I'm relearning how to be comfortable alone without alcohol. These times where I really don't have important things to do in the evenings have been the hardest. I have a hard time just "keeping distracted" since I would always be drunk doing whatever task around the house. I wanted to paint, do fun makeup, cook, organize my art space, but everything I thought about just made me want a drink more and more. I settled on bedrotting and doom scrolling with my dogs cuddled up in bed. I'm sure they appreciate that more and my body definitely does. I've gone from daily drinking about 3 to 5 cranberry vodkas, to now maybe 1 or 2 every 3 to 4 days. It's not 100% abstinence yet, but fuck I'm so grateful for the gradual improvements. It's been about 2 months on Naltrexone and really taking myself seriously. Times like this really make me appreciate sober me so much more. I'm slowly starting to feel like myself again. I'm finally feeling real hope instead of fake hope.

Thank you again everyone for your support yesterday when i wanted to drink without nal! Going to a bday thing tonight for a friend and just took my naltrexone so I can enjoy an evening of lame not being drunk drinking 😭 still feeling sad about taking it but wanted to say IM STAYING COMPLIANT!!! Thanks to you guys!!

Ny cuvestian is Can er drink beer And tale zolpidem ? Thank you

This is a curious point, and a serious one to consider. If a person is prescribed to Nal, especially daily for an extended period of time, there is a possibility of experiencing a medical emergency and not being able to be given opioid pain medication.

Does anyone know how the medical field recommends handling this? Are patients expected to just deal with pain?

Any input from medical professionals and firsthand experiences would be very useful! TIA!!!

I've been on Naltrexone since last October after abusing alcohol and cocaine on a weekly basis since 2014 ( aged 19/ currently 29). After some teething, the Nal worked wonders. I went from trying to consume as much alcohol as possible in any given setting to drinking only on the weekends and even then it would be 3/4 drinks on friday & Saturday. This is really important as I had returned to bartending that summer.

I was moved out of my area by the council 15 miles away and signed up to the drugs and alcohol services so I could get it prescribed again as I was travelling 1.5hrs to pick up a prescription, something I could no longer afford to do.

However since finally getting a key worker in September, I have not been able to convince them to prescribe me Naltrexone as they say I should not be drinking on them even though I explained how I was doing the Sinclair method and how much it has made a difference.

In this time my drinking has sky rocketed to where I'm worse than where I was when I first started taking Nal. I'm isolated, drinking alone (something I never used to do), doing 8/9 shots minimum on the weekend, going to my place of work to drink for free during the week, spending all my money on alcohol, I've also lost my phone twice in 1.5 months. If it wasn't for my colleagues I'd have not even been able to afford to go to work on several occasions.

For the last month and a half, I've missed my appointments with my key worker and I struggle with even sending an email now as last time I emailed him explaining how important the Nal was, it wasn't acknowledged.

All the improvements I've made up to April seem to have gone out of the window and I'm desperate to get back on track as I don't want to be like this and I've seen what I could be like if I was sober.

Any advice on how/who I can get help to be put back on it or some equivalent?

I've tried talking to my new GP about it before I went to the D&A services but they said I'd have to do it thru them, but if they don't want to prescribe it what can I do?

Thanks so much to anyone who bothers to read this, this took all my willpower just to type up.

Been taking naltrexone for 7 months now to life-changing success. Have up until recently felt firm in the belief that I'll never have a drink again without naltrexone. Last week or so I have been having a real rough go and I just want to go buy some booze and not take the naltrexone. Would love to feel good tipsy vs weird-not-actually-drunk tipsy lol from naltrexone. Pls tell me not to 😩

Edit: thank you to everyone. I did not drink anything at all last night :) I appreciate everyone's support so much. Worried this might be a bit of a phase but I will return to this post for encouragement :))

I really don’t know how it works, but it does kill my desire to drink all night. Nothing else ever came close incl naltrx and contrave wellbutrin

