I tried this breifly a while back, but I am going to give it a more concentrated effort this time. Just took my first 25 mg.

I am a bit confused about what a 'Unit" is. How many units in a 750 ml bottle of 80 proof Vodka?

Thanks.

Hi Pete1, welcome to our humble abode!

If you have not already done so, I would highly recommend you get and read The Cure for Alcoholism.

As far as units are concerned, see this thread.

Congradulations on having taken that first step toward a cure!

Hi Pete1,

Welcome aboard!

Best wishes on your journey.

V.

Howdy,

750ml of 80 proof vodka (40% ABV) = 30 UK units or 16.9 USA units. Please see my post in here for a link to unit conversion calculators, as well as simple formulas to computer your daily drinking "score: : viewtopic.php?f=5&t=313

Good luck to you!

Thanks for the replies guys. So it looks like I'm at a pretty steady 120 US units per week.

Waiting to Exhale- Last time I just took the Naltrexone for a while. It increased my drinking and the hangovers were horrible, so I stopped. I have been reading voraciosly about the Sinclair method and I am willing to follow it to the letter this time. I had a bunch of Nal, and I can't seem to find it. I hope I can, because the little I have might not be enough to hold me over until River Pharmacy can deliver more.

I took my first 25 mg yesterday and drank half as much as normal. I felt the sensation I have been reading about where I could have "drank through it" like I was doing last time. But I "went to bed a little hungry" instead. I was tired first thing this morning, but I feel great now.

One other thing Waiting to Exhale- you say you don't know any one who wasn't succesful if they follow TSM to the letter. Anyone here besides Springer rider? I have read about people in Finland and Florida, but I would like to follow someones journey to success. Lots of people here have been at it for quite a while, but I haven't seen any of the heavy drinkers notice a reduction.

Thanks

Welcome, Pete. Yes, we have other success stories - but only a few, since this method, and the forum, are still very new compared to the length of time it usually takes for TSM to effectively reprogram the brain. N101CS has gone down to safe drinking levels, as has potato. Me, Krazykris, and Q all started at about the same time (mid-Feb.), and all of us are experiencing dramatic drops in our level of consumption. Remember: this is a 4-6 month process, at minimum. The forum isn't even 4 months old, at this time. So most of us are charting progress, but have not yet attained the cure. Those who are still in the very early stages (1-2 months), often see an increase in drinking levels.

Has anyone used Nal to moderate throughout the process? I know the book says "drink as you usually would". I mean if I understand TSM, it mostly matters that you drink, not how much you drink. As mentioned above, I was able to drink half of what I normally do last night. Do you think it's unrealistic to think I can keep doing that? It's a perfect mix of not going into detox and not feeling awful. But if I was good at controling my drinking, I wouldn't be here.

You're probably experiencing the 'honeymoon' effect. Most of us had a week or so, initially, of reduced craving and drinking. Then our levels shot up. Sometimes WAY up.

Not to worry. Like SpringRider says: don't overthink it. Just be sure to follow the golden rule (natrexone one hour prior to drinking=cure) every single time you drink, and let the chemistry work its magic.

I have a problem. I have a ten day family gathering that is really important starting July third. I can't be drinking there (everybody is a recovering something or other) and I can't be detoxing there. The last time I didn't drink for two weeks, my hands were still trembling, eyes were still bloodshoot etc. at the end of the two weeks. How can I get ready for this in time? I could hold off on starting TSM till then and use the vacation as "the honeymoon" but I would still need to get my hands on some booze to prevent detox. If, as you say, I have a honeymoon now and my drinking goes "way up" just as I have to go to this thing, I am in trouble. I think I'm f****d.

Is there anything I can do to mask the sysmptoms of detox?

I think I was expecing an answer like that. I can only get away with a glass or two of wine per day and even if I can get away with some under the radar drinking, I'm going to be a mess if I don't get quite a lot of booze (I'm at 120 units (US) now. I certainly can't tell them about TSM- you can't swing a cat without hitting a 12 stepper in my family- it would be one ten day long argument that I would be in no position to win.

The only thing I can think of is to detox as slowly as I can over the next month (or quickly over the two weeks before I leave) and take Campral and white knuckle it through the vacation. It will be tough but this family gathering is a really big deal. Then start this program when I get back.