I am not usually one to share with people I don't know well. I've followed this message board for the last 3 weeks, and I want to say it is a breath of fresh air to read about all of the successes, but even more so for me, the struggles.

I started Nal on the 13th of August.

I've been dealing with the bottle as my preferred method of coping with stress for many years. Whether work or wife, thinking of the first long draw always allowed me to endure what was otherwise overwhelming. It was my reward, even as I grew more aware it was my demon.

Beer has always been my drink of choice. They say the CO2 in champagne carries the alcohol to your brain quickly, and I think the same is true with beer. A long pull on a cold beer and I knew things would be better -- about 2 minutes from now. I used to call it a warm glow. After a few years I began calling it a release. Now I just call it a brief signpost on the path to getting drunk.

My wife has been bothering me about my alcohol consumption for about 10 years, and we've been married for about 12. I've been claiming for about as many years that she has been complaining that I would do something about it, and, without getting in to the long version, finally made the decision to recently find a doctor to help me deal with it. Like most, the story has a lot of complexities along the way, but the bottom line is that most of us reading this, at some point, make the earnest decision to find something that can free us. And we've been taught it will be a long and difficult road. In fact we've been taught we'll always be alcoholics, and in the quest for total abstinence most of us will fail. Not much incentive to bank before starting what we all believe will be a painful but worthwhile journey.

I was still going to try. After trying AA a few years earlier in our marriage, and white knuckling for about 8 months, I knew I needed to keep searching. I have to admit I've always kept my eye out for a magic cure, even as I denied the likelihood. After doing a bit of online research I asked my doctor for Antabuse, the closest thing I'd found so far to a quick fix and he suggested a drug I had never heard of before: Naltrexone. He said I had to take it once a day, but that I still needed a lot of willpower. How wrong he was in his understanding, but how perfectly correct in his prescription. I consider it a fluke but a fortune that I'm now on Nal.

A month in and I can honestly say that, although it is still to early to tell, this drug is healing me. It has not been without difficultly, and I can't say anything for sure yet. My drinking has ironically gone up because of social/vacation (trigger) circumstances, but my craving has not been this low since before I started regularly drinking. I consider myself beyond 'honeymoon' at 4 weeks, but who knows. But I also I think it is pretty safe to say the side effects are well above 10%, and I'm going to share these side effects next. This board has helped me through them.

Damn, I've written a lot, and haven't even haven't gotten to the part about starting Nal, and the *brutal* side effects I went/am going through, but I have to get to bed...

Cheers,

Z

Welcome Zebron
Glad the 'signpost' eventually lead you to this sight. As someone famous on this board said NAL+ALCOHOL+Patience=cure! It is encouraging that your are noticing changes n craving etc. This is a great place to help you keep going.

Welcome.

I'm not sure, but I think this is the first case on this board where I can recall a doctor actually bringing naltrexone to the attention of their patient as opposed to vice-versa. Of course he prescribed it incorrectly, but at least it was prescribed. And if our experiences here tell us anything, they tell us (1) the severity of the side effects have been woefully under-reported in the studies and literature and (2) far more than 10% suffer side effects. In fact, my unscientific estimate on this board would be that about 10% DO NOT experience side effects.

Thanks for sharing. Your posts will benefit all of us.

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging words and the warm welcome. This site, in my opinion, contains a wealth of knowledge regarding naltrexone and the Sinclair Method that cannot be found anywhere else.

The fact that I might be the first to post that my doctor introduced me to Nal is fascinating. I'll ask him where he received the information prompting him to make the prescription. The brand was Revia, and he distinctly said that I would need to take 1 pill per day, and, that with enough will power, I should be able to significantly reduce my urge to drink regularly. To be fair, as we know, Nal does produce a reduction in craving in some who take the drug outside of the parameters of the Sinclair Method. What I now believe, supported by many studies and certainly the testimonials of many on this board, is that it is not simply a regular dosage of Nal that makes a difference, but timing as well. Depriving our brains of the endorphins alcohol rewards us with by administering the blocker 1 hour before drinking will, over time, result in a pharmacological extinction.

So... On with my story.

