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Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

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    #1

    Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

    Hello friends! I have been an active participant on MWO for the last month and a member for almost 4 years. My original ?story? can be found here: Hello friends! I have been an active participant on MWO for at least the last month. My original ?story? can be found here: https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...ing-88660.html

    My main purpose of controlling my drinking is my health. Secondary is the health and happiness of my husband. My journey will include both of us. I am a morbidly obese 57 year old female who tries to be happy and grateful for what she has.. but isn?t. Therefore, I escape in alcohol.. which leads me to overeating despite my best intentions. I often don?t care about myself because it feels overwhelming and a hopeless cause. I have never followed through with any long-term ?healthier life? plans. I had a crappy childhood and am trying to come to grips with that and how it affects my addictions.

    I am reading addiction books (Dr. Lance Dodes) , and The Sinclair Method book by Dr. Roy Eskapa. I have read self-help books about loving myself and healing myself by Louise Hay.. which I believe to be the most important factor in my journey. So far only the basics have stuck with me. I still turn to my food and alcohol addictions. Oh yeah, and gambling too sometimes cuz I'm a fun lovin' gal!

    DH ? 65 yrs old - has anxiety/depression and many ailments that are symptoms of long time alcohol abuse. He wants to control his drinking and get his life back. He says he wants to do the things I want to do ? travel, enjoy nature, hike, love the simple things in life in general ? without this monkey on our backs. I am an enabler and co-dependent of him. We retired young, have no kids or family around, and are financially secure.. Nothing to lose other than our health basically.

    I chose The Sinclair Method/Naltrexone because DH has a very low tolerance to meds. And, he hates taking them in general. He takes various depression/anxiety meds that were tweaked by his psychiatrist after many side effects (probably due to combining them with AL!). Nal seemed to be the easiest one to administer. I can use some help with moderating and thought it would be wise and cost efficient for us both to be taking the same thing.

    The Naltrexone I ordered from Rivers Pharmacy exactly 8 days ago (6 business days from India to the USA!) arrived today. I am excited and nervous. On the one hand I thought I?d have at least two weeks to enjoy my AL (addiction talking).. and on the other hand, the sooner I can get my health in order the better off I am. Same with DH.

    Tomorrow will be our 1st day, and I will describe in this thread how our journey goes.. Both for me to read in retrospect, and for anyone else who may be contemplating taking this route.

    Wish us luck and thanks for reading!!
    "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections."
    ~John Lennon

    Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
    ~Author Unknown
    Tags: None
    #2
    Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

    Hi DipGal - I sure appreciate your honest-sincere post. From what I now understand, the brain will override-over rule most all of our great intentions. In other words, the brain requires certain chemicals to function the way that it needs to function, and without medical intervention (medicine), it will continue on its course (acquiring its needs through chemicals -food/alcohol, etc.).

    Any method used to delay the eventual outcome of totaling quitting alcohol is better than no method at all. The alcohol free journey is full of fear but well worth the results. It just takes time and desperation.

    Comment

      #3
      Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

      And DipGal -having re-read your sincere post again, you both have such a potentially wonderful life ahead of you -except for the alcohol. Alcohol has such a awesomely awful way of obscuring reality that we have no way of even knowing what the truth is. While we are drinking, we say we want to be free of this demon and enjoy life. Then, we stop drinking and can not figure out why life sucks so bad. It is then that we might realize that alcohol is damaging our minds beyond reality. Just a thought.

      Comment

        #4
        Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

        Hi DipGal. Great post, heartfelt and honest. I'm waiting for nal too and will look forward to sharing the journey with you.
        JMum
        My first "indifference experience" Saturday January 11, 2014. Thank God for Baclofen!

        Comment

          #5
          Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

          I am here. Hoping for the best for you. We are considering Nal for hubby's daughter and her issue. I will be very interested in how things go for both of you. I really hope this helps you.:l
          No matter how far you go or how fast you run, you can't get away from yourself. ....said at an AA meeting. It stuck with me.

          Comment

            #6
            Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

            Hi Dipgal

            TSM can lead to the abstenance choice, in the meantime the reduction in drinking can be a massive confidence booster. You might need to be careful of the flatness Naltrexone can bring however the initial reduction in alcohol intake may have the effect of rebuilding confidence, allowing any other meds to work and reduce some of the depression caused by alcohol in the first place. Well done on taking your health in hand.

            Looking forward to hearing about your progress.
            I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

            Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

            AF date 22/07/13

            Comment

              #7
              Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

              Thank you everyone! I really appreciate your support! I am having dinner out tonight and will have a couple of glasses of wine. I think I may have a drink before I go (one hour after .25 mg of nal) in case I have one of the side effects I read about.. I don't want to be nauseated in an Italian restaurant with yummy food! DH has no plans to leave the house.. so, we'll give him his .25 as soon as he wakes up since he drinks all day...

