drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

[crown86]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Scott

Have to disagree with ya..I was drinking round the clock and at my wits end. Nalltrexone and TSM worked a miracle for me..honestly from all the reading I did I think me and one other person got the book type results in 3 months...I don't know I am no doctor but I am sure it is way different for different people. Because it didn't work for you and it worked for me doesn't mean anything as a whole.

Last November I started it and there almost no info Bac then so I can't honestly say which drug I would have tried...I just know for me the traditional methods AA etc was not going to be an option.

Guess my point is each drug will affect people different and THANK GOD there are drugs out there that work for some people.

[sidf]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Thanks Rusty, I'll stick it out and hope it eases. Otter, most of the documentation that I have read including references through Wikipedia show a very huge success rate. The thing I see in the US with it not working is most doctors are either unaware of the Sinclair Method or simply feel they cannot promote drinking, so they prescribe Naltrexone and tell the patient they can't drink while on it (that's what my doctor did). Naltrexone treatment when abstaining from alcohol has virtually no success rate, but that is already well known and taught in TSM.

Also, you say you got your Naltrexone in a brown bag from India? Who prescribed it for you, and are you sure it was Naltrexone? Almost sounds like you ordered it off of some internet store. As for the doped feeling, I think it hits people differently. I have been feeling pretty funky but I think it is a combination of things. I have been dieting pretty hard and think my blood sugar was making me feel wonked out also. I went off my diet today and feel a lot better. Hopefully, that was part of it and the rest of my side effects will diminish.

[sidf]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

One other question, is it okay to initially use 25mg as some have stated? I would like to lessen my nausea/light-headed feelings if possible.

[Otter]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

On line nal

sidf;926887 wrote: Thanks Rusty, I'll stick it out and hope it eases. Otter, most of the documentation that I have read including references through Wikipedia show a very huge success rate. The thing I see in the US with it not working is most doctors are either unaware of the Sinclair Method or simply feel they cannot promote drinking, so they prescribe Naltrexone and tell the patient they can't drink while on it (that's what my doctor did). Naltrexone treatment when abstaining from alcohol has virtually no success rate, but that is already well known and taught in TSM.

Also, you say you got your Naltrexone in a brown bag from India? Who prescribed it for you, and are you sure it was Naltrexone? Almost sounds like you ordered it off of some internet store. As for the doped feeling, I think it hits people differently. I have been feeling pretty funky but I think it is a combination of things. I have been dieting pretty hard and think my blood sugar was making me feel wonked out also. I went off my diet today and feel a lot better. Hopefully, that was part of it and the rest of my side effects will diminish.

You cannot get naltrexone in the UK from a doctor outside a rehab clinic. We got ours over the internet and it was ridiculously expensive. I have seen a lot of posts from people here who are still drinking months after starting Nal and also on the TSM forum. I am not convinced at all about it's success. I think I understand the theory but I think it has limited application particularly in serious chronic AL and I think it is dangerous in such cases to use it over Baclofen. I just don't understand why anyone would bother with it when Baclofen is so much more effective and cheaper. Are you not just accepting that you need to keep drinking or at least feel as though you are getting a buzz?

[sidf]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Ah, I see about the nal Otter. In the US doctors are pretty good about prescribing it, but none of them promote TSM. With my health plan it's also very cheap for me. I can't answer you regarding the Baclofen. I don't use it and these posts are the first I have heard it mentioned. I only took 25mg yesterday and after eating better the side effects are almost negligible. I am probably getting used to it also.

As for people using alcohol months after TSM, that is actually okay. As long as they are not craving and addicted to it. I know that's a hard thing for people to grasp because most programs preach abstinence only, but nal isn't designed to make you never drink; it's designed to rewire the brain to not be addicted to alcohol. There's a difference.

I am also going by the numbers. Most treatment programs have less than a 10% success rate and AA's rate is all anecdotal. Based on attrition, it's not very high at all. Not trying to start a war, if those things work for you that's great. They didn't for me. For TSM, in controlled studies and documented patient information nal is 78% effective in Finland - with tens of thousands of patients (source:wikipedia). Effective meaning the patient's drinking level was reduced and maintained to a point that was 'below healthy drinking levels' (from wiki). And "To date, they have treated tens of thousands of patients with a success rate around 78%, with 25% reducing their drinking to complete abstinence[6] with little or no craving." (again from wiki). Even if you counted abstinence only the 25% success rate is twice as effective as any program in the US. I'm going to give it a try and hope it works!

