I just reread Jaba's post and now it makes sense. I missed the 'I' in 'how I long for the day...'

Oh yeah I know exactly what you mean. In fact I remember having many moments in the past when I would think about my situation in life and everything always came down to my problem with alcohol. If only I could just drink normally. If only I could just have one. I resolved that was impossible. Especially growing up in a family of alcoholics and first observing their behavior as a child and then coming to terms with the fact that I followed right in their foot steps.

After a while you just give up. I think I may have mentioned this earlier or in another thread but I actually feel a lot of anger at the fact that I could have had this freedom as far back as 1994 when the FDA approved this drug. And not just me but my family and countless millions of other people. Such a simple thing.

Last night I had one beer at 8PM and carried on like a normal person. I was busy doing stuff and decided to have another beer and popped it open. It was 11PM, kind of late but I lost track of time. I drank the beer anyway. A lot of this stuff is still habit but again, just 10 weeks ago it would have been absolutely mentally and physically impossible for me to have one drink and then a couple hours later decide to have one more. Absolutely F'n impossible!!!!

This is something I need to remember always and forever. I think I will but it's amazing how in 10-11 weeks of time I'm starting to forget how hard it actually was. I know at least for me that the chemistry works, the drug is definitely the defining factor but it's that 25 years of habit forming drinking that still comes out of the woodwork. I remember that from quitting smoking too. I only smoked for a year but I was still addicted to it. After I quit and was free from the physical dependence there still was that habit of smoking after dinner or at the bar with a drink and so on. that's what gets most people to relapse but fortunately we have Naltrexone and when we get the urge to drink all we need to do is wait one hour and then proceed to take another lesson in the process of extinction.

I hope you get there to Jaba and the rest of you as well. I'm brimming and extremely grateful at how quick I responded but I try not to gloat about it because I know so many of you are taking a longer time. But keep it up and trust in the method, it will work.

As for the swearing... hahahha LOL. I tend to be that girl most days.

Ocean - I am so happy that the Nal is working so quickly for you - that is awesome ! And no point in being cross about the fact that it could have been sooner - because it wasn't - maybe you wouldn't have been ready if you had heard about Nal back then? As the old saying goes, when the pupil is ready, the teacher appears - or something similar! I am really happy for you,

Hugs, Maggie x

One more week down. Most nights this week I had two drinks and on one night just one. So things are coming along well. Have a good weekend to you all.

Ocean - that is wonderful - I am so happy to read how well you are doing - and thank you for coming and letting us know ! Have a great weekend,

Hugs, Maggie x

I am so happy that things are moving so quickly for you! Congratulations! You are an inspiration and your insights are extremely helpful.

Ocean,

I just realized you started this after me and your progress is amazing! I do not think you would be gloating because you are a fast responder, I just keep on thinking that there is hope for me. I am happy that you are doing so well and I hope that you achieve your goal soon (it sounds like you are already there). And post what you think helped you along in this process, for I like read to how others got to the point where al. is not as big as an issue. I know that some just go with the flow of the nal. and others like Generic tried different things.

Keep posting,

Jaba

Ocean,

Do you remember if you had any nausea with taking your nal? If so, how did you long did you get to the full dose? There is someone that is having a hard time and he posted in "Be prepared section" Poll: Titration Questions. I remember a little about how I went up in dose, but didn't have an issue with nausea.

thanks,

Jaba

Jaba,

I never increased my dose. I am still at 12,5 mg, but did once double that since I had a drink at lunch time and in the evening. No side effects then.

I'm the same as tamtam. I started on 12.5 and it has continued to work perfectly well for me and I just finished my 12th week. On only a few occasions I tool 25mg and those were situations that were what would have been in the past all night parties starting around 8PM till basically the sun comes up. Even in those situations I only drank about 4 drinks and didn't stay out late but just took 25mg just in case. As such I have not experienced any side affects that I am aware of. When I first started taking Naltrexone the first think I noticed, which I have read others here post about, was that the actual desire for alcohol went down. And this was way back when I first started and the alcohol hooks were still very deeply embedded in me. Then I'd get this almost high feeling, kind of like marijuana actually but more mild. After a first drink that buzz would go away and there would be no euphoric chase.

My guess is that Naltrexone like most drugs react differently for a lot of people. IT could also be, and I've heard people here say this, that some people trying TSM are taking more then they need. The book and the science journals and clinical tests all used 50mg so that is why it's kind of sort of the defacto standard but It's probably not necessary at least for a very many people.

That's why I like to tell people who are just starting to just take one quarter tab. You really have nothing to lose when just starting. If it's not enough well then it's one more night drunk and try again. Not a good thing for a seasoned TSM veteran but perfectly fine for beginners IMHO.

So anyway, yeah, 12th week down and still going along the same. Last night was just a little bit different. For the first time in a very long time after having one drink I felt that old similar though much more diluted desire to feed the body buzz. I think you may know what I mean. It was not the insane endorphin chase (the brain buzz), the Naltrexone really does have that one covered, but it was that inner thirst, even a taste, and a desire to get that relaxed body buzz. But I then had dinner and that desire went completely away. So who knows maybe I was just hungry. I didn't feel threatened by it or anything but it was an interesting experience none the less.

Tomorrow is a going away pool party for a friend. Typically these folks get pretty crazy. I'm not in the least worried about it.

I thought about something that I remember from time to time last night when cutting up my pill and taking my Naltrexone. I keep my pill cutter and pills in a little zipper bag and when I want to drink I sneak off to a private place and split the pill and take it with water and try to go unnoticed. My wife knows I'm doing TSM and everything about it but still. So my thoughts were for example like this party tomorrow; In the old days before the party I'd poor a glass of wine or get a beer and then sneak off to my private place and slug a gulp of wine or take a few good pulls from a whiskey bottle to get prepped for the party. I still do the same thing only this time to prep for a party I take Naltrexone

Hahahha what a wonderful life It's funny really. But I don't care. I'd rather be a Naltrexone fiend then an alcohol one any day of the week

Ocean and Tam-tam

I am glad that low dose works for you.

Ocean, I had to giggle at the fact that you still sneak away. I still hid my drinking from my kids (keep my bottle and my glass in my bedroom closet). The things we do to hide our shortcomings.

thanks for sharing both of you,

Jaba