Experience with Naltrexone

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Benedikt;438386 wrote: Hi Marbella
I LOVE DRINKING...and yet I hate it because it has become so compulsive Which is why I'm here. I'll keep things short and sweet. I'll be starting on naltrexone in 1 month, after my second liver test is ok. I want to use this blog to chronicle my progress using the Sinclair Method and to spread the word about this method, assuming it works, to people who need it.
Right now I'm drinking 3-7 drinks a day, and 25-35 drinks a week. Either I'm an alcoholic, or am on my way to being one.
So look for my blog every month or so and hopefully I can give you great news about my progress
P.S. How do I add a picture to my blog?

Hi Benedikt- I am so glad you are giving this a try- I really think it is a viable method to hekp you quit. I am not drinking nearly so much although I was only taking it for a short while.

I will follow your progress with interest!

To add a picture to a post, upload the image you wish to share to photobucket, (free to join) the copy the URL that photobucket gives your for use in forums. I think they give you 4 choices and it is the one at the bottom.

Then click on the small square that looks like this:



Then insert the URL from photobucket.

I really look forward to hear how this works for you.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

stepintime;438519 wrote: Can't get naltrexone here in UK. Asked for it, but was told it's only licenced in UK for opiate abuse. It's madness. I did all my research re: the sinclair method, printed it off, and took it, full of hope, to my GP. To be met with "can't give you that, It's only licenced for opiate abuse, you don't have that as well do you??"

Hope it works for you.

Best wishes

Step.

I got it from a doctor here- brand name Revia, and in the information paper it clearly states it is for the treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse.

Can you try another doctor?

Or as Pete1 says order it online? it is fairly expensive, but I also had to pay 72 euros with the prescription, as it was not a Social Security doctor.

[Benedikt]

Experience with Naltrexone

Finding a naltrexone prescription

When I went to see my doctor I wasn't sure if he knew anything about Naltrexone, fortunately he'd been prescribing it for 20 years. But, in case he didn't I brought with me a copy of a clinical trial from the Journal of the Amercian Medical Association in which Naltrexone was proven to work, just google: Journal of the American Medical Association project combine.
I also had purchased "The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence, or Discomfort" which had a section in the back entitled, "For Medical Professionals" which I photocopied for my doctor.
These I brought to my doctor, but to no avail since he already prescribed naltrexone, but I'm sure if your doctor sees your diligence in researching the kind of treatment you want for yourself he may help you out.
Good Luck

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Benedikt- its marvelous your doctor is helpful.

Mine wasn't interested- I did not explain I was planning on drinking with the Naltrexone- just let him think I was using it as an anti-craving drug as it is usually prescribed as. It doesnt seem to work for many as an anti-craving solution, although i think if i had used it as that it would have help marginally.

Can't wait to hear how you get on- are you trying to mod at the moment or just drinking as usual until you start the program?

[muchthought]

Experience with Naltrexone

how do you make yourself take the pill!

Hi -
Thanks for this thread, I have questions also.

That's too bad about the liver thing. Step up the milkthistle!!!!! Supposed to work miracles!!!

I have naltrexone and generally take it one day a week when I know I will be offered a drink, but don't want to continue drinking. But other days when I will be hanging out at home in the evening, I can't bring myself to take the pill because I WANT to feel the pleasure of the drink. How did you get past that? That's a pretty big mental game that I haven't been able to win at.

Thanks - much

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

muchthought;440257 wrote: Hi -
Thanks for this thread, I have questions also.

That's too bad about the liver thing. Step up the milkthistle!!!!! Supposed to work miracles!!!

I have naltrexone and generally take it one day a week when I know I will be offered a drink, but don't want to continue drinking. But other days when I will be hanging out at home in the evening, I can't bring myself to take the pill because I WANT to feel the pleasure of the drink. How did you get past that? That's a pretty big mental game that I haven't been able to win at.

Thanks - much

That is of course an issue.

But somehow I feel that taking it just that one day will work for 2 or 3 days, drinking wont seem quite so exciting.

The other thing is of course to take it when you wake up hangover free and full of good intentions- a bit like antabuse really.

[Benedikt]

Experience with Naltrexone

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[MyRedWhine]

Experience with Naltrexone

I HAD MY FIRST SOBER SATURDAY NIGHT IN PROBABLY 10 YEARS, AND MY FIRST SOBER TWO-NIGHTS-IN-A-ROW IN WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. and i wasn't trying to, as there's no point in trying to abstain on the sinclair method. i honestly just didn't feel like going to the store, as i was out of wine. it's so weird, because found myself saying, dearie, the whole POINT is that you're SUPPOSED to drink, stop being so lazy, go get yourself that bottle, and heal thyself. but i was too lazy to drink?!?!? sigh, so ironic. before i chided myself for not having the willpower to stop, now i don't have the willpower to drink myself healthy.

i have noticed somewhat of a decrease in my drinking, but it's not at all uniform. my pre-pill intake was one bottle of wine per day. now, i'll drink one bottle one night, then one or two glasses the next night. it's pretty much a pattern. odd, because you'd figure a one-half decrease from a bottle per night would manifest itself as a half-bottle per night. not so, apparently.

it's funny which impulses are stronger than others. i used to panic on my way home if i knew there wasn't wine in the house. now, most times, i forget and have to send poor BF to the liquor store when i get home. also, i don't freak out when the bottle is diminishing anymore. somehow, it seems less URGENT. the wine bottle is on a counter where i can see it right when i walk through the door after work. it is always the first place my eyes go when i come home. if the 1.5L bottle was less than half-full, i would feel its eyes on the back of my head until i went out to get another bottle. now i can see it's practically gone and still go about my business until i decide to have a drink.

