I've found myself in the same situation this last week (my fifth). It's such a strange feeling, isn't it? I love it!

I had two alcohol free days this week. I can see how this builds on itself. It's so nice to wake up feeling good that it makes being drunk and hungover less appealing. I spent the day yesterday in my garden and then had tea on the patio instead of wine.

Some other things to note:
No hard liquor in about two months. I used to switch if I ran out of wine.
No drinking in the middle of the night to go back to sleep.
No unexplained bruises from drunken tumbles.
Accomplishing many other things besides drinking...gardening, reading, entertaining friends, ballet class (even though I am 62...what the hell. I don't ballet requires as much rhythm as, say belly dancing, at which I sucked.)
Feeling very open to the beauty in the world. I know that sounds a little new-agey MtG, but it's true ...when I am not in the drunken hung-over haze, there are many nice people in my world and many new things to experience. I love it.

Keep at it, my friends. I think this is working!

Brilliant, sounds as if you are really making a breakthrough and at just under ten weeks the real work of living is really starting for you.

Othilia, sounds wonderful for you and what you said also is inspiring to me!! Keep up the good work and thanks for posting!!

xoxo newlife

Othila - I am so happy for you - you sound really amazed at how this is beginning to work for you - great !!

hugs, Maggie x

Well, it was nice to see that back in April, I had such a rosy view of the world. I seem to have taken a few steps backward.

I have been taking Naltrexone for 108 days, faithfully waiting an hour before my first drink. At about three months, I noticed some changes...boxes of wine were lasting 3-4 days instead of two days. I had several alcohol free days in the weeks of my third month. Now, I seem to have regressed. No AF days in the past two weeks and I drink myself stupid every time I start drinking. Every day I tell myself I can stop and every day I don't. My husband is irritated with me all the time, I have embarrassed myself in front of friends and family again and I just want to crawl in a hole and die. I do not understand. This is the only area of my life that is so messed up. I have a lovely home and husband, many friends, good health (except for alcohol), and I am terrified of what this is doing to me. Should I seek out some other kind of help? Is this a normal kind of progression on Naltrexone? I remember reading success stories on this forum and the other one so maybe I should go back there and revisit the process. I almost thought about going to an alcohol evaluation but I know they always recommend a 12-step program and I don't think I can do that.

I think I'll hang around here for a while today and read about the progress of others. I am going on 4 months and it seems like I heard tht it takes 3-6 and sometimes longer.

Help? Advice?

Othilia I don't have any advice for you per se because I am a bit in the same boat. I am doing a little better than I was pre-nal, have seen differences, but still not where I want to be and am in the middle of Week 17. I do think for some people it takes a lot longer, so we just have to be patient, and also try to be mindful when we can, keep trying for AF days, delaying drinks, trying to learn to live without AL. That is what I am concentrating on, that plus ALWAYS taking the nal one hour before I drink. I have been tempted more than once to drink before the hour but have been able to hold strictly to that, so that is something.

I feel your pain, though. Hugs from Newlife

I hate to tell you this but it can take longer than 3-6 months - and some have suddenly had it work for them after as long as 2 years! The thing is, as far as I can see, we have no choice - we have to be in this for the long haul. We cannot expect it to work overnight - or even after 108 days when it is something that has been with us for so long. All I can really say is please hang in there, keep following the GR, and eventually it will work for us all - I know it seems hard right now, but it WILL work - we have to have faith!!!!

Lorry loads of hugs, Maggie x

Thanks, Maggie and Newlife for your responses. I am feeling better this afternoon after spending a good part of the morning reading here and on the other forum. I have some things printed and I have a written plan that includes some solid moves toward moderation. I don't plan to grab abstinence by the neck just yet but I do want to make some effort in terms of more planful observation of my behavior. I am going to increase my dose to 75 mg instead of 50 for a while and see if that makes a difference.

In case you are interested, my plan looks like this, for now:

1. Increase dose of Naltrexone to 75 mg before drinking.
2. Keep a drinking diary to document time I take Naltrexone and my drinking behavior/emotions. The intent is to discern craving from habit.
3. Keep an accurate drinking log.
4. Change these drinking behaviors:

a.Always wait one hour before drinking.
b. Always eat before drinking.
c. Never drink hard liquor.
d. Never drink around children.
e. Two drink limit in public.
f. One drink per half hour.
g. Always order water with alcohol.
h. If drinking wine at home, one bottle limit.

I will not go to the liquor store for more.
I will not ask Regis to go to the liquor store for me.

Control skills for drinking situations include:
•Measuring, since drinking guidelines are in numbers of standard-sized drinks.
•Counting, to keep to your guidelines.
•Eating helps slow the uptake of alcohol, and is an alternative pleasure.
•The first few minutes seem to set our style for a given drinking occasion.
•Control thirst by having a non-alcoholic drink before or in a drinking occasion.
•Delaying your first drink a bit, and/or getting to the occasion a little late.
•Diluting alcohol by having lower alcohol-content drinks.
•Sipping small amounts slowly to keep the pace of intake down.
•Put the glass down to avoid the automatic drinking that goes with holding a glass.
•Time beforehand the start of any drinks you’ll have on a drinking occasion.
•Self-Talk during drinking about your limits, how well you are managing, etc.
•Bring your own non-alcoholic drinks to a party during an abs period.
•Focus on the fun of the occasion, not the drinking.
•Think about tomorrow anytime you’re tempted to have more than planned.
•Heed the “stop” signal, that feeling that you’ve “had enough.”

A quote from another poster, Grygory: Another feeling I want to share, is that we, Ingrid and I, had to come to a honest and friendly understanding, that if there was no full sincerity and truth, nothing could be achieved. We had to truly open our hearts, and keep them so. I learned to divest myself from prior attitudes and standpoints: Had it been me who was in trouble with my drinking and consequences, how would I like to be treated and understood by my wife?

Wanting to be mindful of these things.

Excellent work and excellent plan, Othilia!! Good luck and can't wait to see how it goes!! Newlife