Sinclair Method/Naltrexone

[tracers]

Anyone care to share their experiences with this? Thanks!

[DfromCT]

Sinclair Method/Naltrexone

Sure!

:welcome:

I found this web site and ordered the six week starter kit in late June of this year. I was seeing a doctor for adult ADD, and when I read the book and searched for a doctor to medically supervise my journey, found I could use the same one. He wouldn't give me an Rx for Topa for a number of reasons, and put me on Naltrexone. I knew I wanted to go AF for at least 30 days, but was waiting for the starter kit to arrive. I started taking the Naltrexone and supplements on July 7th, with the intention of easing into a period of abstinence. The next day, early in the evening (or late afternoon) I realized that I hadn't had a drink yet and didn't really want one. That was day one for me.

I'm now somewhere around day 50. I haven't drank since July 7th, but still am likely to make an attempt at moderation at some point. I'm only taking 25 MG's (half dose after the first four weeks) of Naltrexone, and really don't miss the alcohol. I have mild cravings from time to time, but that's about it. I fear going back to the everyday drinker I was, so I've decided to pick a time when I feel like I'm ready to try moderation. It's not just yet, but it's coming soon.

There's a whole lot of folks on this site that passionately believe there's no chance anyone can go from an excessive or sometimes abusive drinker to a moderate drinker. I think they're wrong, actually I know they're wrong, because my wife did it twenty plus years ago. I do believe that many people cannot make that transition, and I'm not positive I'm one of them, but I do vehemently defend my right to try. (Those "Fundamentalist Abstainers" who dominate the forums now think of it as walking into the propeller.)

We each have to find the program that works for us. My guess from being around people that drink a lot and others that have been sober a long time and still others that are somewhere in between is that more people that come here fail at moderating than succeed. But we all need to find what works for us. Naltrexone actually addresses the synapses in the brain that tell you alcohol provides pleasure, for me, that's what works. I also have noticed that I'm able to do a lot of the same things I did drinking without drinking and have just as much fun. That's powerful.

I strongly recommend the starter kits (and no, I have no affiliation!) For me the hypnotherapy, along with certain supplements (Calms Forte is great for sleeping!) combined with the Naltrexone proved to be a winning combination. I am about to taper off the Naltrexone, but will keep some handy and certainly take it before I drink (if/when I try moderation.) I also think there's no way to go from heavy regular drinking to moderate without going at least 30 days alcohol free. Then again, that's my personal view. Good luck.

[jaddyday]

Sinclair Method/Naltrexone

Hi,

My experience of 'The Sinclair Method is somewhat limited I started it about 18 months ago just after I had decided to start drinking again after two years or abstinence. I was taking 50mg one hour before I drank. I only did it for three months (I don't really know who I stopped) and I started to feel the effects very quickly. It certainly gave me an element of self control and I used to feel like I wanted to go home at the end of the night rather than carrying on for days on end. I also lost interest in cocaine.

It definitely started to work for me and I wish that I had carried on with it. There do seem to be people having tremendous success with it, particularly those for whom abstinence is not the goal (I include myself in that number).

Good luck and keep us informed.

Justin

[redhead77]

Sinclair Method/Naltrexone

:welcome:Tracers,

There's a difference between just taking naltrexone and the Sinclair Method (TSM). Apparently to do TSM, one almost needs to drink. If they take their naltrexone one hour before they drink, it will block the opiate receptors in the brain. One will eventually be conditioned to not want to drink anymore. It likely only works for certain kinds of alcoholics (this isn't certain, but there's some research that might point to this. Not necessarily on TSM but on naltexone in general.).

I'm doing TSM and I take HDB (high dose baclofen) as well. I try to take my naltexone one hour before I drink. It doesn't always work out to being a hour for me, but I always take it (except for a couple of times that I tried drinking without it to see if it was different. Or didn't want to take it because it clearly is!) I stated earlier today I'd been doing it for 6 months, but after figuring it out, it's been about 5 months consistently. My goal was, and still is, to stop drinking except for the rare occasion. I haven't found it to reduce my cravings much. What it has done is allow me to cut down on how much I drink. My drinking has been up and down, but I've noticed a difference. Many folks following TSM keep weekly drink logs, so they know exactly where they are. I haven't done this, but in general I know it's down. What's been most notable is how I respond to alcohol. I don't drink and get wild, wanting to party all night. Instead, after a few drinks, I often get tired and want to go to bed.

There's a website with far more info, and where the majority of TSMers post:

thesinclairmethod.com • Index page


Hope this helps!

[YouKayBee]

Sinclair Method/Naltrexone

I've had a lot of success with Naltrexone as per Sinclair Method. Some people say I haven't followed strict TSM, because I would take the Nal tablet earlier than 1 hour before drinking, but that was because I thought I wouldn't be able to wait the 1 hour (as RH describes herself). All I know is that my drinking definitely subsided right from the start, it was a bit up and down but after approximately 6 months the daily cravings I had experienced for years had disappeared. Sure I get urges to drink, sometimes I get drunk, sometimes I think I want to get drunk, then go to bed after 1 drink, or simply carry on without alcohol.

Golden rule is make sure you have naltrexone in your system every time you drink. That's what I did, and that's how I acheived my success with that method. I've more or less gotten my life back.

Having read Dr Eskapa's book I know so long as I take Nal and wait 1 hour I can drink if I want to, and these days it's not that often.