Thanks ready and plantpro. Heading into the weekend here in Florida so this will really be interesting for me in week 1. At a business meeting now that includes happy hour afterward and I left my nal elsewhere. So I'll have to skip the drink until I get it. Very much a new life all right. Will report later. Have a good weekend all.

sounds like you're doing great newlife - keep up the good work

-badger

Newlife - I was so impressed that you are skipping the drink as you didn't have your Nal with you ! That is just wonderful - you should do really well with Nal I think ....

Hugs, Maggie x

So my first week was a total of 15 US units, with 0 AF. A little disconcerting. The first couple of days the nal felt like a magic bullet. I thought AF days would be no problem. However, when I woke Sunday wanting an AF day, it could not be done. I don't get the "high" with the nal, I suppose, but I still want to drink. The habit is so deeply ingrained.

On Friday, I was at a work event that ended at five and was followed by cocktail hour. Not a huge drinking crowd or anything. BUT, waiting for it to start, I realized that I did not have my nal with me. SOOOO I had to attend the cocktail hour but not drink. It was definitely a "white knuckle" sort of feeling, and so strange. Even my mostly non drinking boss had a glass of wine in his hand. I realize all the decades that this habit has built up for me, and that it will probably not be a quick fix, like I guess I was secretly hoping. Sure I wanted to be the girl who took 4 pills and rode off into the sunset........NOTTTT!!!

But here is the good news: it was the first week in longer than I can remember without a hangover. Today, Monday, although I was not able to achieve AF on Sunday, still, I only had 2 drinks and so I FELT GOOD, clear, happy.

I am worried about the effects of the nal as far as killing everything else I love, like sex, exercise, etc. etc. because of the endorphin blocking I have read about. So far, that has not been true for me about sex, although I am still scared about it. Exercise, remains to be seen, I am not a huge athlete but I do like to keep in shape.

Summary: I feel differently, I can see that there is something very different. I feel MUCH MUCH more in control of my drinking, which is really really good. Beyond that I do not know what is ahead for me.

Newlife - things sound really good - I did smile at you watching the drunk folk who were laughing too loudly and acting strange - it is sort of an eyeopener to know that that is us too - or hopefully WAS us !! And great on the not drinking 'cos you hadn't had your Nal with you - I bought a small thing for my key ring that unscrews and holds pills and always have my Nal with me !!

I haven't noticed the Nal blocking anything else - but so much has been going on for me that who knows !!

Have a good week,

Maggie x

Thank you, Maggie. Good for you on your progress......cut down by half AND an AF day. And good to hear that you haven't noticed the nal affecting other parts of your life. Interesting how this drug affects us all a bit differently. Have a great day!!

Hi NewLife,

I am happy to see your progress - I am just on week 3 and we seem to be having fairly similar experiences - I have not noticed NAL blocking the good things in other parts of my life - but I am so focused on the drinking I don't think I have taken much notice - I have felt a shift for sure like you have. I am grateful and will continue on and keep reading and posting - My first 2 days this week have been good and I am hopeful to continue lowering my consumption - I have work happy hours and such like you and those are hard for me - I think just because I have used alcohol as a social lubricant for so long and I get nervous before events - I was impressed you got through the work cocktail hour without drinking and stayed committed to taking the NAL.

Also got a graph from Badger that i have started filling out - I like seeing my progress on a graph as I am a visual person. If you are interested you can PM him for the link - I only have 2 weeks of data to input so far but its a start - Keep on the path and Have a great week! Please Keep posting. Ready

Thank you Ready and I will.

Newlife you are doing a great job! I enjoy reading about how much better you feel and how you function better with the reduction in drinking. Awesome!

Thanks for all the encouragement, everyone!! I haven't been able to post much this week because we had a death in the family: my sister-in-law, extremely tragic circumstances. But I wanted to sign on quickly to document Week 2.

First, The good news: TWO AF days!!! Woo Hoo!! They are the first ones I have had in a very long time, and I also had them back to back. The bad news is that they followed a night where I drank too much wine too quickly (about a bottle), and then went out to dinner with my husband and six year old daughter. It was a couple of days after we had heard the news about his sister, and I just completely lost it right at the dinner table in a restaurant. As in uncontrollable sobbing and crying, and sort of a semi-blackout. Yes, I am entitled to my grief, but the out-of-control nature, timing, etc. I know was due to the drinking, and as most of you here know, that doesn't feel good. Especially in public and in front of my daughter.

The weird thing is that the next day I did NOT have a hangover. Normally I think I would have. Also, I have drunk that much before (it was over a period of a few hours), and not had that same effect, so I wonder if the nal sort of exacerbated things for me.

I am trying to take to heart some comments I have seen on this forum about SLOWING DOWN with the drinks consciously, I think it really helps. I do find that at the end of the day I am sort of desparate to take the NAL, and then desparate to pour a drink (the desparate to pour a drink part probably has been true for a long time now, I just have gotten so used to it that I didn't notice it). Last night I felt that way, went ahead and had one gin and tonic, but then slowed way down and waited like an hour before having another - I don't want to say I was white knuckling but I was disciplining myself to do it. By the time I had the second one, I did finish it, but I honestly I could have taken it or left it, and that NEVER happens to me. Usually I want more and more.

Also with the AF days, they were not FORCED exactly, but conscious, I had to coax myself along to see how they would feel. And they felt GREAT, that feeling of sobriety was unusual yes, but also wonderful.

I also should report that I have followed the golden rule, except on two occasions I think I only waited 45 minutes and not the whole hour. Part of the desparate feeling to get that drink that I want to get rid of.

I hate the sloppy part that happened at the restaurant, but other than that I am extremely proud of myself this week, particularly given everything that my family and I are going through.

Looking forward to having the time in the next few days to check in and see how others are doing. Nal on!!