Hello, stumbled on the Sincair method by accident, doing google searches on medicines to stop drinking after binging (my stlye drinking) over a week ago. Just finished the book and have to say my concern is it's to good to be true. Like this would be huge news and could help so many, but what the book says all makes sense. I am 52 and have suffered from anxiety since I was young. After self medicating myself with alcohol through my teens into my mid twenties I quit drinking on my own for 18 years. Then I was put on klonopin to treat my anxiety after a lifetime of searching for answers to imporove it. Problem was that with my anxiety in check I began to wonder if I had a drinking problem or was simply self medicating when I was much younger. So about 10 years ago I started dabling with a glass of wine here and there. Oh how I loved a steak and that glass of red wine, but in time my binging pattern became stronger. I would go 3 days to 6 months not drinking, but sooner or later the will to "not" drink gave into the desire for a well intended few drinks. No matter how many promises I made to drink moderately or not at all, no matter how many contracts I've signed with myself to never again drink while in extreme pain due to a hangover, I would in time live to binge again. I couldnt seem to buy into the AA program (been to one meeting and not against it, just not for me), but have searched for a way to somehow become a social drinker or find a way to give it up. I've become alarmed at how I can go so long, feel so confident about not drinking and then just on a whim throw it all away only to find myself out getting smashed, driving while intoxicated, doing things I later regret and on. I know I know, no one needs to tell me about the dangers of drinking driving, taking medicine with alcohol, etc. I KNOW BETTER. Anyway, though I convinced my doctor to give me a perscription for naltrexone since my last binge over a week ago I'm not drinking and don't plan on doing so just to get started with the Sinclair Method. That said it's my plan to get the medicine and take it with me and when (my past experience has proven it's just a matter of when) I decide to have my next drink will take 25mgs naltrexone and go drink. Then the same with the second time and go to 50mgs from then on. My concern is that 1. will this really work and 2. if it does a pray I can tolerate the medicine as I'm very sensitive to meds. I feel I should try taking a 25mg dose once just to see how well I tolerate it as I don't want my first experience to be in public with me getting sick after taking my first dose of naltrexone. I'd sure appreciate ANY insight, thoughts, comments from those of you with experience with this. I don't know what else to try. Thanks........

Hi Rob,

Welcome! I'm in Socal as well...
I am glad you found us.

To answer your questions:

1) Yes, it really does work. The science is sound.
Read some of our success stories:

SpringerRider's success story

Absolutely unbelievable!!

2) When I first started I had nausea, and needed to start with a lower dose, and slowly moved up.
You can read about it here: Cessation's Journey

Congradulations on taking the first step of a wonderful journey!

Cessation, thanks for the info and links. I checked them out, very interesting. My concern is that since I'm "not" a daily drinking in fact I may go a few weeks before I decide to have a few which usually ends up in a binge, that it may work differently for me. In other words if I only need to take Naltrexone 2 to 5 times a month before I drink does that mean it will take longer for me to see results compared to a daily drinker? Also, since I won't be taking it daily will I have more side effects each time I take it since it won't be daily? Any insight would be great!

Hello and welcome. Yes, TSM works and is not a sham. Read my progress reports -- I'm a fellow binger. I am sensitive to meds also -- I started at 25 mg and got very nauseous. I still have not upped to 50 mg and it is working well for me at 25 mg. BUT, the studies are based upon a 50 mg dosage, FYI, not 25. Another person here -- Bamabeachin was one plus a few others -- have grappled with side effects. However, most people don't have them and if they do, they go away after regular consumption, usually in short order.

According to extinction theory, the more frequently you drink, the more quickly you become "unaddicted." You will still extinguish your cravings when you drink sporadically, but it may take longer, according to the theory and Eskapa's book. I have had substantially reduced cravings almost immediately. Beware of a few other side effects, like restless sleep and nightmares. I had that for a while but as others have reported, those side effects have diminished. Some people get "the sweats" also, after drinking on naltrexone and hangovers tend to be worse on naltrexone, from my experience and others here. I would encourage you to read people's progress reports in that section "weekly progress" -- the VAST majority here are seeing excellent results in terms of both reduced consumption and cravings. This is entirely consistent with the other 52 TSM studies that show this WORKS, typically for at least 80%. I had the same, "this must be too good to be true" thoughts too but not anymore. TSM is based upon sound science and it works for the vast majority of people who try it. Welcome and good luck.

Nick

Here's a link that discusses frequency of drinking sessions
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=321

Yesterday I got a call from a friend to meet for a drink and after a long day in LA I wanted to. Then I remembered I hadn't filled my perscription for naltrexone so I went to the pharmacy to fill it, Kaiser. They didn't have any of it stock. So I called my friend and said raincheck on the drink. I'll be picking it up today and will carry it with me. I'm nervous about taking it for the first time, just hope I don't get sick from the side effects. I haven't had a drink for two weeks now. I'm also a little conserned that since I don't drink often, but heavy when I do, it will take a long time to help me cut back on the amount I drink. Also, that taking klonopin may take away some of naltrexones benefits? Anyway, when I do drink next, I will take 25mg's and see what happens......

Rob -- Good on ya for putting off the drink until you get the rx.

We HOPE that you will take 25 mg for the first two drinking sessions, then 50 mg every drinking session after that, and see what happens in three to six months! That's the Sinclair method!

Dr. Eskapa has mentioned on this board that benzo's can "hamper" progress with TSM, but anecdotally we've noticed on this board that the benzo users are having their ups and downs at about the same rate as the others. Same with binge drinkers as opposed to daily drinkers.

We're glad you're here.

I discovered our hottie friend here is currently single and warned him that I am an incurable match maker. Ladies, line up at your posts! W2E, as you're in So. Ca. . .I vote that you make a personal date to help fill Rob in on all the details of doing TSM - strictly so he doesn't have to read through all these posts, of course! (Where's a cupid icon when you need one?)

Rob, you don't happen to ski do you?