I finally received my Nal from River...the package arrived 3 days early and I find myself not quite mentally prepared to start yet.

I am wavering on whether this is the right route for me to take...I was initially drawn to it because, let's face it...it's one of the few options out there that has the potential to allow me to truly become a social drinker in the future. Ah...to be able to be in public, drinking socially, and feel normal, wouldn't that be great? And the medication does not look like it will worsen anxiety or depression, which Topa did for me.

However, you need to take this pill for the rest of your life. Am I committed to purchasing and taking these meds for the next 40 years (if I live that long)? Is there really, really enough long-term evidence that it's ok to take this medication that long?

Will it work? If not, what's my Plan B? And if I stop taking Nal at some point will my drinking be worse than before ?

I had another appointment with my MD this week and she made me really think through the decision. Now the meds are here and, wow, has anyone else struggled with the decision?

I have no one else to talk to about this and don't expect answers to these questions. I'm just nervous. I've been waiting since January to get Nal...now, unexpectantly it's here 3 days early.

Do I jump in?

Happy, If someone had told me a year ago that there was a tablet I could take that would very slowly reverse my drinking habit until I became no different from 'normal' drinkers, I would not have believed them, but that is what happens.

Apart from the first few days when you might feel some nausea or a slightly spaced out feeling you don't feel anything unusual- you just don't feel anything at all. You will probably find that the first week after a few drinks you feel like you have had enough, and cannot drink anymore. You will then you will go back to where you are now for a week or two, then the process is very gradual- you don't notice anything is happening. So there is no, "OMG, this is for the rest of my life" feeling because there is nothing happening that you can percieve on a day to day basis to make you panic.

I have just seen it is after 7pm and I have not taken my Nal- but I had not realised because I had not thought about drink! Not once- all day.

It is very easy to 'do' this method because you don't do anything.

Just take 25 mg for 2 days then 50mg after that everyday when you think you are going to have a drink and that is it- I promise you it is such a nice process, a weight will be lifted from your mind, and you will not notice anything happening at all.

As for the 'this is for the rest of my life' thing- Once you start you will want it for the rest of your life because you will feel healthy, happy and no different from anyone else. You will be able to go to parties and have a few drinks, a nice chat with your friends, and go home without making a complete arse out of yourself. That is a very nice feeling to have for the rest of your life.

Happy,
No one says you have to drink for the rest of your life. The rule is that you take Nal before you drink. I am only drinking every other day or less. 30 pills last me two months.

If you read the testimonials in Eskapa's book, the participants either went on to "natural" abstinence or occassional drinkers. That is where I hope to be. By natural, I mean they are not making themselves NOT drink. They simply lost the desire.

See, I am loosing the addiction component as we speak. You will experience that for the first week or so during the honeymoon phase. I don't make myself not drink. It has just lost its luster.

Have you ever wondered how those non-addicted people could drink one drink and get up and walk away, totally content? Well that is where you may end up. Drinking is not that big of a deal when you are no longer addicted. It is like me gambling. I can throw a dime into a slot machine and walk away. I have some compulsive gambling friends that think I am insane. They cannot relate to me.

If you decide later to not go with Nal, you will simply regress to your normal addictive behaviors. If that is what you decide you want, it will be there for the asking.

Thank you both for your replies, which were exactly what I needed to hear.

Not sure what I am so afraid of...if it does not work, I am no worse off. If it does work, well wouldn't that be something?

I'm jumping in tonight.

Thank you!

~Happy

Pre-Sinclair: Drinks per week: avg. 22 units (1 bottle of wine = 6 units)
Craving level: 4-5 consistently on a scale of 1-5
Next day issues from drinking: mood swings, fatigue, back aches, low concentration, impatience, constantly distracted

Day 1: 03/06/2009

You will do just fine.

Hi, happy4once, I started Nal last night and felt exactly the same - weeks of excitement/optimism then Wham - the tablet's in your hand. Major doubts! Eventually I decided not to over-think this whole thing and just give it a go. My shrink has doubts about the SM but is happy that the whole natrexone/drinking thing is safe and may very well prove to be a vital tool in the armoury. Anway, have today posted on "Introduce Yourself" with very, very initial results.

Best wishes
Shasha

PS: I think we Sinclairers are all brave little soldiers - don't you??

Hi Shasha - I'm glad we started on the same day, it's good to have someone at the same point as I am!

How did you do last night?

I ended up having 1/2 the amount of wine I normally do and pouring out 1/2 of my second glass. Felt tired, a tiny nauseous but overall pretty good. Had a hard time sleeping last night but I feel great this morning.

I'm glad I was a brave little soldier and got started

Hi Happy4once

Yes, nice coincidence we started same today -wonder where we'll both be a few weeks from now.

My experience last night. Starting drinking at usual time one hour after 25mg Nal. Was expecting to feel nausea but didn't. First couple of glasses didn't "hit the spot" but carried on regardless! Overall drank about 10-15% less than normal (pre-Nal 1.25 bottles wine) which I am a bit disappointed with, but we all different, so not really put off. I slept pretty badly too and v. tired/bit low today.

Let's post here and check on each others progress. Nice to be on the ride together.

Take care, Shasha

Well hello recruits,
Wecome to bootcamp.

The first week is a little bumpy in that we all seemed to feel nauseous . Most of us underwent a honeymoon and a sharp reduction in consumption but others did not. The thing to remember is that the process is slow and is happening below the radar screen. It is a biological rather than phycological process from a simple point of view. There are enough of us ahead of you in all flavors of addiction to give you a resonable validation that it will work for you.

The fact that two of you made the leap together is also a benefit in that you can identify with each other.

Enjoy. You don't get to be the new kids on the block for long.

Hi Shasha & SR,

I didn't even check my little thread for posts - I just posted to Shasha's introduction and saw my thread had grown, how nice! Can't remember if I posted this here - but biggest side effect is tiredness today.

SR - thanks for the pep talk. I am filled with hope today but am reminding myself it's a long process and to be patient. I look at last night as a sign of things to come and know it will not continue for long. Next week when I go back up in volume, I will be reading through all of your week 2 posts...so glad to have the journals of the old-timers to look back on. It's a big help!