Excellent, ONM! Keep on posting, we love to hear how you're doing.

Nal on!

Really starting to feel a real change in behavior. While in the past, alcohol tasted off, I still thought about alcohol and wanted that first drink. I have been so used to drinking by eleven am and almost always by two pm. The last few months it has gotten later and later. I still meet my GF for a drink in the afternoon sometimes. However, that has went from a daily occurrence to once or twice a week, and usually after a couple, I am done and want to go home. Yesterday we had a work function. Normally we would have some drinks before, during and after. Even though she did, I did not feel like drinking early on. I waited until after the event was over, and had three drinks while a group of us met informally after the event. Normally I would have at least six before even arriving there. That was it. Done. Three drinks, and I only finished half of the third because I didn't want it.

Am still struggling with extreme tiredness and sluggishness and trying to figure out what that is. I thought it was just from drinking too much, and that does contribute but it is other things as well.

None the less, I am glad to not feel compelled to pick up a drink. I would not say cured but there is a difference in not drinking as much because the medicine stifles the desire and effects and not drinking as much because it is no longer part of the daily routine and lifestyle. That is the extinction process in action for me. Habits are being replaced with other habits. Work is taking more precedence. I no longer drink to feel less bad during the day.

I post new weekly numbers tomorrow and they should be towards the low end of what I have been.

Enjoy your day everyone.

ONM

Looking good, ONM! Sounds like you're happy with the progress too.

ONM,

It sounds like you are doing great and you should be very excited with your progress, for it is amazing.

The nal can make you tired (it helped me sleep better) and with taking it earlier in the day is probably why you are feeling sluggish; however, are you taking any supplements? A high quality Vit B complex may help a little and I have found that L-Tyrosine has helped me with energy.

Keep up the good work and keep us posted,

Jaba

ONM

Numbers looks great and more importantly you sound like you are doing fantastic. Story and results very similar to mine. I am also a bit sluggish but getting a lot done. Seems like the sluggishness is more when I have down time which is very little but it is noticeable. It has been suggested several times to take supplements but to lazy to go get them

Keep up the great work -really is amazing!

Just posted my newest numbers. Under 30 for the week. First time since week 7 that I have been under 30. Feels good. Will probably go out some, this weekend, but I just don't feel compelled to drink much.

As far as supplements.... Yes I do. A LOT have long taken them. Being sleepy is not a new issue, I was just hoping it would lessen. I am working on it and will get there. It is a combination of the naltrexone, an anti depressant that I take that I don't think works but take it because my gf wants me too, and the big one, sleep apnea. I am faithfully wearing my cpap mask and it seems to slowly be helping. I eat pretty healthy. Just going to keep at it, and try to lose 20lbs. I am not super heavy but 20lbs would put me back at my weight from before I started drinking again six years back.

I'll be talking to my doctor at more directly next week. about all of this, none the less, I'd rather be sleepy and sober than sleepy and drunk.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Yeah, that's gotta feel good, ONM! You're right around the level I am and I'm feeling a ton better than when I was at 85/wk.

WRT the sleepiness, do you take a lot of B complex? I've found that helps me for one day, but on the 2nd or 3rd day it makes me really sluggish.

Keeping my fingers crossed on dropping the 20lbs, that might have a benefit for the apnea as well.

I'm curious, when you started taking the antidepressant, did your drinking levels change at all?

Onm,

I have tried many antidepressants and could not tolerate how tired they made me, which made me feel more depressed (what a vicious
cycle). I would "wait" until the side effects should have subsided , but the tiredness still lingered on. When I started Wellburtin it never did that to me and Cymbalta wasn't that bad either. The Cymbalta did cause my drinking to increase, and that is why I switched (before TSM).

I hate hearing about the sleep apnea, for I know those cpap masks can be annoying (and so attractive), but necessary for sleep.

It is great news that you don't feel very compelled to drink, for it sounds like the nal is doing it's job.

I wish I had an answer for your drowsiness, for I know how difficult it can be. I do know I feel better when winter is over, for I really hate those gloomy wintery days, so maybe with spring around the corner, it will put a spring in your step.

I hope you have a good weekend as well,

Jaba

Thanks for all the good advice.

I take Pristiq, and I know that causes some of the tiredness, and craving to drink.

Went in for my physical and got all the results back.... for the first time in six years, all of my numbers look great.

The doctor and I spoke and I was able to share some info and he is doing some research as well on the "Up to Date" site I used. He uses it as well and likes it. He is researching some things and is considering dropping the Pristiq and replacing it with gabapentin and the medicine I describe below.

For the sleepiness, he is prescribing generic Provigil (modafinil).... it is an anti-sleepiness med for people with narcolepsy, shift-workers or people with sleep apnea that are still tired even with using CPAP.... Super expensive like 700 dollars (I called several places) , but COSTCO swears they will sell it to me for $50. I have talked to them several times to confirm we are talking about the same medicine, dosage quantity and cash price. I have no idea why it would be so inexpensive there. I am afraid that when I go get it tomorrow that they will say there was an error. I am anxious to try it. It is not a stimulant like Ritalin or Adderall. I checked with our family nurse.... so lucky to have a sister-in-law that is a nurse. She said she does not have much experience with it, but the experiences she does have are positive.

I am sure more info than most people want, but I know I tend to learn things from other people's experiences. So maybe mine will help someone.

Most importantly, the doctor was impressed with my drink numbers. He was a little surprised that I was using it for reduction, not abstinence, but when I showed him my charting he seemed interested. I told him that NALTREXONE in my opinion is as viable if not more viable than AA and that I would strongly recommend it to anyone (health permitting) wanting to address an AUD.

Have a good day everyone.

ONM

nice work ONM! glad your doctor sees your reduction numbers and gets what you are doing. Nal on!