cranberry juice is horrible..just saying

easier said than done...but I would have been better off when I was drinking to stop and have a full glass of water...just do it...just force the water after every 3 drinks or something.  I never did it...and I felt like rubbish the next day after drinking.  It took me all day yesterday to hydrate to a point where my pee wasn't BRIGHT yellow.

​Today...continuing with the water and cranberry juice...Feel better....try to eat today too.

I heard cranberry juice because it flushes out the "fat soluble stuff".  I will be tested for eGT...a substance that stays in a persons body up to 4 days after drinking.  If I'm tested on Monday I think I will fail...if I keep drinking fluids...I may pass if I am lucky enough to be tested on Tuesday.

​Keep it up Angel...you didn't drink today correct?

 

Misssy,  the liver function tests that I have had regarding alcohol, measure G.G.T.  Gamma G.T....It is something to do with an enzyme, I think.  It goes up, by alcohol consumption.  It should be under 40.  If you have been drinking...that test freaking knows.  Milk Thistle... have you ever taken it?

 I cannot tell a lie... I am masquerading as an angel, after all.

I did drink... just shoot me !  Freak it all.  What is the best song out there about failure.  I need a new theme tune.

I am crying AGAIN... self-absorbed, silly woman... I wish that I could STOP.

Alonangel 🎇

song of the day...Don't stop believing...hold on to that feeling ya....

I think I am just going to have to wait and see and take whatever consqeunces there are...mind you I'm going to keep drinking the cranberry juice and water...and eating regulary and hope that will be enough.

Who sang it?

That question is too hard...lol...maybe Journey

Got I just got it on You Tube...  by Journey.  amI right ?

yup .

Hey...you did good most of the DAY.  Did you take the Selencrio first?

 

I super S*CK at following Drs orders...so if you didn't take it....I get it..but just came out of my mouth and fingers quicker than I expected..to ask the question.  I just want the method to work for you.

Oh Misssy , that is so funny.  I was on You Tube, searching...found Journey... listened to it, remembered it... then went back to Forum and found that you had mentioned that name.

No Selincro... FAILURE...SH*T !

not a failure...maybe a thought that "well, its late"...I wont over due it...take the pill tommorow...our brains are tricky.

Milk Thistle helps liver cells regenerate. OK, supposedly.  I believe in it. 

I will take the Selincro tomorrow.  9 and half Units today.  Need to get much lower for a safe, proper detox.  I am sick of it all. 

Frustrated for you Alonangel.  Frustrated that you don't seem to be able to understand the importance of taking the pill 2 hours before EVERY SINGLE DRINKING SESSION.   As you have no doubt heard me say to many others, it simply is non-negotiable.  You may not like me saying that but I say it with your best interests at heart as I want you to get through this.  If you comply with the instructions, then your drinking would reduce even more over the coming weeks/months and there would be no need for a detox.  You know Selincro WILL work for you because your drinking has already reduced, but it won't work as intended to the extinction of your cravings when you skip the pill.

You can't chose to take it one day and not the next.  Well, of course you can, you have free will in that regards, but I guess what I mean is that you can't expect it to work properly if you don't take it as prescribed.  It's as simple as that.

The knock on effect may not be how many units you drank today so far, but over the coming days your brain could/probably will start craving badly for the rush again, because you gave it the rush today.... so it will want it tomorrow and the day after and the day after. 

You are supposed to have someone working alongside you with you (whether a nurse, or a counsellor, or whatever) who is trained to help you ensure compliance.  That is supposed to be a condition of your doctor giving you the medication in the first place.  This medication is not supposed to be taken with no supervision at all, otherwise these things happen.

Your doctor was wonderful to prescribe you the medication, but he really didn't do you any favours in not providing the additional support because by not providing the aftercare, he is actually sabotaging your chances of a full recovery using this medication.  If someone takes medication to stop smoking, they are all instructed to attend specific monitoring aftercare sessions - they are not left alone to battle the urges to smoke!

 

Thank you Joanna.  I know you are right.  I am going to try for an appointment with G.P. as soon as possible.  I forgot to ask for the code to the makers' website , re support. I am making an elbow of things, at the moment.  I dismissed support suggestions from my Doc.... because I am so scared to be identified as an alcoholic, in my community.  I don't want to be seen going to the "Alcoholics' Clinic".  I used to work in my home area, in a Professional Capacity... my "fall from grace" is immense. I don't want people to know.  I will ask if there is support available for my treatment.

You are really kind to advise me. I thank you sincerely.  I don't want to die.

Blessings on you, Joanna,

Alonangel 🎇

Angel

I've left my pride miles behind me and I now accept all the help I can get.Going to local alcohol services at first was awful,sitting in the waiting room wondering if you will see someone you know or even if you will know someone working there but it had to be done

Oh Nicole, I know that.  My stupid pride will kill me if I don't face the real danger zone that I have entered.  I am known to so many people in my area.  

