UKBlonde's Sinclair Method journey

[spiritwolf333]

Palladium - thank you for this post. Great summary information that can be used to help many AUD sufferers. Essentially, you describe what most medical doctors need to know to in order to get started with their own individual approaches to helping the alcohol dependent.

[spiritwolf333]

Yeah I wasn't a proper alcoholic, I could have stopped without medication if I had tried.

Wow YKB, you almost sound like a true alcoholic. LOL.. JK

[StuckInCA]

You obviously only saw the touristy bits, and even in those areas there are plenty of coffee shops.

Yeah I saw those coffee shops. winkwinknudgenudge. Oh, wait, that was Amsterdam...

[summerglow]

Otter,

I understand that you are working hard to promote awareness and understanding of baclofen in the treatment of alcohol dependence, especially within the medical community; that in itself is a laudable enterprise. However, your plan seems to involve denigrating all other medications and treatment protocols by defamation and scare-mongering.

Obviously, it wouldn’t be appropriate for a doctor to use TSM with a patient with severe pathological sequelae from chronic alcoholism: liver disease, pancreatitis, oesophageal varices, etc.; nor would it be useful for a patient with such a severe dependency that they need to consume alcohol immediately upon waking, and all day thereafter.

Alcohol dependency isn’t qualified by the amount of alcohol consumed on a daily basis: it is qualified by the injurious consequences that regular consumption of alcohol, above the recommended daily limits advised by healthcare professionals, has on the physical and mental health of the patient, and any subsequent negative impact this has on the patient’s social functioning. It is further qualified when the patient, despite being aware of the damage that they are causing to themselves and others, finds it difficult or impossible to moderate or eliminate their alcohol usage.

The number or type of alcoholic beverages consumed daily is unimportant to determine a diagnosis of alcohol dependence. A woman drinking a bottle of wine every night after an evening meal could be doing just as much long-term damage to herself as a man who drinks beer or spirits all day long, eschewing food altogether.

The type of medications used (monotherapy or polypharmacy) and the treatment protocol will vary from patient to patient, depending on individual circumstances. No one treatment is more valid or more useful than any other; all have side-effects and risks associated with their use; each is just as likely to achieve remission or moderation as it is to yield no results whatsoever, or end in complete disaster.

TSM could be an extremely useful treatment for patients that haven’t yet progressed to all-day binge-drinking, where there aren’t serious psychiatric comorbidities, and where the patient doesn’t lack adequate social support.

Gastroenterologists in the UK aren’t responsible for prescribing anti-addictive mediations to their patients; that would be the responsibility of the psychiatrist at the community alcohol team. I happen to know that naltrexone was trialled by the NHS, in some parts of the country, several years ago, in the same way that baclofen and nalmefene are now being trialled and prescribed on a patient-by-patient basis.

As you have already pointed out, the NHS insists that patients receiving these drug therapies must also engage with PSI (Psycho-Social Interventions) and group support, and compliance to the prescribing doctor’s treatment plan must be observed for continued treatment.

Otter, you don’t do yourself, or the cause of promoting baclofen for the treatment of alcoholism and other addictions any favours with these peevish attacks on other treatment options, some of which could, arguably, be used in conjunction with baclofen, or provide an alternative where baclofen cannot be tolerated.

Well done!!!

[YouKayBee]

Re: UKBlonde's Sinclair Method journey

Well today I was talking about MWO with a friend, and I decided to pop back and see if the forum is still here. I have found posts and threads and thought I might write a little update.

After many attempts at sobriety I found the Sinclair Method, which broke the addictive part of my alcoholism. I then progressed to a stage where I did not want the method to ever reverse, and I never ever wanted to drink alcohol again. The side effect of TSM and possibly my experience of alcoholism turned me off alcohol, I decided to take the opportunity to quit alcohol for good.

I am now 3326 days completely alcohol free, I got married in sobriety, bought a house or two in sobriety. I did take up AA meetings again, because although I do not have the physical craving, and I know I can never drink alcohol again, I will starting to get strange urges. I now attend 1 meeting per week, usually online - pre-pandemic I had been attending in person for a few months. I will do anything to keep my sobriety, I often do not participate but I am there and if somehow it helps then it has not done me any harm. On the whole I enjoy the meetings - which is a huge change. Prior to TSM and even one meeting I tried at 6 months AF I always struggled with the concept of AA, but now it feels as if I go on my terms.

