I am going on my second week of 50mg dosage using the Sinclair method and am noticing I am not enjoying the taste of tequila like I used to. Previously I loved it and couldn’t keep it on hand. Now I just had a 2oz pour (I normally sip it neat) and didn’t even enjoy it. Is it in my head or have others had the same experience?
Today was a test and a success. Family went away for the weekend and I couldn’t go. No work tomorrow. Bad weather and football all day. Usually this would be a binge drinking to black out day, 15+ beers starting early and moving on to vodka by the evening. Have been on 50mg for just a few days after a week of 25mg. Took them at 11:30 am. Had a beer at 1. 5 hours later and have had 3 more beers. Not really into drinking any more of them. Don’t want another. Won’t have another. A little more tired than usually but I’ll take that over the alternative. It worked for me. Keep it going
I had been taking NAL for 2 years - initially starting every day and then doing the TSM with some level of success. I'm what you would call a daily drinker and NAL helped keep me from binging. I still had problems drinking every day but NAL helped keep the numbers down. Every once in a while I would skip a day of drinking but that was rare.
One day I decided to go abstinent for a while and have now not had a drink for 3 months (which is incredible and is due to NAL). I also haven't had NAL for 3 months.
I'm going to a function where I'm likely to have a drink and plan on taking NAL.
My question is whether those of you who have taken NAL after a long period of abstinence had any side effects?
Also abstinence was never my goal but Id rather be abstinent than slipping back into a daily habit so would it be better to just continue to avoid drinking or will I be able to find a new normal of a glass of wine or beer once or twice a month on select situations.
I went on 50mg daily naltrexone after many failed attempts at quitting drinking. I'm an alcoholic of 20 years. I was completely sober for 1 mo which was surprisingly easy thanks to naltrexone, then decided to test the sinclair method which at the time felt like me giving in, but actually helped me understand this medication even more and I don't regret it at all.
I tried to get drunk w the Sinclair Method last night because I knew I wouldn't go on a bender due to how much my life has improved since my habits changed, and also I suspected it wouldn't really be the typical feeling of drinking/getting drunk. I allowed myself 5 beers and 1 shot of tequila over the course of about 5 hours. I wasn't exactly trying very hard to get drunk and also kept losing interest in the drinks but finished them eventually.
It felt a little bit nice to drink maybe just because I loved it for so long, but after all the drinks I just felt sluggish, bloated, and a bit annoyed with myself for spending money at a bar again.
I woke up with a headache and absolutely no desire to drink today. I'm grateful for last night's experience and really don't plan on trying it again any time soon! My life is actually just so much more interesting and focused without alcohol. And I don't miss bar tabs, or hangovers.
For the past couple years I've been a daily/nightly binge drinker, just drinking till I black out. Started taking naltrexone and I'm down to two beers a night. It feels like a miracle and I hope it's not just a placebo. But after one or two drinks I can finally stop and control myself.
I’ve made a promise to myself that I will no longer drink to cope with big emotions. For me it’s most often anxiety I’ve tried to self-medicate away — but also anger, sadness, irritability.
Because I’m doing The Sinclair Method with success, I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice if I have an actual craving and just try to white-knuckle through it — when it could be a good opportunity for another extinction session. I would not yet consider myself extinct.
I haven’t had a drink in 2 weeks because I’ve had zero desire to, and I don’t want to force extinction sessions just for the sake of it.
Tonight I feel super meh and my brain is saying “wine will help.” It’s not a big emotion — it’s a mix of boredom and apathy. And I’m trying to decide: is drinking in this state coping, or is it a craving? It feels nuanced and I’m genuinely curious what others think, especially fellow TSMers who can appreciate the value of an extinction session.
Hi, 40 yr Female. After much research I found Naltrexone. For 4 months I took 50mg a day and saw no difference whatsoever in my drinking. Been drinking 1-2 bottles a wine for last 5 years (lots of trauma).
