I am anxious to get started after reading The Cure For Alcoholism. Drinking is ruining my life but if I have 1 I have 10.
My only concern is the numbers I see people have posted don't really show much progress? Is this method not as successful as the book claims? I also doubt that my doctor will prescribe so I may have to buy from an online no prescription needed pharmacy. What I don't understand is why these pills are so $$$. Most of the online pharmacies are charging $6-$7 per pill.

Hi VTboozer,

A very warm welcome to The Sinclair Method (TSM) community!

Perhaps I'm not the best advert for TSM in that I don't have a great deal to show after using the method for just over four months. However, there are plenty of people on the forum that are showing significant progress. In my case, a long history of heavy drinking combined with the fact that I currently take a benzo for my anxiety is why I'm in for the long haul. But, I've every reason to believe that it will work for me and I remain very hopeful. Let's be honest - what are the alternatives?

As regards the price of naltrexone, I don't use an online pharmacy so I can't really comment. Having said that, many of our members do use online pharmacies and no doubt you'll hear back from them.

So, dig in, read as much as you are able to soak up, and keep us posted regarding your TSM journey.

All the very best.

V.

Welcome Newbie.

You probably will need to persuade your GP or psychiatrist to prescribe naltrexone to curb your habit. Bring the book and highlight the chapter for medical professionals. You should also copy this article in the New York Times which makes it clear that GPs have the authority to prescribe naltrexone to help people seeking to reduce their drinking. Hand this article to your GP and you'll probably get the nal.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... one&st=cse

Unfortunately, you may have to tell your doctor that you will use naltrexone with abstinence, because most doctors are fearful of prescribing it to patients who say they will still drink, primarily to prevent lawsuits and not in consideration of their patients' health. The fact is naltrexone only works while you continue to drink, not with abstinence. Our experience here is that you are best off telling your doctor, "I do not intend to drink, but if I do, I want to be on naltrexone." You'll probably get it that way, if not, go online and get the nal.

Dig deeper here and you will read almost nothing but success stories. Of the approximate 180 members, all but a handful are reporting drastic drops in cravings and consumption. Check out SpringerRider, who is cured, Bob3d, who is all but cured, Potato, who is drinking within safe levels... RV3... These are the people off the top of my head who are now drinking at safe levels and there are many more than that here. Also, the process takes a long time: 3-4 months minimum if you drink 35 per week; a lot longer if you drink more than that. Bottom line: NOT ONE PERSON HERE HAS TRIED TSM AND DECLARED IT A FAILURE. You will also find many benefits almost immediately: you will have more control with your drinking, fewer, if any blackouts, fewer, if any hangovers, less, if any, embarrassing drunken behavior, far more clarity and far more control. For me, even if my numbers do not get down to a safe level, TSM will have been a life-changing event for these reasons alone. Beware of the fact that when you first start naltrexone you'll probably feel nauseous but it invariably goes away within the week. Also beware that when you first start, you will probably experience an immediate reduction in your drinking that only lasts a few weeks and then you'll drink as much, or more, than you did previously. This is NORMAL. Extinction takes months -- 3 to 4 minimum, if you drink 35 per week, as stated, and much longer if you drink more than that.

GOOD LUCK AND WELCOME.

Hi VTb - Welcome!

I just wanted to let you know the method works...my beginning levels are not as high as many on this site, but I still had a problem.

On Week 20 and I now have an average of 4 AFs a week, and when I do drink it's unusally only 2 glasses...last night we had family stop by and they all grab beers and sat down to talk. I didn't...just didn't want one. It was really amazing - that was unheard of before this method. The thought of having a beer was just the furthest thing from my mind, I was not putting any effort into it!

TSM takes a while to work but it does work...and supposedly you do not revert back if you keep taking your Nal. I am hopeful this is the case but only time will tell.

Best of luck to you!

Welcome VT - if you live in this great state, I envy you. I have not been to VT in many years, but I have great memories of the Greensboro area. Still have relatives up there.

Welcome aboard, and be encouraged, as we all are, by being here together. Success stories are trickling in, many others of the great leaps and bounds, others just sort-of eeking by (myself in this group, but NOT giving up). Bottom line - we have each other and can talk about our drinking concerns and worries and hopes for this cure in an entirely open, highly intelligent & often humorous forum. Unlike anything in your real world, no doubt, as we all agree. We have found great friends and kinships here. Hope you agree as you get to know us, this forum, and find your way in this "journey".

Cheers!

VTBoozer,

This method is as successful as the book claims. You won't see a huge group of cured people on these boards yet, because the site is only about 5-6 months old. I am one of the first who joined the board and just crossed the finish line last week. I'm one of probably half a dozen or so on here who have completed the program. In short order several others will follow.

The biggest difference we have identified here between our own experiences and the book, is that the test subjects they report in the book started at lower levels of consumption Pre-TSM that we all did on average. Most of the test subjects started the program drinking 35-40 units per week. Most of us here started the program drinking 60+ units per week, on average. Some well over 100 units per week. Because most of us here started at higher levels of drinking than those presented in the book, we are taking longer to be cured than the 3-4 months cure period reported in the book. Most of us here are seeing results more like 5-6 months after starting.

The other big difference (and maybe this isn't a difference, just something that was't covered in the book) is that most of us aren't seeing a steady decline in drinking from Pre-TSM levels to cured levels. Instead, most of us are seeing drinking levels spiking up and down from one week to the next as we progress through the treatment, until the final weeks wen craving drops off hard and drinking levels quickly follow. For most of us, TSM is a real roller coaster. In fact, the weeks about half way through treatment tend to be the worst, most difficult, weeks to endure.

Buying NAL online is expensive because they can get away with it. I got a script from my Dr. by telling him I wanted to use NAL as an anti-craving med to help with excessive drinking. The FDA has approved NAL for this, so technically he no excuse not to give it to you if you really want it.

Good luck!

Q