to a relatively reasonable 24 drinks a week). A longer term goal will be to stop drinking for at least 1 month so that I can lose a few pounds (I've noticed I can't lose ANYTHING when I'm drinking regularly, and I read somewhere that alcohol screws up your metabolism, which seems to be true in my case).

Anyhow, I think that something minneapolisnick said in a post sometime back is very true: If you give it enough time, using Nal subtly but surely changes your behavior. But because it can take some time for many people it can sometimes seem that "it isn't working" - but it really is working! It's tricky because when you start reducing your drinking because you just don't feel like drinking so much, it feels like it was just a conscious decision (which it is) but that conscious decision was only available to you as an option BECAUSE of TSM/Nal. StV I think said something similar - Nal just puts the decision making capability back in your corner, but you still need to say to yourself "all this drinking isn't worth it" and consciously decided to cut back!

Best luck to all!

I am curious as to how many binge drinkers have declared themselves in control. I ask this because I seem to be able to go AF for a few days, then when I do drink, I don't want to stop. I gave up on this last year after a horrible hangover on the Nal & have decided to give it another shot. Do I go for more AF days or try to "extinct" more often? I will read through the posts today and try to determine the bingers from daily drinkers. Thank you for being here. This is my rehab. Keek

Kekede -

It's a great question and one I touched on briefly in my thread from the daily perspective. I think it's worthy of it's own thread in the "common experiences" section rather than here in the cured section. That way it will be in a clear place for current/future TSMers. It's important.

Just a suggestion.

I think that for me, the bingeing and AF pattern continued for a while on TSM. And then I actually started drinking MORE days, but a LOT less.

Hi everyone

I am a binger but over our summer holidays have been having fewer AF days. Like NJ Guy, I've (after 13 months) finally exerted more willpower and made a conscious effort to drink less often this past week. I have had 5 days AF this week, which is the most since starting TSM. Alcoholism without nal doesn't allow us to use willpower in my experience, but nal does. To those of you plugging away at this after 6-12 months and feeling discouraged, don't give up yet! As they say in AA, don't give up before the miracle happens.

Cheers
Sticky

Thank you for this. I am so tired of waiting but am only on week 16. I've tracked for the median number now.... I can't wait for August 22!

This is a great post that I have never seen before. Can someone sticky this to the top?