Alcohol Use Disorder, Naltrexone and TSM

Took my last 1/2 Revia tablet at around 4.30pm this afternoon. Really didn't get around to pouring a scotch/soda until closer to 6.15pm and sipped on that through dinner. No urge to have another and it will be interesting to see what happens when I start the full 50mg doses.  The side effects are now non-existent. I started my drink chart tonight but since I started on Monday night with 2 glasses of wine, since then it's been one drink each night. I've estimated that my pre-TSM intake was around 6 standard drinks per night on average (almost a bottle of wine) with quite a few more drinks when socializing so I've rounded it up to 50 units (Australian). Going from 50 units down to 8 is a pretty dramatic decrease. Discernable side effects have disappeared so the full 50mg dosage starts tomorrow.

Last night I had one scotch/soda and afterwards thought about having a second one but the urge wasn't strong enough. ...so I watched a couple of episodes of Modern Family with my husband. I found it particularly interesting to realize that the character, Clare, has AUD. Or at least that is my diagnosis. I wonder if the writers did that knowingly or just because it's a fairly common thing that middle-aged mums (moms) do. ...Self-medicating to wind down from a busy day of working, houseworking and raising a family and the underlying slight resentment that the man of the family doesn't have the same pressures outside of the workplace. ...and thus the cycle begins. Today, I'm feeling really quite happy and settled. I had a restful sleep waking once but went back to sleep without thinking about it. Frankly, the best sleep I've had in years.  This morning I got onto my old bike and rode with my child to school today. It felt great. ...cold but great. :-)

Last night was better as I managed to eat dinner without losing my appetite but still only had one drink and no urge for more. So amazed and happy and have my fingers crossed (which makes it harder to pour a drink! LOL). I took a 1/2 tablet at 4.30pm and poured a scotch/soda around 6pm. Only had one drink and them moved to softdrink. Got a funny look from my husband but ignored it. He probably just thinks I'm tired or coming down with something. Went to bed around 9pm and read until 10pm. Slept well until 3am and then wide awake. I wasn't stressed about it - just enjoyed feeling a new sense of contentment about my life. Took two paracetamol at 3.45am and must have fallen asleep sometime later. All in all my energy levels have improved and it's so nice not to wake up with a headache. So, today I forgot to take the 1/2 tablet until 5.40pm so am now just waiting until 6.40pm to have a drink.  I'll start on the full tablet on Saturday if the side effects are less by then. 

2nd dose of 1/2 Revia tablet last night. I took it at 4pm because I needed to drive my child somewhere and wouldn't be back home until 5.15pm. 6pm I poured a weak scotch and soda. Usually I can chug one of these back fairly quickly while I'm thinking about preparing dinner but I made sure to sit down at the table and be mindful. Yes, the scotch/soda tasted like it normally does but it wasn't seducing me. My family wanted me to watch a doco on the TV (Eagle Huntress) and I couldn't say no so I took my drink to the lounge but made sure to sip it. When it was done, I didn't feel like another drink and the glass stayed on the coffee table. (Unusual because I usually nurse an empty glass and refill it "discreetly" when I can.) Dinner was leftovers but by the time I served it, I had completely lost my appetite and only picked at mine. My husband wanted to know what was wrong and I said I was just overtired. I drank a soda water flavoured with a sugar-fre

After a successful TeleMedicine appointment, I am delighted to write that I am about to embark on the journey to a new and improved me!  The internet consultation was easy and the GP was a very kind and understanding person.  The consult costs $90 (no Medicare rebate). I have a script (and one repeat) for Revia 50mg. With nervous anticipation, I took my first tablet at 4.20pm Monday 5th August.  To eleviate the possible side effects, it is recommended that the first few doses are a 1/2 tablet.  Once the side effects wear off, then the full tablet is to be taken. Here's what I wrote in the forum... "Spent the last two weeks in nervous anticipation of this event.  Was at first stalled in the prescription process but with great information available in this forum (thank you everyone for your invaluable contributions) and then patiently waiting for my appointment, it finally happened today.  ...I'm calling it the first day of the 'best' of my life. At 4.20pm, I

I found a GP lcoally who treats patients with Alcohol Addition using Naltrexon implants and injections but also prescribes the oral medication.   I wrote the following in the C Three Foundation forum called Options Save Lives. "I feel like I've never been so excited to see a Dr in my life! Tomorrow I have an appointment with one of the FEW doctors locally who prescribe Naltrexone. Speaking with the receptionist was liberating! I tried to explain that I am a decent person, mother, wife, own a small business....but I am unable to control my need for alcohol. She cut me off and said, "we have many patients just like you" and I felt like I'd finally received a life rope without any shame attached. I'm tearing up just typing this. After a decade of falling deeper and deeper into this nightmare and recently starting to sneak an extra drink here and there so my husband wouldn't notice, I had to admit that this wasn't just a bit of self medicating.  I lov

Of all the resources I found , I think that the following information from HAMS.cc sums up best how Naltrexone works with the Sinclair Method... "Naltrexone has been shown to be highly effective in helping people to moderate their drinking or to quit when it is used according to the Sinclair method also known as  pharmaceutical extinction . In pharmacological extinction (also known as the Sinclair Method)  one always takes a dose of naltrexone (50 mg) an hour before drinking alcohol . One never takes naltrexone unless one intends to drink. Pharmacological extinction works because alcohol addiction is an example of operant conditioning. When you drink alcohol, endorphins are released and reinforce the drinking behavior. Drinking is learned behavior. More precisely, drinking is an example of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is normally a good thing because it helps us to learn new behaviors needed for survival. However, in the case of alcohol addiction it has led us to l

By mid-July 2017 I had to be honest with myself.  I had a problem with alcohol. It was hard to link the words "problem with alcohol" with how I presented myself to society.  I'm a respectable person - a successful small business owner, designer, mother, wife, somewhat of a high-achiever, always on the go, creative, stylish, well presented.  How did this happen to me? What caused me to start hiding the amount I drank (from my husband), waiting for him to leave the room so I could sneak another drink without him knowing.  Why did I clock watch for 5.30pm to come around so I could pour a drink?  And get agitated if I couldn't have one at the regular time. Was I alone in this?  In thinking about my friendships, I suspected not but no one ever talks about problems with alcohol.  It's a secret shame and one that I have lived with for at least 10 years. I turned 50 in March and organised an 80's themed party for myself - complete with a DJ, drinks waiter, che