I am thinking about trying the Sinclair method and was wondering if I could get some advice. I am not sure if I fit the criteria for being a problem drinker but it's a problem for me, mostly for health reasons(I have high blood pressure and want to lose weight). I would say my drinking just now boils down to once a week 10 units + once every 2 weeks 20 units + once a month 30-40 units. It's always in social situations and mostly beer. I am also able to stop drinking with willpower, done it recently for a month as my wife was in final stage of pregnancy. The thing about stopping is I feel like I am missing out and it affects me socially because of that, i've always struggled to cut down especially where I get past a certain point in the night.

Q1. Going by my drinking habits would TSM be likely work for me?
Q2. What does it feel like when you take Naltrexone and drink? Do you get the same fuzzy feeling without the pleasure?
Q3. Would I just take a Naltrexone 1 hour before drinking, the 7-8 times a month that I do drink?

What I would like is just to get to a situation where I can drink 1 or 2 with friends without bothering about having any more. If it leads to me not bothering about having any at all then I am also fine with that. As long as its a natural feeling of not wanting any.

I am in the UK and going to a doctor to get them to agree to put me on TSM won't be an option. As part of them looking into my high blood pressure I was tested for everything and my liver and everything else was completely fine. Sorry for the long post would love to hear some advice or opinions.

hi paddy,

I'm pretty new to TSM so I'll let someone else answer your questions about your suitability

however, I can help you with the second bit. I'm in the UK too, & it is possible to get Nalmefene and Naltrexone without visiting a doctor. have a look here:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... escription

all the best

-badger

paddy29, those are good questions, actually.

You are clearly way ahead of most problem drinkers in that you can abstain on a regular basis without difficulty. My personal opinion is that, yes, Naltrexone 25-50mg one hour before drinking (and ONLY when you drink), would be a simple, effective way to curb your weekly binge, yet still allow you to be "social" and enjoy beer while out.

The main caveat is that, depending on how your body responds, it may or may not be effective. That is, some people don't actually decrease their intake or their subjective experience of drinking while on Naltrexone. If it still "works" for you subconsciously (keep in mind, the main power of TSM all takes place "behind the scenes" in your brain) as a method, then it will likely take months to years for your drinking to be curbed, given that you drink relatively rarely.

I think it would be dumb not to try, though. There's really no downside and, if you're like most, you actually WILL have a subjective experience one way or another (either via side-effects or in a stunted pleasure).

As to what you actually feel, you may have gathered that there's no way to know until you try it. Best case scenario = you have zero to very minimal side-effects, you're able to enjoy the taste, texture, and overall experience of drinking, and you never have that brain switch that turns you into an alcohol-hungry monster after a few drinks. You have an enjoyable evening, have much clearer mentation, and go home happy.

It sounds like you're losing control over your ability to abstain when you'e out drinking, and you're well over the UK "safe" limits.

So I'd say yes it would help, and depending on your age it might help protect your future by nipping what could become much worse.........in the bud. That said from everything I've read I wouldn't recommend TSM as a start and stop process. Others on here have better info on that subject than me though.

I'm not sure you're a good candidate. In fact, I'm not sure you're a problem drinker at all. Have you had problems stemming from drinking -- a DWI, your wife making you sleep on the couch, missing work due to crippling hangovers?

I can't agree that there's never any harm to trying TSM. It won't kill you or permanently damage you, but it could screw up your relationship with alcohol. If the chief reason you have trouble cutting down is that you feel like you're missing out, TSM won't help with that -- you'll probably feel like you're missing out hugely. You'd be giving up the alcohol euphoria forever, and that seems like 1.) too drastic a step for someone in the situation you've described, and 2.) something that would just lead you to ditch the nal.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe your situation is rather more dire than what I'm gathering. Can you give us a little more info about your life and why you want to quit?

Well I don't have any real problems from drinking in all honesty, I did some stupid things when I was young whilst drunk but nothing serious, just the usual for people in my area. (West of Scotland)

The thing is I am 33, I have high blood pressure, I am overweight(not too bad but enough to concern me) and my wife just had our first baby. I want to be around when my child is in his 40s and 50s and I think I have a much better chance of doing that if I lose weight and dramatically cut down on my drinking. I would love to just be able to go out and have a couple of drinks with friends without it going any further and I was thinking if the pleasure from alcohol was removed or restricted it would really help with that.

Have you tried Down Your Drink or Moderation Management? Down Your Drink can be done entirely online, so it's incredibly convenient.

TSM won't do you any lasting harm. I just hate to see you going there when I see no reason to believe you need something fairly drastic.

Paddy29

Just an extra consideration. Is the any history of alcohol related problems in your family?

I'm sure I've read somewhere that if there may be a genetic factor then nipping it in the bud with TSM could help.

However you have time on your side so why not try moderation as suggested by Melissa and see if that works for you. If you struggle or find that path too difficult you can the try TSM.

John

If you did some"dumb" things while drinking as you say when you were young and you are only 33 now, ask yourself in all honesty if your drinking has been on a progressive path through the years. If so, this is a red flag and you are wise to seek some sort of path toward moderation. I can't tell you if taking Naltrexone to block opioid receptors when you drink is the answer. Seems there might be a few steps you could take before that to gauge your own ability to moderate drinking.

You might store somewhere in the back of your mind that people without drinking problems rarely think about their drinking as being a problem.

Cheers!

I was mostly(but not always) a binge drinker but I would binge 1-3 times a week on 20-30 units. I could go a week or two without, if I really tried but the cravings would just build up until I snapped.

TSM may help you.

There is no alcoholism in my family but there is a history of depression, and on the other side being very active (bit obsessive).

Yes you would take it 1 hour before drinking, I however took it every day at first because I knew if I decided to drink I wouldn't wait the hour. I was abstenant for the first 7-10 days and still took the nal, then I started and found because it was safer (my units halved) I then allowed myself to drink most nights.

Only you know if you have a drink problem. I would say if you feel you are out of control once you start, then you may have a problem.