Is staring at lower doses addressed inthe book? I cannot get too sick!

Hi Maggie,

Glad you chimed in. Wow, you're boys are almost identical in age to mine.....small world.

If I were you I would go ahead and start the Nal even before reading the book. I can see that you are like me and have done your share of online research about TSM. You know the basics: take Nal(start small dose) + wait 1 hour + drink. You will day by day learn how the Nal effects you. But then again, I am NOT a patient person. I am a week in and haven't received my book yet. But I just figure it will put me that much farther ahead of the game

We are all in your corner,

Cindy

maggiemay,

Glad to hear that you've managed to order the book and that your Nal has arrived. You're all set!

Only you can decide whether you wait and read the book or whether you jump right in. You're a grown woman, you know your own mind and you know what is best for you. I'm sure you'll be fine either way.

The book says to start at 25mgs for a couple of days and then go to the full 50mgs. Always following the golden rule to take it one hour before your first drink. If you are not going to drink, then don't take a Nal.

Many people (myself included) feel quite sickly at first even on the 25mgs. I cut back to 12.5 (a quater of a tab) and took it with an anti sickness tablet and slowly worked up to the full dose. Everyone reacts differently, and you might be absolutely fine but you'll soon figure it out.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Ruth.

Hi MM,

I guess I'm one of the rare ones; I took 25mg the first two days and yes, was a little nauseous, but not unbearably so, and I've managed 50mg daily quite easily ever since.

Jump on in! you know everything you need to know to start.

Take care and keep us posted.

Hi Maggie May,

I was very nauseous when I started at first, and also I had the flu which made it worse, so I had to throw up also a few times. It made me very sad, but now it feels better after taking 25 mg's and trying not to think too much about it.

Good luck!

Thank you all for your replies! I' m so scared of my reaction to the NAL! I don't mind being nauseous,I just want to be able to function. I worry that I'll feel crappier than I do when I drink. Last Thursday I drank way too much wine and then a shot or two of port (ick) and had the worst hangover (on a weekday) than I've had in at least 4 months). I had the worst headache and had to leave work early. Ugh.

I don't want to repeat that. I have some events coming up in the next few weeks so my target date to take NAL is on 8/23. I hope I make it to my hair appt the next day - LOL!

I almost tried it tonight because the opportunity was there,but I do have to work tomorrow and didn't want to call in sick. It's funny, because I'll take pain killers or benzo's w/ alcohol, but based on what I've read here, the NAL scares me!

Hugs to you all!

MM

Hi all - I work in the social services and today, coinciendally, a psychiatrist mentioned that manufacturers cannot guarantee that non-scored pills have an equal amount of drug. I think that's important to know!

Maggie May,

I was the same way - very nervous as to how I would react to something that was about to block receptors in my brain. I started with 25mg (half a pill) and within a week was up to 50mg (the entire pill). For me the reaction was a complete blockage of the alcohol rush I crave. No side affects at all from the Nal. Everyone's different and you will read some stories from folks that have had unpleasant reactions to Nal.

I'm starting my 4th week and I can tell you that TSM is working for me. My consumption is way down and I feel better each day I keep it down. When I drink I follow the rule Nal + 1hr. Drinking now sucks, does nothing for me and is starting to become repulsive. Recently I have been binge drinking trying to break through the Nal to get the rush and it's not working. I can't get the rush and get a hangover and super dehydrated the next morning.

Eventually, I hope, come common sense will works it's way into my head and I'll treat alcohol as the poison it is.

Rich

Sounds good Rich.... I hope that's what happens to me. Thank you. I don't get why people try to "drink through the Nal." Is that because extinction hasn't happened yet and there is still craving for the high?

I plan to take my first Nal this Saturday. I'm excited and nervous!

I REALLY want to stop caring about alcohol the way I do. I want to stop thinking about it, craving it, drinking too much of it and doing dumb things, hiding, rationalizing, having hangovers, wishing I could be alone so I could drink, avoiding my husband and kids, hiding mini bottles of lemonade vodka in my purse when I'm out in case I don't get enough alcohol (which I never do), hiding empty bottles in my purse and dumping on the way to work, sneaking cigarettes when I'm drunk at home 'cause I crave them. I deserve better. SO dumb.

I'm not beating myself up per se. I really actually believe there's some physical problem here. I'm happy when I'm not drinking. I've been to tons of therapy and know how to do life. It's just that when I'm in a bad mood, or maybe even a good one, alcohol occurs to me. Earlier tonight I was thinking about this and what to compare it to. I think it's kind of like having a seizure disorder, it's not voluntary, it just is.

I work in social services and sit in meetings where we encourage people not to drink. I feel so much compassion for them (the silver lining). I want to have the conviction to help them that I don't currently have. Almost 20 years sober and I drank. AA was fun at first, when I was single, lots of cute guys. When I was sober for awhile and started having kids I didn't want to keep wallowing in it all so I stopped going. Maybe if I had kept going I would not have drank, who knows. I do know that is not the place for me now. I can't relate. I do believe in spirituality and the importance of that, but I don't think that cures this physical problem, like it doesn't cure seizures!

Wow, I'm getting long winded! Stay tuned....

MM. We have some stuff in common! I did the AA thing too a few years back and enjoyed the male company but other than that it was just kinda depressing after a while and didn't stop any cravings - I was only clean for 34 days though, which included rehab so you've got me beat there though.

I think you will love nal but you have to be ready to stop, that is very important but it sounds like you are. I think having people around you that you are encouraging to stop might help.

Make sure you log your progress along the way, something I have a hard time remembering when I'm toasted so I try to do that in the morning.

I'm only 1 week and 3 days in - made a mistake by drinking like I used to last weekend and that was a fail. Once you start nal I would suggest that you are 100% in, if you're gona drink take the nal an hour before - that's it.

I started with a quarter of the 50 mg pill, did have slight tummy wierdness the 1st morning but other than that I didn't have any issues, I'll add that I have a weak tummy so hopefully you will have similar results. Some have said that wine gives different side-effects than spirits - I'm a vodka girl and that's all I've tested it on but if I'm in a wine/beer place I'll be testing it on that too and will post.

Good luck and my biggest piece of advice is to make sure your head is in the right place - meaning you are in 100% and want to be AF eventually.

Keep posting - our stories are supportive!