Oh, Joe, the little buggers are doing me in this year. I love them but wow,they are so demanding. I have been to the gym all four days this week, feels good.

It would be interesting to work in an AF day, then hit the gym about 48 hours after your last dose to see if you get an extra boost as your receptors might well be upregulated and very sensitive to the endorphins from exercising. That would tell you something about the "rhythm" of how long the Nal has a blocking effect for you too.

Can you further explain what you mean by that? Try an alcohol free night, go to gym and see how my body react? How would it react.
I didn't drink much last night but oh, dear, I have a Nal over this morning. Yuck, is that a good thing.

That's odd that you get a Nal over, but don't seem to get much movement in the extinction area...

Yes, this is the part of the book (chapter 9) that covers "Selective Extinction" or using both sides of the pill, as it were. After you take Nal and get the endophin-blocking benefits, your opioid receptors upregulate to reach out harder for the endorphins. It takes about 48 hours after your last dose for this to happen and for the Nal to wash out of your system (some notice it sooner than 48 hours).

So if you last take Nal on a Friday afternoon, then Saturday and Sunday morning is a wash-out period as the Nal leaves your system. Sunday afternoon should be prime time to engage in some endorphin-producing activity, like eating spicy food, vigorous exercise, a hike, watching a really good comedy, sex, eating chocolate, etc. As your opioid receptors are upregulated during this time, you'll get an extra blast out of the activity and that helps you replace the old habit (drinking) with a healthy new substitute. Where that "sweet spot" occurs depends on how quickly your system breaks down the Nal. I forget who here said that she was doing housework the next day after drinking and really got a blast out of it, so the right timing can vary from person to person.

I assume I had a nal over or a hangover. I felt yucky all day, drank a lot of water. To be honest my workouts have been good and really hard. Thanks for all your help. Can't believe that I have been 16 months since I began this journey. I might give it another month but it isn't working.

Did you see Nigelr's post?

What is the post under? The same name. Another good workout, it is great when I can push harder.

He's been at it for a couple of years and getting a slow reduction.

What kind of alternatives is your doc offering, anything?

My doctor would offer Campral, most likely. I did well on topamax. I quit for a year, I have quit twice and every time it gets harder. I don't think my doctor knows what to do with me.
Ok, answer this question for me. Last night I got a real buzz, too much of a buzz. In fact I felt so awful I threw up. I hated that buzz feeling. I haven't felt that in a long time. I drank more drinks then usual but really not that much. I still remain about 11 days on a bottle.

I'm not sure how that happened. How much Nal did you take?

Campral works on GABA receptors, I don't see any clear explanation of how Topamax works, but it's suggested it also works on GABA receptors. Baclofen also works on GABA receptors and is used in France as an alcoholism med.