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The Sinclair method- anyone with experience?

Posted , 17 users are following.

secondslong
secondslong

Hi,

I'm currently doing a second detox, and findng it harder than expected. Not because of terrible withdrawal, but because for the first day (yesterday) I still kept feeling like I wanted to drink (and that made me feel not just agitated, but quite upset and angry- a stupid feeling of being deprived without drink).

But anyway, today is a bit better.

But I'm really wanting to hear if any of you have done/ are doing the sinclair method and your experiece of it. The idea of it has given me hope that makes me want to cry. That I could be like other people, that it could not always be a life of trying and failing, and trying to keep something overwhelmingly hard at bay- a life of always struggling, just to not feel desperate for something that I know will kill me, and destroy my ability to do a job I love and am good at, and worst of all to destroy my beautiful son. And the sense of a double life, of lying, hiding, feeling like I have a permanant black secret that would make everyone see me differently and jeaporadise my hard fought for career.

The sinclair method sounds so miraclulous that although I have tentative hope, it just sounds too good to be true. I am supposed to be starting next week. I have been reeling over the last week, with hope and then depression. I would love to hear anyone's experiences of their reality whether good or bad. 

Thank you.

Secondslong (because  for so long I feel I have been struggling through every second, knowing that in the length of a second, i can pick up the bottle and take myself back to obvlivion, but that if I dont I feel equally deperate. I have nothing but empathy and sadness for anyone else going through this and I do truly know it is not their fault, but for myself it is harder not to slip in to self blame and self- loathing)

2 likes, 126 replies

126 Replies

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  • Kentish
    Kentish secondslong

    Posted

    Hello secondslong,

    It's great you found this forum. All the advice & guidance you need you'll find at C3Europe.

    If it helps I'd like to offer my experience so far. Albeit just a month.

    I'm an early 50's professional woman, mum & wife. I used alcohol as a support and became dependent on it drinking a bottle or more every night 7 days a week for at least the last 20 years.

    I started Naltrexone on 23rd Jan using TSM.

    It is a MIRACLE It has completely changed my life already.

    Ok miracles are divine interventions, I know this works on scientific fact so it's not actually a miracle ! .. it just feels like it! ..

    It has nothing to do with willpower, the pill each day curbs my interest. It's a joy and an overwhelming relief to know I can enjoy a glass of wine without the thing completely taking control over me as it has done every night for as long as I can remember my association with it. I thought it was my friend helping me cope I now know it was no friend and I visualise my little pill as my protector from its control..

    I now pour a glass of wine as I cook the evening meal and enjoy the rest of it with my food with no interest in a 2nd yet alone the rest of the bottle. Content for a cup of tea. I could never have imagined that. I saw no escape from being hung-over every single day until I found TSM.

    I was lucky enough to find a very sympathetic (private) GP who prescribed a month's trial. I return to see him on Monday and will be begging for a repeat much longer prescription! At £95 consultation and £34 p/m meds it's not a cheap visit but far less than my wine bill and the price of my health & the relationship with my family & friends I know I was destroying.

    I wish you all the best on your TSM journey if you don't get immediate results dont give up ! It will be more than worth it!

    I had pretty much no side effects from naltrexone it seems kinder than nalmafene in that respect but very bad insomnia waking every 2 hrs & still not a lot better 4 weeks on but I'm hoping & Im told it will pass. I still even with poor sleep feel a trillion times more alive and well than before.

    Please don't blame yourself or hate yourself this is not your fault!!! It is not a weakness. It's alcohol's fault for doing what it's done to you. For creating that desire in your brain. It's not your failing and it can be fixed. Your brain has the capability given time and the correct method to reprogrammed itself back. TSM will be your RESET button smile

    XxxX

    • Kentish
      Kentish

      Posted

      PS Joanna and others' advice about 'mindful' drinking is really important. Think about whether you really fancy that 2nd/3rd glass? If you're indifferent, DONT pour it.

    • ADEfree
      ADEfree Kentish

      Posted

      That's fantastic, Kentish! Thanks for posting about your TSM experience!

