Absolutely, W2E - what you're describing is progress. It's especially great since you had to deal with going off Naltrexone.

Into week 17, I'm still having 'on' and 'off' days, so far as amount of al consumed - so don't worry if this doesn't take hold for awhile yet. Yesterday was my birthday, so I felt it was required that I drink. . .though honestly, I could have taken or left it. Friends and family came over for burgers on the grill, I had three drinks here at home, then later went to one of our favorite little joints for the complementary birthday drink they give - a big glass that looks HUGE, but is equivalent to two drinks. Asked to have the second glass put in a sippy cup (my word for 'takeout,') and the barkeep filled the cup to the brim, just for good measure. I got home and poured the wine from the cup into the bottle that was still open in the fridge ( ), and went on up to bed. So, a grand total of 4 units - less than half my pre-Sinclair averages - on a day that would ordinarily be a blackout. (This is true b/c I'm a surviving twin. . .so 'our' birthday always carries a burden of grief with it.)

Jake had 3-4 beers, and instead of having a second beer at the bar, asked for ice water.

Today we go to meet his kids at a non-alcohol bar for supper, and won't be home till 9 p.m. or so. . .so it's gonna definitely be AF. Yipee!!!

And, usually when I come on here and write about drinking, especially in the afternoon, it sets up a craving - so I go gulp a Nal. Not even a hint of that today. I believe I'm rounding a corner!

Hi Waiting,

What sounds encouraging to me is the changes you describe. It seems our brains just go nuts trying to figure out just what is going on. As for the sweats and dreams, get those whenever I go AF or even reduced AL consumption. I think is is mild AL whithdrawl combined with our brains living out the anxieties we've been covering with Alcohol. Sounds like good and normal pregress to me.

I am story you've been having a rough time with the sweats .
I love your attitude and optimism and how you're very friendly .
We all see your encouraging figures and so do you but the sweats etc are horrid and distort your sense of progress , but the figures , and breaks are where it's at and going and they are looking good

How's that adorable looking dog , looking after you Ok ?

Belated congratulations WTE - started to post to you last night and got interrupted. Very good signs of progress, yeah!

HB G4M

Hey girl - I have been remiss in checking, but sooooooooooo happy for you and these little changes you are feeling. Could the night sweats also be a part of menopause? I get them too along with the weird dreams still -
Probably a combination of evreything your body is experiencing.

Love all the details & it sounds like something is happening - same w/ all who are posting all these great changes! Very encouraging :-)

W2E: Excellent progress! Sounds like you're getting a glimpse of things to come - congratulations!

I had such an emotional day yesterday. Had far too much on my plate, and everyone was lobbing me balls from every direction. (No GF's, not those kind of balls! Though it might have done me some good. ) I'm a great multi-tasker (as I know you are), but this was in the realm of ridiculous. Then, just to ice the cake, I got an e-mail from an attorney who had expressed interest, weeks ago, in pursuing court action against the company that entered into contract with me, just to put me out of business. Their breach of contract, in several regards, is SO blatant. (I just realized how merely thinking about what they did to ruin my business and life's work gets me all riled up.) Anyway, I've been waiting to hear from this lawyer for weeks, and yesterday - when I'm already frustrated and overwhelmed - he e-mails with a detailed list of all this documentation he needs in order to decide if this is a winnable case. (Hell yeah, it's winnable! There's no way those weasels want their company's name dragged into public court - and there's no way they can deny what they did. I have it ALL in black and white.) The attorney has all the evidence of the breach of contract, false advertising, etc., etc. Now he wants a lot of detailed financials. Ugh! I've got to find time to go through all my old records and compile several spreadsheets. . .not my forte'!

So last night I got pretty blotto. Too bad, since I was headed on to an 'under 50 upw' week. . .darn! Poor Jake had to deal with a dervish.

Oh well. Onward, and downward! (And upward, and downward. . .) Roller coaster ride, anyone?

WTE - wonderful to hear you had such great results. Makes it all worthwhile when things actually start to go in the right direction, doesn't it? Keep up the good work! G4M, sorry you had to dig thru old crap from the past - those things get to me also in terms of drinking. Certain feelings and emotions that surface from bad past experiences always trigger heavier drinking for me. It will just take longer for those issues to be resolved with TSM, but I can feel it diminishing - those feelings and triggers no longer take over immediately, and thery aren't as powerful anymore. We're going to win this battle, so let's drink to our victory!

Hell yah! I'm not cured yet - let's drink to any damn thing!

WTE -- THAT'S AWESOME!!!

Wow, so many good stories in that post - you really must have been going nuts without the site up to tell your tale!

Very happy for you - keep at it!