[sylvia1]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

For me nal has been a magic pill, no two ways about it. Im on it about 6 months now and Im as cured as I want to be. I still use alcohol every week at least twice but the difference is that Im not drinking alcoholically. I havent been drunk once in 6 months, I havent had a blackout in 6 months and Ive had roughly three minor hangovers in 6 months. To me that is a miracle. Im finally back to being able to socialize with hubby and have a few drinks but the difference is Im not hanging on to the bar at the end of the night wanting more or plotting how I was going to sneak another when I got home. Will I ever see the day when I have no desire what so ever for alcohol, i dont know but I dont really care either. It feels like a great weight has been lifted.

[Rusty]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Sidf,

I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts on your post. Thank you for having the courage, wisdom (and research) to write it.

[dilettante]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

This is my second post.
STARTED nal sometime in march 2010.
since sept, i have started having 3-4 A Free nights a week. Feels fantastic. Then i relapse a bit for 2-3 days (on 25 mg Nal) but not as much as earlier. Wake up with regret. ANd finally again go into AF days.
It couldn't have been a better thing for me or my family, wife no kids. But i spend hours playing with my 2 year nephew. Earlier i had to have a swig before i played with him. Feel ashamed now.
The guy who sells me booze also noticed that i buy a lot less and actually complimented me! he said he was happy for me.
So in short, this thing works.. and now im gonna join various AAs to tell them to shut their nonsense, or atleast start using this, if really serious about quitting.
Why anyone would not use Nal is beyond me.
I got my life back at 40 years...
ANd now i exercise during the night time instead of wasting it on boozze.
Of couse, in the long term Nal pays you back. No Liver diseases, no heart troubles, save a kidney here, a pancrea there. No match.
My name Is Captain Naltrexone, and I am no longer an Alcoholic.

[leila]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

question about starting nal

Hi Everyone I'm trying to wade through all the info and various responses to Naltrextone.
My question is do I have to have 3 alcohol free days before starting the drug or can I just start it? I was told to start with 25 mgs.
thanks
Leila

[aurora borialis]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

not three just one was good according to my doc

[icandothis]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Hi Everyone,

I just finished the book on the Sinclair method and have to say it sounds too good to be true. I had tried Nal a couple years ago for less than a week, but I never really researched how it was supposed to work. The problem is the internet has a lot of conflicting advice. Many websites say it must be used in conjunction with abstinence, while if you read the book, it says the opposite, that Nal does not work with abstinence. I really recommend if you are planning to use this approach to read "The Cure for Alcoholism" the Sinclair method where they have a lot of studies and tell you specifc outcomes. They basically say if you drink on the weekend only take the Nal on the days that you drink. If you drink every day, then take it every day and so on. Again, they do not promote it as an anti-craving medication to be used in conjunction with abstinence. I think Campral might be a better alternative from what I've read for that.
Just thought I'd put in my 2 cents worth! I'm working on abs myself, but if I'm not successful, I would definitely try the Naltrexone using the Sinclair method.

[Brummy]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Only drink and weekends and Nal

I just went to my Doctor yesterday armed with all my Nal info and got a prescription. My problem is weekend binging, but he told me that I SHOULD take it every day. I don't want to do this. Are there any weekend bingers out there who can give me their thoughts?

He told me to take 50mg a day too.:thanks:

[Illuminae]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

TSM

If you're wanting to try the Sinclair Method, then you're supposed to take the naltrexone at least 1 hour before drinking EVERY TIME. But if there's a day you know you're not going to drink, you're not supposed to take it.

I'd encourage you to visit the forums on thesinclairmethod.com where you can get TONS more info on this approach, including threads especailly addressing binge drinkers, how they follow the method and their progress.

You'll find quite a few encouraging success stories as well, research behind the method and a generally great bunch of folks, just like on here.

Good luck,

Illuminae

[Brummy]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

Thanks for the info!

Thanks for your response. Should have known there would be a Sinclair method forum page! Finding this website has been the best thing and the most encouraging thing that's happened to me for weeks. I honestly don't feel so alone with all this anymore.

[Meech]

drinking on Naltrexone (sinclair method)

I have Nal and took it about 3 times. It worked the first time but I actually drank no less the other times I took it (1 hour before I drank).

Plus it made me really fatigued the entire next day. So I quit using it.

HOWEVER, I will check out the sinclair method forum (that's the method I was trying to use) because I really need a little extra help. Perhaps I need to give it another try or read up on it more.

I too go for 3 days or so AF then binge. Then 3-4 days AF. Lately I have been doing more like 1-2 days AF then drink so I need to change. I really feel total abstinence is the way for me but I'm certainly not there yet.

Good luck and I look forward to hearing more on your success, concerns etc... with Nal.