Îm not proud to take it for initially vanity reasons then for alcoholism (no obesity/diabete issues) as not in need to lose any weight, but i tried everything i could get (UK) and this is it for me

Please all say something. They need to research this they do

I've relapsed and it hasn't been so bad but I need some medicine to set me straight again. I've run out though, does anyone have any potential solutions to get some quickly?

hey humans,

i have been on and off naltrexone for the last 2 years

it has worked wonders for a long time and reduced the desire to even drink in general

as of lately ive bumped up to 100mg because 50 stopped working

but for some reason i still want to drink

i will admit im probably a 6-7/10 on the suicidal ideation and probably a 4/10 on depression. writing this now im not anxious but usually am a 8/10 on that (so thinking that might be a factor)

has this ever happened to anyone? the naltrexone helps but not like it used to?

The other day I was short on my prescription of Librium because they had sent it in wrong so they switched it and of course the pharmacy couldn’t let me get it . The day before I started trying to stretch them out and that night I woke up I don’t remember if it was a couple days ago or yesterday drooling down my face . And then the day after I started getting hot flashes , felt like My breathing was really slow and everything , my head felt so funny and I couldn’t remember anything I called a nurse hotline and they told me go to the er right now this is life threatening !! So I did go by the time I got there I couldn’t even remember barely what I had told the nurse on the hotline but obviously im not dead . . I’m just really scared. The last time I drank was on the 8th. They started prescribing me this 3 times a day the next day at a different er because the first people sent me home with nothing. . So this weekend was hell im scared to death the doctors won’t send me a prescription because they either just send me to the MAT line voicemail but i called the other place in a different and left a voicemail with the nurse . Sorry if this doesn’t make sense . My mat provided me the week supply last week 25mg 3 times a day and im worried because she wants to wean me to two times a day now . So I really hope they understand me and I can get ahold of them tomorrow if they don’t today. Also were the symptoms I was having maybe could be alcohol withdrawl from stretching out the pills? Sorry if this doesn’t make sense I really am having trouble remembering anything and have been having to write stuff down even. Thank you to anyone who reads this just need someone to talk to or some reassurance … my plan is I’ll call them back if they only send me two a day and tell them when I get sick tomorrow. I just hope this all works out this is the hardest process I’ve ever been through . If I broke any rules in the post mods please remove and im sorry thank you everyone im glad I have you guys to talk with

My 23 year old college senior son has been incredibly impressed with my lack of drinking over Thanksgiving. Last night he opened up. Not surprisingly (especially given his genetic predisposition), he has struggled with AUD in college. Like his grandpa, and his dad (me), he has hidden it, excelled in school, but still feels like he is a slave at times to alcohol.

My son asked about TSM, Naltrexone, and whether he could try what I’m doing. I was thrilled to discuss my experience so far. I do want to encourage him to try it given our family history of high functioning alcoholics.

Only caveat is my son asked if it were possible to have cheat days. He is 23, about to head back to Chicago to live with his two best friends from high school (in Wrigleyville). He was very candid: his ideal would be sober weekdays with the option to go out on weekends. I mean, it’s hard to blame him. I’m honestly so impressed that he’s maturely thinking about his relationship with alcohol at such a young age.

I had no clue what to tell him. I don’t think TSM is intended to be opt-in/opt-out. I doubt the idea of occasional hall passes is part of TSM. But I would hate my son to not have this tool in his AUD toolbox just because he wants to be a dumb 20-something every so often. Can people do TSM with a few cheat days a month? Or will that defeat the whole purpose?

At 23, even if this reduced his alcohol consumption by a measurable percentage, I wouldn’t care if he is not 100% compliant.

Its looking like its going to cost some $2000 to fly into Warsaw and get treatment. Is there a cheaper alternative?

I live in Australia.

I've heard the implant might cost as little as 200 dollars though in Poland.

Keep trying it sporadically but even a quarter dose is like a sleeping pill. One obvious route is to take it at night but if I take it 5pm I’m asleep by 8pm, and later than 5pm I’m likely already drinking.

