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First experience with naltrexone!

Posted , 8 users are following.

Bangleina
Bangleina

Sorry this is a bit long winded!!

Hi there so I finally took the courage to begin My journey on Thr Sinclair Method! I've been a binge drinker for 15 years and my binges were becoming too often and too severe! I'd been to AA and know that the 12 steps work well for many alcoholics .. unfortunately not for me 😩 So I researched for months and came across TSM I read the book "The Cure for Alcholism" by Dr Eskapa and after trials and tribulations trying to get a prescription from a doctor for naltrexone in Australia  I finally found a doctor that would prescribe it to me but if in Australia you need to let your doctor know naltrexone is available on the Pharmaceutical Benifits Scheme (PBS) this is great as otherwise you pay $128 for 30 pills opposed to $38 with PBS on your script big difference! Anyhow... I haven't had any alcohol for 7 weeks due to being sick but yesterday a family function was happening and I felt it was a good time to start my journey! So I had a green smoothie took half a pill waited two hours ( when the function began) and ordered my poison a glass of cab merlot! It took me an hour to drink it but I feel that's because I was a little anxious due to not drinking for some time! So for the rest of the day I managed another two glasses but felt nauseous and had a big headache ( I was prepared for this) but my point is id usually wallop a full bottle of wine and then some! But I felt no need to have anymore after my three small glasses! I felt a bit off when I awoke this morning but it was good to feel no anxiety of making the usual prat out of myself and no major hangover! So hopefully this little pill is going to be my saviour! Long let it last! 

1 like, 21 replies

21 Replies

  • Robin2015
    Robin2015 Bangleina

    Posted

    Great! Your journey to change has happened. Never too late feeling rough is normal. Tapering down gradually should work. Best of luck from the UK to my new Aussie friend!
    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Robin2015

      Posted

      Thankyou Robin2015! The support is much appreciated ?? I think the mix of not drinking for 7 weeks and a new addition ( naltrexone) my body felt a bit off! But at least I didn't glue my usual amount and I had no feel for drinking today! So I'm sure I can get through the nausea and headache and learn to have a social drink rather than hide at home drinking away my anxiety... therefore adding to more anxiety! Xx

  • elaine42502
    elaine42502 Bangleina

    Posted

    Hi Bangleina, GOOD LUCK with your new experience. When you say you binge drink, how often could you go without a drink? Do you only take a tablet if you know you are going to drink? I truly hope it works for you, Elaine

    • Bangleina
      Bangleina elaine42502

      Posted

      Hi Elaine42502 thankyou for your well wishes that's  lovely of you x I can go months without drinking but then I shall have a "social drink" that ends up into a week binge from morning to night its herrorndous I then spend a week after the binge angry remorseful ashamed and embarrassed! And then I can have 3/4 weeks without any alcohol and then the binge begins when I start feeling good and believe I can socially drink but I simple can't! And it turns into a viscous cycle hence why I'm begginging the journey of TSM as the binges are scaring me and my family xx

  • Joanna-SMUKLtd
    Joanna-SMUKLtd Bangleina

    Posted

    Great stuff, Bangleina!  This start means you can be hopeful that, with compliance and effort from yourself, this treatment will work for you.

    First of all, until you get used to the tablet, be sure to eat before taking it and drink plenty of water.  This helps prevent the worst of any nausea and headache.  Once you are used to it, then you can just take the tablet with a glass on water one hour prior to drinking.

    At the moment, you are experiencing what is called the 'first-blocking' effects of the naltrexone.  In most cases, once the brain realises that it is not going to get what it is expecting, any honeymoon period will end and your drinking may go back to previous levels.  If this doesn't happen to you, then great.  If it does, then do not worry.  Recognise that this is normal for many using this method and this is when the hard work starts to happen.

    Remember that this treatment is a partnership between you and the naltrexone.  This means that your part of the deal is to remain compliant and let the medication do it's thing in the background BUT it's important to understand that it isn't a magic pill and does take a little effort from you.

    We are not used to having control over our drinking, so it can take a little while to learn, but once you hear the signal from your brain that you are done with the drinking, start making strides towards putting the drink down.  As I say, this can take a little practise because we are just not used to it - any element of control is something that we have just not experienced before.  There may be ups and downs as you do this.  So, you may achieve it for the first 5 times and then on the 6th time, you might overdrink.  That is okay, you are only human!  The aim is to lengthen the number of times that you have control and eventually you should find that the control element of this treatment becomes as easy as riding a bike!

    Good luck and keep posting so we can walk the journey with you.

    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Thanks Joanna your reply is much appreciated xx yes I agree compliance is the only way I can make it work! But I'm just so happy my first drink in 7 weeks didn't turn into a week binge! A lot of that is to do with my mindset of really believing that naltrexone shall help me! My drinking is sporadic so I go often without a drink for weeks but then have a horrendous binge so I'm expecting peaks and troffs the one question I'm curious to ask is even though I've had my first experience with naltrexone I might not drink for another two weeks does this challenge how the naltrexone shall affect me? Thanks for all your previous support and current support I do appreciate it and hopefully if anyone in Australia is wanting to learn more about how to get naltrexone in this country I might be able to help! Because it certainly was not easy!!! Xxx

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd Bangleina

      Posted

      No, it doesn't affect it at all, so no problem.

      Naltrexone can't extinguish a behaviour that hasn't been learned, so this is why we say that people should not try and force things, but rather to take the naltrexone whenever they experience a craving - which is unique to the individual.  This is your drinking pattern, which is different to mine, or anyone else's, but as long as you always take the tablet an hour before the drinking, then that is the main thing.