I can't bear the thought of the stigma to me and my family. My son and daughter don't need further sh*t .  My heart is broken for them. They have covered for me for years.  What have I done to them?  Oh God !

Hello again, Joanna.  What is your professional option on my situation? Do you think I can succeed Selincro wise? I am in despair.

The grip of alcohol is so strong on me.  I HATE IT.

So, why can't I beat it?

You will have come across long term alcohol abusers, like me, no doubt. 

I want to stop ... when it is safe to.  I have made such a Godforsaken mess of things.  I hate myself for that.

I am sorry to be so pathetic... but that is what I gave become.

I will take what you say onboard.  You have the expertise.

Alonangel 🎇

Alonangel,

I am going to be careful how I answer this, and I will say upfront that I will not mess around telling you what you want to hear, but rather what you need to hear.  If I wrote this telling you everything will be okay, don't worry, it'll work itself out etc etc.... then I will be doing nothing other than enabling you to stay in the same place.

Selincro and The Sinclair Method WILL work for you IF (and it's a very, very big IF!) you always take the tablet, always wait the 2 hours before drinking and make some small changes to both your life and your drinking habits to help the process along.  It isn't a magic pill.  It needs you to work with it to get the best results.

I can say that it will work for you IF you do these things, because you have already had a reduction in the units you drink since starting on it.  Whether it will work or not, is not in doubt.  What IS in doubt, though, is your commitment to the method and to yourself.  Scientifically, it is already working for you - the only person who can sabotage your progress now is you, if you don't follow the very simple, basic instructions and suggestions of how to get the best out of the Selincro. 

The other day I suggested that you start reversing your negativity by reading the Options Save Lives forum to see how others have had success, what difficulties they faced and how they overcame them.  You could find lots of answers from how others faced a particular situation, and tackled it.  And you will see that you are not alone, no matter how much you think you are.  The feelings you have of being alone, and having ruined everything for everyone are simply the ways that you are justifying your drinking - you feel 'bad' so therefore you feel hurt and if you are hurt, you can drink in anger and say 'F' them all.  It's a vicious circle. 

So, have you looked further into that forum yet?  My guess would be no, you haven't. 

You don't sleep well, I understand that, so instead of trying to engage people in conversation on here during the early hours, why not take one night to exclusively spend reading more from others who are actually using the method.  Success breeds success.  And I feel sure that the others on here would be very happy that you are taking a positive step to changing things around so will not begrudge you a little time to do this.

What steps have you taken about learning to drink mindfully, as suggested in the hints and tips article?

Over the time many people on here have been so supportive to you and have suggested many different helpful, and useful, suggestions to you - from reading, to websites that help promote calm etc.  All sorts of things, that are free and easy to try and that may help you break the chain.  How many of them have you tried?  My guess would be absolutely none of them.

I do not say this to provoke a reaction from you, but my point is that in order to make major inroads into your drinking habits, in conjuction with the Selincro, you MUST also be willing to step outside your comfort zone and try something different. If you keep doing the same thing, you will keep getting the same results...  But that 'thing' you need to change can only be a very, very small thing at first.  Even a small change, for one day a week, will begin to chip away at your old habits.  It really isn't as difficult to do as you want to think - once you have achieved something small, you will see that.

In addition, you need support.  I hope your doctors appointment this week will provide that for you.  Most of your behaviour seems to still be what is often associated with drinkers - anger, sneakiness, hiding drinks etc. The odds of you being able to see the Selincro through to the final extinction of your cravings is reduced whilst you do this.  One day, I fear, you will simply say sod it all, and stop taking the tablet permenantly.

So far, you have all been about what you can't do.  There is always a reason why you can't do something.  How about focusing on something small to break the chain that you CAN do?  Whatever that is, is completely up to you, it's your life, but once you achieve something small it will spur you forwards.

When I counsel people using this method, my role is to help them understand WHAT they are doing, WHY they are doing it, HOW to maintain compliance, HOW to monitor progress and find ways for them to discover what fits in to to their lives and then help them MOVE forwards.

I don't do anything other than help them find the answers that fit their life, so my best suggestion to you would be to use those questions above to find what fits best in your life.

Oh Heavens, Joanna.  You know me better that I can admit to knowing myself.  Wow ! What an honest, sincere reply.

I do tend to faff about, procrastinating... then ... well, we know the rest.

I will act on your excellent advice, this time.  I promise you and I promise myself.  I needed your "Wake Up Call"!

I will Post to you when I have achieved something positive.

My heartfelt thanks to you. You deserve many Blessings.

Alonangel 🎇 🙏🏼 😀

You are very welcome! 

Remember, I've been through it myself so I do understand what it is like.  I am now the 'other' side of the fence and trying to get you to jump towards me because I know how great this side is!

Here is the easiest way to think of it.....  the Selincro is the key to the door and will work to unlock the door for you, but you are still the one that needs to open the door and walk through it.