Have tried mornings with a nap but by evenings the effect has worn off and I’m drinking again.

Does the fatigue wear off in time?

Does Vivitrol have the same side effect of fatigue?

Welcome to another lovely Saturday check in! Whatever it is you've got going on lately, feel free to leave it in the comments! As always, to you lovely lurkers: we see you, we love you, come out when you're ready! :)

I am a binge drinker, 10 years or so. Every night. I started 12.5mg Naltrexone Wednesday night, one hour before I usually drank. I was feeling like shit from going too hard the night before & didn't even want to drink but I didn't know if that would change so I took the pill. Then I figured i ought to have a shot since my understanding is you're supposed to drink on it. I took a couple more to test the blocking factor, I couldn't quite tell how well it was working. 1/2 hour after that & I'm so nauseous & tired I have to go to bed. Shitty sleep. The next day I feel pretty good & was impressed I only had 3 shots when normally it'd be half a bottle. Last night, took the pill 12.5mg at 6p. Wasn't really feeling like I wanted to drink but again, thought I ought to so around 8p I had 2 shots & once again nausea. Went to bed, not great sleep. I ate both times with the pill as suggested. Today I'm tired & craving a drink. I read you shouldn't "white knuckle" your way through cravings & the plan was to eat a nice dinner & have a bit to drink. Thing is, I don't want to be nauseous & it's a lot easier to not take the pill than to fight the desire to drink. But I want this to work. I want to take the pill. But I want a drink & no nausea!

Hi all, just curious if anyone has had an issue trying to get prescriptions from either services? I went to my local service who setup an assessment but during that the doctor stated they were fully booked on prescription slots for weeks ahead so referred me to my GP to prescribe instead. I did an online e-consult to my GP stating so and I've been completely ignored despite chasing the GP. I'm not sure what I can do at this point? I have blood results within 3 months incase they were needed. I was requesting Campral in this instance.

I did TSM for a year and reached extinction. It was amazing, I felt so free and happy. Then something stressful happened and I decided to drink without it “just once.” It’s been two years now and I never went back to TSM. I am back to my old drinking ways.

I’m so tired of this. I feel I’m squandering my life away, ruining my potential, and missing out on living because I’m too busy drinking or being hungover.

I want to be free of this, but I just don’t have the motivation to take nal. I have the pills, I tell myself to just take them, but then I don’t, because I want to feel the “buzz” of being drunk. I really don’t know what to do. Any advice would be welcome!

edit, even though I mentioned in the first line that I am on TSM and take naltrexone, I need to reiterate again, this is an exclusively TSM/naltrexone question.

hi, I'm 9 weeks into TSM with naltrexone. I experienced an immediate "honeymoon phase", followed by a few weeks of what I'd assume was "extinction bursts". this past week, I went a little overboard with my drink-of-choice (hard liquor, mixed with coke), and now I am trying to taper with beer to make myself feel a little better for my next planned AF day. but I'm hearing that this is something one shouldn't do (taper)? please advise, and thank you for reading.

Heyo all! Here's a thread whose sole purpose is to give those who have a grievance against the Sinclair Method a place to air it all out. I and several others have noticed an influx of comments detracting from the Sinclair Method, and or touting the (statistically speaking) miserably ineffective recovery/abstinence modality. In an effort to give those would would discuss in good faith a chance to do so, I'm making this post every Friday. Please take this opportunity to engage with people for whom the Sinclair Method has literally be life saving.

Having said that, I will take this opportunity to say I'm gonna start straight up deleting comments that say anything like "IWNDWYT" or something to that effect. For those repeat offenders who never take the opportunity to post here, I'm just gonna have to hand you a ban. There are very few places on the internet where the Sinclair Method can be discussed safely, and that's something worth protecting. Until I figure out a better way to mitigate the bad faith folks who come here to detract from the life-saving Sinclair Method, this is just how it has to be.