I collected my pills from a local pharmacy located in a grocery store, not far from my house. Eager to begin my path to my 'new life' I popped my first 50mg dose on the spot, on an empty stomach no less. I'd been told by my doctor that there were no side effects. I had a handful of groceries and waited in line about 5 minutes. By the time I got to the till I was so spacey I could barely interact with the teller. I felt like I was outside myself, surreal. That night I started to feel slightly nauseous. I barely slept that night, and the next day felt so nauseous I couldn't work. I went in for a couple of hours, took the rest of the day off, and the next day as well. After 2 days I reduced my dose to 25mgs for 2 days, back up to 50mg, and then back down to 25 for one further day.

The side effects are mostly gone now (but still slightly annoying) but that first week was hell. It was during that week that I spent hours researching Nal on the net and found this site. Reading all of your stories gave me the hope that I would move beyond the side effects, a much greater understanding of the drug I was taking, and the hope that I could actually have a life again that didn't involve the unstoppable urge to drink at about 7pm or so every evening.

I am not sure if I will post regularly, my job takes up 60 hours/week+ and I have 2 young boys, but I will definitely share when I can - this site has been my primary source of understanding this important event in my life.

Oh, and here is one piece of advice I want to share:

- Don't cheat the hour by chomping the pill! I've tried it about 3 times now, all involving hanging out with friends who wish to spontaneously drink (only my wife and best friend know I'm on it). I've literally chewed the 50mg pill, let it sit under my tongue, and waited about 20 minutes before drinking. Somehow, you receive what I would call a 'mega-dose.' You get hit so hard the side effects are multiplied by 3 or 4 times, even after having taken the drug for over 3 weeks. One night, hanging out with my friends (which doesn't happen too much these days) I had to excuse myself to go have a nap for about 45 minutes!

Oh, and if it doesn't work out to take the pill with a meal, take it after eating a bowl of yogurt. I can't say for sure, it might be that I am getting used to Nal, but a bowl of yogurt eliminated all but a slight spacey feeling I have now.

I appreciate all comments, and am happy to try to answer any questions - we are all on the path together!

Cheers,

Z

Z, great posts, hope you will have the time to let us know how you are doing. I too have taken the yougart with naltrexone and it does help with nausea. Welcome to the board!

Z -
Welcome from me as well! Loved your posts and look forward to hearing your updates when you get a chance. Sorry about your woes w/ the nausea & all, but sounds like changes are happening already. Hope so & wishing you well!

Hi there, as I write this I am experience my 10th AF day in the last 2 weeks. Of the four times I've had drinks, only twice have I consumed more than 6 drinks.

When I first started Nal and starting reading this forum I read about people experiencing AF days, and at that time they seemed so alien, and I felt I would never be able to go a day without at least a few beers. The urge is simply gone. I'm going to a friend's birthday this weekend, and I know I will be drinking then, but I feel so close to the point that I am cured, because alcohol has become something for me at night that I now prefer not to consume. Being buzzed is still fun, but without the high, alcohol no longer has the same control.

I felt obliged to share this all with you, since reading this forum gave me so much hope and insight when I was first starting off!

For the record, since I started Nal, I missed only 1 pill for the duration of my treatment, and my consumption decreased very slowly. For me the real breakthrough was starting to have AF days, rather than starting to drink less each week, which I found I really didn't do until the AF days started.

Cheers, and best wishes to all. You have found the cure.

Z

Congrats zebron! You don't know how encouraging your post was for me. I started a month behind you and I have had a couple of AF days myself the last couple of weeks not as many as I would like but I think I'm battling the habit problem right now so I guess I need to just need to bite the bullet and do it.

Keep posting and enjoy your new life
corkit

Glad my story helps corkit, that's what this forum is all about. My wife had actually started doubting that things would improve around Christmas time (when I naturally started drinking much more), but keep the faith and the Nal will do its work! I'm one of those who truly believe that if you take the pill properly and consistently is not a matter of if, but a matter of when.

Cheers (with a de-alc beer!),

Z

Wonderful news. Thanks for sharing. Let minneapolisnick know when you're ready to add your name to the list!