Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

[inventorgtp]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Mike with a dream;494912 wrote: I started on Naltrexone last Wednesday. Per my Doctor's instructions, I split a 50 mg tablet for two days, then proceeded with the entire 50 mg tablet Friday. But I kept on drinking. This was my last weekend, I told myself. It would allow time for the drug to take effect, I told myself. I, too, thought it would help with the craving. I hasn't, yet. Big surprise, especially Saturday night, I could not get drunk. This was very frustrating, so I gave up and went to bed. I don't know if it will help with the craving in the future, but it has definitely stopped me from drinking. What's the point if you can't get a buzz, just more calories. If I could get a diet bourbon, now we'd be talking!

Naltrexone may not have taken away my craving right away, but I believe it will in the end. I really did not want a drink today. If it stops you from drinking, the need for alcohol will go down. At least that's what happened to me the last time I was able to quit (for a year, in the mid-90s). My downfall was to drink wine for my birthday. The familiar buzz came back, and I was on my way to drinking every night. So if Naltrexone stops the buzz, so much the better.

I am thinking the way to go with nal is 50mg a day, every day, forever...just like your vitamins or asprin. I "think" 25mg would do the trick on matinance, have to see if that is true. There is a couple of online pharmas that have nal for about 2 bucks a pill, not much when you consider the ultmiate savings. I know some will say your just trading one drug for another, so what, this med allows me to funciton like a normal person, so in manner its no different than insulin or a inhaler.

[Mike with a dream]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Sinclair Method

I've been listening to the podcast about the Sinclair method, as posted in another thread: [URL=http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/2881099/]. Dr. Sinclair maintains that most doctors are prescribing Naltrexone incorrectly. That is, alcoholics are to take the drug while not drinking. The whole point of Naltrexone is to "short circuit" the pleasure response to alcohol. So he recommends that you drink when you get a craving. Since there is no pleasurable response, the brain "unlearns" that drinking is a good thing.

This podcast is absolutely fascinating! Take the time to listen to it.

[Mike with a dream]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

I'm playing with fire. I'm drinking tonight. Not that I want to (amazingly, I don't), but because I want to see if Naltrexone can still block the pleasure response, and to follow the Sinclair method. If I get drunk, I'll stop drinking for a while, and I'll try again. I'm going to share this with my doctor, just in case.

I just hope that the friend I met on "My Way Out" is reading this.

[DODO1912]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Hi Everyone, This is my first time here. I discovered this site just last week in one of my many searches to find a cure. My stuff arrived today from "My Way Out" so I'm looking forward to getting into the program. I really need to find a doctor in the Los Angeles area who deals with Alcoholism. I've got to do something before it's really too late. It may already be I'm afraid.

Regards to you all.

[DODO1912]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

:new:

[Cinders]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Dodo1912,

:welcome:

It would be great if you would start a new thread where you introduce yourself. There is a forum "Tell us your Story" or a lot of people just go to the "Just Starting Out" Forum.

In any case, I hope you find a good doctor, I hope you find your way out and I hope it is not too late. Just to give you hope, I know someone personally who was so ill that her hair was falling out, she could not keep food down and was dying from liver disease. She quit drinking and today she is happy and pregnant.

Don't be discouraged, you can do it!!

Cindi

[Mike with a dream]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Dodo,

Don't be discouraged, thanks to "My Way Out", I discovered that there is medical help. Keep looking for a doctor with an open mind. My family doctor looked down on me for drinking.

Mike

[Dolgr]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

ready2change;493921 wrote: I ONLY drink for the buzz...only drink white wine, which I don't really enjoy the taste of.
R2C

This is because red wine completely own white wine in every way.

[Mike with a dream]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Update... Naltrexone works. It doesn't keep you from drinking, but it blocks most of the pleasure.

[inventorgtp]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Mike with a dream;497518 wrote: Update... Naltrexone works. It doesn't keep you from drinking, but it blocks most of the pleasure.

and for me, why drink if you dont get any pleasure...one a day keeps the cop's away....