      So, stick to taking the naltrexone whenever the urge to drink hits you and you will be just fine.

      (ps not sure where you are in Australia but I spent some of my youth growing up in Freemantle, near Perth.  Lovely area.)

    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Thanks joanna xx this is good to know! As I'm not craving at the minute so I shall not force myself to booze!!! Fremantle is gorgeous it's very up and coming now! My dads lived there for 20 years I'm in Queensland on the Gold Coast I'm moved here from England ( York) about 12 years ago! It's a different world I do miss home but we are blessed to be here! Xx

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 Bangleina

      Posted

      Great! Live life to the fullest without the chains of alcohol. Soon 5 years for me and happy. You can do it! Robin
    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Robin2015

      Posted

      Thankyou Robin much appreciated! I intend to thankyou! Congratulations on your sobriety that's wonderful! May I ask did you use TSM or abstinence? Xx

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 Bangleina

      Posted

      Thanks indeed. No medication. Willpower only but I do NOT recommend this. Medication much better. Had 13 months old twins to care for ANDdrinking! But not driving drunk ever. Too much to live for!
    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Robin2015

      Posted

      That's fantastic Robin2015 oh I wish I had your willpower! I have for about 3/5 months and then boom 💥 well congratulations I think your an inspiration and I think 13mnth old twins would drive me to drink! ... I am an identical twin! My poor mother!!! Thankyou Robin2015 what a great role model you are xxx

    • Robin2015
      Robin2015 Bangleina

      Posted

      Thanks for a nice reply! Did you have your own secret language when you grew up? Ask yourself how your life willnbe ending if you carry on?? I did and it scared and worried me since I never took a break from drinking.. Brutal questions to ask but perhaps necessary. Robin
  • serenamay
    serenamay Bangleina

    Posted

    doesnt help cravings and if you get in a wreck youll be in massive amounts of pain. stupid idea altogether. i know the docs can do better than to try to prescribe you this. 
    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd serenamay

      Posted

      Re:  'If you get in a wreck you'll be in massive amounts of pain.'

      This is scaremongering Bangelina.

      Each packet of naltrexone comes with a medical card that you can put in your purse so that IF you are unlucky enough to be involved in a wreck whilst you have naltrexone active in your system (and remember that as you continue on this method you are using less and less of the medication anyway) the paramedics are trained to look for these type of things that note medications/allergies etc.  It tells them that they need to either administer another painkiller or increase the dosage of morphine to override the naltrexone.

      As a driver, pedestrian and a cyclist, I went a step further to put my mind at ease - I bought an inexpensive medical bracelet which I wore whenever I had naltrexone in my system.  Some people note it on their phone.

      I've taken, literally, many, many 100's of people through this method now and not one of them have been involved in a wreck.  IF they were, then they have taken care of the details as I mentioned above, and you can put your mind at rest.

    • Bangleina
      Bangleina serenamay

      Posted

      Sorry Serenamay I'm not quite sure what you mean? I asked to be prescribed naltrexone to help me with alcohol reduction and craving and thus far I'm doing ok please can you tell me what you mean that I shall be in slit of pain? Thankyou Bangleina xx

    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Thankyou Joanna I am somewhat perplexed by seranamays comment I wasn't quite sure of what the comment was referring to?! I've read as much as possible on The Sinclair Method and am on my journey and wish to keep my positive state of mind I shall appreciate any comments and questions but not sure if I'm willing to be targeted with negativity I am taking on board my trials and tribulations and am happy to hear both positive and negative comments on taking naltrexone but I shall not be scared! My alcohol abuse has caused me more danger than anything naltrexone has yet to cause me! Xxxx

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd Bangleina

      Posted

      Just to clarify for you, Bangelina....

      Both naltrexone and nalmefene are opioid-antagonist medications.  What this means is that if someone has neither of them in their system, then any opiates that are taken or given will not work.  Technically, this means that in the rare event that you are involved in an accident that renders you completely unable to inform a paramedic or hospital doctor that you have naltrexone in your system, then they would administer the usual dose of morphine for such an event and it just would not work to kill the pain you are in.

      As I say though, the chances of this happening are very rare, but just to cover yourself you should keep something on your person when you have naltrexone in your system to inform a paramedic or doctor in the rare event of this happening.  Then, they simply use a non-opioid painkiller or they increase the dosage of morphine until it overides the naltrexone in your system.

      Although an event happening is very unlikely, it's best to make sure you have something on your person 'just in case' and then you can forget about it and go along with your days normally.

      There is absolutely zero need for that scaremongering comment to prevent someone from using naltrexone to reduce their alcohol consumption, as you already are doing quite well from what I can understand :-)

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Sorry, I meant if someone has EITHER of them in their system...... (not neither)
    • Bangleina
      Bangleina Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Thankyou Joanna xx yes from reading "The cure for Alcoholism " and from my own research and beginning my journey with TSM I am aware of this but I greatly appreciate The reiteration 💖 Thankyou for also making me aware of people scaremongering because I was innocently curious of what on earth that comment meant from Serenamay! But each to their own and onwards and upwards!! Is it possible to message you Joanna as I wish to share with you the challenges and answers to be prescribed naltrexone in Australia and I hope to help others in my situation xx

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd Bangleina

      Posted

      Sure that would be great and really useful!  I will PM you my email address as it will probably be easier than messaging on here.
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