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I'm a problem drinker, but I'm doing something about it.

Posted , 10 users are following.

SueEllen
SueEllen

I've been looking at my drinking habits for a few months now and last week, I decided that enough was enough.  Today I have started with selcincro having read through very many discussion threads and doing my own research.  I am determined that this will make the difference to my drinking which has been creeping up since I got together with my partner (who is a big drinker; but that's a totally separate story).  My average consumption is 40/50 units per week and whilst is frequently down to 25/30 ..... it's also on a few occasions hit 70+ ....... not good for my health, finances, work - and disasterous for my relationship.  I am hoping that it works for me and that my partner (and actually, a couple of my friends) will follow suit with actually pro-actively doing something about cutting down - without actually having to abstain for life via rehab.  Wish me luck!

1 like, 20 replies

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  • jacqueline85124
    jacqueline85124 SueEllen

    Posted

    Hi SueEllen,

    Good luck with your decision.  I hope it works for you.  I can identify with your situation because I too started on Selincro a week and a half ago;  I decided to go this route because a year ago I stopped drinking altogether for 7 months and it was hell because my husband and all our friends are heavy drinkers.  My husband resented me stopping, and I felt alienated from almost all our circle of friends.  I hope the Selincro is enough for me and for you to cut back without giving up completely on our drinking friends and family.

  • patricia44773
    patricia44773 SueEllen

    Posted

    Good luck SueEllen, I will be interested to see how you go on.  From what I hear Selincro is amazing....I hope it is for you.

    Pat.

  • SueEllen
    SueEllen

    Posted

    Hi Jacqueline, it's so interesting that you've mentioned your surrounding "crowd" as I myself feel that giving up drinking entirely would leave me most definitely the odd one out!  My partner is a heavy drinker but like me, is finally admitting and acnowleding that it's becoming too much, unmanageable and no longer "just a laugh / socialising" .  However, I need to start my own journey, do it for myself and create an improved way of life for me in which I can feel happy and satisfied.  If my partner can follow suit, then I'll be over the moon!
  • PaulJTurner1964
    PaulJTurner1964 SueEllen

    Posted

    Good luck SueEllen. Please feel free to ask questions here if you need any help as there are people here using it and I treat people using it. There is a lot of knowledge and experience here and a lot of practical issues to learn about Selincro. Used correctly, it is a miracle drug, used incorrectly, it can have no effect at all and minor things can make a big difference between the two smile
    • SueEllen
      SueEllen PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      Hi Paul, many thanks for the encouragement.  I took my first tablet yesterday and felt pretty woozy pretty quickly.  I had a few drinks (as per the point of the exercise) but did so at home, not in a social setting, as I wasn't sure how it would all go.  I didn't drink much as I didn't feel great.  The various descriptions of initial side effects have been totally accurate - feeling spaced out & slow; feeling rather sick; a bit crampy about the limbs and of course the dreaded lack of sleep.  I'm glad I started this at the weekend!  My question is this ..... I'm pretty sure that I will not want a drink this evening, but should I take a tablet?  Is it just a case of taking this for, say, a week with or without alcohol in order to "work through" the side effects?
    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 SueEllen

      Posted

      Some people do that, SueEllen, take it daily for a few days and drink, in order to get past the side effects. There is no harm in doing that at all.

      It isn't a problem if you take a pill and then don't drink. It IS a problem if you don't take a pill and then drink smile

    • SueEllen
      SueEllen PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      That makes sense, although hopefully by not drinking, I'm not just delaying the reduction of side effects?  It's too soon to tell, I guess.  No pain, no gain. Thanks Paul.
    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 SueEllen

      Posted

      No, the side effects are from the drug, nit the alcohol. The one thing you need to know is that you need to drink with the Selincro at least some of the time, to recondition your body to not expect the reward it gets from drinking. If you were to be given Selincro and told NEVER to drink with it, it would have no effect. It wouldn't stop cravings because your opioid receptors wouldn't have been trained not to expect a hit from the alcohol. Unfortunately, many doctors are prescribing it with this advice and then saying 'it doesn't work.' If it is used properly it does. But that doesn't mean it is disastrous if you sometimes take a pill and then don't drink.

       

  • melanie46211
    melanie46211 SueEllen

    Posted

    50 units per week is a lot ... I wish you luck, as requested :-)
  • Joanna-SMUKLtd
    Joanna-SMUKLtd SueEllen

    Posted

    Hi SueEllen,  I've already gone through this process and I can tell you that it most certainly worth persevering.  The side effects do lessen.  For me, I was trying to take the tablets on consequtive days so as to get the side effects over and done with as quickly as possible, but I did take one days break, then start again.  The reason was because my body was so tired from the effects that I thought a one day break with no tablet/no alcohol would help.  It did.  I slept well that night and felt more refreshed to do the tablets consequetively again until the side effects finally went completely.