[Mike with a dream]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

inventorgtp, I hope you're right.

[Cinders]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

My doc just upped my Naltrexone from 50 mg a day to 50 mg twice a day.

This is the first time in years I have felt true hope, my friends.

I am getting better. Not perfect yet, but better.

Like my doc said, "Baby steps"

Cindi

[inventorgtp]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Mike with a dream;498802 wrote: inventorgtp, I hope you're right.

mike it worked great for me for the 90 days i was on it. When you quit the shield go's away and for many thats ok because their behavior has changed. In case my mistake was in not getting my depression under control (SAD) and adressing a bunch of other issues of why i drank while I was on the nal. I have addressed these issues this time but i will contiune to take the nal, just in case. Its cheap, it works, so why not just keep that shield up?

[dilettante]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

had to make this post

First of all thanks Mike for his wonderful post and link to the podcast. for some reason i cant post it here.

if you dont hear it you may be making glaring mistakes and not know it even. Your doctor could be the one making mistakes. listen to this. please.. Its quite long, but hear it out.

I'm not one of those guys who writes in posts like this (to think, im a writer by profession). I usually take the good info, and run. But i owe it to this site and the other members, so i think i too must share my experiences on NAL.
As it goes, we writers seem to think its ok to drink. its necessary even. Remember Hemingway!
well, hemingway apart, its not a very good way to write.
I drank way more than i wrote and the good ideas were 'wasted', as i couldn't even finish the articles.
Incidentally, i studied medicine for a few years. Well, i chanced upon an old colleague, who was quite fetching, but i really didnt have the guts to take the thing further. We caught up after 20 years, shes a GP working in another country.
From our brief chat on facebook, she was able to identify me as an alcoholic. I was a bit irked, but remember, i had that fondness for her. So i listened.
Of course she was right, but what alcoholic will admit it.
She just asked me, do you take a couple of days break, that is drink free days. And if i cross 15 unit per week.
I accepted but said, come on.. i keep a tab on my liver enzymes, and work out.. .
She was persistent, "have you tried Naltrexone?"
i didnt even know about it. It wasnt in the curriculum when i was studying. (although, Nal had been know to help Heroine addiction since the late 70's. But its utility in other addictions is a more recent phenomenon.)
Cut a long story short, i used my influence with a local pharmacist to get the stuff. No actually, here in India, its not to difficult to get prescription medicines. i was refused in 2 pharmacies, the 3rd one obliged.

Then read up on SInclair, Took 25 mg. Pfffft. Couldnt finish my drink
Kept trying. on day 3-4 .. realised i could drink 2-3 pegs again.

then found of this post, realised the dose was to be upped to 50 mg.
Then strangely, for a week , i kept taking 3 or more drinks.
my supply ran out.
I stopped takking the Nal for 2 days. and i drank the same, or actually less.
Started again when i got another stash.
Yes , it worked like a charm, i just cant drink as much.
also i am calorie conscious.. and trying to lose weight, so i enjoy that im drinking less.
then i took it for 3 days. but stopped again.. cause i wanted to enjoy an evening with my wife. and to watch some cricket games.
I strangely didnt drink as much, even though i wasnt on the med.
Today i started Nal again.
I just cant get past 2 drinks.
i hear that podcast that i wrote about in the beginning. I heard all 55 mins. on one small 25 ml. drink.
Its 6 hours since i took my nal. I forced myself to take another drink. It wasnt a good feeling.
But after writing it down, i feel good again.
My wife is a bit miffed about the whole Nal thing though. She cant get enough to drink, now that im sober and keeping an eye on the level of the bottle!
Just kidding. She is seeing me through.
Im just rambling now, not even re- reading or editing. im just excited i could put the genie back into the bottle. And want to let you know, its actually easier than it sounds.
Cheers. (for a change, no glass in my hand)

all the best to you all.
Very good site.
keep in touch and thanks again

[brightlite]

Feeling Like Shit on Naltrexone

Wow this is an old thread....but great news for you dillettante. I wonder now how the rest of the people on this original thread are doing.