Naltrexone a year on
Posted , 12 users are following.
So I’ve been taking the pill exactly as described for a little over a year now.
I haven’t been being mindful at all but I have been entirely compliant.
I just wanted to post in case there is anyone like me out there- or who in the future looking into this method -can see my experience which has been different to the others here I’ve seen.
My change has not been miraculous- but I haven’t made any psychological changes to my approach to drinking at all- so this may be why. However, it has reduced. It is stilll too much- but much less than before and over the last few weeks - with no effort or change on my part- there have been several nights where I have drunk as little as a glass or two of wine. Just over a year ago this never happened. I never drank less than a bottle a night, rarely less than two, usually 3 or more.
I’m still not sure what’s the pill- whether this will work for me long term- whether it will be enough etc. Maybe these last few weeks have been an anomaly for other reasons. But I’m still going and still observing myself and still compliant. I’m not recommending others do it the way I am- but sharing my experience as part of the growing evidence base for anyone looking. I have been sceptical as well as hopeful about this method. I’ve never been a believer in miracle cures and this seemed too close to one. But although for me not quickly- there has been a difference. And let’s see where things are in another year.
Again- I have made no effort other than total compliance - Maybe this won’t be enough- maybe it will. Let’s see.
3 likes, 25 replies
merrydeath secondslong
Posted
Could you answer my questions? Do you take the pill every day and at the same time or does it vary? Are you taking 50mg of Naltrexone? 1 hour before drinking? What happens if you want a glass of wine during lunch on a Saturday and then plan to drink again in the evening? Do you ever feel uninterested in drinking but have some wine anyway *because* you took the pill? This happened to me a lot. Thank you in advance!
secondslong merrydeath
Posted
I don’t take the pill at the same time each day- I often take it before leaving work so that I know I can drink when I get home- if I want to drink in the day (not often) then I take it an hour before that. I don’t take it if not drinking but then there have only been a very few days over this past year where I haven’t taken it - as in I’ve drunk on almost all of the days.
I don’t necessarily crave a drink- but I think I want one- or I’m scared to try not having one. So - like I said- I really haven’t tried very hard. There have been a couple of times i have and it’s been okay- but I’m still I think s way off from doing this with any conviction. I would say I am drinking still out of habit and anxiety of not drinking. But despite this- as I said in the last few weeks there has been a difference.
I’m tentatively hopeful that this might be the start of something more- and it is very different for me- but I don’t yet know. As I said I have always been compliant- as I understood this to have been the only rule and I have stuck to it. As I said let’s see what happens next...
secondslong merrydeath
Posted
Have I drunk because I’ve taken a pill even if not interested- it’s hard to answer because I think I’ve always clearly had some kind of drive to have that drink. So perhaps my body was less interested but my mind was still... at least not wanting to be deprived.
These last few weeks I haven’t tried any harder or put more effort in- but the drinking has reduced. Last night was the first night in a while when I woke up in the night from alcohol and unable to sleep. I worried that I’d drink two bottles again- in fact I’d drunk slightly under one...
secondslong
Posted
My story is not like the others posting here- my intake has definitely decreased quite a lot from before I started a bit over a year ago- but nowhere near me saying yet that it’s like a miracle cure. I hope that in another year I might be able to say that.
alex01280 secondslong
Posted
Eight weeks in and my drinking is down by around 50-60% and I'm wondering if that's all that is going to happen or will there be further decreases down the road. Will find out soon enough.
?Lucky to have had no bad reactions to the drug but unlucky that I'm not one of those people on YouTube who never drank again after their first pill!
?Appetite down, slightly more irritable and now have plot-driven dreams. I'm assuming these could be caused by Naltrexone as they have all happened since taking the medication.
?Naltrexone strikes me, at this stage of my journey, as The Two-Step Programme. Step One: Take Naltrexone. Step Two: Do something useful with all the non-drinking time you've suddenly freed up. I think I need both steps to really get the numbers down.
l71207 alex01280
Posted
That's kind of what I found when I started taking Naltrexone. My drinking did drop dramatically but I was doing 20+ shots a day. Now I never drink during the week and occasionally on the weekend. To take up time I now work out almost everyday and have lost 55lbs. I read a lot and have a movie pass so go to the movies all the time. Also my son was just born so I think that will keep me busy as well. Definetly find something to occupy your time and you will enjoy it.
vickylou l71207
Posted
Enjoy this special time. You’ll never get it back and make the most of it. Believe you me, he’ll be grown up before you know it.
l71207 vickylou
Posted
Thank you!!! At 38 it was one of the driving reasons to make that change in my life and I'm so glad I did. I want to do right by him and my wife.
Robin2015 l71207
Posted
No drinking leads to a healthier and much healthier life. You will enjoy seeing him grow up 😁