Hi, I am a 50 yr old woman who travels a lot for my work. I have all the usual baggage that goes with life... and some. No excuses overall - just the general background for wanting to have some relief in the evenings and on the weekends. Bad day - a few glasses ++ of red wine. A really great day - a few glasses ++ of red wine. End of the week - a few glasses ++ of red wine. You get the picture. Any excuse really, instead of 'no excuse'.

I've always been the one who drank a little faster than the others, wanted to stay (or up) longer. I was always a slow starter - my first few drinks can take 1 or 2 hours. But starting on glass 3.... well, 'there's no stopping me now' as the song says...

I got some Naltrexone in the US last year - and tried it twice and thought I was going to have to go to the hospital with the side effects. Stopped that. Thought - I can do better myself. Which is a story I've told myself every year for 30 years.

After another strange medical event (related to my thyroid... or so the dr thinks at this point) landed in me in the ER at night with 'heart attack-like' symptoms but turned out NOT to be my heart (once again) ... - I decided that I can't keep hiding this part of my life. At least, I need to admit it to myself if not to anyone else.

So, dug out the naltrexone and decided that whatever the side effects were - I was going to stick with it for a few weeks. The SE's can't be worse than the hangovers, the hiding how bad I feel, the worry that I am killing myself, etc.

Now I am on day 7. Started first 4 days on 25 mg. The first day was not as bad as last time - but bad enough. Dizzy, foggy, out of it... sick at my stomach. I thought - Hey no wonder this works. It makes you too sick to drink or eat!

Plugging on, I did 25 mgs each of first 4 days (drinks like this 1.25, 5, 9, 9). Then 50 mgs, where I drank at least 9 .... don't remember after that. The following day I was so sick I couldn't even drink water until late afternoon. But hey-ho, I managed to rouse myself enough to eat something and take my 50 mgs and drink 3 glasses VERY SLOWLY. I really didn't want the last glass - but I also had it sitting there and don't know yet how to just throw it out.

Tonight, is night 7.

My pre-TSM average was 2-3 AF days a week, then 1.5-2 bottles of wine a night.

I live in Europe, but work in the UK. I have about 75 of my naltrexone left, so I am thinking that I need to order some more and would appreciate some guidance on this - as I am not on the NHS service and no way can I get this in my country. I would like to have it delivered to my UK work address. I have seen some back and forth on whether the product that comes from India (Naltima?) is good enough ? If so, you can buy it in 180 tablets package. Is that too risky ? Should I just buy 90 ? (I am thinking of quality but also making absolutely sure I do not run out!). Is there a private dr I could go to instead in the UK - that doesn't cost a fortune and I could get a script there for Naltrexone ? (I don't dare try the Nalmefene - as the SE's from Naltrexone are still a killer. (I am kind of still afraid to drive - and that's why I started why I had Xmas break)

Traveling again starts tomorrow.... with Naltrexone in my bag.

Thank you to everyone for such amazing and resonating stories.

And thanks for any answers to the above!
...kay

Hey there, I am on day 9 today and beer number 4. its past midnight. raging success for me... I'd love to stay in touch and hear how things are going for you. I am in Australia, but originally German. I have been very lucky with my GP, who gave me the prescription without hesitation. Good luck! xx

Ok, end of day 7 here. MAJOR stress in household this evening... I had to step outside for a breather... The NAL seems to really AMP up my tension and give me a quick response to anger (not normally there).

But, I poured myself a wine at 6 pm (2 hours after NAL due to interruptions mentioned above). And per others advise took a sip and walked away. But ohhhhhh was it calling my name.

My 'safe' hiding place is behind my PC, in my home office, with a glass of wine. So I knew better than to bring the wine to the desk with me. I left it til I was finished and went and did the dinner, family, extended family, cleaning up BS... and when they ALL left (except DH) - I SANK into the glass of wine.