So with that unpleasantness out of the way, feel free to leave your grievances in the comments! I will drink with you today if I'm properly protected!

Hey y'all! This is a place for you to post your successes, great and small, with the Sinclair Method! Whatever it is that the Sinclair Method has done for you lately, feel free to leave it here!

I'll give a brief snapshot of my own story: I was a binge drinker for 20 years that started at weekend keg parties in high school and progressed to drinking 15 units nightly of spirits and beer near the start of the pandemic. This is the same time period that my first child was born.

I have now taken control of my drinking with the help of The Sinclair Method and this community and enjoy a majority of AF days most weeks. I get to enjoy being clear headed around my children and enthusiastic about experiencing the world as it unfolds to them without the dread of searching for the next drink.

If you've got any similarly positive stories, feel free to share them here! :)

Hello, I posted on this thread about a month ago because I was drinking about a pint or a little more a night for a couple years wanting to taper down and quit. I successfully completed my taper after 5 days of slowing going down and have since been sober for 33 days. I figured I'd post in with an update if anyone cares to know that I am alive and well and shockingly have no urge to drink whatsoever. I am leaving on vacation tomorrow and we'll see if that changes. Happy tgiving

50 year old successful business executive who has hidden his AUD for years. I'm generally high functioning but I never feel right first thing in the morning. Groggy, cotton tongued, & lethargic until at least 10 AM. But I hit the gym in the evening, sweat it out, and generally feel pretty good by 7 PM. Then at 7, I uncork a bottle of wine, followed by a few fingers of good tequila. Wash/rinse/repeat. Every single night. I hate it. I'm an attractive, fit, funny, intelligent, kind man who for the last few years has been afraid to get too close to a woman for fear of her discovering my secret. Something needs to change.

I've been dong TSM for five days now. Not even a full week. I'm absolutely not ready to claim victory. I mean, this might just be placebo effect + my own stubbornness. Visiting my dad last night for Thanksgiving. He drinks even more than me and is also successful, retired, & still shockingly fit at 76. Somehow his body handles it which I've never understood. So I knew this would be a test for me.

My dad views evening booze as a treat so I'm surrounded by temptation when I visit. Like me, he starts with wine, then switches to liquor (Scotch for him). I don't know how he does it and remains fit & active.

Long story short, last night I nursed a glass of wine for an hour and then the same with a glass of bourbon. Not perfect yet. Realistically I probably grossed 3 standard units. But in my heyday, it was 6-7 and occasionally up to ten. The big difference was indifference. I drank those two glasses more to be social than out of a desire to drink. And that's the first that has happened since my mid twenties.

Tried to put myself under psychiatric care, was completely denied help. Had a psychotic break, almost killed myself and could've seriously hurt others around me. Should I seek damages?

I am trying the Sinclair method, so yesterday I took my first pill and then one hour later drank 4 pints (UK) of beer. This was on an empty stomach, as that is my usual drinking pattern. I noticed the alcohol felt less energising and found myself falling asleep on my sofa briefly after the 4th beer; I then went to bed. I didn’t sleep very well and when I woke up I had some diarrhoea-like bowel movements. After that I started to feel very nauseous and it’s stayed like that a few hours later.

Is this normal? Should I cut the dose? I can’t ask a doctor because my medication wasn’t prescribed.

Reading others’ posts has gotten me concerned. Went to a doctor yesterday after mustering up the courage to be honest about my drinking habits so that I can take the next steps to get sober. The whole conversation was surrounding my current alcohol use and I got an abdominal ultrasound scheduled for next week. I was also prescribed losartan with the note that high blood pressure was likely alcohol related.The doctor also offered a naltrexone prescription and has given me time to think about it.

I’ve been seeing lots of people post about issues with life insurance policies after being prescribed naltrexone, but I don’t think that I’m really a good candidate for life insurance (not married and likely won’t ever be, no kids, no close family I’d be leaving high and dry); HOWEVER, I’m curious if this doctor visit will have an impact on general health insurance after retirement… I’m gainfully employed now and have insurance through work, but once I retire, then what?

