New to the forum and naltrexone

[Whiplash]

Well, I asked my doc for naltrexone after reading so many positive things about it. It seemed to work a little to reduce cravings at first. I decided that I was going to start exercising everyday and I was really feeling well. Then I decided to take the naltrexone again. People say it won't block the effects of alcohol but it sure does for me and I ended up drinking a TON that night; it was a big step backwards and days later, I'm still trying to get back on my feet.

I am now thinking that this medicine might actually be dangerous for me and cause me to drink more. The disappointing thing is after I drank a lot and also felt ill from the naltrexone (happens always for me until taken for 3 days consecutively), now I've broken my good exercise routine and missed a couple days, plus got poor sleep so I'm tired now.

I browsed through the subforum here and didn't see any recent naltrexone threads so I wanted to post one to get some feedback from others who have taken this medicine. I haven't taken it for very long but since I often feel nauseous and "stoned" on it, and since it seemed to actually increase my drinking last time, I'm scared to take it anymore. Maybe it's just not for me. I'm tempted to try it again but I don't want to go through the nightmare I did last time. I guess for now, I'll wait for some responses and try to get back to my exercise everyday. That is what seemed to help the most out of anything.

P.S. Just for the record, I used to go to AA often. Whatever benefit I got was probably placebo-like I guess because it did not help my drinking whatsoever. Then someone copped an attitude with me there and said it was my fault it didn't work. I have come to despise the program and will not be returning. I am very happy if it works for some people, but I am not going back.

Oh, one other thing I noticed is the naltrexone seems to have significantly reduced my urge to smoke tobacco. So that part is good I guess.

[kronkcarr]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Hey, Whiplash,

I don't have experience with Naltrexone, but I did want to welcome you. I saw another post of yours and you made good sense to me. I'm sure someone with Nal experience will be along soon.

Again, welcome!

[skullbabyland]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Hi Whiplash,

Welcome to the forum. I am a newbie to baclofen but not to naltrexone- I've studied and expiremented with nal for many months. I'm still seeking my own indifference/switch/cure, with some success. I'm sure others who've had more lasting success (such as UKblonde) will chime in soon.

There are a couple different protocols for taking nal, and most people that experience success with it use The Sinclair Method (aka TSM). This is a very specific way of taking naltrexone- not just taking it once a day every day, as most well-meaning but ill-informed doctors prescribe, but taking it only on days you drink- and on those days, taking nal exactly 1 hour before your first drink. You don't take nal at all on AF days.

I would highly recommend that if you/your doc are interested in naltrexone treatment, please read "The Cure for Alcoholism" by Dr. Roy Eskapa MD, and do a lot of reading over on thesinclairmethod.com • Index page . Many people there are fellow MWOers, but they all have a naltrexone/TSM focus.

For me, I found that naltrexone works well if taken in the TSM method... however, it's STICKING to that method that I found difficult, thus my adding baclofen to lessen cravings.

Do some reading, and good luck... I'm still a relative newbie to medications for this affliction, but there does seem to be hope for us. Of course it should go without saying that if at all possible, do all this research/treatment with the aid of a good, forward-thinking, up-do-date and educated MD. They can be hard to find, but they're out there.

Best of luck!

[skullbabyland]

New to the forum and naltrexone

PS, it appears that to see all the threads over on thesinclairmethod.com • Index page , you need to sign up. Do so! Just like MWO, it's a good bunch of knowledgeable folks.

[Whiplash]

New to the forum and naltrexone

skullbabyland;1518213 wrote: Hi Whiplash,
I'm still seeking my own indifference/switch/cure, with some success. I'm sure others who've had more lasting success (such as UKblonde) will chime in soon.

OK-- lol. I do appreciate everyone's responses for sure. I'm not new to alcoholism nor the Internet, nor English slang.... but this is the first place I've ever seen people using the word "switch" gratuitously. I can basically understand what you're all talking about but can you define this for me? I'm thinking you mean "switch" is changing from an addict to in control. But please articulate for me. :H

[kronkcarr]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Switch is the point in our baclofen titration up where we are indifferent to alcohol.

[Colin]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Whiplash;1518247 wrote: I was told this about naltrexone and although my hopes were very high, it really didn't work out for me. I am the eternal optimist, believe me. But don't ever put your hopes into "rabbit in hat" solutions until they have really run their course in trials.

Baclofen is moving into a stage where the medical profession is obliged to regard baclofen as a cure for alcoholism.

Suppression of Alcohol Dependence Using Baclofen: A 2-Year Observational Study of 100 Patients This paper follows 100 alcoholics during a two year period of treatment with baclofen.

PubMed Central, Table 2: Front Psychiatry. 2012; 3: 103. Published online 2012 December 3. doi:?*10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00103 is taken from the paper.

Baclofen has come a long way from the "rabbit in hat" times. It won't be very long before baclofen has become the first choice medical treatment of alcoholism.

[Cinders]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Whiplash,

Re your Naltrexone information, UKBlonde has done very well with Naltrexone and did very poorly with Baclofen. She might be a good source of information for you. You might try pm'g her if she doesn't respond to this thread.

Also, re Naltrexone, you might wish to Google on "The Sinclar Method" regarding using Naltrexone to be cured.

There are lots of threads about Baclofen and it has worked a treat for many here. I think you should read those threads and decide if you wish to try it. However, getting a doctor to prescribe it for you might be a bit tricky, although in light of new studies, maybe not.

