The Sinclair method- anyone with experience?

Thank you Ade. I just can't understand how this isn't being used for everyone. I have heard some possible explanations but It still just doesn't make sense.

To me what you are describing sounds miraculous - although I wonder if 'getting rid of the propoganda' was actually really hard?

I feel like if this is all true it needs to be headline news. With all the deaths and health complications and misery caused by alcohol use disorder- if it can really be solved this easily. If it works for me I will want to try to use contacts in the press to publicise it. Probably not worth me personally but maybe others will want to (but let me see if it works for me first!)

Hi ADEfree what a major achievement and life change for you and your loved ones .A joy to read .

As you have seen in by my posts I am 8 /9 weeks in to the Sinclair method and doing good with good results. I am curious as to when you reach the stage you are at now ADE how often are you taking the medication.I imagine it's infrequent so do you find the side effects of the meds kick back in.Very curious about this wonderful stage ?

I'll certainly second you on it needing to be headline news! Handouts at every AA meeting would be a great start!

Getting rid of the propaganda was as simple as taking the pill an hour before drinking (each and every time). Backing that up with mindful/conscious drinking techniques to keep the number of drinks per day lower makes things go more smoothly. Each month you do that, the propaganda grows more and more faint, while the conscious part of your brain (which isn't nearly so taken with alcohol) get easier and easier to hear. What's the experience like towards the end of the process? No fireworks and unicorns, just a big "Meh" towards alcohol in general. I don't hate it, I don't like it. It simply doesn't move me. 

It sounds like you'll probably do well with TSM, but whether you simply decide to give up the drink from here on out or use TSM, this is the last alcohol detox you'll have to go through!

I read your post Nat and I'm very glad for your progress. That's fantastic! 

Since December 28th, I've taken two pills as I've only had two evenings when I've imbibed. Two drinks on one occasion and one drink 10 days later. 

That's brilliant ADEfree this is how I hope to progress to and feel I will as long as remain compliant and mindful .The side effects of the medication don't kick back in then after such long gaps then ? That's mainly my concern for later .I take nalmefene

How hard is mindful drinking? My current style is mindless, deperate, drink as if its going to be taken away from me if I dont drink quickly drinking!

Hi sharon,

Thanks you for your email. I am in the uk. I didn't go through the NHS. I did originally go to my go but they said that any treatment would mean I would have to go to the local alcohol service and the timing just didn't work for me because of work - and also I wasn't sure I would even get this kind of help. I'll pm you to let you know who I contacted. I'm so sorry you were treated badly. As you can see, I don't yet know if this will work for me, but if it does I will mainly feel so happy, but I will also feel quite furious that this is not just more commonly used and known about- I don't mean that for me personally but for all the people and their families out there who this could make a difference to.

I don't even blame the young leader of your group- that is what they will have been trained to understand and will probably think they are doing the best they can. The problem Is bigger than the individuals who are doing what they think is right, as they probably don't know about this either. Somewhere (if this treatment really works) there is a problem with information sharing, training and protocol of treatment.

I'll pm you now.

Actually can you remind me how to pm?!

Hi Sharon,

If you google C3 Foundation Europe and then when on the website, click 'services' and then 'NHS Information Service', read and then complete the part of the country you live in, I can look up the exact local NHS Guideline for your area.

This will tell you who your local NHS has designated as the most appropriate provider to prescribe and monitor the medication for this method. 

Once you have this information and have it printed out to back you up, you can make an appointment to see the relevant physician.  Since this will be your local NHS guideline, no group leader or other such inexperienced person can deny you the right to be assessed for this medication by a properly qualified physician.

This is a free service that we offer at C3 Foundation as the NHS is an absolute mindfield to try negotiate and one of the most difficult parts of it is actually trying to work out who is the correct person for you to get the appointent with.

Joanna

Click on my name, tben onto message and a box for title and message comes up. I have PM you so you can just reply. 

Thank you Joanna. I am in Norfolk and self referred myself to NRP (North Norfolk Recovery Programme). Lovely lady supporter who was new to the Sinclair Method. I was hopeful until the experience with the group (another lady) and then first said lady became cagey. I will do as you suggested above. Thank you.

Hi, I looked up the list of Health authorities who use/have guidelines for using Sinclair Method etc since 2014. Norfolk does not seem to be listed! Neighbouring Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are listed. Any thoughts? Have I missed something? Cheers

Hi Sharon,

No you haven't missed anything.  I update the list as I come across local guidelines, and it's probably just that no-one has ever asked me to look up Norfolk before!

It'll take me a little while to do this for you, but hopefully I can get researching and find the details before I go to bed tonight (tomorrow am at the latest) and then I will email them back to you.

 

I've just been googling again and seen on sober recovery anything supporting the use of the Sinclair method is banned!

I am definitely going to try it and am so happy to see all of the posts here- but that kind of response does make it feel a bit scary.

Don't let that bother you!

We have the same issues when we try to discuss this treatment on Reddit.

A lot of forums work on the basis on someone stopping drinking and trying to remain abstinent - no matter how much immediate abstinence fails for their members!

Moderators of forums haven't done much research into this method and they don't agree that it is sobriety because it involves a gradual reduction in drinking, right down to abstinence if that is what someone wants.

Basically, they don't want people on their forums who are still drinking!

That is their problem - your recovery is YOUR recovery and that is what is important.  If they wish to remain ignorant to the clinically-proven, evidence-based medical treatments, then leave them to it and concentrate on getting yourself well.

Thank you so much!

