Hello,
I have been trying NAL since around November ’13. I was doing well for about 7 months following the Golden Rule. I really hadn’t noticed a difference in my amount of drinking or the desire.
I am a secretive drunk and that’s why I almost lost my marriage. I drank for years before she discovered how much I drank. I finally convinced my wife about the Sinclair method after she was going to make me go to rehab or get a divorce.
I messed up and drank in secret after 7 months (Was very stressed, etc.) she said there are 4 options. rehab, i move out, we separate but stay in same house. divorce. We talked about it for a while and she gave me a second chance.
Well I was doing well about taking NAL until this summer. I missed taking it a few times. I was/am drinking more. In September I missed several times of taking it. Before starting TSM, I was drinking mainly liquor. After starting it, I only drank beer and malt liquor. Well in secret, I started to buy pints of liquor partly because of trying to hide shakes and she hasn’t found out. There were a couple of days in September I called off work because of feeling sick and then drinking. I started taking the NAL again appropriately 1 hour before drinking last week. I was averging 70-80 units per week until this September. This past week, I ate breakfast one morning and vomited. I had been almost gagging sometimes drinking a beer. Last Sunday evening I ate supper and later vomited trying to drink a beer.
I decided this has to stop. I decided to keep track and wean down. I had probably been drinking ~20 units each day. I decreased over the next few. I was off work Thursday and tried to wait until late afternoon before drinking. I was shaking bad, itching, hearing things, sweating etc which I have been doing all week. I did wait until 1pm before drinking, but I did take the NAL at 12. Last night I had 11 units. I am finally not as shaky, etc. But when I start getting hungry I get real shaky. I am going to try to stay under around 10 tonight, but ncaa football is on so I know that will be an excuse.
But I have to get it under control.
I know I have to follow the golden rule and it may take over a year for it to work, but when I see no difference it makes it extremely difficult.

hi ToT,

sorry to hear you're having a rough time of it

there is some good advice on tapering AL on HAMS that you might find of some help:

http://www.hamsnetwork.org/taper/
https://hamsnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/more-on-tapering-off-alcohol/

try to stay hydrated & eat something, even if you don't feel like it. if you can, take some Thiamine (Vitamin B1) supplements

hang in there & let us know how you get on

-badger

Tireofthis,

It sounds like you are having a heck of a time and you have been on this since 2013 is a really long time without seeing results. I think reaching out to JoAnna at C-3 foundation would be a good idea for you. She can counsel you through this program and give you the direction that you need. She has helped 100s through TSM and has been through TSM herself. She recently became a qualified alcohol counsellor.

I hate to hear how sick you are getting and that is somewhat of a concern for me, for it may mean something else is going on...BUT I am not a doctor.

I do hope that things get better for you and please keep us inform.

Jaba

joanna@cthreeeurope.com

I was informed that this is not a working link, it is a email address that needs to be plugged into the "to" email. I think it shows up as a working link because it is a .com but it is only a email address.

Hi ToT,

Just wanted to extend a welcome... I'm sorry your path has been so difficult. If it's any consolation, reading your story reinforces in me the commitment to ALWAYS take Nal before drinking and ALWAYS wait the full hour. The slope, as you have seen, is slippery. But we're all here to help you not continue to slip down it!

Check in with us and let us know how you're doing! best of luck!

Well, I am feeling a lot better than i was. I think i drank way too much the previous 2 weeks and may have been very dehydrated. Have been drinking lots of water and gatorade and taking thiamine. Haven't felt sick on stomach or anything since posting. The evening I posted I had 8 U, yesterday 12, and right now I am at 7 and might have one more before going to bed. And the beer does not as good. Maybe from drinking too much past 2 weeks. Thanks for the replies.
jaba: how do i reach out to JoAnna at C-3 foundation?
badger1: thanks for the reminder ab out thiamine. and I found the site http://www.hamsnetwork.org/taper/ and read it. will read the other site mentioned.

Tired of this. This is a link to Joanna, I'm not good at IT so you might have to copy and paste if the link does not take you there.

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... g-required

Good luck.

By the way I have just switched from Naltrexone to Nalmefene, and although side effects were worse the Nalmefene has really put me off drinking and that's after 9 months on Naltrexone!

Hope this helps.

Summerglow

I have been trying NAL since around November ’13. I was doing well for about 7 months following the Golden Rule. I really hadn’t noticed a difference in my amount of drinking or the desire.
I am a secretive drunk and that’s why I almost lost my marriage

This is how TSM gets a bad reputation. It doesn't EVER work if you don't take it EVERY SINGLE TIME ONE HOUR before you drink. Never. No. Does. Not. Work. EVER!

But as a secretive drinker, by definition yours are sins of opportunity. Which means you do not have the ability to plan ahead and take your Nal as per The Golden Rule (Ghee, I wonder why they call it that...).

You are having trouble after almost two years because you do not follow the protocol. And by not following the protocol, you make your situation worse than if you'd never taken Nal. With TSM you are trying to trick your brain into believing alcohol isn't all that much fun any more. But every time you sneak off and have a drink sans Nal your brain forgets all about the Nal training sessions and instantly remembers how much fun alcohol really is. You just reinforced the very thing you were seeking to mitigate.

Stop blaming football. Stop drinking in secret. You have to know when you are going to drink so you can take your Nal ahead of time.

Buck up.

keep it on you. your car, pocket, keychain, house, work etc. you HAVE to take it EVERY time or your brain won't get it. good luck to you.

Tireofthis,

I was just thinking about you and how things are going.

Drop us a line if you can,

Jaba

Been busy. I'm doing OK. Last week I had 69 units for the week. I drank more than I should have Friday and Saturday. But I did follow the golden rule. I did drink Sunday and last evening. I am feeling better though.