Experience with Naltrexone

[bloggy]

Well, as some of you already know, after trying just about everything else I am now on my first day with Naltrexone. I would like to document my progress here in this thread, as although other members have posted that they have started with Naltrexone, they are all fairly old posts, and I can't seem to find if it has worked long term for anyone.

It was only about a week ago, that someone mentioned a new book which describes the Sinclair Method. I had ever heard of it, and being quite desperate and willing to try ANYTHING I began to research it.

Basically to put it in a nutshell Dr. Sinclair claims alcoholism in a learned behavoir, which can just as easily be unlearned. His method has around an 80% success rate, and more can be read about it here- but I really recommend listening to an interview with Dr Sinclair at ShrinkRap radio- #64 - The Sinclair Method for Treating Addiction Podcast Episode even if you are not interested in following his method, his information on how alcoholism is `learned' is quite fascinating.

His method involves taking Naltrexone, but instead of using it as abstinance tool to help with cravings, everytime a craving strikes, you are to have a drink as you normally would. The idea behind this is, as the naltrexone stops the drink being pleasurable, (no endorphins are released or they are, but the brain doesnt receive them, thanks to the drug) eventually your brain will learn drinking alcohol does nothing for you and will no longer wish to engage in the behavoir. It can also be used for many other addictions.


Anyway, back to me- I took 25mg on Naltrexone at 1pm- (the recommended dose is 50mg, but on the first day 25mg is advised to guage one's reaction. Around 3 pm, I felt quite drowsy, not a bad feeling, but may not be great if you have to drive or operate other machinery. I tried to guage if I felt like a drink but just the thought of one made me feel a bit nauseous. However that passed quite quickly, I went to do a few hours work cleaning a house and then of course the craving hit ( I worked hard- I deserve a drink craving- just one of my very large repartoire of craving excuses) so I have come into a bar/internet cafe.

I am having a beer and it is not doing much in the way of intoxicating me- however it is not unpleasant either- I think the 50 mg at a later time (4 pm) will be the order of the day tomorrow

I am not having a second drink- but I don't know if thats because my BF is waiting or I don't fancy one- I suspect if I did not have to be anywhere I would probably have a second one.

[Cinders]

Experience with Naltrexone

Marbella,

I hope you keep up posting on this. This is great information for many newbies and others still struggling.

I wish you all the best with it. My understanding is that this is not an overnight cure but time and patience are required.

I sure hope it works for you!!

Love,
Cindi

[lushy]

Experience with Naltrexone

I am very intrigued by this method as well and look forward to hearing more about your experience. It seems the people that have talked about the Sinclair Method on here never came back and posted a follow-up so I am very curious to hear what your experience will be.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Thanks Guys- Yes Lushy, that was what I wondered about- I suspect it is because it did not work for them long term.

ASAP I will be posting more about the method- I really do recommend listening to the podcast with Dr. Sinclair- he gives a lot of info what is not available on his rather uninformative website!

[A Work in Progress]

Experience with Naltrexone

This is a great idea for an ongoing thread, Marbs! I really do hope this goes well for you!

wip

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Thanks WIP, It will be interesting if nothing else!

I do so hope it works, I am tired of drinking and tired of trying not to drink.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Cinders;429367 wrote: Marbella,

I hope you keep up posting on this. This is great information for many newbies and others still struggling.

I wish you all the best with it. My understanding is that this is not an overnight cure but time and patience are required.

I sure hope it works for you!!

Love,
Cindi

Thanks Cindi,

I do hope you are feeling better.

Dr. Sinclair says about 3 months is 'average' for the behavoir to be 'unlearnt'.

[CaptJBean]

Experience with Naltrexone

Be sure you carry a card with you that you are on Naltrexone as it will interfere with any anesthesia et al should you be in need of surgery... please research that part of it too.
Are you on Zofran and Campral as well? Those are the added meds for being on Naltrexone.
Plus, seeing a therapist.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

CaptJBean;429409 wrote: Be sure you carry a card with you that you are on Naltrexone as it will interfere with any anesthesia et al should you be in need of surgery... please research that part of it too.
Are you on Zofran and Campral as well? Those are the added meds for being on Naltrexone.
Plus, seeing a therapist.

I think this is what the majority of the medical profession prescribe- with the hopeful result that the patient will not have cravings and therefore not drink- Dr. Sinclair's method prescribes only Naltrexone, with the instructions if you have a craving and feel like a drink, you should take one- because of the Naltrexone, you do not get the usual buzz, and over a period of time, the brain will 'relearn' that drinking does nothing for you, and therefore the habit will drop away gradually. he is not against other drugs or therapy, but believes Naltrexone or another similar drug he mentioned (sorry can't remember the name) should be enough.

It seems in Finland, many people have been 'cured' by using this method. I have tried anti-craving meds, all the supps, even antabuse, but keep going back to Al- so although the Sinclair Method does sound a bit outlandish, I can see the reasoning behind it, and how it could work.

