Strictly Sinclair Week 2

[lenaleed]

This thread is for those of us who are learning and following the Sinclair Method, and use the book by Roy Eskapa. Other threads debate the efficacy of the method and the use of Naltrexone generally. This thread will not do that. We here have chosen the mantra: DRINKING + NALTREXONE = CURE (Thank you Dr. Eskapa). We are supporting one another as we take the three-, four- or more- month journey toward control over our drinking.

"The Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence, or Discomfort" by Roy Eskapa, PhD is available at major booksellers, including the online ones. We are not acting in behalf of Sinclair or hawking the book for Eskapa. We on this thread recognize that the method is based on sound scientific principle and, as such, it is important to learn and follow the protocol. The book is the manual we on this thread are using.

Here is a link to an audio file of an interview with Dr. Sinclair: #64 - The Sinclair Method for Treating Addiction Podcast Episode The interview gives the basics and should answer many questions.

Simply taking Naltrexone is not the same thing as practicing the Sinclair Method. Sinclair says his method is not for those planning to use Naltrexone as an anticraving med. It is not for those who presently are abstinent. It is not for those hoping to attain immediate moderation or abstinence.

I have noticed on the boards that those who learn and practice Sinclair have a far smoother experience than those who got some Naltrexone and got started based on the bits and pieces they had heard, or try to do things differently from what the book says. That includes me. That's why I decided to start this thread. We'll start a new thread each week to keep it "fresh".

Happy Week 2! - Lena

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

The adventure continues . . . . . . . . . . .

[houtx770]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

I am so ready to begin! Have been fascinated with the postings here - reading and rereading the book. Trying to figure out how to approach my Dr. about it...I am closest to my gynecologist! LOL Have gotten blood work thru her annually and so far all my functions are normal. I also exercise regularly, take Milk Thistle & a bunch of other vitamens that help improve liver function, etctetctetc. I try to go AF 1 -3 days/wk and I sometimes am successful. I'm a wino...and since my divorce 3 yrs. ago have consumed way more than I ever did. My ex was pretty much a teetotaler, was the Adult Child of an Alcoholic...ugh...it was so dismal...and I was never THAT bad. Seriously...all of our friends agree! LOL

Who was it mentioned a date they went on, had a couple glasses of wine, came home & actually went to bed w/o touching the wine in the frig?? I had to smile at the thought of that - I come home and continue to drink until bedtime...whenever that may be. From everything I've read, I am so hopeful this is the program that will work for me. I am totally committed to going down the path of abstinence - but know I will slip - I KNOW it. So maybe naltrexone is the key to just relaxing and letting this drug reprogram my brain.

I have been thru counseling with an "expert" in substance abuse...a total devotee of AA..I can't imagine bringing this to him (tho not curently seeing him). Bottom line, I don't think I have any deep-seated problems, I was just a party girl my whole life, love wine, love a perfect martini before dinner, beer on the boat...but here I am, middle-aged and on my own again, feel like I am just spiraling downward. I just want to get rid of this monkey on my back and should the occasion arise, feel like I can have a drink w/o the horrible guilt AA imposes....I could go on. But appreciate this site soooo much as I just found the book the other day and hope to join the rest of you in charting my progress! Good luck all and please, keep writing everyday!

[houtx770]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

P>S> the clock on my page is way off - shows me posting in the middle of the night about 4 hrs. later than I really am...

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

I am realizing we will be the test group. This is a relatively new program - especially with this book only being published a couple of months ago. But All the other research indicates success at every level

We're hardly a test group. Sinclair's approach has been used on tens of thousands of alcoholics in Finland and has been available at a clinic in Florida (at great expense) for at least ten years!

[Goin4More]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

I posted this on another thread, but thought I'd join in here instead. . .

