Strictly Sinclair Week 3

[lenaleed]

This thread is for those of us who are learning and following the Sinclair Method. Other threads debate the efficacy of the method and the use of Naltrexone generally. This thread does not do that. 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 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.

Wow! Starting our third week together! Houtx, I think we all can relate to the waiting to get the Naltrexone. Now many of are trying to maintain our patience as we get a few more weeks behind us on this program. I hope we all stop in to share, and we continue to see new "faces." Have a great week, all. -- Lena

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Took a night off last night. Don't know if it is the Nal taking effect but I just didn't want to drink anything. Can't remember feeling like that. I am just following the book and my natural inclinations.

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Hmmm. Last night I went to the funeral of the son of a coworker. Poor kid was just 29 and died of what we think was probably a blown aneurysm in his brain.

I drank too much. Five or six. I feel a little guilty about it.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

rv9;535278 wrote: Hmmm. Last night I went to the funeral of the son of a coworker. Poor kid was just 29 and died of what we think was probably a blown aneurysm in his brain.

I drank too much. Five or six. I feel a little guilty about it.

Sorry to hear about your friend. If you drank while on Nal, you are working on deprogramming another trigger.

I know you were having trouble getting your prescription. Is that Okay now?

[vicmatoria]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Lena,

Thanks, again for starting a new thread. I love how you introduce what it is that the people here are about. Very diplomatic AND very true. :goodjob:

SR,
WOW! Last night seems very significant! How long have you been sticking to the method? What an inspiration. I cannot EVEN imagine having an entire evening during which I do not want/need to drink!

I'm on my 3rd day. Started taking 50 mg today. I'm not having any horrible side effects, but I am unusially sleepy and a just a bit nauseous.

I've felt the same way for three days, now. I am still getting a buzz from my rum. My consumption is slightly down, but that's (I think) because I'm getting so damn sleepy that I doze off before I can get drunk.

RV9,

OMG, what a horrible story! I have adult children (20 & 22) and can't even imagine what your co-worker is going through.

My alcoholic brain says, "Of course you drank too much at a funeral, especially one so devastating." My "trying to get better brain" doesn't know how to respond, other than to say "I'm sorry that you're feeling guilty."

I shared EVERYTHING with my significant other between last night and tonight. He's totally supportive. I am so very, very grateful.... He's willing to listen to the Dr. Sinclair podcast. I'm gouig to send him the link when I sign off of here.

Sightly drunk, but hopeful,

Vic

[Solice]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Last night was not too good. Went out had 4 more beers, then came home and drank whiskey... 10 + 4 + ?? 20 some drinks yesterday?? I have a headache, watching the game but head hurts, depressed, wish I could just stop.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Tis a strange path we take in that we must drink to get to our final goal. Hang in there. It is getting better. I don't have that much Nal time, three weeks and I am seeing a reduction in desire. But the key is:
Nal + Drinking = Cure.

I remember somewhere where Eskapa compares the process to jumping out of a plane with a parachute. You just have to believe it will open before IMPACT!

Enjoy the freefall, watch the clouds go by and avoid the birds. We will all meet on drop zone.

[houtx770]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Hello all - hang in there ! You are all my inspirations! I am wondering what made some of you slip off the wagon, What...after days/months/years....on what particular occasion made you drink? Were the cravings too much? What?

I think abstinence may be the hardest, but like SR said early on...I am willing to go down whatever path this journey takes me. I hope I can be a moderator...but Ok with abstinence as long as it is not a while-knuckle experience...

Cheers, all!

[nealio]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Not much to report really since I am only in the beginning of week two.
As with most of the experiences I have read I am in the honeymoon phase and things are going very well. Couple excessive nights but nothing like before.
NAL makes a big difference with my drinking and I am hopeful this will continue.
Since starting the Sinclair Method I have to say my life has improved and my drinking has not gotten out of hand.
As I said before its to early to tell but any improvement is a good thing at this point.

More than likely I wont post much until I have several weeks under my belt and can be more certain about the results.
I really appreciate all of your posts and thoughts.
It has been so encouraging and helpful to have others on this journey willing to share.

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

SpringerRider;535655 wrote: I know you were having trouble getting your prescription. Is that Okay now?

Yes and no. I don't have a prescription but got my order in from India (River) so I'm set for another two-plus months.

It infuriates me that the two shrinks I contacted won't write a prescription unless I come in for weekly counseling. The COMBINE study clearly demonstrated that counseling was ineffective and unnecessary with naltrexone use. Their insistence on counseling borders on malpractice, IMO.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

rv9;535871 wrote: Yes and no. I don't have a prescription but got my order in from India (River) so I'm set for another two-plus months.

It infuriates me that the two shrinks I contacted won't write a prescription unless I come in for weekly counseling. The COMBINE study clearly demonstrated that counseling was ineffective and unnecessary with Naltrexone use. Their insistence on counseling borders on malpractice, IMO.