Decided to try after doing TSM. First week felt like things were changing but then have done a U turn and feel back to drinking normal, always wanting more. Hoping this is not a step backwards. I am taking 100mg one hour before drinking
I'd been taking nalx for 2 weeks and got up to 50 mg once a day. I have tried sobriety many times but broke bc I didn't want to have a strict alcohol free life, just didnt have control over alcohol. Here's my positive-ish experience with the sinclair method-
did the sinclair method, took nalx 1 hour before drinking. had 2 beers at the bar, felt a little head change, had 2 more beers while having a fire with my fiance and a friend. definitely felt a little drunk but in a different way, it felt less like partying and getting wasted and more like relaxing with a drink. went home at 10 pm, didn't want any more drinks (which is unheard of for me, once i start i dont stop) made dinner, and went to bed.
woke up feeling a slight headache and a little anxious, and while it was nice to enjoy a drink after a month and not go on a bender from it, the anxiety today still sucks even though it's slight.
i may consider the sinclair method for a rare occasion, but i absolutely feel better and will not be drinking regularly on nalx even if i can seemingly do it responsibly.
Those who are prescribed naltrexone, did your doctors tell you to take it at bed time or in the morning?
Making this post as I’ve been taking Naltrexone in line with the Sinclair method since March. Which was a 2 week 12.5mg induction period, followed by 4 week of taking 25mg every day. Following this, I just take 25mg on days where I’m going to drink and it has varying results:
- the taste of alchohol is less appealing to me now
- I find I give into cravings less and have fewer binge drinking incidents compared to the beginning of the year
- I do sometimes drink to excess and regret it (I think this has to do with needed to unpick the need to numb extreme emotions)
-I am able to eat on Naltrexone now whereas before I couldn’t
- I have lost about 10lb though this could be down to spending 10 weeks travelling in a hot country and not eating much as I only weighed myself before and after the trip
- generally I feel safer knowing I have Nal in my toolkit, however it’s not been a fix all for me.
I am considering increasing my dose to 50mg if I’m able to get it in the country I’ve recently emigrated to.
Everyone else who has been on it for 1+ months, how is your experience?
I have been reading here and lots of articles online since being prescribed naltrexone by a new psychiatrist this past week. I have been struggling with alcohol holding me back from my life, I’m in the service industry. I read about the sinclair method but my psychiatrist said to take it daily in the morning and I figured I’d try something like that first.
I just took my first 50mg dose yesterday around 1pm after eating and I have felt really overwhelmed by the effects it’s having on me. It started with extreme fatigue, not even wanting to hold my arms up high or hold my phone to scroll while laying on my back. I fell asleep for a while and woke up to the same sensation in my head. I haven’t taken much medication throughout my life so I let this make me feel pretty anxious. I didn’t feel like it was worsening and I needed help but I didn’t know that this would be the fatigue/dizziness that folks talk about. It seems so much more intense than I saw anyone describe. I decided not to take my second dose today because I have a social commitment this evening & whether I’ll drink or not is less my concern, I was more so feeling like I just won’t feel well or be able to be in a car. All day today I have felt nauseous on and off and I tried going on a walk and I’m just not feeling alright. Thanks for letting me whine I’m just a little freaked out. My first thought is halving, maybe even quartering my dose until I somehow feel like I can up the dose. Looking for any and all insight. Thank you
Hi I have taken 50mg daily for Alchohol for 2.5 months since detox. Worked and changed my life for 5 weeks, gradually reducing efficacy until now I don’t think it is doing anything. I have had 2 recent nights of bingeing and thinking about alcohol all the time. So I just knew to increase my dose? Can I just do that myself?
Im on my third day of taking Nal. Starting at 25 and will bump up to full 50 as needed. I take it about 1 hour before I have my first drink. I still seem to drink anywhere from 3-5 drinks no problem. And I realize that this pill isn't a magic bullet and will still need to enact some discipline on my part.
My current mantra is just "trust the process" without knowing what that means. I have been waking up much more stable and clear the last three days so it has to be doing something right for me.
The last attempt with this I ended up maybe trying to push it too aggressively and ultimately stopped taking it because of no real reason other than me not being satisfied with the results. I wasnt "cured" after taking it two weeks so clearly I thought it wasn't going to work.
Any insight on timeline and the idea of "trusting the process" would be appreciated.