the impulse to drink as soon as i come home from work hasn't gone anywhere, though. i think that will be a very deeply ingrained behavior and possibly, the last to go. lesser-ingrained behaviors (i.e., newer behaviors), such as having a mimosa with brunch (never drank during the day until started dating current BF 1 1/2 year ago), or having a beer with football (never watched it until BF moved in 6 months ago) seem to be diminished.

i think my most ingrained behavior is the impulse to have a drink at the end of a long stressful day at work. that's how i started out--medicating law school stress. but that first sip is less fun, less of a REWARD. it tastes funny, flatter almost, less magical. i used to get this RUSH from the first sip, but not anymore. the first glass can be downright unpleasant sometimes, the second is better because the alcohol starts kicking. it really does seem like proof that the first glass was all about those endorphins. without them, it's sorta just....nasty. but, i persevere. that's what got me into this mess, and, as it turns out, will get me out of it.

also, all of the unpleasant side effects have gone away (although i wish the decrease in appetite had stayed). i don't get cranky much and i haven't had any episodes of nausea or vomiting. i do notice i get tireder more easily when drinking, though. sometimes i'm about ready to pass out after two glasses, whereas i used to get all jazzed up after #2 (again, endorphins).

and i'm not messing around with not taking the pill. i'm ready for this.

[MyRedWhine]

Experience with Naltrexone

oh i meant to ask, Marbella, did you try to obtain LFTs? you were so excited to try the naltrexone, i was surprised when you gave it up so quickly.

[Benedikt]

Experience with Naltrexone

More rich tasting booze please

I got my first prescription for naltrexone today, although before I start my doctor wants me to do one more liver test, so I'll wait. My question is, once I take the naltrexone prior to drinking, 50mg, how long is it effective for?
I can't wait to finally to have that constant craving, that worry, on my way home if there's enough booze at home to relieve me, to be finally gone.
I'll let everyone here know how I progress

[DrHyde]

Experience with Naltrexone

Naltrexone

This is my first post on here. Hello everyone. I just got the Dr. Eskapa book The Cure For Alcoholism, and I received the naltrexone from River Pharmacy today as well. One thing i'd like to point out is that Dr.Eskapa doesn't recommend taking the pill everyday. You should only take it before you're going to drink. One hour before. Otherwise it would take the pleasure out of doing positve things that are beneficial for you. Also says you need to do this for 3 to 4 months to be comepletely "cured." And that the 1st time or two , the drug wouldn't really make much difference. As I said, I just got the stuff and haven't tried it yet, so we'll have to wait and see. And as far as liver problems go, he said you would have to be taking 300mg doses for anything like that to happen. Overall, it sounds great to me. I hope it works. Thanks.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

Hi Dr Hyde

Welcome!

If you read this thread from the beginning somewhere I posted a link to an interview with Dr. Sinclair- please listen to it if you have time. He DEFINITELY does recommend you take it everyday for at least three months- otherwise it could actually have an adverse effect if you were to drink without the naltrexone.

I know people will say- No, I won't drink without it, but believe me the temptation is strong to drink without it- to work it has to be something you commit to do, and take the pill everyday, until a reasonable amount of time has passed- then and only then Dr Sinclair recommends it on an 'as needed' basis.

[Cinders]

Experience with Naltrexone

DrHyde;450776 wrote: This is my first post on here. Hello everyone. I just got the Dr. Eskapa book The Cure For Alcoholism, and I received the naltrexone from River Pharmacy today as well. One thing i'd like to point out is that Dr.Eskapa doesn't recommend taking the pill everyday. You should only take it before you're going to drink. One hour before. Otherwise it would take the pleasure out of doing positve things that are beneficial for you. Also says you need to do this for 3 to 4 months to be comepletely "cured." And that the 1st time or two , the drug wouldn't really make much difference. As I said, I just got the stuff and haven't tried it yet, so we'll have to wait and see. And as far as liver problems go, he said you would have to be taking 300mg doses for anything like that to happen. Overall, it sounds great to me. I hope it works. Thanks.

Hmm. This sounds like Dr. Eskapa is addressing those who are perhaps alcoholic but not so deeply into it like myself.

When I am drinking, I am drinking every waking second. Which means I would be taking it upon rising and in the afternoons, too.

So it sounds like Naltrexone would never have worked for me unless I did get onto some really high dosage.

Very interesting reading here, guys!!

Please keep us informed. I am really hoping this works for you. It would be awesome.

It is also wonderful we have so many here going different routes and doing different things.

I truly believe that what works for some doesn't work for others, etc.

This open exchange of information is something that makes this forum so valuable.

Cindi

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

I agree Cindy.

I think it is a very viable solution for those who are heavy drinkers who are not yet so advanced in their drinking as we are.

Although I was not able to continue with the program due to side effects, I do think it is worth looking into- particularly for those who might be 'worried' about their drinking rather than desperate.

[bloggy]

Experience with Naltrexone

MyRedWhine;442367 wrote: oh i meant to ask, Marbella, did you try to obtain LFTs? you were so excited to try the naltrexone, i was surprised when you gave it up so quickly.

Sorry I did not reply- I have only just seen this.

I was a bit scared due the yellow tinge of my eyes. I am afraid I have very little faith in the doctors round here as far as drink goes- so decided to just knock it on the head- and keep searching. It obviously was doing my liver no good, and if I had gone back to the Dr would surely have just been given a lecture and a prescription for Antabuse which I have already tried.