In my case, Naltrexone did not help and Baclofen was a no go due to physical SEs that my doctor would not let me continue.

I go to AA but haven't gotten any of the lip you refer to. :-)

I use Antabuse to ensure sobriety at this point. I hope to take it a year or so but we shall see what my liver can tolerate.

Good luck!! Any way we get and stay sober is a good way, IMHO.

Cindi

[JDizzle]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Colin, why u cutin/pastin from my post!!! HAHAHA. It is a great response you have though!!

[JDizzle]

New to the forum and naltrexone

I just wrote a response to your AA episode and it didn't post. Ugghhh. The gist of it was you can't be too serious about going if one dumb ass makes a remark to you and that stopped you from going. When I made my way in there, they could have beat me at the door everyday and I would have kept going. I was desperate. If you are looking for the perfect solution to stop drinking where it does everything for you and you don't have to be accountable for any part of your recovery.... let me know when you find it because I am suuuuuper lazy and would love to try it.

[Eagle66]

New to the forum and naltrexone

I have used naltrexone in the past and it did work for a while. Now I understand why they say that it is part of a program because after a while I found that I drank inspite of the naltrexone and it seemed to loose it's effectiveness. There is no magic pill, if you don't address the noggin' (what's in your head), you can't count on anything working. I still have some left, and I may try it again, but additional help is needed. I may also try baclofen, but once again, addition help will be required, at least in my case.

[Eagle66]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Interesting, I just read the Wikipedia write up on the Sinclair Method. Looks like I was in that path without knowing it. Not sure if I want to go that route again, I'm wondering about baclofen and trying that.

[YouKayBee]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Hi there

Yes I had tremendous, lasting success with Naltrexone whilst Baclofen did nothing but make me feel worse.

Here's some information about Naltrexone;

Some Drs prescribe Naltrexone on it's own with abstenance for craving control. For some people this is enough but Naltrexone really isn't an 'anti-craving' drug and for most it doesn't remove the cravings.

Naltrexone used as per the Sinclair Method, which is simply take a 50mg 1 hour before drinking, every time you drink and drink as you normally would(I took this to mean drink the amount you feel you want to drink) does in quite a few people eventually result in a reduction in cravings, a reduction in the amount you drink, and finally remove the burning drive to drink. At this 'cure' point many decide to go abstenant because there's no point in drinking as they see it, others just drink when they feel like it and do not experience any of the negative consequences they previously did.

This however all takes time, some see an immediate reduction as I did, but the cure can take 6-18 months on average. It is not an overnight, or sudden reaction and you will almost definitely see a return to the old levels of drinking at some point in the journey.

Pluses are you only need take 1 pill, and only when you drink alcohol. Compared to Baclofen the side effects aren't as strong, some experience nausea which goes away with continued use. Severe hangovers are also common but many of us have used this as an incentive to further reduce or control our drinking. Once you reach cure whilst you still have to always use Nal whenever you drink alcohol, if you choose not to drink then you don't have to take it.

Naltrexone doesn't block alcohol, you'll still get drunk what it does do is block endorphins released from drinking alcohol, thus reeducating your body that alcohol no longer equals a 'high'.

You do have to make an effort, you do have to realise the point at which you can chose not to drink. We aren't rats, we are reasoning and unreasonable human beings.

I like it because it doesn't affect my daily life. Sure another side effect is drowsiness but normal drinkers tell me alcohol makes them drowsy too, and this side effect can also be used to make you stop drinking, go to bed early and thus get your units down that way.

Some people worry it's going to affect exercising etc. It's not stopped me from getting fit, losing weight and going on to achieve things in the athletics arena which require daily training often for many hours. It's also not stopped me from having sex. Sure it dulls the senses a little, but not as much as being sick with alcohol did.

My life was going to be a mess if I'd had carried on drinking. Now if I fancy a drink I have one, often it's only one. Majority of the time it's none and once a month I probably get drunk on 1/3 of my previous intake.

If you are taking nal thinking it's going to stop you from day one it's not going to work, and neither is baclofen. Both require time and patience.

[YouKayBee]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Eagle66;1518468 wrote: I have used naltrexone in the past and it did work for a while. Now I understand why they say that it is part of a program because after a while I found that I drank inspite of the naltrexone and it seemed to loose it's effectiveness. There is no magic pill, if you don't address the noggin' (what's in your head), you can't count on anything working. I still have some left, and I may try it again, but additional help is needed. I may also try baclofen, but once again, addition help will be required, at least in my case.

Yes, returning to your old levels of drinking is quite normal and stopping at that point thinking it's failing is a common cause of failure.

I had the odd spike myself and wondered if it was working or not, but realised in the morning I didn't have that old burning, overwhelming desire to get more alcohol (sure I did think about carrying on but I was able to overcome it by telling myself it wasn't really what I wanted-in the previous 5-10 years I couldn't fight that urge). I just had to keep believing and it did stop although very occasionally a new situation or stress trigger comes up and I might drink 10 or 15 units. That's 1/3 to 1/2 the amount I used to drink in a session, and it's without the harmful consequences - no personality change, no brushes with the law, no stupid antics, I just brush myself off and get on for the next 4-6 months. Remainder of the time alcohol doesn't bother me.

[dm5465]

New to the forum and naltrexone

Newbie on a Mission

Hi:
I too am new to Nal and TSM. Pre TSM i was up to 100 units a day. Since I began on Nal three days ago, I have noticed positive effects. I am anxious to read the book and get going since I will not look back. So far, no SE with the Nal.:new: