Selincro.....way to go ? Scaredicro, moi ?!!! YES😞

Thanks for your experience and good wishes, sil99.  I have taken the tablet today. I don't have much wine in the house...a third of a bottle. Left over from last night,  usually none left ! I don't think that's enough, but I don't want to buy another bottle...as I stopped at two thirds of a bottle, last night.Weird. I always finished bottles (2).

Hi

I must admit if it is in front of me I will drink it, but if it not there I dont seem to mind, pour the last third sip it slowly and hopefully the pill will kick in and you want fancy any more.

Good Luck with that.

Ooops.......Meant wont not want.........even a spell checker wouldnt have caught that one.

Oh well. I just got another bottle...just for a Bit More... not much, of course.  Nearly finished it. Sooooooo fed up. Didn't even enjoy it. Learned behaviour? I cannot learn from previous mistakes. Button on REPEAT ! Maybe I want too much too soon from this tablet. I just want it to work...so that I don't want alcohol so much. Day 4 on Selincro... I may be fighting the miracle. I don't want to win.

Don't be hard on yourself, Alonangel. You've been working for many years to put the habit there, but take heart. It will only take a number of months to change it, the advantage is on your side. The part of your brain that drives you to drink cannot be accessed by logic or reason, but the Selincro can get to it and calm that part of your brain down. Cultivate patience in this matter, it will serve you well.

Yes, you are expecting too much, too soon - you need to settle a little more with the thought that this can take time.  As ADEfree mentions, the habit is well engrained and it is going to take far more than a few days to undo it.

Try relax and just let the drinking happen.  Don't worry about it at this early stage.  Go with the flow and let the tablet do it's work

Thank you. I think I need a patience pill, too. At least I did not get another bottle !

Thank you. I need to remember...a bit at a time. Early days etc.  It has worn off, now. I feel foolish for finishing that bottle. I don't think I should have. I stopped before the end of bottle, last night. I want to be able to do that again.  The compulsion to finish off the bottle is STRONG !

You do want to win otherwise you wouldnt be bothering with the pill.

The positives from your reply is

Firstly,it was only just over one bottle not the 2 or 3 previously.

Secondly the fact you didnt enjoy it would suggest to me the pills are working. The brain will tell you not to bother doing things you dont enjoy....

If I think how long it took me to get into the state I was in, and how I am now is amazing but I still need to work at it and not take the pills for granted.

This is not an overnight fix, it is a lifelong commitment.

I have no doubt that if you stick with it, you will have days that it seems it is not working, but those will lessen and you will learn to control your intake and eventually not fear the alcohol.

Who knows, if it suits you, you may want to give it up altogether although that thankfully for me is not a prerequisite of getting involved in the Sinclair method.

Good Luck going forward.....

Thanks. I have been thinking it all through, again.  You are so right to emphasise the positives, to me. Well, today is different. Didn't feel like wine, earlier. Had 2 ready mixed G&T's. Fine. Didn't want bottle of gin to mix own, stronger ones ! Now...a few hours later...want wine. Have bought bottle and had one large glass(third of bottle). Don't feel the need to continue. I hope this is the change I really need the help with.This is Day 5 on Selincro.

Like Frankie says:

The problem now of course is

To simply hold your horses,

to rush would be a crime

'Cause nice and easy does it,

nice and easy does it

Nice and easy does it every time

Hi Alonangel

Sounds good....

Just go with the flow, remembering to take the pill 2 hours before drinking, let your brain tell you that you dont want anymore, that shows it is working.

It will take time but you seem to have made  very good start.

Well Done You.

Cheers

I am annoyed that I went back to the wine.....later...and finished bottle.  So the day had more, rather than less. I seem to be getting worse again. Fed up with situ. Maybe the Selincro effect fades over the hours, or maybe I am fighting it....to find MY EFFECT. I thought I was trying to work with it, now I am not sure. I haven't taken today's tablet. Day 6.I think I will try not drinking any alcohol, at all, today.

Becareful about cutting it out completely.

Thank you RHGB.  I took the tablet after thinking about it all.  Don't know what to think, now.  Couldn't do a day without. One day. 

Do as you have been advised. Take the pill in good time. If you drink two bottles of wine a day, you are unlikely to succeed in stopping for a day. Try one and a half. If control is your problem, but a litre bottle (roughly one and a half bottles), try to drink a little more slowly. Once you can get that to work, try one ordinary size bottle,

You know how the rest goes.

RHGB is right, Alonangel. Remember the GABA receptors, if you go too fast you might run into anxiety, which could in turn make you drink more. Your first Alcohol Free day will come when you don't feel any cravings that day. 

Thanks for reminder.  Had bottle of wine, 10 units.  I did not go for another one.  Softly, softly, catchy sobriety !  Slowly, slowly,walk before run... crawl before walk. Crawling for now.  Still on journey, though !!

Thanks.  Will keep trying to keep it real.  Managed to stop at one bottle today.

I am no expert but I think I have read on here somewhere that the pills maximum effectiveness is for about 8-10 hours, so if you drink in the morning and then again in the evening you may not have the protection you think you have......

We are all in it for the long haul, and there will be days that we doubt the pills and ourselves. It will no doubt take longer than you hoped or wished for but stick at it.......nothing ventured nothing gained.

Good Luck.

Am sure I read that too. Also after eight hours and you wish to continue or start drinking again, you need to take another pill. Am sure either Paul or Joanna will give the proper advice

Thanks sil99.  I drink from lunchtime.  I find the 2 hours waiting, after the tab,  a really difficult time.  Later on, I think drink again ! If the bottle is finished....that is when I would go for more.  The tab does seem to be helping more, now.  I thought about more wine.....but did not go get it, last night. I feel a bit better about it all, today, day 7 for Selincro.  I really don't want to take a second tablet in the same day.  I need to monitor my starting time. Lunchtime must get a number...and stick to same each day.  It is so logical, in theory.  It is the reality I have trouble with ! Full of good intentions.  I really feel hopeful, today. 😀

 

Yes, if you take the Selincro at noon, for example, someone can take the first drink at 2pm and be fully protected for 11 hours (including the two hour wait time).

However, this doesn't mean because you are covered that you should continually drink - it is a protective window of time, not a target!!

So, if someone wants the first drink at noon, they take the pill at 10am.  Aiming to drink mindfully, hopefully over time the drinking will naturally tail off and that is the drinking session for the day, done.

Any drinking done later in the evening may not be fully covered, if that time is exceeded.  Some endorphins may get through and if that happens, then the idea of blocking them earlier in the day is basically pointless.

It can take a little careful preparation and planning, but people tend to do so.  Much better a little thinking ahead than drinking unprotected.

Hello JoannaC3Europe.  Your advice is spot on.  I will take my tablet at 12 noon, every day.  No drink until after 2pm. I must give myself a structure to work within.  I am still trying to put my mind into gear, towards drinking mindfully.  I count the time...then... whack it down ! Slowing down is a big challenge for me.  I drink at top speed...very bad habit.  I think it is the need for the effect.  I am worried that I will still crave that effect, regardless of medication.  I am trying my best to win this battle.  Your support is invaluable to a lonely soul.  Thank you. 👍

You are welcome!

Remember that you are trying to be learning a new way of drinking after so many years of a particular way.  It won't happen overnight, but it will given time.