              Thanks again!!!
              "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections."
              ~John Lennon

              Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
              ~Author Unknown

              Comment

                #8
                Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                I just got off the phone with my only close relative other than my DH.. my cousin. She found some old photos of my parents and family and wanted to know whether to keep them for me. Very strange that this call came today when I am up to my eyeballs in all this *dredging up childhood* crap! She had a messed up childhood too with huge mother issues. I didn't go into the Nal story, but did tell her that I was doing some deep soul searching and figuring out why I overeat and over drink. She pretty much has the "let it go" attitude and pays no time to thinking about the past. I guess maybe when I am done with the books I am reading I just need to say "Okay - so now I know WHY I have these addictions.. Time to move on!".

                So Day 1 of Nal...
                I just took .25 mg Nal and an hour later made myself a bloody mary. I felt kinda wound up for awhile before I drank. That has subsided. I had a bit of a tummy ache, but that has subsided, too. I probably won't be drinking much more until dinner time. I just wanted to test it before I went out. Keeping my fingers crossed...

                DH said he was nauseated after taking his and was a bit dizzy. He had no food in his stomach, and I read that this is a good idea if you get nausea.
                "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections."
                ~John Lennon

                Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
                ~Author Unknown

                Comment

                  #9
                  Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                  TSM

                  Now I know what TSM stands for. The Sinclair Method......
                  "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice." ? Meister Eckhart

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                    DipGal;1619703 wrote: I just got off the phone with my only close relative other than my DH.. my cousin. She found some old photos of my parents and family and wanted to know whether to keep them for me. Very strange that this call came today when I am up to my eyeballs in all this *dredging up childhood* crap! She had a messed up childhood too with huge mother issues. I didn't go into the Nal story, but did tell her that I was doing some deep soul searching and figuring out why I overeat and over drink. She pretty much has the "let it go" attitude and pays no time to thinking about the past. I guess maybe when I am done with the books I am reading I just need to say "Okay - so now I know WHY I have these addictions.. Time to move on!".

                    So Day 1 of Nal...
                    I just took .25 mg Nal and an hour later made myself a bloody mary. I felt kinda wound up for awhile before I drank. That has subsided. I had a bit of a tummy ache, but that has subsided, too. I probably won't be drinking much more until dinner time. I just wanted to test it before I went out. Keeping my fingers crossed...

                    DH said he was nauseated after taking his and was a bit dizzy. He had no food in his stomach, and I read that this is a good idea if you get nausea.
                    Yes taking nal on a full stomach seems to help with the nausea plus making sure you are well fed also helps with alcohol consumption whatever method you are using.

                    I have a similar attitude to your cousin's, I got to a point where I just wanted the addiction to go, couldn't care less the reasons 'why' because facing potential reasons didn't help me quit or stay quit.

                    Back to you facing letting go of alcohol is a big step and you are bound to feel emotional, in fact I'd be worried if you didn't. I'm really hoping nal can get you off the emotional rollercoaster having excess alcohol in your system brings. Then you can start doing some good work on yourself. I think you'll find things you escape from but they don't have to be earth shattering or traumatic.
                    I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

                    Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

                    AF date 22/07/13

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                      A quick check in.. On Day 3 today. DH is getting extremely nauseated from .25 mg and is staying in bed.. which is not something new because of his depression.. He is hanging with it though. His body is very sensitive to meds.. and he already is on a couple of depression/anxiety meds. He hasn't had anything to eat, which i know is not good for the nausea.. and he has puffy eyelids.

                      On day 2 I took my .25 mg at 7pm and had two martinis between 8 and 10 pm (which were delicious - french martinis-yum!) All it did was make me ever more tired in addition to already being tired. no tummy issues. Later today I'll take .25 mg at 4 in anticipation of "miller time" at 5pm. I plan to up the dose to 50mg on Sunday when I'll be home all day and night..
                      "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections."
                      ~John Lennon

                      Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
                      ~Author Unknown

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                        Today is day 4.. yesterday I came home from my day at about 5 PM and made two "double" sugar-free margaritas (4 total units).. I didn't finish the 2nd one, but am still counting it as 4. DH is still sick as a dog from nal.. he has hardly eaten anything in 3 days and isn't drinking much because he feels so sick. I guess that's not a horrible thing. He always has digestive issues anyway, and a very sensitive body to meds. I won't suggest that he increase his dose until he feels better.

                        As for my dosage, I am getting a bit nauseated on some days, but not every day. I am more tired than usual.. but, I am never a high energy person. If I don't go out as planned on Saturday night (snow storm coming) with friends I will increase my dosage on Saturday. I want to be home in case I get sick or weird. If not Saturday, then Sunday for sure.. It's okay if I fall asleep and miss the Super Bowl.

