Well, it turns out that i am highly sensitive to nal and a quick responder.

I have only had two pills over almost 2 weeks, and on the other days i have been alcohol free. I have noticed that others on here have reported a three pill cure, where nearly all the extinction happened during the first three doses.

I do still want to drink some, but its not a craving, a biological hunger like before. I am just bored or stressed, and having a drink is what i am used to doing. I have noticed that i eat a LOT more, and part of that is sugar (juice, ice cream), which was helping a lot. The alcohol calories must be replaced. Later, I have also been keeping some diet, caffiene free soda around so i have something in my hand.

Aside from that i have noticed that i need to think of myself as someone who doesnt drink anymore, and who doesnt think it is a big deal. Im not drinking because I dont want to drink, not because i give a crap what others think, its my decision. No promises to anyone, and no saying that im not drinking anymore. Im not setting expectations to live up to. Its a non-issue for me and i want it to stay that way.

I may not be done with nal, and i may always carry a pill, but Im feeling more optimistic than i ever have aboit alcohol. The train slowing down analogy is apt. The train slows down, but if you want to quit you have to jump off.

Wierd thing is, i never had any intention of quitting, but the opportunity presented itself on a silver platter, and i thought it would be foolish to pass up. So here i am, i checked yesterday, thinking i had been two days without alcohol and it had been four. Woohoo.

Well, Im going to check in here for a while, but ill probably depart after that.

Thanks to everyone!

Edit: not to paint too rosy a picture, my side effects were brutal. If the side effects werent so harsh for me, I may have opted to casually drink while continuing nal.

What a fantastic response...congratulations.
It's so funny how we all react so differently..for some it's months, others years and for a fortunate few just weeks.
Long may it last.
Ruth.

Congratulations! I'm glad it's working for you.

Thanks.

Kind of wierd week. Went to a social gathering with alcohol, didnt partake. Was fine until a couple showed up that we have went drinking with in the past. Then i really wanted a beer. Also had to explain my lack of drinking. Played it as im drying out for a while. Which is true, except i have no plans of starting again.

That night and the following, I have noticed that I can really smell alcohol on people. Kind of annoying, I dont want to be a loathsome teetotaler. Wife sat down next to me, and damn it smelled like tequilla straight up, but it was a small glass of white wine.

I also had one of the semicommon alcohol dreams, which stuck with me and gave me a nagging impression that i drank this week. Wierd. So i dont feel triumphant at all with this persistent impression that i binged.

I may make myself have a nal + beer today for extinction purposes or i might not. Haven't decided yet.

Good luck everyone.

Wow that's amazing progress.

Drinking dreams are very common in all recovering alcoholics so don't feel bad about them.

Yes as a complete abstainer I really smell it on people too, I don't think they realise how it smells to others. Try asking around "Have you ever sat close to someone who's had a drink and you haven't?" even better is to find anyone who's kissed someone who's had a drink or two, and they haven't. Very, very rare to find this.

2+ weeks no alcohol. For some reason I have taken to putting myself in situations with alcohol to see if i am tempted. Nope, not tempted.

Surprisingly, my vision has improved, and my intelligence is returning. I thought I was just getting old. I certainly didnt think I drank enough to have such effects.

Hopefully I havent peaked yet.

That's really amazing. I suppose your bad side effects helped as a deterrent, but it's really nice that you aren't even missing it.

Have you called yourself cured yet?

I ws kidding myself that my intelligence had dropped off due to age but I HOPE I experience the same as you when I start TSM!

Cured? I think if i called myself cured, Id go have a beer. Im not cavalier enough to think it couldn't happen again. I feel like i have won the lottery, calling myself cured and not being vigilant, seems to me to risk it all for double the payout. Im perfectly happy where I am.

Maybe Im in remission. I like that a lot better. Still feels slighty premature though.

Oh, and the side effects are definitely a deterrent. I have to schedule a drink. 2 hours for the nal, must be at home or at least have a ride lined up, must not have anything important the next day, etc. Oh, and if anyone is around I may have some explaining to do if i have some really bad side effects.

Michael: Well, you will probably feel worse on nal. Cut down on alcohol as quick as you can.

That's amazing news. Just always remember to keep a pill handy and never drink without it. I was a quick responder (maybe not that much) but after a while I got lazy and you wouldn't believe how quick you can backslid.

Congrads