JoeSixPack, initially (1st 2-3 hours) its getting to sleep, usually by around 4.30am sleep comes, albeit not continuous. I think its a bit of both falling and staying asleep. I am not working with a doctor, just using what i have learnt online.

Zontar, thanks for the recommendation, I shall investigate

If you can find a TSM doc in your area, it might well be to your advantage. I'm assuming you got the Nal online, don't know what the doctors would offer in your area, might be Nalmefene only. My TSM doc prescribed Gabapentin and it really helped me get better rest. It works well with Nal and helps you get down into slow wave sleep. Pretty cheap too, around these parts, ~$12 for 90 300mg caps using the GoodRx discount.

Joanna at Cthree europe would be a good ally to have and she offers free informal counseling to any TSM'er that would like it.

I think Zontar's suggestion is a good one, some of the "Gaba sleep aids" might have a lot more than Gaba in them (like 5-HTP, etc.) so maybe one with just Gaba and vitamin B6 to start with. I think there's one out there that's 500mg. Some go over a gram, but then report a niacin-like flushing, itching sensation, so best to start low. As I understand it, L-theanine is a Gaba precursor that has an easier time of crossing the blood-brain barrier, but folks seem to get results with Gaba anyway. Alcohol floods your brain with a GABA agonist (GABA is your brain's brake pedal) and it also antagonizes your Glutamate receptors (Glutamate is more like the accelerator pedal), so without the alcohol you might have a difficult time sleeping until your brain adjusts. If you're taking any other medications, check it out with a pharmacist, at least. They may say that Gaba won't do you any good, but you're just looking for bad drug interactions here.

One thing that's reliably helped me to drop off in the past is plain old aspirin or ibuprofen. Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be a bad choice with alcohol, so steer clear of that. There's the old cup of hot milk trick too...

Struggled quite a bit the last 2 weeks, Have only managed 1 AF day each week, had a lot more stress at work than normal, so I am sure that isnt helping. I have however managed to get some GABA, yet to try it out.

Good deal, SfS. I'll be interested to hear how it goes. Don't let the pop in your numbers get you down. A few questions for you:

1. Are you sticking with the Golden Rule and waiting an hour before you drink?
2. How many mg of Nal are you taking at this point?
3. Have you added in any mindfulness techniques, like sipping the first drink, watching for hours or events where your intake per hour goes up, setting a limit on the number of drinks per session, etc?
4. Have you spoken with Joanna yet? Her email address is Joanna@Cthreeeurope.com and she's a certified alcohol abuse counselor. She offers free informal Skype sessions for TSM'ers and all who avail themselves of her offer give glowing reports. Check Mokum's latest post on this subject: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4611&start=20

5. Have you checked C3's list of physicians: http://www.cthreefoundation.org/find-a-physician.html

I mention the last one because having a TSM-aware doc in your corner can make things considerably easier for you and speed the process along. Mine is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and will be able to help me with talk therapy to "bat clean-up" if an underlying issue surfaces after the drink is under control. He also prescribes meds that accentuate the benefits of the Nal, like Gabapentin, which also helps me get markedly better quality sleep. If you don't see a doc on the list in your area, let me know via a Private Message and I'll see if I can dig up some leads for you. Another benefit is having a Rx for the Nal, which is just more convenient for refills. You can also use GoodRx.com to get a hefty discount on prescriptions in general. You can use private pay for the doc and the Rx if you want to keep things on the QT. Insurance companies wouldn't pay for TSM anyway...

You also might want to have a look at L-Theanine, many have said it helps them deal with stress (one guy said it made him "bullet-proof" wrt stress). It's a GABA precursor that's able to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Again, good job on keeping those numbers down during the stress at work!

Thanks for the reply Joe,

In answer to your questions.

1) yes taking nal every day at least 1 hour before drinking
2) i am on nalmefene 18mg from the NHS
3). On occasion I have tried some meditation, using the headspace app...I havent been consistently doing it however, this I should try to improve upon.
4). I have not, that sounds like a good plan, i'll read the post you have linked to..thank you
5) I have not, as my normal GP prescribed Nal after I visited the local councils rehab center and got a recommendation for Nal. To be fair my GP stated I was the first patient he had prescribed to, so he is clearly no expert. I will look at the list.

Much good information in your reply, thank you.

No problem, SfS! Thanks for starting a thread here as it will help others, without a doubt.

Didn't realize you were in the UK! That does change the rules....

You'll find some docs on the C3 page, but I believe they're private pay. There are other leads I've found, including a Psychiatrist that has 3 offices around London as I recall. The word is getting out, I think access is going to improve as we go along.

The L-Theanine that looked like the best deal on Amazon/UK was the "Just Vitamins" brand. At least that had the most reviews to peruse, give it a look and see what you think. Maybe run it by your doc or pharmacist.

SfS -

One other important item - Since you're using Selincro (Nalmefene) you should be waiting a minimum of 2 hours before you drink. Sorry that slipped by me the first time!

Have ordered some L-theanine, will report back on its effect.

2 hours it is then, I shall attempt to be more disciplined with this

Cheers
SfS