Hi everyone,

I'm just beginning my 3rd day of the sinclair method. Already noticing things, though I'm not entirely sure if it's real or just a placebo effect.

I'm an actor in Los Angeles and slowly but surely, alcohol started eroding my life.. I think I took notice of this a few years back but denied that it was happening. However, I found myself in an AA meeting a year ago and back to the bottle shortly thereafter. My life is not in disarray. I have a job, a successful career, and many good friends. Yet, if I'm being totally honest, I could see disaster-- or at least an unpleasant life-- in the future. I got really tired of waking up feeling like ****, missing hours that could have been spent hiking, laughing with friends, and enjoying the world.

So, here I am. Claudia has been incredible in her advice. I'm hoping for the best and staying optimistic.

Wishing you all well,
Chris

Good luck Chris! I had excellent success doing TSM for 5 months. Went from 25-35 drinks/week and many incidents of drinking/driving for decades to really enjoying life anew as a non-drinker. I couldn't do it without the Naltrexone. If you want to change your life, you are on the right path.

Chris -

Congratulations on finding TSM and getting started with it! I think you'll find it's "just what the Doctor ordered".

Lots of people have an initial reaction to the Nal and see a reduction in their drinking. There's often a "Honeymoon Period" where drinking levels go down, then rise again to pre-TSM levels. Not to worry, levels should slowly begin dropping from there. You may also see levels rise and fall over and over, but on the whole they are going down. It's really helpful to track your drinking on a spreadsheet or diary so you can look back and see where you came from.

Do you have a copy of Dr. Eskapa's book? If not, we can get you a free PDF copy.

Congrats Chris! I'm a newbie as well (4 days, today is AF day) and I have experienced results from the first pill. A FAQ said that the effect at the beginning is that you don't get the immediate hit that you're used to. It is an artifact of the treatment but it is real; it still takes 3-5+ months to clear up the endorphin pathways in the brain.

Welcome Chris and Kmcad61,

Nope, that is what they call the honeymoon effect, and it is what you can except in the future once your brain lets go.

Do not be alarmed if your intake increases, or things go back to where they were, for it does happen to some, but not all.

I am excited to read both of your progress,

Jaba

You are in the right place Chris, keep visiting here, you will get some excellent support and advice and reassurance. If you are in touch with C3 they will help with counselling, though it's not exactly counselling, more pragmatic advice based on their extensive knowledge of how TSM works. Good luck!

Hey new friends,

I wanted to post here and let everyone know that I'm in full swing. I'm a little over a week into this and I've definitely noticed some things.

1. You need to really want/desire/yearn to reduce or end your drinking. Last Friday (about a week ago) I found myself heading to a friend's apartment for a bottle of wine. I wanted to loosen up and enjoy it so I didn't take the pill. Not good. The next day, I felt like **** and was reminded-- hopefully for the last time-- as to why I've started this journey. I'm actually glad it happened because it made me reevaluate this new chapter and cement the fact that I am ready for it.

My drinking has SEVERELY reduced during this week. Two weeks ago, I'd say I was legally drunk (.08+) at least 5 out of 7 days with no AF days. This week, I haven't been drunk once, including a night where I was attending a premiere with multiple open bars, a real danger zone for me. Again, I'm not sure what is the med and what is placebo but I'm grateful, regardless. I actually had an AF day on Tuesday. God, it is nice to wake up without a hangover. Really, truly. One, in the midst of the bottle, forgets what it feels like to wake up refreshed and ready to start the day. Further, my creativity has spiked at a very precious time as I'm am in pitch meetings for an upcoming show.

I told my parents about this 2 days ago and they're really happy for me.

Don't get me wrong; I don't feel like I'm out of the woods. I know myself and I know this whole thing is a slippery slope. I'm still deep in the forest, but what I'm saying is, for the first time in a long time, I can some light peering through the branches.

The fact that this process is so unknown is criminal. Lives could be saved. It's a tragedy.


Wishing you all well, and it's nice to know I'm not the only one starting!!!


Chris

That's very good news indeed, Chris! Keep sticking to the Golden Rule, don't let alch past your lips unless you've taken the Nal an hour before or you'll start undoing the erasure of your cravings.

Like Jaba said, many see a honeymoon effect, so if your drinking starts to climb again, don't be thrown off track. It's a very normal response, just keep to the Golden Rule and use the mindfulness techniques to help you along. As you say, it's different when you can see a way out, as you are suddenly afforded a measure of dignity and hope that wasn't available before. Your comments about TSM being unknown are spot on. It is getting better though, bit by bit.

Not only is this not good, but if you continue to have these moments of weakness you will undo the "rewiring" that is going on in your brain. Think of this as a disease like diabetes or high blood pressures and without this pill you have the potential of harming yourself. This is something that you really have to want for the rest of your life every time you drink! I know you know this, but it is something that I just have to post for peace of mind and for others to read. We all have moments of weakness and it has happen to the best of us. Moving forward with the determination of it never happening again is best. Plan ahead just in case you find yourself in that moment of weakness again. Some have taken their pill first thing in the morning, for they knew they could not trust themselves to either wait that hour or even taking that pill (remember a booster may be needed if drinking 12 hours later). I have my husband hold me accountable, for anytime he sees me about to drink he will ask if I took my pill and has it been an hour. Is there someone that would be helpful to you in that way? Having a plan moving forward will be best, for as time goes by your brain will try to persuade you not to take that pill or not to wait that hour. Even though this is not AA, having a "sponsor" (for lack of a better word) isn't a bad thing especially in the beginning. (Sorry for the rant, but that is just the mom in me and these are only suggestion nothing more.) This speaks volumes, and I always wonder why I continue to turn to the bottle when I feel so good without; it must be some form of self-punishment. Having an AF day in the beginning is wonderful, and it is something that you should be proud of. It is something that I could not do in the beginning, so it sounds like you are having great progress. Again, this is remarkable! Habit is one of the hardest thing to break with TSM, and it sounds like you are already breaking some of your old habits...good for you! Good luck and I hope everything goes smoothly!


Thanks for keeping us posted and I am excited to hear about your progress,

Jaba

Jaba,

I appreciate you digging on the importance of taking the pill an hour before. Right now, my friends are planning an epic night of champagne n' other stuff. Of course, there's a little voice in my head saying that I shouldn't take the pill so that I can really enjoy myself but after re-reading what I wrote earlier-- about the spikes of creativity n' all that, I realize that it's so so so not worth it. The Nal is working so far and I had an incredible show last night-- and that's why I'm in LA.

So, thanks. I appreciate it very much.


Chris