Henstooth's- that's a mouthful. Well I started May 7 with a 25 mg tab, dropped down to a quarter tab for a couple of days, took first 50 mg tablet on Monday May 11. Some mild SEs. A little spacey, a very slight headache nothing too bad, I'm sleeping fine. I definitely have not had the OMG experience that some have reported. My wine still tastes the same, I'm still enjoying it, still getting a buzz. Maybe a little less obsessive thinking about what time it is, when can I start drinking, when do I have to stop. As in it's already 5:30 on a Friday afternoon and I haven't had a drink yet. We'll see how the weekend goes. If I can wake up hangover free on Saturday, Sunday and Monday I'll be thrilled. In the spirit of extinguishment (is that a word?) I'm not trying to limit myself or go AF and my count was pretty high this past week. But no hangovers all week, so that's great. I can usually keep myself to two glasses of wine on week nights (but that's 16 ounces, mind). Weekends are what get me. I'll report back after the weekend.

Hi Henstooth, I'm liking your name very much.

Slow and steady, the change in blackout is good and must be a relief for you?

Your wine glasses sound like 250ml to me in UK terms, and that's the problem glass of wine can mean anything from the continental 100ml, to a full half a pint!

I always remember a drink-drive course tutor telling how he goes into the pub and orders 'half a pint of wine', meaning a large glass. Throws the barman but really gets across how it's easy to count in 'glasses'.

Thanks for the word UKB. Here in the US the daily recommended alcohol limit for women is five ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer. Yeah, right. Who drinks five ounces of wine? Probably the same person who eats two potato chips and then closes the bag. But that puts my two or three large pours of wine at three to almost five times the limit. I think the US limit is unnecessarily parsimonious and puts way too many people, especially women, into the alcohol abuser category. Having said that, I also feel that my consumption is unhealthy. So, I can live (literally I hope) with a limit of ten "drinks" a week, acknowledging that I'm still way over the US limit, but that represents a reduction of one half to three-quarters of what I'm drinking now. If the nal takes me even lower, even better.

And, since I'm here anyway, I'll give an update. Last night I had four Henstooth's pours of wine, or one quart (classy, I know). That's about what I would have had pre-nal. Usually my husband and I go out for a couple of pints on Friday afternoons and then I come home and have at least three glasses of wine, but we didn't go out yesterday. I could have easily have skipped that last glass and had something nonalcoholic or nothing at all, but I poured wine instead. I'm going to put a little more effort into not pouring that last one. But no hangover this morning, so I guess I drank slowly enough and over a long enough period of time that my body could process it. I wonder if this lack of initial dramatic response, or honeymoon, means that I'm one of those for whom nal won't work. I guess we'll see.

those people who can eat just two should be locked up in looney bins.

I have to agree with you on our U.S. "Guidelines". I think it may be a Prohibition hangover. Just think of how many places still impose alcohol rules that sound like they are straight from the 1800s ( never on Sunday or not on election days or not at all). But then, the government tends to set really draconian limits for a lot of things. According to my BMI as set by the govt, I'm a few pounds away from obesity and I'm only 190 lbs.

Hi Henstooth.... I laughed at your two glasses of wine....I thought 'that is great', then saw the SIZE of your glasses......LOL.

Yes there is a honeymoon period where one goes down then seems to go up again...but often not to pre Nal levels. UKB says that we do have to work at this so if you do not really want that last glass of wine - tip it out !! I have really started trying to have AF days and have less on the days that I drink and it IS making a difference ! The Nal is a great help...but it IS just a help....not a magic cure, much as I wish it was. Hang in there...you will be fine !

Hugs, Maggie x

You asked who drinks within those limits.

Quite a few people, you just don't know them yet. My partner a previous heavy drinker, had 2 units of alcohol last night = 1 pint of beer we were out at a party where there was a lot of alcohol flowing. He didn't have any alcohol before or after. Ok that is the influence of hanging out with me, but we were still giggling, smiling, relaxed, loving, dancing, socialising. Neither of us consume any sort of drug or smoke tobacco ( he used to smoke, I have used recreational drugs a long time ago ). It has taken me a few years to get to this utterly relaxed in sobriety point but I'm trying to say, any drug is not a requirement for a fun time.

I made a post a while back uncovering government 'limits', they aren't based on much evidence and are in place to recommend a 'limit at which there is not much significant increased risk', however from the few things I've read any alcohol is worse than being abstenant - it's a poison. Problem is everyone thinks these guidelines are some sort of target, or acceptable. Even I went for the target of drinking 'within guidelines' when actively using TSM.

We've become used to alcohol being a normal part of a human's life, yet it's quite damaging even in small quantities.

This isn't coming from a holier than thou state, and I don't expect anyone here to go completely sober. It does however come from a change in viewpoint and seeing things from a different angle as well as doing a bit of reading between the lines.

Week 6 - I think the biggest difference I can feel is that my cravings for AL have decreased. It's been very easy to have alcohol free days and I just find that I'm thinking about AL less. My problem is still the weekend bingeing. I averaged five drinks a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I do love my white wine. But I'm happy with the overall downward trend.

Your numbers look great, henstooth!! Congrats and hugs from newlife

Welcome Henstooth!

I'm 4.5 months in and this forum has been amazing for me. Especially when I hit a rough patch - it is so nice to know that just because I have set backs didn't mean it wasn't working. So if you have questions, use the search to see if someone has talked about it before, or just ask. Everyone will be happy to share their experiences and what they know about this process!

Best!

Jephiner

Eight weeks in- mixed results. I'm finding it easy to go AF Monday through Thursday but I'm still drinking too much on the weekends.This week was an exception in that I had a social event on Wednesday night and had two draft beers which counts as three drinks, so only three AF days this week. No blackouts, no hangovers- just more AL than is healthy. One thing that really helps me go AF on weeknights is that I either workout, hike or go to an exercise class every day after work and by the time I get home from that my personal witching hour has passed and it's easy (for me) to not drink any alcohol. But I still need to come up with a plan for the weekends. I'm traveling later this week and flying without AL is not an option for me so I'll only have 2 AFs this week. I predict a high drink count this week, but I'll follow the GR and get back to a healthier routine next week. Hang in there everybody.