I haven't seen anything re it being banned.....just that different authorities give it different go aheads. I think the point is that for it to be effective is that you do have to drink for it to retrain the brain receptors etc to become less addicted to the alcohol. In time you apparently don't really want the alcohol and can stop after one or two small drinks or something like that. I think it takes about 6 months for this to happen.

Yes I'm not saying it's banned for use In the uk, just that the promotion of it on other websites seems to be banned. And that seems strange.

Yes I think does seem strange. I'll do some more googling.

No it isn't banned (my previous reply got moderated).

What it is is that uneducated moderators of some forums don't view this method as recovery because it involves a gradual reduction in drinking.

People may be banned from TALKING about it on certain websites/forums.  That's their choice as owners of those websites and forums, but by banning open discussion just because it doesn't involve attempts at immediate abstinence followed by the almost inevitable relapses, means they are doing a disservice to their members.

It's a common thing and is mostly caused by a complete lack of understanding about the method.  Without full investigation, it looks like a way for a drinker to continue drinking, so many view that as 'not working towards sobriety'.

Sorry Joanna I wasn't implying you had been banned- it was that on another website it said that talking about it as positive wasn't allowed. And I found that strange/ slightly alarming.

I have found the information you will need

Will format it up into something that is easy to understand and email it to you later tonight.

 

And just to make you giggle even more, I've even found the information on the NRP website that clearly states they provide support for reduction in alcohol consumption using nalmefene!!!!

Not much they can say at your next appointment when you have this printed off, is there?  Present them with their own information that I will email you with later tonight, and politely, but firmly, insist on an appointment with the prescribing physician to be assessed for this medication.

Thank you!

Brilliant! Thank you so much!

Joanna what a star ! you are like a young Fairy Godmother to us all ! 😇

Thanks Nat, but no really.  I am just much further on in recovery and so have had the time to study and learn all about how to find my way around the NHS information that is made public

Sharon, I have emailed you the information you need to check your inbox.

For anyone wanting to know what I've been able to provide Sharon with, I cannot post the link here, but have attached a screenshot which shows that the Norfolk Recovery Partnership provide support for reduction in alcohol consumption by way of either naltrexone OR nalmefene.

 

I could do with this info myself Joanna as am currently waiting for assessment by the local ARC as I need to get the nalmefene or better still Naltrexone NHS prescribed

Which town and county do you live in Nat?  And which ARC is it, do you know?

(PM me if you want with the info, as you might not want to put it on here)

 

Thanks Joanna,

Have the naltrexone in my bag- can start tomorrow night- I'm feeling tentatively excited!

I will concentrate on getting well myself for now. But if I do get well my attention may well then go outwards somewhat!

You are doing amazing things and I'm grateful.

You are welcome and thank you.

Remember that although it's an absolutely fantastic medication, it isn't a magic pill and it takes you working alongside it to get the smoothest results.

Remember to follow the hints and tips which is the first article in this forum, especially paying attention to how to begin on half a tablet and eating first. Drink plenty of water and remain mindful.

Please let us know how you are getting along.

So last night was the first night with half a tablet. Honestly I'm amazed. I drank just over half a bottle of wine. Never in my entire life have I not finished a bottle unless I've passed out after drinking several already. I think I could have stopped earlier but carried on a bit bloody mindedly. But really I don't think I believed it could really have that kind of impact on me. I know it's very early days but I am so so happy 😊

This is excellent and indicates that this means this method will work for you as long as you remain compliant.

Do remember that this is a bit like an anti-biotic in that even though a few days with an anti-biotic will make you feel better, you need to complete the entire course for it to kill the infection, otherwise the infection may come back stronger and more difficult to get rid of.

You have a long-term goal with this treatment, and that is to completely extinguish your cravings for alcohol, period.  This can take some time - months in fact.  So, in the meantime, your responsibility it is to remain compliant no matter what, and to remain mindful the best you can.... even if you are going through a phase of drinking a little more than you wanted to.

But awesome, anyway!  Well done

That is fantastic to read secondslong, its bizarre isnt it when you realise you can put the bottle down and leave it alone ! Take all Joannas advice because  ,your journey has begun ! x

Hi Nat, hope you are ok. Did you back to the ARC and get the meds you wanted? xx

Hi lovely , I am.waiting for them to contact me for my initial assessment.I get the feeling it might all be a bit long winded.Joanna told me to request to see the prescribing doctor for my second appointment ..not sure how these places work ..How are you feeling , any less stressed ?xx

Hi hon.

My limited experiences of ARC's is that they work very slowly. I made a nuisance of myself in the end 😶 not the best way really. They still haven't answered my complaint. I'm not going to follow it up because it was for Naltrexone or Nalfamene. In the end hubby decided on Campral.

That seems to be working ok. Will be glad when Febs out of the way.

He did acknowledge that he could have fibrosis after reading RHGB's and vicks posts on here, but still won't get a scan 😞 nothing more I can do I think. He still taking Campral still sober. So nothing new at the mo. Its good to unwind a bit. Hope TSM still good for you xx

Well I hope you are able to chill out a bit and relax that mind of yours JulieAnne ! At least things are ticking along for you and hubs, I just wish for both your sakes he would agree to the scan but nothing you can you do if he won't ...grrrr Half way through Feb now tho 😊 TSM is good and I can feel it's effectiveness in quite a big way .The ARC thing seems a bit weird as I'm barely drinking but things would be very different without the meds and I don't want to undoe what's done so far .I can see we might have some funny conversations when I finally do get an appointment ...x