Hi all,

I joined here a few months back, when I was excited about the Topa and other meds to help reduce craving. Bought the book, drugs, hypno CD's, and the whole nine yards. Unfortunately, I discovered after only a couple of weeks that the Topa made me very weepy and depressed, and did nothing to prevent my craving and drinking cycles - despite close adherence to the program.

I just heard about naltrexone and the Sinclair method recently. I ordered the meds, and spent the weekend reading the book. It is so exciting, and makes absolute, perfect sense to me. Somehow, I just knew 'in my gut' that there was a pharmacological answer to this issue. . .and I also suspected that the Big Business of alcohol treatment may have been suppressing such info. Does anyone besides me here think it odd that there is almost NO info on YouTube about the Sinclair method, despite the fact that it's been a well-documented, proven cure for alcoholism for nearly two decades? Helllloooo. . .

For anyone doubting that AA is ultimately 'for profit,' you might want to check Hazeldon publishing's tax records. . .

I did not drink for nearly 20 years, while my children were young. Then I decided a "little wine, now and then," wouldn't hurt. I was hooked within the year - that was seven years ago. For the past two years, I've attended AA meetings on several occasions. Then last year I hurt my back, went on pain meds and muscle relaxers, and had a suicidal reaction. Called my AA sponsor - ready to put a gun to my head - and she told me she couldn't help me so long as I'd been drinking! Another AA 'supporter' had a similar response. Fortunately, I have a (non-alcoholic) but drinking friend who knew something was up. . .and came to help me out. That was the end of AA 'fellowship.' (As soon as I got the meds out of my system, I was back to my old optimistic self!)

I hate the negative messages espoused by AA. . .we're all selfish, powerless, damage-doing, non-curable pieces of garbage, UNTIL we've followed (by rote), the AA Program. This program, before medical science could explain the real reasons behind addiction, may have served its purpose. Unfortunately - as with so many other things in life - the entrenched system now in place may be preventing the advent of a much more enlightened and effective approach to alcohol addiction. If the AA organization is truly FOR the benefit of alcoholics. . .then it's next step, now, needs to be to study the literature and begin offering real hope, in the form of advocating the Sinclair method, to those who have felt nothing but hopelessness.

Will keep you all posted!

PS: If this works for me - and somehow I KNOW it will - I will do everything in my power to spread the word to other suffering alcoholics. It's time to take the stigma out of alcoholism, and allow those of us who have inherited this predisposition to alcohol abuse to feel like worthwhile humans again!

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

rv9 -- There is no doubt that years of clinical trials, plus the COMBINE study published in JAMA May 2006demonstrate the efficacy of the Sinclair Method. Maybe the person who posted meant that our little Sinclair community is being watched by others on this site.

Anyone noticing progress? I'm on about two weeks and my consumption was way down this weekend. Part of it was I was very busy with errands. I took my Naltrexone so I could drink when I got home if I wanted to. But it did not even occur to me to use "ordering takeout" as an excuse to pop in to a chain restaurant near the mall for a glass or two. I would have resisted the urge if I had thought of it, because we are still intoxicated when we consume alcohol on Naltrexone. In fact, Eskapa some research shows some increased impairment while drinking on Naltrexone (p.117). It would be a tragedy to get a dui or worse when we are on the verge of getting free of alcohol. So no driving ever even after just one.

Lena

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

Welcome aboard houtx and goin4more. Glad to hear two more of you got the book. The one thing some of us have done differently from Eskapa's recommendations is to get the Naltrexone from an online pharmacy. A lot of us use River, which has ads on this site. I would rather be working with an m.d., but have concerns about this in my medical records. Others can't find a cooperative md. I too was impatient waiting for them to come from River so I know the feeling. We're glad you found us.

Many of us feel frustrated that this cure has been around and we had to stumble onto it. Many of us have found AA does not work for us or, like me, preferred not to subject ourselves to all that AA entails. Some have mixed feelings at best about their experiences with rehab centers or recovery programs such as AA. For a site called "MY" Way Out, there is certainly a contingent that seems to subscribe to the AA philosophy. That's another reason I decided to start this thread: A safe harbor from the raging debate. We'll just do our Sinclair Method thing and support each other in following the method while others do it "their way".

