You are doing so well! I was also an all-day drinker, and have yet to have an alcohol-free day, but I think it could be coming soon. It is a great idea to keep posting, your progress will be helpful to the newbies.
Best wishes,
Tweed

End of week 4! Hard to believe I've been at this for a month already. Totals for this week are 77 total drinks, 0 AF days, average of 11 drinks per session.

I noticed some interesting things this week about the mental or psychological part of this process, and it reflects a lot of what I'm reading on other threads as well. Basically, with no effort whatsoever my drinking was immediately drastically reduced by doing it with Naltrexone. However, I notice now that if I make no significant conscious effort to take AF days or to reduce my consumption further, then I'll likely stay trapped in my current pattern of drinking 10-12 drinks every night.

So my plan moving forward is the following: first I am going to go on an AF stretch. I'm not going to place any specific time frame on it. Could be a day, a week, a month, who knows. BUT, when/if I do return to drinking the plan is to place a maximum limit of 8 drinks in any given session on myself. If I am able to successfully adhere to that restriction, then at some point I'll drop the number further, say to 6, and so on. This will be a great test to see if I'm actually re-gaining some control over my alcohol consumption. Will continue to update each week.

I think you have made some very interesting and good observatons on the effect of nal on you. I also think it is a great plan to try to string some AF. Doen't matter so much how long, but as a means to regain control of the drinking pattern.

Best of luck with that.

I think your plan is a good one j3625. Will be looking to see how it goes for you. Those AF days do feel really good!! Nal on!! Newlife

There is a forum called moderation management, where people do exactly that, they call it doing a 30, which is 30 alcohol free days. After that, they work on moderation strategies and techniques.

Many good ideas there.

I agree that you have made an important realisation and that you sound like you really want to break your current pattern of drinking.

Shooting for AF could be the break that you need to move on in your TSM journey.

Welcome je3625 - it is great to read of your progress - I like Newlife's words about the desperation for a drink has declined - and I too am having AF days - although I do take 1/8 tab of Antabuse - but I find those AF days easy once I know I cannot drink - I am impressed that you can do the AF days so easily ! And without any help like the AB !! And to plan on a string of them - I am looking forward to the day when I can do that - but know that I will with Nal! Things are really sounding good for you - I wish you well!

hugs, Maggie x

End of week 5 update! 45 total drinks, 2 AF days, average of 9 drinks per session.

A week ago I posted here saying that I was going to go on an AF stretch and that if I did return to drinking I would put a cap of 8 drinks on myself. Well, I didn't fully succeed at that plan, but there was still some improvement in week 5. The day I said I was going to start the AF stretch I ended up drinking that night and the following two, but then I finally worked in 2 AF nights. It was a little harder than I expected this time to take the AF nights. I never felt like I had to drink like I often would in the past, but I just wanted to. And the rule is to drink if you want to (with Nal), and don't drink if you don't want to. So at least I followed that. Another positive sign is the decrease in average number of drinks per session. I'm finding that once I start drinking I basically just ignore or forget about any self-imposed limitation, so that didn't really work. Nevertheless the amount I'm drinking seems to be gradually going down, not by my own willpower but probably just as a result of the subconscious changes in brain chemistry.

For this next week I'm going to again try in the back of my mind to have a number of drinks that I'd like to not exceed, realizing I may violate that and that it's not a big deal if I do. I'm also going to try to work in at least 2 AF days again. Hopefully I'll continue to see gradual improvements. I really appreciate everyone's supportive comments!

je3625, your week immediately past sure looks a lot better than the one before it!! So, good for you. Like me, it is still early for you, but it doesn't really feel like it, does it? Nal on!! XOXO Newlife

I'm curious how long your drinking sessions are. I know I binge on weekends and on Nal, to get to 8 - 10 drinks usually takes me several hours and that's around the time I start worrying that the Nal may be wearing off. Are you taking boosters or do you feel the 50mg lasting through?