Just a click over a six-pack this weekend. Two drinks Friday, four drinks Saturday. Never felt a big urge to go beyond.

Considering that just a few weeks back I was putting down 18+ beers a weekend, and pre-Nal it was over a case a weekend, I'm happy with where I am.

This is week 11 on Nal for me. The first 8 were at 25mg, the last three have been at 50mg. I think I should be past any honeymoon period, though with this being only my third week at 50mg I'm still mindful of the possibility.

The next three weekends will be big tests. First, a friend with whom I often drink a lot of beer will be visiting. The next we have a big multi-family cookout. The next after that is a beach bonfire BBQ. All three will involve booze.

So will the Coop be able to get social and indulge without going overboard?

I feel really good that the answer is likely to be "yes." But we'll see.

Based on how well you're doing so far, and the way in which your numbers are dropping, my guess is a big fat "yes".

Keep it up!

Ruth.

First test weekend = success! Friends just left. We sat around the fire smoking cigars, listening to music and sharing excellent beer all evening ... and in terms of units, I didn't even break a six-pack! On similar days in the past I'd have doubled that. By the last beer I had I was done. Sat for the last couple of hours not even drinking and was fine with that.

Is this what normal people do? It's so alien for me to stop when it's time to stop. Even though I miss chasing that euphoria, I'm glad that I can turn away from the buzz so easily on Nal, or at least so much easier than before.

That said, the side effects wore at me this weekend. Had five beers Friday night. After my last one, I laid on the couch and played some games for an hour or two. When I got up, I was hit with a massive, nausea-inducing dizzy spell. Pale as a ghost and cold sweats. The next day (today) while in the hot sun I was hit by it again. In general, the Nal leaves me worn out bad the next day. And being drunk on the stuff sucks. I now understand people who say they don't like being drunk!

My wife asked me if I thought the side effects were worth it. I told her yes, they were, because it's working. She said she noticed that it was. The most important thing is, she's supportive.

For the first four weeks that I have been on a 50mg dose, I've been at 8.2 units US per week, less than half what used to be my average night. I know this may not sound like a lot to the heavy everyday drinkers out there, but losing control every Friday and Saturday and putting down nearly a 12-pack each night ... I don't need that! Plus, my father drank himself out of a marriage, out of his job, and into a wheelchair, crippled by alcohol seizures and injuries sustained while he seized. I want to catch this before I get even remotely close to that point!

I still get urges during the week, little moments when I feel those "I can't wait to have a drink on Friday!" feelings, but when the time comes I have control. I have the off switch I wanted to have. Part of that is that being drunk is no longer any fun ... but is that really a bad thing?

Four more weeks at 50 mg and I will see how I feel. If this continues, I'm considering going back to 25 mg to see if I can keep levels this low at that dosage. On one hand I hate being enslaved to a pill, on the other, how can I argue with these results. The idea that I can drink with friends and not end up going over the top and feeling terrible shame the next day ASTOUNDS me!

Two more big test weekends. I hope to have control while still having fun with everyone. I feel great that that will be the case.

I am not sober right now.

6.23 units. That's it. It's a small total as far as units are concerned, I have been here many many many times, yet all the same I sit here and the number has no meaning because despite it, I feel DRUNK.

Is this how normal people feel after a sixer's worth of booze?

Have I really been doing this all these years and calling it routine?

If I'm honest, I will admit that I miss the rush alcohol gives me. That thing you chase. I loved it! But that thing you chase is what screws you up! If people who don't get that feeling usually feel like I feel right now after they drink a lot, damn, I realize why they don't understand why alcoholics become alcoholics, because this is uncomfortable.

I agree as I sit here with a huge vodka in my hand. the problem is that the extremes are too great. Do you enjoy drinking at all while on NAL?

Yes, I feel the same way but I notice that since I don't crave it, I'm able to withstand missing it without giving in to drinking without the NAL.

It's very strange to me how powerful NAL is. So simple too. The whole AA thing really complicates things, though I do believe there is wisdom in most of their sayings....

I still enjoy the first few drinks, yes. Not in the same way I used to, but I definitely still enjoy them. I like the taste, I like that warm feeling, I sort of like the buzz but not with that euphoric rush I used to get with each drink. Used to think about it all week, couldn't WAIT to start drinking after work on Friday. Now I partially do it out of habit. I don't crave all week.

Beach bonfire with friends yesterday. It was a good time, but I blew out my numbers with a 12-drink day. I popped my Nal as normal. Brought a second pill with me with the thought that I should take it a few hours into the day, in case we were there for a while, but I never took it. Should have. It ended up being my biggest day since mid-July. Started off fine and not really feeling that drinking rush, but at some point I switched over. Next time we're at something like this I really need to be sure I take that second pill.

Funny this is, we were at something similar last week with the same people, but I had a fine day. About six drinks. Probably more than I should have, but not bad, and I never felt that rush that you start to chase when you're drinking.

Drinking through the Nal last weekend seemed to set back my progress. For the first time in many weeks, I have craved all week. I'm sitting home now entering my second beer for Friday night. I'll know for sure how well the Nal is doing later tonight, I was just surprised at how quickly and easily those cravings came back. All week all I did was look forward to being ale to come home Friday and start drinking.

Damn!

But my head and heart are still set on control, so we'll see if the Nal helps me maintain control like it has so far.

After feeling all fired up for drinking all week, I stalled out at 5.5 units tonight and now just feel like relaxing with a snack and a movie. Five and a half drinks may be a lot for the average Joe, maybe - maybe it's not - but it's pretty freakin' modest for me.

So worry averted, maybe?