                        I am not trying to abstain from AL at all. For some reason I have it in my mind that if I keep taking the nal it will work faster. I think that if I only take it 3 times a week or sporadically, it won't kick in. I am sure that is incorrect, but it is the way my brain works.

                        Another concept that I can't wrap my head around is how the drinks I currently enjoy will not taste good anymore. I mean, if I drink a sweet punch-like drink (which some of the sweeter martinis I love are) how can that not taste good? Just because it has the alcohol in it and that will be a turn-off?? I will report when/if it happens!
                        "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections."
                        ~John Lennon

                        Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
                        ~Author Unknown

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                          DipGal;1621124 wrote: Today is day 4.. yesterday I came home from my day at about 5 PM and made two "double" sugar-free margaritas (4 total units).. I didn't finish the 2nd one, but am still counting it as 4. DH is still sick as a dog from nal.. he has hardly eaten anything in 3 days and isn't drinking much because he feels so sick. I guess that's not a horrible thing. He always has digestive issues anyway, and a very sensitive body to meds. I won't suggest that he increase his dose until he feels better.

                          As for my dosage, I am getting a bit nauseated on some days, but not every day. I am more tired than usual.. but, I am never a high energy person. If I don't go out as planned on Saturday night (snow storm coming) with friends I will increase my dosage on Saturday. I want to be home in case I get sick or weird. If not Saturday, then Sunday for sure.. It's okay if I fall asleep and miss the Super Bowl.

                          I am not trying to abstain from AL at all. For some reason I have it in my mind that if I keep taking the nal it will work faster. I think that if I only take it 3 times a week or sporadically, it won't kick in. I am sure that is incorrect, but it is the way my brain works.

                          Another concept that I can't wrap my head around is how the drinks I currently enjoy will not taste good anymore. I mean, if I drink a sweet punch-like drink (which some of the sweeter martinis I love are) how can that not taste good? Just because it has the alcohol in it and that will be a turn-off?? I will report when/if it happens!
                          Sorry your DH is struggling with the Nal, really hope he starts to feel better.

                          The instructions for TSM are 'drink are you normally would', now some read this to mean force the same units down, I read it to mean if I fancy it then I'll drink, if not I won't. It's interesting to see how others see that, although later on it does appear beneficial to start having a couple of enforced AF days, but right now that's a long way ahead.

                          I'm really keen to hear how you go on with a full dose.

                          Re the taste, once I lost the desire to get drunk or drink excessively I started realising how yucky alcohol really is and there's no alcohol taste that holds any attraction for me now:H
                          I used the Sinclair Method to beat my alcoholic drinking.

                          Drank within safe limits for almost 2 years

                          AF date 22/07/13

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                            Thanks for your comments UKB!

                            I am checking in because it has been a few days and I have been on the full dose since Sunday - so today is day #5 for that. I am having no side effects.. maybe a little extra tired.. but nothing else. So far it isn't doing anything for my desire to drink. I never had cravings per se and I still don't. I just still like to drink when I can and am still taking advantage of this last hurrah before the nal kicks in. I've been drinking approx 4-5 units a day in the form of a martini.

                            DH unfortunately has been feeling very dizzy from .25 dosage. He is VERY sensitive to any meds, and he just doesn't feel good about it. So, he has decided to stop. He is paying attention to his intake and trying to curtail. He has made some good strides about getting out of bed in the morning instead of sleeping all day. That is a good start - it makes us both happy. He is also taking some L-Glut and Sam-E I bought a couple of years ago. I hope it helps! We are planning a road trip via the old Rt. 66 to Arizona and the Grand Canyon in March. He is really looking forward to it, and he is not big on traveling. I am grateful for that as well.. He rarely looks forward to very much. I know it always helps my disposition to be planning a trip.

                            Well, that's all for now.. looking forward to the Nal indifference!!
                            "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections."
                            ~John Lennon

                            Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
                            ~Author Unknown

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Dipgal’s – The Sinclair Method (TSM) Journey

                              Hi Dipgal, ive just come across your thread (don't know how I missed it as I like to check in on tsm'ers). Ive been on nal /tsm for a couple of months now with varying degrees of success, from drinking more slowly to not being able to drink at all (and believe me I tried). For me I found that the time between taking nal and drinking made a HUGE difference. after 1 hour I didn't find an awful lot of change but after 3 hours I really couldn't face drinking, so im trying to gauge it at around 2 hours before drinking. Some would say I should do the 3 hours and not be able to drink but what I am hoping for is the reduced desire and 'extinction' which will come from drinking in a different/non alcoholic way.
                              I am very nauseaus if I take it on an empty stomach so maybe that is the problem with hubby. maybe he could try again when he is up to eating. Thanks for sharing your nal journey, its good to hear how others are getting on with it.
                              Today is the tomorrow i worried about yesterday and it turned out fine
                              Keep passing the open windows

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