    Like Paul, I provide help and support on here for those who are using Selincro.  I also operate a seperate support and information site about the method you are using (the method of one tablet prior to drinking and only on days that you drink is called The Sinclair Method).  If you need any help, support or just for information google search C Three Europe and the website will come up.

    It's packed with practical information, such as my own recovery from start to finish using this method, as well as other resources.

    I would say Good Luck but if you follow the instructions precisely like Paul mentioned, you won't need luck!  This is clinically proven to be able to help you but to get the best results you MUST follow the instructions precisely over the coming months.

    cheesygrin

    • SueEllen
      SueEllen Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Hello Joanna,

      Thanks for the information and the support.  I'm now on day 5 and I'm happy to say that the side effects have definitely lessened and I feel more back to "normal".  My intention is to take the meds for 7 days and then only on the days that I will be drinking alcohol.  I can already see that it's working and I'd say that my alcohol consumption has almost halved, which I'm delighted about.

      On another note, my partner (who also is a problem drinker), is attending an alcohol support counseller who had never heard of Selincro and totally dismissed this out of hand .... I was shocked!  He's relying on cutting down by keeping a diary (which I also do, religiously), being aware and using willpower.  Good luck to that!?

      All in all, I"m really pleased with my progress and am so happy that I found this forum.

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd SueEllen

      Posted

      Excellent stuff!  Thanks for the update.  I am sure that it will help others on here to know that the side effects do begin to lessen as they do appear to be quite horrid for a lot of people.

      Isn't it alarming that an alcohol support counseller who is supposed to be knowledgeable in their subject hasn't heard of it??  In my opinion it is disgusting to firstly not know, and secondly to dismiss it out of hand.

      Can he try his GP or ask to see the prescribing GP at the service that he attends?  There is really no need for him to have to whiteknuckle this.

      Alternatively, he can try asking the service for Naltrexone.  This is also approved in the UK and is often prescribing by alcohol services to help the drinker deal with cravings.  It is the same opiate-blocking style of medication to Selincro, so if he can get that he can then begin on the same method as you, but just using naltrexone instead of Selincro....

      But overall, I am SO very pleased for you.  Please keep us updated with your progress :-)

       

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 SueEllen

      Posted

      Unfortunately, SueEllen, that lack of knowledge, willingness to keep up to date and attitude is a feature of most alcohol treatment services in the UK. Many are run by people with no medical knowledge and very little insight into even detox, which has been around for decades. The diary approach without medical assistance simply doesn't work for the vast majority of people.

      So pleased to hear that The Sinclair Method is working well for you, but not at all surprised smile

  • jacqueline85124
    jacqueline85124 SueEllen

    Posted

    Hi sue Ellen,

    I'm glad to hear it's working for you.  I did the same as you; I took the tablets everyday for two weeks (two of those days I didn't drink but I wanted to be sure the side-effects had passed before taking a day off from the pills).  I have since taken two days off of both alcohol and Selincro. I must say that I did have cravings but I resisted. Although I, myself do not really feel any effects from the Selincro on my initial cravings for that first drink, I have reduced my consumption.  Just being aware that I won't drink without taking the pill makes me more responsible about my drinking.  This has also given me the breathing space to focus on when and why I drink.  I know that even with Selincro, I will have to continuously make decisions regarding who I spend time with and what I do with my time, because the cravings come with my habits, such as an afterwork drink or weekend late-night dinner party.   It's hard to be the only sober one in the crowd, even if you don't feel like drinking.  It is especially hard for me because my husband and most of my friends are heavy drinkers who have not yet come around to the same realisation as me.  Nonetheless, I hope I can stick to the Sinclair Method because I believe it can work.  Hopefully the three to four months ahead will shed light on how to deal with the social challenges I am facing.

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd jacqueline85124

      Posted

      Brilliant stuff!

      Yes, you understand this so well - the idea of the medication is two-fold.

      Firstly to help cut that circuit in your brain that makes you want to compulsively drink and because it is doing that, secondly it allows you to learn new techniques and behaviours and attitudes towards alcohol.

      A lot of people miss this second point, thinking it is a 'magic pill' and of course it's not.

      My experience of supporting nearly 200 people through this now is that those who thoroughly understand the method, why they are taking the pill prior to drinking, why it's so important to be 100% compliant and also LOOK for things they can make little changes to - those people build a much better foundation and tend to respond with less difficultly than those who might start thinking about skipping a tablet sometimes.

      So very pleased to read of your progress so far, and I am sure it will help many reading this forum.

       

    • SueEllen
      SueEllen jacqueline85124

      Posted

      Jacqueline, let's keep in touch.  Our situations seems to mirror each other and we're pretty much at the same stage.  It's encouraging to know that I'm not alone in the struggle for a healthier, happier existence!
    • jacqueline85124
      jacqueline85124 SueEllen

      Posted

      With pleasure, SueEllen.  It's so nice to know someone understands.  Helping each other can only make us stronger!!

       

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