Minnemom, PLEASE just keep taking the pill one hour before you drink, and tracking, as you are doing. You are doing great. As others have said, i SO agree that it is WAY too early to tell how this will ultimately end up for you. I started in March and the first time that I think I really thought "something has changed" was when my family and I went to Ireland in late July and early August. Since then there have STILL been ups and downs. But my trend is for sure postitive: for the last two weeks, I have had 9.5 US Units and 12.5 US Units, respectively, with 2AF days each. (Haven't taken the time to post my progress or update my sig). I am soo happy with that. But look how long it has taken!! Just stick with it. I know it is hard, I really do, to have faith. But it is soooo worth it when you start to see the changes you want.

xoxo Newlife

What Newlife said - except it is taking me longer !!!!!

Hugs, Maggie x

patience. you're still in early. the results are worth waiting for. good luck!

Thanks guys! I have NO intention of stopping TSM. I just was hoping for a tiny glimmer of SOMETHING.

I may have gotten it? I've had two AF days in a row, although I took Nal both days anticipating drinking. I took it again tonight, but I'm not diving for the bottle yet an hour and half later. We'll see what tonight holds...

MinneMom

MinneMom...I'd say that's very encouraging. You've obviously made big progress since Day 1. I've always been a big proponent of stringing AF days together as a way to really push yourself. The pill has made the alcohol weaker, but you have to make yourself stronger. If you make it tonight, I'd really go for one more AF day but without any Naltrexone. Trust me, even if you stop drinking today, there's still a whole process of brain-healing that goes on before you get to an entirely new place in your life.

One bit of advice...really use this newfound freedom to your advantage. You have "freedom from..." and "freedom to..." Some people get freedom "from" alcohol -- that is, they don't feel the need to drink anymore -- but then they just sort of sit there and fail to take advantage of their situation. You now have "freedom to..." which means different things to different people. For me, it meant freedom to...exercise at night, read books at night, have a few extra food treats during the day, play complicated games with my kids (e.g. Rummikube or Bananagrams, which are impossible when impaired), not worry about where I've hid stuff, take nice walks listening to music at night, have alcohol-free sex (which is way better, at least for men), meditate, and so much more. Once you slowly switch your evenings over to these new things, you will likely find you actually enjoy life more without alcohol (gasp!). I know it might not seem possible from where you're sitting, but I'm confident that most people, if they find other avenues to make them happy, will really enjoy their new way of living. Alcohol, despite all its intense pleasures and benefits, is ultimately just a depressant and self-inflicted mental retardation.

One more bit of advice is to set timeframe goals once you begin to develop will-power over alcohol (which you're definitely developing). For example, "I'm going to go for 7 days in a row." Tell your spouse if they're in on the thing, and it makes it even more likely you'll succeed. Then, when you get to 7, have another Nal + One Hour + Alcohol day, or just keep going. If more people would do these relatively simple things, more people would find that ever elusive "cure." You grab the cure -- it doesn't grab you.

Good for you MinneMom!!! I am so glad to read about your success. I know you have been frustrated and looking for a sign that things are happening. AND FINALLY THEY ARE! Hooray!! xoxo Newlife

Barryb, I have read your post closely, I have had a week doing really good. I have had one AF day on Saturday, my first in 4 years. I haven't felt well and have had one drink each night. Is it working and I have always worried about withdrawal. Would I have had withdrawals by now. I drink vodka and have drank about 7 to 8 shots with water in a night . I have wonderful mornings and had no shakes.
Minnimom, I hope you don't think I am taking over your post. You are doing so awesome, in December I will be 4 months in. I agree with
If more people would do these relatively simple things, more people would find that ever elusive "cure." You grab the cure -- it doesn't grab you.
I did that with Topamax and allowed it to heal me for over a year.
It is one day at a time, enjoy every day we do well.

Just wrapped up week 8 and it's actually been a really good week! I had my lowest numbers yet AND 2 AF days. Go me! And for the first time, choosing to not drink or reducing the number of drinks I had wasn't the massive internal struggle that it's been. Believe me, there was still a conversation going on inside my head, it just wasn't a shouting match, like normal! That's all well and good, EXCEPT I know that in certain social situations, I'm still going to drink more than I should. The Nal hasn't worked THAT magic yet! I realize that the Nal insn't going to slap the drink out of my hand. I'm going to have to do that myself.... But for now, 8 weeks in, I'm focusing still on "drinking as I normally would" with the hopes that each sip I take, extinction is occurring...

As I've said before, abstinence is not my goal. For me it's keeping my daily drink number to safe levels and eliminating the episodes of heavy drinking where I do/say things I regret and lose whole chunks of time/memory. We just invested in another approx 250 bottles of Bordeaux (many from 2005... ahhhh....) for our cellar and would like to look forward to enjoying some of them (along with the other 800 bottles in there). I'm going to keep on keeping on!

MinneMom

Sounds like good news to me MinneMom!! Hurray!! xoxo Newlife

Congrats on a good week, Minne. You are heading in the right directions.