Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

[bloggy]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

Hi John

Glad it is going well for you!

Hope you don't mind me asking, but how many weekly units are you down so far?

[BecomingMeAtLast]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

Hi John,

Thanks for the post. I read some of your previous posts. So, for you, this has worked from day 1? Did you have any nausea at the beginning? I hope you don't mind my questions!

Be

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

'til John checks in . . .

John -- Soooo happy for you. I'm on my way.

Hey BeMe -- Nice avatar.

John and I started on the same day. I'm slightly envious. He's one of the few that got and maintained results right away. Rarely happens. I'll let him tell the rest, first-day nausea and all.

Lena

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

With the inquiry about nalmefene, I'm a little concerned that readers might wonder about naltrexone and liver damage. Studies show liver toxicity at 300 mg, which is six times a single dose. The package insert warns against prescribing to those with liver failure or severe liver disease, which is common sense for any med metabolized by the liver, which most are. Nalmefene is similar to naltrexone but is not metabolized by the liver, which gives hope when it is approved to the few of us whose livers are so ravaged by years of abuse that severe liver disease has set in. Any med can put a load on the liver, but alcohol must be near the top of the list so I feel it's well worth the potential downside. -- Lena

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

Just got back from my MD. Got my prescription refilled with 3X refills. That will take me well past 5 months since I don't expect to it take very day.

This time I saw new young PA. She had never heard of Naltrexone but had no problem with the prescription since I had already had it prescribed before. She seemed pretty interested and I gave her the Cliff notes version of the Sinclair Method. And her fisrt question was, "and this helps you not drink, right?" immediately after I explained to her how it works. I told her to just sign the script and I would be in my way.

I truly believe that the Sinclair Method is too much of a paradigm shift for many people. I think it is like Einstein's theory of relativity. Many understand the words but few can make the leap to relative time and space. We like in a linear world where time and space seem constant. We live in a world where you are expected to take a pill and NOT drink.

I spoke with utmost clarity but she heard something else. Oh well, I got my meds.

[lenaleed]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

Well, eventually it helps you not drink

[cyclefan]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

SpringerRider;548321 wrote: Just got back from my MD. Got my prescription refilled with 3X refills. That will take me well past 5 months since I don't expect to it take very day.

This time I saw new young PA. She had never heard of Naltrexone but had no problem with the prescription since I had already had it prescribed before. She seemed pretty interested and I gave her the Cliff notes version of the Sinclair Method. And her fisrt question was, "and this helps you not drink, right?" immediately after I explained to her how it works. I told her to just sign the script and I would be in my way.

I truly believe that the Sinclair Method is too much of a paradigm shift for many people. I think it is like Einstein's theory of relativity. Many understand the words but few can make the leap to relative time and space. We like in a linear world where time and space seem constant. We live in a world where you are expected to take a pill and NOT drink.

I spoke with utmost clarity but she heard something else. Oh well, I got my meds.

I could not help it. This post reminded me of the Peanuts cartoons. All the adults in the cartoons were represented by a muted trumpet sound. So, here is SpringerRider carefully explaining Sinclair to the new PA, and all she hears are muted trumpet sounds.

Well, at least you got your meds.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

lenaleed;548498 wrote: Well, eventually it helps you not drink

I would hope so but she was not talking long term.

I did fail to mention that she said that she thought she had some family members that might benefit from the drug and ot let her know how it was working out. And since I was having a blood workup for unrelated reasons, I asked for a liver function test. Better safe then sorry.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

cyclefan;548559 wrote: I could not help it. This post reminded me of the Peanuts cartoons. All the adults in the cartoons were represented by a muted trumpet sound. So, here is SpringerRider carefully explaining Sinclair to the new PA, and all she hears are muted trumpet sounds.

Well, at least you got your meds.

Good metaphor.
BTW - are you one of us? Don't remember talking with you. Glad to meet you either way.

[angelfood]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

I am on week 7 of Sinclair. Last night was an easy night. One drink and two small glasses of wine with Valentine dinner out. Nothing when I got home. Usually I do about twice that in an evening. I am so hoping this method works. Campral did not and AA was so not me. I read the posts every day. Thanks for keeping us all informed. Has anyone reached the 3-6 month mark where they feel they can truly let go?

[Karl1981]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

so does it inhibit the affects of drinking too? like does it stop the affects we get from drinking too?(getting drunk, being angry funny ect?) or am i completely off.
as i see from what i read people on heroin dont get the 'hi' ''buzz' when taking this.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

angelfood;548844 wrote: Has anyone reached the 3-6 month mark where they feel they can truly let go?

I am not sure what you mean by "truly let go".

Eskapa's book states that Patients whose goal is not abstinence but reduced drinking and/or more control over drinking are particularly good candidates for Naltrexone. Pg. 205

The goal is the extinction of addiction - not abstinence. I will split hairs here and say that "not drinking" is not the same as "abstinence". I see this difference as state of mind and attitude in that abstinence is a block to drinking. Not drinking is just not indulging in a behavior.

Once the addiction is removed, you will be free to drink or not drink just as your non-addicted friends. Non-addicts do not normally think is terms of "truly letting go". I am not a compulsive gambler. I play a scratch off ticket two or three times a year. I NEVER think in terms of ?giving up gambling?. I just don?t feel like wasting money. If Nal works for you, that is where you should end up.

I know many of us are sick of drinking-as-a-way-of-life and are ready to be rid of it forever. Those memories will still be with us once the addiction is gone and will influence our decisions as we move on but I would think the best course of action would be to drink when you feel like it and don't drink if you don't. Denying yourself drinking when you desire to do so is to set the state for re-learning addiction. That desire is just another trigger that should be dealt with using Nal + Drink = Cure

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

Karl1981;548884 wrote: so does it inhibit the affects of drinking too? like does it stop the affects we get from drinking too?(getting drunk, being angry funny ect?) or am i completely off.
as i see from what i read people on heroin dont get the 'hi' ''buzz' when taking this.

You are completely off. You can take Naltrexone wait one hour and drink until you are drunk, fall down, puke on your shoes and show your ass. The difference is that you just won't want to do so as often.

What dimimishes is not the effects of alcohol but the desire to drink and even after you take your first drink, your desire for the second one is less.

Your question is the biggest misconception of the Sinclair Method. The effects of Naltrexone happen gradually and with little perception of the patient.

[SpringerRider]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

angelfood;548844 wrote: I am on week 7 of Sinclair. Last night was an easy night. One drink and two small glasses of wine with Valentine dinner out. Nothing when I got home. Usually I do about twice that in an evening. I am so hoping this method works. Campral did not and AA was so not me. I read the posts every day. Thanks for keeping us all informed. Has anyone reached the 3-6 month mark where they feel they can truly let go?

There are a couple of Nal "old timers" around here who have cleared three months. The problem with such a small population is that it is hard to base too much on the anecdotal results. People also bring their own baggage into any results, be it immaturity, depression, mania and other disorders. Even without the element of addiction, there will undoubtably be those who choose alcohol as a medication and continue to drink to excess.

In a year or so we will see the results on a grander scale. That will permit marginalizing outlyers and give a more sample to study.

[Abielle]

Strictly Sinclair: Naltrexone Done Right

I have recently started to take Naltrexone, around the first of the year.
I take it every day, an I am thinking that maybe I have noticed a difference?
Just not sure yet.
I have recently read about an extended release version, and was wondering if anyone has tried that?