That sucks. When I first looked into Naltrexone, I called "No Longer Bound" and asked if they could prescribe Naltrexone for me. They told me I would have to enroll in their treatment program for 10 months at the cost of $5000 to $7000. I asked what it entailed and they said a various drug modalities and extensive outpatient counseling.

I asked how they administered Naltrexone and if the patients were permitted to drink while on Naltrexone and they said, absolutely NOT! I talked about the Sinclair method and I was told it was unsubstantiated and unscientific. The conversation spiraled down from there.

Then I decided to just go to my family practitioner. Generic Naltrexone is not that expensive and I pay only $3 for 30/50mg.

Have you tried an MD? Well at least you are covered for the next two months which takes you out there a ways.

Best of luck.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Watched the Super Bowl last night. I took Naltrexone and the wife and I went out to eat. I had wine with the spaghetti and I had every intention of drinking last night. Hells bells - this was Super Bowl Sunday!! If there was ever a time for a blue-blooded American male to drink, it was last night.

Finished eating and my wife said, “let’s go” and I realized I had only drank half my class of Chianti. I made her sit down while I sipped my wine little a little boy finishing his milk.

We went home and turned on the game. I decided to drink a beer and I think it lasted me until the end of the game. My wife went to best and I still had some work to do so I mixed myself a Vodka Martini. I nursed it while finishing last week’s expense reports and went to bed.

Trust me, that is out of character for me. Once I drank the martini, I would be committed to drinking until I passed out on the couch. I hadn’t forced myself to go to bed. I just felt like I was as buzzed as I wanted to be. I acted just as my non-alcoholic wife has always acted. “Honey, those two beers made me sleepy. I’m going to bed”.

Oh my God, I am becoming an upstanding citizen!

[bloggy]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Fantastic news SR!

I have just received the Eskapa book today, so will get reading tonight- much faster than I thought- for anyone else in Europe Amazon sent it from Germany rather than the US as I had expected- don't know why it still shows as unavailable on Amazon.co.uk.

[rv9]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

SpringerRider wrote: Oh my God, I am becoming an upstanding citizen!
Good for you. Yup, I'm finding it MUCH easier to avoid letting one drink become too many. Like you, my first drink has always spiraled into drinking as much as I have on hand, then sometimes even hopping in the car (yikes) to the grocery store for a bottle of wine. Such was the strength of the compulsion. One time about ten years I even downed a bottle of Angostura bitters (something like 30% ethanol, but not made for drinking) because it was past midnight and the stores couldn't sell beer or wine. I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

I tied one on Saturday night after the funeral (about six drinks in 1.5 hours) but had, and wanted, nothing yesterday. Notably, the gathering after the funeral was the first time I've been in a large group of people who were drinking. Sinclair says we should take Naltrexone and drink in the situations where we normally would. Since I normally always drink when in a crowd (holiday parties, family gatherings, etc.), it's no surprise I craved and drank, since I have done nothing to extinguish the craving in those circumstances.

SpringerRider;535886 wrote: talked about the Sinclair method and I was told it was unsubstantiated and unscientific. The conversation spiraled down from there.

The drug and alcohol treatment industry is a complete racket. They have abysmal success rates and yet refuse to consider therapies that show promise. That, in my mind, is proof they they care primarily about their bottom line.

It reminds me of something either Sinclair or Eskapa said. I don't remember the details but he was giving a talk to a bunch of treatment docs. Afterward, one of them came up to him and said something like, "Yes, but how do we make a living?".

Here is the latest list of research that supports, directly or indirectly, the Sinclair Method: Naltrexone Studies Dec 14, 2008

[Goin4More]

Strictly Sinclair Week 3

Hi All,

My DH got his doctor to prescribe for him, and mine is on its way from River pharmacy. We've both taken Nal for four days, now. DH has noted an instant reduction in his craving. I've drunk nearly the usual amount each day. . .but am drinking slightly less. Usually drink 8-10 glasses of wine each evening - as many as 12-13 at times, when I start early in the day. But the last two nights I had 7 drinks each night.

The odd thing is, last night during super bowl I had only five glasses of wine. Drank each one slowly, over about 5 hours' time. But man, did I ever get a buzz! Totally tanked on about less than what it usually takes me to get just moderately drunk. Came home and poured a small amount of Crown Royal over ice as a night cap, and went to bed to enjoy it with a movie. I don't recall the movie. . .forgot about the CR until DH reminded me. . .and was surprised to see an empty dessert carton on the counter. I asked hubby if he'd enjoyed the last piece of cheesecake and he just grinned and informed me I'd eaten it! (Sure hope I don't lose my desire for cheesecake. Yum!)

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Had my Nal an hour ago. . .off to fix dinner and take the 'rest of my medicine.'