naltrexone update for chronic relapser

[matt2d2]

A quick update, i'm 43, i drank daily from about 18 till 38yrs old. The last 4-5 yrs became 24 hr drinking and abusing pain pills. At 38 i started aa, in the last five yrs, 6months is the most AF time i've had, usully i'm on a 2-3months clean then relapse cycle, but i did manage to kick the pills.
So my last relapse was the week of thanksgiving. I drank cheap vodka for about 7 days straight around a gallon a day. Finally i got too sick to drink any more and my throat was to torn up (from the vodka and acid reflux) to eat or drink(was coughing up blood). So i reluctantly detoxed. It was a bad detox to say the least; hallucinations, violent shakes, panic attacks u probably know the drill. So on my 3rd day sober i called my Dr. and he called a script in for naltrexone(he had mentioned it to me in the past, but i didn't want it because of no health insurance). I started with 50mg this past friday. This was to much for me, within an hour i was dizzy and feeling very strange and very tired, couldn't think straight. From talking with people on here i just took 25mg on sat. and have stayed at 25mg, the side effects lasted about 3 days, it felt like a mild bad acid trip. I plan on moving up to 50 mg this friday. So the last 2 days i've been back to work and my side effects have seemed to have gone away. My energy level is back to normal. As far as cravings i have none whatsoever. It's quite strange, when i make myself think about taking a drink it just seems repulsive. It's still early though, i hope if i get the urge to drink the fact that the naltrexone will kill the euphoric effects of alcohol will deter me (but i have drunk on anabuse in the past). Only time will tell. i will update this thread to let anyone who is also a chronic relapser know how this is working. i am also back to AA mtings, but just 3-4 a week, mainly because i have a bad habit of isolating. thanks and prayers to eveyone on here, matt

[tm1210]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

Remember not to take any opiates whilst on Naltrexone. I've nearly done it a few times by mistake.

[matchee]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

matt2d2;1422819 wrote: A quick update, i'm 43, i drank daily from about 18 till 38yrs old. The last 4-5 yrs became 24 hr drinking and abusing pain pills. At 38 i started aa, in the last five yrs, 6months is the most AF time i've had, usully i'm on a 2-3months clean then relapse cycle, but i did manage to kick the pills.
So my last relapse was the week of thanksgiving. I drank cheap vodka for about 7 days straight around a gallon a day. Finally i got too sick to drink any more and my throat was to torn up (from the vodka and acid reflux) to eat or drink(was coughing up blood). So i reluctantly detoxed. It was a bad detox to say the least; hallucinations, violent shakes, panic attacks u probably know the drill. So on my 3rd day sober i called my Dr. and he called a script in for naltrexone(he had mentioned it to me in the past, but i didn't want it because of no health insurance). I started with 50mg this past friday. This was to much for me, within an hour i was dizzy and feeling very strange and very tired, couldn't think straight. From talking with people on here i just took 25mg on sat. and have stayed at 25mg, the side effects lasted about 3 days, it felt like a mild bad acid trip. I plan on moving up to 50 mg this friday. So the last 2 days i've been back to work and my side effects have seemed to have gone away. My energy level is back to normal. As far as cravings i have none whatsoever. It's quite strange, when i make myself think about taking a drink it just seems repulsive. It's still early though, i hope if i get the urge to drink the fact that the naltrexone will kill the euphoric effects of alcohol will deter me (but i have drunk on anabuse in the past). Only time will tell. i will update this thread to let anyone who is also a chronic relapser know how this is working. i am also back to AA mtings, but just 3-4 a week, mainly because i have a bad habit of isolating. thanks and prayers to eveyone on here, matt

Wow good luck Matt. I too am on Naltrexone. Along with Campral (also for cravings) and gabapentin (just a calming anticonvulsant). I know you've had AF time in the past and that's a good thing. I haven't had more than a week in 10 years. So you know you can do it. Just keep it up. It's all about remembering why we had to give it up.

Prayers for you

[Alcoholic]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

So good to hear you are doing well!

[YouKayBee]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

Yes some people do feel spaced on Nal, but many find that effect wears of pretty quickly.

Just remember there are two methods for Nal, some people do genuinely feel it takes the craving away on it's own but TSM is the method of taking Nal 1 hour before you do drink alcohol. I hope you do find it works for you.

[matt2d2]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

thanks for the responses guys. i heard some people carry a card with them in case their in an accident,, so doctors know not to give too much pain killers in case of overdose, when on naltrexone. Need to ask my doc about that. hey matchee, never heard of gabapentin, is that help with anxeity? I see that a lot of people use nal. to control their drinking, which i can see it doing, for me though i just want to stop completely. I never drank for the taste, i always just drank the cheapest strongest beer or vodka just to get drunk. So i just want to be done with it and have the cravings back off. so far the nal. is working for me. Going to 50mg. tonight, matt

[YouKayBee]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

matt2d2;1423614 wrote: thanks for the responses guys. i heard some people carry a card with them in case their in an accident,, so doctors know not to give too much pain killers in case of overdose, when on naltrexone. Need to ask my doc about that. hey matchee, never heard of gabapentin, is that help with anxeity? I see that a lot of people use nal. to control their drinking, which i can see it doing, for me though i just want to stop completely. I never drank for the taste, i always just drank the cheapest strongest beer or vodka just to get drunk. So i just want to be done with it and have the cravings back off. so far the nal. is working for me. Going to 50mg. tonight, matt

Matt

contrary to popular belief I didn't use TSM & nal to control my drinking. I took it and tried the method which involves drinking because I would do anything to make the overwhelming cravings to go away. People said I was doing it to carry on drinking, but the last think I wanted to do was drink - I drank to take the drive to drink away.