Now we are .... I think .... 3 glasses of wine later. (not more, but could be 2 I feel so doozy) And I am going to bed, but could easily drink more and more.

Flying tomorrow so NOT a good idea. Today - I am truly 'white-knuckling' it. I will take 3 as a good sign - but honestly it is just brutal torture and denying myself. Hoping for a better tomorrow!

Best...
... kay

OHHH and I didn't mention, but shall...

my DH - who is not aware of my NAL trial (and would NOT approve) .... is VERY annoying when he has drank too much....

I wonder if I am just as annoying.... probably so, just hate to think that. I feel more introverted when I am drinking but maybe not...

I guess that is the whole deal with this thing. Is that I want to feel what NORMAL people feel when they are drinking and I don't think that my DH is a good gauge of that...

mmmm..... PLEASE NAL WORK SOON!

"So, dug out the naltrexone and decided that whatever the side effects were - I was going to stick with it for a few weeks. The SE's can't be worse than the hangovers, the hiding how bad I feel, the worry that I am killing myself, etc"

that's the Spirit Kayjay!! I think this is going to work for you. Willingness is the only pre-req for success.

Hi all, thanks for your answers. I am hanging in there. Starting week 2 today... going into 2017 the 'right' way, hopefully.

I still have this question from above - and I am scared to run out of the NAL. Can someone help?



Thanks much!
...kay

Kay, shoot me a PM with the country you're in. You may want to send an email to Joanna over at CThree Europe, she may be able to get you pointed in the right direction for securing refills. I understand that it's over the counter in France and Spain (perhaps Portugal too?), but there are also some spots you can go to in the UK, including one in Scotland.

Today is day 10. I think that at day 15, I can move over to the weekly progress forum.

So, still keeping track by the hour... but last night was New Year's Eve and it went amazingly well - despite a lot of triggers being in place.
Took my NAL at 13:30 - because lunch at the pub is in order to kick off NYE. Managed to make it to 14:30 before starting to slowly drink my pint. (I am usually a wine drinker, but pubs are a chance to mix things up and beer fills me up too!). I was going to order a half pint, but the wait staff was so slow that by the time they got back I wasn't interested. Hmmm.

Back to hotel for a rest before going out on NYE. I poured a small (probably normal size - glass of red wine). Drank about 2/3 and left the rest. Hmmm again. Took a nap and then headed out for dinner. (didn't even get a 'head start' on the evening)

Dinner at Indian. Ordered an Indian beer, pint. Finished it - slooooooowwwwwwwwly. But the place was soooo busy that we waited an hour for our food. So I ended up drinking (more or less something I could have skipped) another pint. Finished at 21:30. Headed out to find a place to watch fireworks and didn't have another drink.

We did pass a place where people were dancing and drinking and singing along. This is a MAJOR trigger for me. I felt myself pulled into this... but at the same time, I felt sad that I didn't really feel like I was in that 'place' - where I could just slip away, dance, and sing along and be someone else for a while. So, kept walking along the river. This was a real kind of -think this over - moment. Because I WANTED to be in their state of mind. This will be something to work on in the future.

Lastly, ended up back at hotel at 13:30. All the way back, I kept thinking... It is over 10 hours since I took the NAL... should I take more ? What about SE's ? OHHHHh ? Got back. Poured a glass of red wine and literally looked at it and could NOT force myself to drink it. WTF ??!!


Happily, I woke up after a good sleep with no hangover and basically 3.5 of my 'drinks' under my belt. (I also realise my 'drink' size is probably not the actual UK unit count but I am going to stay consistent with what I am counting just to make my life easier.... less is better. Period.)

Happy New Year all -and here is to a NAL-on 2017!
...kay

Fantastic, Kay! Well done!

wow that is an impressive NYE story. Bet you felt good waking up... I drank way more than you, but still considered my night a win, as I did not blackout. and every decision I made was rational. Seeing my partner completely trashed was interesting, to say the least. xxx