I googled nausea B complex empty stomach and apparently it's pretty common to get this side effect. Ironically, I added in the B complex plus extra thiamine specificially to replace nutrients the booze was removing from my bod.

Did this about 2 weeks ago and take mid morning on an empty stomach. Nausea and malaise starts around noon. I thought it was the nal but wondered why, then, did I not have these symptoms when I woke up and only later in the day.

Plus I was doing okay on 37.5 until recently, around the time I started the B.

So will stop the B for a bit and start upping the nal dose again and see if that was the culprit. Wish me luck. Will report on this in a couple of days. And when I restart the vitamins it will be with half a glass of milk!

Nice catch, T.O.!

I know some people can take mega-vitamins, but if I get too much B-complex it actually makes me feel like crap (sluggish, depressed). First day it's great, second day it's meh, third day my wagon is draggin. FWIW.

" My wagon is draggin'", indeed, Joe. I never heard that one. Hilarious and has now been added to my vocab.

Feel fine this AM after bumping up to 25 again last night. Fingers crossed it was the B.

However, in any case, the short temper/mild depression SE is def from the nal would be my guess. But that is something that is a prime candidate for mindfulness thought re education techniques.

Speaking of which, I took your suggestion, Joe, and ask myself if I really wanted that 3rd, 1 oz drink last night. And I'm afraid the answer was a resounding yes. So this journey ain't near over.

One thing I've noticed even on the lower doses I've reduced to of late -- I no longer watch the clock, counting down to cocktail hour as I used to do. Sometimes it even kinda creeps up on me. "5:30 already and I haven't even thought about a drink yet" I'll suddenly realize and then pop the nal.

Yeah, that's one of the first places indifference showed up for me was the start time.

Stopping and asking works on and off for me, but I'm more in the habit of engaging that part of my brain in the process. I'll just keep on cranking on that one, some day it will get the upper hand. I imagine that's what happens when the craving part of the brain gets quiet enough, the part of the brain that says "meh, I don't really care for another" gets loud enough to make a difference.

T.O.,

That made me smile, for that is TSM at its finest!

What you are doing is working for you...and working very well!

Nal on,

Jaba

Thanks again, friends! I really appreciate the support -- and the humor.

two day afters on 25 mg and no B Complex. SE's were at like 15% yesterday -- had to nap all afternoon. Today I felt fine all day. I'm going to stay at 25 with no B's for a full week and if all goes well, try bumping back up to 37.5 and on up from there IF I can.

I have noticed that drinking cold water whenever I feel just a tad headachey or nauseous really seems to help. I don't drink nearly enough water. That's my bad habit. All this is helping me to change that habit. Cold water is more fun to drink also so I drink it more readily.

Hi T.O., are you still managing ok at the lower dose?

I've been sticking at 12.5 myself, still get SE's but not as bad.

21ellar is getting some nausea, maybe you have some pointers for her?

Hi, Joe
Sorry I've been away from the board. I'm prepping for a big work trip to Mexico plus have some other stuff that has major deadlines.

Getting rid of the B Complex completely took away SE at 25 mg. So that was what was causing it for me. Since stopping this I've been fine at 25.

My plan had been to stick with 25 mg for a week and then bump up to 37.5 and then 50 as I did before while on the B Complex.

Then I got a look at a photo of myself from the back and vanity took hold. Went on the low carb phase 1 diet 3 nights ago and have been able to stay AF with no heavy cravings!! This the 3rd night in a row!!!!! How about that? Wooo!

It was never this easy before and I've done it at least 10 times in the past 15 or so years. Always very hard to stop the booze for the first 3 days of the diet and then again around day 8 I would get very strong cravings. This time, I find I'm hardly missing it. I really can barely believe this.

I have decided to maintain on the nal at 25 mg, however, even though I'm not drinking and hope not to for the next 10 days at least. This is because I will probably be real tempted to drink on that first class upgrade air trip coming up and I don't want to stop and then start the nal and have the hellish SE's again--particularly when I'm traveling and then sorting personal items, selling a car and packing up to leave my Mexican home forever.

So I'm 'maintaining' on 25 mg right now and, after two weeks, if I want a drink, I can have it again an hour after taking the nal. And I won't get sick because I suddenly started back up. And, who knows? The low dose nal might even be assisting in some small way with lowering cravings in addition to its main use as an operant deconditioner.

At this point, if I start drinking again at the end of two weeks I'll be all set to ramp up to 37.5 and if I can stand that, try again for 50.

I have no desire to stop drinking forever. That doesn't seem like a lot of fun. But the urge is now not as strong.

So the nal most definitely works. I've never had such an incredibly easy time stopping drinking as is required for the strict "phase one" of the south beach diet. That alone is pretty clear evidence that something is changing for me and in a big way.

So hang in there, folks. I'm starting to see some results here. I really am. I'm most certainly not there yet and am willing to bet there will be some detours and snags along the way. But I can see a positive trend at this point.

Nal on and much affection and wishes for good luck to all the good friends on this board who are going through similar struggles and have been so very helpful and supportive.

Will post again as soon as there is some change as in what happens the day after I drink on the airplane? Do I crave a drink the next day because now I can have a little on 'phase 2' or do I just decide to continue to Cold Turkey it with little or no cravings.

This is sounding really good, T.O.! So glad you got the SE's under control and who knows, you may do just fine at 25mg.

Hope things go smoothly down in Mexico, looking forward to your next post!

you're on your way, TO. all your experience are signs that your body is experiencing TSM as it should. keep it up!