Day 3 AF and not all that bad. Even going through the wine and liquor aisle was a breeze. I'm considering taking some Nal just to see how my body handles it w/o alcohol. I'm pretty tired so it should be fine. While in a cardio class this morning I was thinking how energized I felt and started thinking maybe I can do this w/o the Nal. After all, how many 53 year olds can run 1/2 marathons..... Then reality hits and I remember the days where I didn't feel like doing anything and what a waste of time and energy hangovers can be. I know that I can be a better wife, mother, friend, basically just better all around, if I can get to the point where I don't care about alcohol. I'm really trying to focus on how great things can be sober. It's getting easier........and it helps that I surround myself with people who don't drink....Last night we ran into friends and they wanted to send over drinks, but the waiter said he didn't think we were drinking since we ordered sparkling water (they didn't sell NA beer). It felt really good to be fine with not joining in.....Still a little scared to do that first drink, but I'm going to try and sip it vs downing it for the high.......til next time.....Nal on. Keek

Day 5 and I'm on my first drink. Originally planned on drinking last night,but got busy and just didn't want to wake up and drive 9 hours hungover. I still took the Nal and other than insomnia the first night and disruptive sleep the past two nights, the SE's haven't been that bad. I'm making sure I'm eating when I take it. I believe i'm acclimating and an not so afraid of it now. I'm also trying to slow the drinking down as opposed to downing it for the high. The little demon in my head tries to tell me to drink without the Nal, but the realist in me is starting to pay attention. I was hoping that the Nal would magically make me not want the alcohol, but its just helping to keep the guzzle bug at bay. Keeping positive.....keek

OUCH....woke up with a headache at 2am. I had taken some ibuprofen and took my Nal 1 hour before 2 drinks, but I believe I should've downed some water and was a bit dehydrated. Looking back, the headache wasn't any worse than if I'd had 6 drinks. It went away after an aspirin & water. Still have a lingering one, but coffee is starting to work.

Last nights experience: Went to the store and bought 2 Club vodka martini's, then was worried I wouldn't have enough, and bought an individual white wine. Got home and took 25 mgs of Nal then waited 1 hour & 15. Slowly made and drank a vodka tonic w the club. Over the course of the evening I drank 1 club (2 drinks) and barely touched the second. There was a moment where I thought I needed more of a buzz and took a couple of sips of the wine, but put it down and went back to watching TV and the Vodka tonic. Went to bed sleepy.

This morning I am analyzing the process and because of the headache am going to have to pull through and keep up with the Nal. I learned that acclimating w/o the alcohol helped to avoid the severe hangover. I also believe that Nal and wine are a horrible combination for me..
All in all looking good... Til next post. Thanks for reading... Xoxox keek

What is watching TV and the VT?

Keep up the compliance.

You asked about switching to lower octane. I made the leap from vodka mixers last month the the lower octane koolaid. The lower octane koolaid is sill higher, 8%. I never drank it straight, just mixed with diet white soda or lite beer. The sweetness helped fill me up quicker and have less, and feel the nal effect more.

I still need to keep cutting the octane until I am drinking straight lite beer, and I quit drinking alone. My 2 goals.

Hey CH, The vt is a vodka tonic....I just edited so it was clear. Other than Mike's margarita 's , which I guzzled, I haven't really drank for the taste.....hmmmm.... I might give it a try. I remembers when I was 22 (a very long time ago) and drank white wine coolers.

Tonight I am not drinking as I poured the remaining club and wine out. I still took some Nal so that I would stay acclimated. I had a headache this evening, but took some ibuprofen and a nap so all is good.

I lost my icon and can't edit the s off remember. I hope this is just a fluke and I Dan correct my misspelled words tomorrow. Still hopeful. Keek

Stopped at the store and got 2 vodka tonic clubs and decided that this was going to do it. Just started on the second and am a little worried that I might want more, but think I will be able to resist going to the store. I was hoping the Nal would work like before and take the desire for more away, but I'm going to try and not over think it. After all, I was seriously considering not taking the Nal because of the SE's and wanting a buzz, but came to my senses.
I am wired yet tired, so hopefully the tired part will take over and I will just go to sleep.......

Seriously considering ditching the nal. Horrible, horrible headache last night and almost threw up. I did all that would help, like eating and drinking plenty of water. I also took a couple of ibuprofen before bed. Well the 2 clubs did the trick as far as a buzz and not wanting more, but the waking up 3 times having to pop ibuprofen and put ice on my head was not pleasant. I've gotten hangovers before but they are easily managed with hydration and ibuprofen. The Nalover seems very hard to tolerate. I found that exedrine worked best for the headache, so maybe I'll try this at first sign of a headache.

I'm going to lower my dose of Nal as I think some is better than none, but if the SE's continue, I will give up on TSM for good. I realize I quit before because I wanted the buzz, but if the SE's are unmanageable with taking small doses, then why bother...OK, I know why bother. It's because I want a full life back and not one that is so focused on Alcohol. Feeling a bit sad, pissed, sorry for myself, and just about every self- defeating emotion one can feel considering I am making this a priority. Someone please tell me that this will pass if I keep plugging along! I'm happy this works for most, but am a little discouraged about it working for me. Keek

I suppose nobody knows exactly why Nal causes side-effects like that in some people -- impossible to pin down the exact etiology. But, yeah, that sucks because you seemed so hopeful. Your choice is to either go back to getting your buzz on, not drinking at all, or drinking with Nal and side-effects. It seems as though some people's side-effects go away after awhile. Did you have side-effects like this the first time?

Thanks bkn for the acknowledgement, To some degree I initially had side effects, but I wasn't sure if it was too much alcohol in combination or just the Nal. I'm experimenting with the cause and am still hopeful that I can get through the initial SE's and just work the program. I took 12.5 tonight and drank a bottle of skinny Cosmo just to see if the type of alcohol made a difference. To be honest, I could have done without both the Nal and the alcohol ( which I think is a good sign) but decided to try titrating up for the sake of extinguishing. I have taken two exedrine, one when I started drinking and another one just now. I'm relatively sober, but still feel a headache coming on. So much so that I am afraid to try and sleep. My hubby is joining me for the weekend so I want to have some energy and am not sure how to proceed from here. I do know that I have set aside two weeks to fast track this method and am going to try and get to the point where I can tolerate the Nal. It is funny how one day ill be very tired and the next be wound up. Anyhow, I'm just plugging along. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Thanks for chiming in.... It's always good to know I'm not alone. Keek

It almost seems as though Chris and I are the only ones posting these days. Am I missing some threads or is this the case?

No headache this a.m. hallelujah! Now, do I keep taking the Nal and not drink or not take it for a couple of days and not drink? I'll decide this evening. On to read other posts...keek