I'm just really grateful to R Jewell for starting this site where the exchange of ideas helped me learn about Sinclair and find others who also decided Strictly Sinclair is Our Way.

Come back often and share. We'll start a new thread each Sunday to keep it fresh and to watch time fly. - Lena

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

houtx770;529353 wrote: ITrying to figure out how to approach my Dr. about it...I am closest to my gynecologist!

Based on my experience and that of others here, I'd tell her you recognized that you were drinking too much and have quit, but you're craving it. Tell her you know someone else who is taking Naltrexone to manage the cravings and you'd like to try it. She'll look up Naltrexone in the PDR, see that it's unscheduled (i.e., not addictive) and indicated for alcohol craving reduction and write you a script.

[aurora borialis]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

That is a great way to do it rv9. That is how I got my therapist to write me the script. He knows what I am doing but although it comes up, he kinda "looks the other way" with it. I find it sad how slow it is being accepted and how quickly rejected . I know some of the reasons but still! They are so fast to start other treatments that have been tested far less than this one. We should all write in to that show " the Doctors" to try to get the method on. We could be anonymous and get Dr Sinclair or Eskapa on. I am likely dreaming. They are always talking about cutting edge medicine on that show.

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

Topamax is prescribed for migraines. Campral is prescribed for tinnitus. I am unaware of any condition naltrexone is prescribed for other than addiction -- off-label or otherwise. I first found this site looking for a treatment for tinnitus and read about Campral (which btw the COMBINE study found to have no significant benefits for problem drinking [Eskapa p.51], although anecdotally some on this site swear by it). I thought about asking my m.d. for a Campral scrip because he knows I have tinnitus. I'm glad I found out about the Sinclair Method but I personally do not feel I can risk having alcohol addiction in my medical record for health ins. purposes. That said, those of you willing to discuss this w/ your m.d. are smart to just say you want it for cravings rather than trying to explain the Sinclair Method. Lena

[Goin4More]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

I went to Oprah.com today and requested that her producers check out the book and research. If anyone can help this reach the 'tipping point,' it is Oprah. . .and she is in the midst of a "Live your Best Life" series. . .

[aurora borialis]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

Way to go! Goin4More, I am going to check out her site tonite as well. My addiction is so predictable you can almost set your watch to my cycle of craving, using and recovering. Naltrexone is changing it so much. I am truly impressed with what the Sinclair method is doing for me. When I do drink I never have the same crap happen like it did before. No more blackouts. No more phone calls I regret. That hasn't happened in at least 3 months plus! My life has improved quite alot.

[houtx770]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

Thx for the advice & I may resort to doing that...telling her I've already quit. I printed reports from the NIAAA, Wikipedia (even its definition says that "the effectiveness of this cure for alcoholism is only just beginning to reach the medical community..."), the AMA, etc. because I got on my insurance "FindaDoc" page today and called probably 25 psychistrists who specialize in addiction. I left messages for severaL, got their assistants, etc - only one claimed to have heard of Naltrexone. The one that did said "we didn't find it successful"...but went on to say they do write scripts for "Vivitrol"...plus she went into all this psycho-babble that I really found irritating & redundant ("We treat the multi-layers of addiction...") blah blah blah Vivitrol IS naltrexone - but it is injected & continuously time-released. I don't want that. I didn't want to argue w/ her, but here is absolutely nothing I can find that disputes the evidence that this medication WORKS! Yet out of all these "addiction specialists", only one has heard of it and "found it to be unsuccessful"...by whose definition, I wondered. G'bye

BTW - did anyone here who got it online go have their liver function tested first?

[aurora borialis]

Strictly Sinclair Week 2

just listened to the podcast entirely. Loved it. thanks for th link.