In his clinical trials, patients who received counseling did not have any advantage over those who did not see a therapist- as this is simply about unlearning a behavoir that we have learned as Dr Sinclair puts it, too well!

His laboratory rats did not receive counseling either, and the treatment also worked for them

Thank you for reminding me about the card- it had slipped my mind- I will do one right now.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

To update on my first day on Naltrexone, last night after leaving my BF I stopped in the convenience store on my way home (this was a good hour after finishing the beer in the bar, and incidentally a store I habitually have bought my supplies) and I wanted to buy 2 cans of beer to take home. The usual mental battle then ensued 'One or two won't hurt' etc. I was picking other stuff up, when I realised if I crave I actually SHOULD drink, otherwise the Sinclair method doesn't have a chance to get working.

I picked up the 2 cans, drank them when I got home, I did not have any buzz, and did not feel like another one. I just did not feel anything at all- almost like it was somebody else doing it.

I also had one of the best night's sleep ever.

Dr Sinclair also talks of food in the podcast I mentioned at the beginning of the thread- if you take the Naltrexone and eat a Pizza, you are not likely to get any pleasure from the Pizza- it tastes the same, but you do not feel the usual pleasure you might feel- therefore to be careful about what you eat and when. I am planning on eating only fruits and healthy stuff before the Naltrexone and leaving the unhealthy stuff for after the daily dose- therefore hopefully one can retrain their eating habits at the same time

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Thanks O2M :l

It's early days yet, from what I can perceive others have success with Naltrexone to start with then it seems to lose it's effect.

I think a crucial part is the dosage and the time you take it- however everyone is different, so it is a case of trial and error the first few days and finding the right combination for you.

I will stick to 25mg for now- I think 50mg would knock me for six- I would have to go to bed!
However that is supposed to pass after a few days.

[startingover]

Experience with Naltrexone

Wow Marbs, this is such an interesting concept in the treatment of addiction and one I have never heard of. I will follow your progress closely and of course I am wishing you all the luck in the world! x

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Yes Starts, it certainly is interesting- I think for a few days I may have dodgy results- basically Dr. Sinclair gives his patients Naltrexone, tells them to take 50 mg per day and to drink as usual.

Because he hasn't treated me and I am going this alone I am probably being too cautious but at the moment don't want to take 50mg as I am very sensitive to all types of meds, once I increase slowly to 50 mg a day, basically I should just forget about it and carry on as usual, and the addiction should gradually disappear.

I am praying that is what happens Starting- not just for me but for all the thousands of others who cant find another way out.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Yesterday I was out and about doing errands (for other people I might add ) and getting a bit stressed as nothing was going too well. I felt a craving for a beer at 3pm- which is 2 hours before my normal witching hour. I took around 15 mg of Naltrexone because I still had a 20 minute drive home and was a bit afraid of the 'fatigue' side effect I had experienced the day before. When I arrived back on my estate I had another 15mg and had a beer. It was fine, I had one and left the bar.

Around half an hour later after a run in with someone who was supposed to deliver a fridge, I had another beer. This one just didn't taste of anything much.

I went to meet my boyfriend, and did not crave another drink at all.

By 8pm I was very tired- I mean I had had a long day, but I can usually be bothered to log on here and read my email- but all I could do was go to bed!

I hope that wears off soon, it is very nice going to bed watching TV and feeling tired and sober, but not very productive!

I woke up a few times in the night because one of my dogs had diarrhea (sorry!) and needed to be let out, and each time I woke I realised I was dreaming about being sober and how great it was

If this method does work- Dr Sinclair should be given a knighthood and whatever the American equivalent is- it is a very enjoyable way to quit because if you have a craving- you have a drink- it just doesn't effect you like it did without the Naltrexone.

The idea behind the Sinclair method is not even that you mod to start with, but thankfully with Naltrexone the urge to drink excessively just isn't there. Thank God, I do not want to wake up with a hangover ever, ever again.

Today I will try 25mg at 4pm- Dr Sinclair recommends you have the Naltrexone about one hour before you start to drink- sometimes that is not possible to gauge as an event may happen to set of a trigger. I know some people will think, 'Well surely yesterday you could have waited to drink till 5pm', that is a point, but I think it is better to simply carry on as you always have done for this method to be most effective.
Our drinking behavior has to be 'unlearned' in the same fashion that we learned it, and when I was learning mine, I think I did not wait.

A welcome side effect is I am opting for healthier foods.

[startingover]

Experience with Naltrexone

Marbs, you are sounding so positve girl!! I am delighted for you! I am praying that this works for you hun.
You said you took 125mg at the top? did you mean 25mg??

I think you are right about the "Unlearning" I am not thinking about al hardly at all anymore i.e. not in the wanting it sense. My mind is now full of other stuff and it is such a welcome relief. I still worry, i still get sad sometimes, but I dont immediately reach out to block those feelings. This will work for you I am sure x