Even if I don’t get the naltrexone prescription, will the fact that I was honest about my problem drinking bite me in the future? AUD is most certainly in my medical notes now, and BP meds are “likely associated with alcohol use.” Not only that, but I WANT to try naltrexone because I want to look out for my health now and this seems like a very helpful medication.

I’ve looked up alcohol exclusion laws, and some stares have repealed those laws so that alcohol cannot be considered in certain circumstances, but I’m not well versed enough to know whether that applies to people seeking post-retirement healthcare.

For reference, I’m 32 and in CO. I obviously have a ways to go before retirement but since the issue regarding my decision to try nal (or not) is dangling over my head now, I thought it prudent to ask.

Final thought… would it be worth talking to the doctor about this or would I just shoot myself in the foot doing that?

Thank you in advance. Happy to add more info or clarify/answer any questions.

I’ve been on nal daily for several weeks now as I’m a daily drinker. At first, I didn’t notice any decrease in love for drinking nor desire. I’m still drinking daily but I will say that I’ve begun to notice things about drinking that I either buried or pushed past before. Like for example, triggering emotions. I would have just acted on them. Don’t get me wrong I’m still drinking in them but somehow feel less “compelled” by them. I went on a walk w my dog and didn’t even take a drink w me. I would have never done that before. Like there’s a part of my brain that’s not in overdrive anymore. God I hope this continues. Anyway just wanted to post in case anyone was on the fence about starting daily naltrexone. I thought it would be unpleasant/no pleasure in things but it’s actually not at all

Hi guys, I've been on and off naltrexone for 5 years and on tirzepatide for 2 years. Naltrexone stopped me from drinking every day and I was able to make a lot of progress with curbing my drinking. I've now been on tirzepatide for 2 years and have noticed it also takes away the "fun" aspect of drinking. This year has been incredibly challenging so I have been drinking more. I wonder if I'm having some sort of extinguishing burst with drinking because I have been giving in a lot more lately. Im concerned my nal isn't as effective but I think it's just different with tirz and the slow digestion. What has been the experience for you? I am in therapy and I'm trying to utilize all my old tools to help me get stable again but this is rough.

I love and hate Naltrexone. Nal messes with my head. Simple daily decisions are taking me forever.

I have been taking it since April. I am drinking 1-3 beers a day at most. A huge step for me. I don't care and get no satisfaction from drinking. At this point I think my body is normalizing to not having alcohol, in massive amounts, coursing through my veins.

So, I've been taking 50 and want to cut down to 25. My desire is to clear my head.

Does anyone have experience cutting back on Nal, and what changes, if any, did you find?

Thanks!

I've read Vivotrol is expensive but also that it can be more effective than Nal pills. Is there an "ideal protocol" for TSM? If so, would it be vivitrol plus Nal pills taken before drinking? (i.e. Vivotrol + TSM) In other words, if I'm serious about trying this, is it worth going to my doctor and asking for a prescription to both?

I have no shame in going to my primary care and admitting I drink too much. I want to get to where I can be at home and stop with half bottle of wine still in the bottle. I want to be able to have a drink at a corporate event and not go home and finish the job with a stiff pour of Tequila.

I deeply appreciate this community.

I'm finally having some success without massive med side effects. Down 40%, more to come. EDIT: Not nalt (yet) but Mounjaro a GLP-1 modifier.

I have a mix of AF, reduced & same AUD max nights. This forum says that's normal. I'd love to hear support around that.

I'm definitely affected by triggers. Generally stress.

Thing is, work life is incredibly stressful until the new year. Like make or break time. No middle ground. It should be super successful, but you never know. I meditate, hit the gym, etc., but equally I need some stress to perform.

Am I being realistic that booze may remain a coping tool until this resolves? I.e. that once this resolves, I should see a big improvement in booze?

Assuming meds & supports remain in place.