Writing here is probably more for my own benefit but I also want to show that getting control and getting sobriety is possible long term. I am over 8 years totally AF, I also avoid many other substances as well as keep an eye on caffeine. I have taken up yoga, meditation and had various bit of therapy over the years. It's an ongoing process but I have far more time, and energy than when I drank.

As I think I once said in a post many years ago "Any questions?"

And thank you for being here so I can come back if need be.

[Baclofenman]

Re: UKBlonde's Sinclair Method journey

Well today I was talking about MWO with a friend, and I decided to pop back and see if the forum is still here. I have found posts and threads and thought I might write a little update.

After many attempts at sobriety I found the Sinclair Method, which broke the addictive part of my alcoholism. I then progressed to a stage where I did not want the method to ever reverse, and I never ever wanted to drink alcohol again. The side effect of TSM and possibly my experience of alcoholism turned me off alcohol, I decided to take the opportunity to quit alcohol for good.

I am now 3326 days completely alcohol free, I got married in sobriety, bought a house or two in sobriety. I did take up AA meetings again, because although I do not have the physical craving, and I know I can never drink alcohol again, I will starting to get strange urges. I now attend 1 meeting per week, usually online - pre-pandemic I had been attending in person for a few months. I will do anything to keep my sobriety, I often do not participate but I am there and if somehow it helps then it has not done me any harm. On the whole I enjoy the meetings - which is a huge change. Prior to TSM and even one meeting I tried at 6 months AF I always struggled with the concept of AA, but now it feels as if I go on my terms.

Writing here is probably more for my own benefit but I also want to show that getting control and getting sobriety is possible long term. I am over 8 years totally AF, I also avoid many other substances as well as keep an eye on caffeine. I have taken up yoga, meditation and had various bit of therapy over the years. It's an ongoing process but I have far more time, and energy than when I drank.

As I think I once said in a post many years ago "Any questions?"

And thank you for being here so I can come back if need be.

What a great post.

Well done on what we all know is an incredible achievement.

Regards,

Bacman

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Re: UKBlonde's Sinclair Method journey

...

I am now 3326 days completely alcohol free, I got married in sobriety, bought a house or two in sobriety. I did take up AA meetings again, because although I do not have the physical craving, and I know I can never drink alcohol again, I will starting to get strange urges. I now attend 1 meeting per week, usually online - pre-pandemic I had been attending in person for a few months. I will do anything to keep my sobriety, I often do not participate but I am there and if somehow it helps then it has not done me any harm. On the whole I enjoy the meetings - which is a huge change. Prior to TSM and even one meeting I tried at 6 months AF I always struggled with the concept of AA, but now it feels as if I go on my terms.

WOW! Many congratulations on your accomplishments, which were not insubstantial before you got sober.

I actually LIKE AA meetings now. I always have, in some ways. But I've embraced the fact that the literature is misogynist and outdated and blah, blah, blah. (OK, lets be real. Some meetings and some times. Other times, they can awaken the dragon within. But I can mostly avoid those now.) It's just nice to be in a room full of drunks like me, who get me, without explanations needed. Not that I need to share, and I don't. I just...get them, too. The 12-step program, despite, or because of, it's adherence to the original, has actually progressed. Not that I go regularly, though I'm supposed to be.

Writing here is probably more for my own benefit but I also want to show that getting control and getting sobriety is possible long term. I am over 8 years totally AF,

Writing anywhere is not just for our own benefit, unless it's just someone who isn't...connected. I'm delighted to see your post. I hope you'll keep posting. (Please?) And I'm so grateful to hear from people who have been successful with overcoming AUD. I get pretty desperate to hear the hopeful stories instead of the horror stories.

Glad you're well. Take good care. xo, Ne

As I think I once said in a post many years ago "Any questions?"

And thank you for being here so I can come back if need be.