In the last 7 days I've had 4 units and that's only because the drinks came in bottles of 2 units. Half way down both of them I could have left em. I fancied a drink, had one then realised I wasn't bothered, didn't like it finished for the sake of it and went home.

If it can work without drinking for you then even better!!!! For some reason I can't bring myself to go 100% AF BUT I am the one who declines alcohol majority of the time, and drinks less than even my fairly clean living 'normal' drinking friends.

My cards are in included in the box of naltrexone, I get several of them in each pack. If you like I could message you with the wording then you could make your own?or see if you can get Nalorex, just one box would contain enough to put on in your wallet, one in a jacket pocket, locker at work that sort of thing.

[Heavy Fuel]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

Hi, Matt! I second what UKBlonde said about taking nal to stop the drive to drink. I simply couldn't go on like I was: I was drinking 10-15 beers a night. I didn't take nal to continue to drink. I took nal to try and stop the behavior.

For me, it has worked wonders. I go to sleep sober every night. That's not just control, that's getting my life back. The plus side is 25+ days a month, I take absolutely no medicine.

I don't drink because I choose not to. I don't have to anymore. The need is gone... though I do have this weakness for raspberry tea!

[matt2d2]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

Thanks for the input guys, i can see nal. working really well using the sinclair method. I wish i'd known about it in the past. I really didn't know much about nal. till last week 2days into a very bad detox. Since i was already through the worst of the detox it just seemed easier to stay totally AF. This i would not recomend, it is a lot safer to taper off alcohol which TSM would definitly do. One of my best friends died of a heart attack detoxing a couple yrs ago and i really thought that was my fate last week. Antway i went to a full 50mg friday night and the side effects havn't come back so i'm happy about that. Thanks for the offer ukblonde, if its not to much trouble that would be great for you to message me. take care everyone, matt

[matt2d2]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

A quick update. Been AF since nov 27th. Still taking 50mg of naltrexone a day. I know most people on here use the sinclair method but i'm trying to be totally af. Started out that way before i read about sinclair, so i had already detoxed so i just went with it. My cravings for alcohol have been minimal. A lot of the time the thought of alcohol just makes me feel sick. I do have some side affects, a little loss of appetite, sometimes feel a little nausia when i work out hard. The few times i had a strong craving the idea that the nal will block most of the euphoria has been enough not to drink( just figure whats the point if i can't get good and wasted). I never really drank for the taste much so i really don't ever want "a glass of wine with dinner". I always drank to get drunk and pass out. One think though just curious if anyone else has this side effect from nal, i get very sleepy and sometimes i think it adds to my depressive mood, but not too sure about that. I suffer from depression anyway. thanks again for all the info, hope and support the the people on this offer, matt

[Hippyman]

naltrexone update for chronic relapser

matt2d2;1422819 wrote: A quick update, i'm 43, i drank daily from about 18 till 38yrs old. The last 4-5 yrs became 24 hr drinking and abusing pain pills. At 38 i started aa, in the last five yrs, 6months is the most AF time i've had, usully i'm on a 2-3months clean then relapse cycle, but i did manage to kick the pills.
So my last relapse was the week of thanksgiving. I drank cheap vodka for about 7 days straight around a gallon a day. Finally i got too sick to drink any more and my throat was to torn up (from the vodka and acid reflux) to eat or drink(was coughing up blood). So i reluctantly detoxed. It was a bad detox to say the least; hallucinations, violent shakes, panic attacks u probably know the drill. So on my 3rd day sober i called my Dr. and he called a script in for naltrexone(he had mentioned it to me in the past, but i didn't want it because of no health insurance). I started with 50mg this past friday. This was to much for me, within an hour i was dizzy and feeling very strange and very tired, couldn't think straight. From talking with people on here i just took 25mg on sat. and have stayed at 25mg, the side effects lasted about 3 days, it felt like a mild bad acid trip. I plan on moving up to 50 mg this friday. So the last 2 days i've been back to work and my side effects have seemed to have gone away. My energy level is back to normal. As far as cravings i have none whatsoever. It's quite strange, when i make myself think about taking a drink it just seems repulsive. It's still early though, i hope if i get the urge to drink the fact that the naltrexone will kill the euphoric effects of alcohol will deter me (but i have drunk on anabuse in the past). Only time will tell. i will update this thread to let anyone who is also a chronic relapser know how this is working. i am also back to AA mtings, but just 3-4 a week, mainly because i have a bad habit of isolating. thanks and prayers to eveyone on here, matt

I hit a bottom similar to yours several months back. I felt as though I had died and was OK with that. When I finally regained consciousness enough to know what day it was I had a fellow alcoholic come help me thru withdrawals. In years pasted I tried Naltrexone and it did stop the cravings pretty much. I stopped because of liver damage warnings. The best tool I have found is liquid baclofen. I have no cravings at all. I'm sure that I have had my last relapse!