    • Nat666
      Nat666 Kentish

      Posted

      Hi Kentish It is really fantastic to hear how that your TSM journey is progressing so well It's judt so fab isn't it.I too see it as a miracle albeit a scientific process lol .I would never have believed that a little pill could just take away my interest in Alcohol after all the years of abuse , binges and heartache . It's great to hear you are easily managing 1 glass of wine a day now .A bottle of wine now lasts me several days and I am

      getting to the point when it I don't really feel like it much or enjoy it so days I drink are becoming less.I will be 3 months in on TSM on 8th March .I am going to keep going with having a drink a couple of times a week for now to keep the process established.

      I am taking nalmefene which is not quite so well tolerated as your Naltrexone and now in the process of trying to get it prescribed on the NHS .The side effects have not been too bad but it does give me bad night sweats which still linger after all this time,very uncomfortable and reminiscent of heavy drinking ! The insomnia I cure with half a sleeping tablet but its all a small price to pay to be feeling alive and hangover free

      Thinking of you on this awesome journey and keep on trucking ! 😋xx

    • secondslong
      secondslong Kentish

      Posted

      Kentish thank you so so much for sharing your experience. And I'm so glad it's going so well for you.

      I'm now nearly two weeks in and while not as miraculous as your story yet, it is still really very different to how it used to be. I was drinking more than you so I suppose it might take a bit longer. But I am drinking so much less than I was. I think I still find the mindful drinking hard and even harder to listen to the fact that I might not actually want another drink because it is what I have known for so long. But I have gone from 2-3 bottles per night to more often than not having less than a bottle and last night just a couple of glasses. I also last night went out and didn't make a complete idiot of myself so that is nice and new for me too.

      I would love to keep hearing how people are getting on along the way so please come back!

      Thanks again x

    • secondslong
      secondslong Nat666

      Posted

      Nat also inspiring to hear you are still doing so well. Thank you for updating. It's so helpful to hear ongoing stories.

    • Nat666
      Nat666 secondslong

      Posted

      Hi secondslong Really good to hear you are progressing so well too ..The TSM process is obviously working for you and already making huge changes in your life . Good good good ! Keep on going with it and keep sharing.. Fab to know how your doing so keep coming back x 😊😊

    • JulieAnne101
      JulieAnne101 Kentish

      Posted

      That is so good to hear Kentish. I do remember your earlier posts and how scared you were. So very glad for you. Long may it continue x

      Kind Regards

      JulieAnne

    • sharon07214
      sharon07214 secondslong

      Posted

      So great to hear from you and your progress. You seem to be progressing well...even if it is not quite as fast as you would like 😉💕....it is progress! I can't wait to start. Having looked into the private route (thank you for the info) I can't quite afford that at the moment, however Joanna has found that in my area it is a possibility to get it on the NHS. The soonest I can get the appropriate appointment for various reasons is this Friday and I can't edit to find out and hopefully start TSM!!! Will keep you updated. Thank you to everyone else too for sharing your stories. I keep reading and rereading them to keep me positive and forward looking. Bless you all. X💕

    • secondslong
      secondslong sharon07214

      Posted

      Good lucy Sharon- really hope they give it to you without difficulty. Let us know x
    • sheryl96253
      sheryl96253 Kentish

      Posted

      I agree that if you find yourself indifferent you shouldn't pour the next.  However, if it nags at you, you should pour it, right?  As I understand it, will power isn't involved here and we shouldn't "white knuckle" trying not to have a drink.  I'm still getting the hang of this and these conversations are helping me hone in on what I should and should not be doing.  Thanks.

    • ADEfree
      ADEfree sheryl96253

      Posted

      You've got it, Sheryl. Keep on testing like that and if you can leave off the next drink without your head nagging you about it, the addicted part of your brain is letting you off-leash and you can enjoy the feeling of your BAC levels dropping for the remainder of the evening. 

  • sheryl96253
    sheryl96253 secondslong

    Posted

    I was prescribed naltexone years ago with instructions to take 50mg per day. It had no effect on my drinking. After reading about the Sinclair method, I started taking the pill one hour before a drink. It's been about three weeks and it seems to have changed my desire and obsession for alcohol. I've read that for some people it takes up to a year, I'm willing to continue even if my progress is slow. I believe this is my miracle.

    • ADEfree
      ADEfree sheryl96253

      Posted

      That's wonderful, Sheryl! 

      Having successfully used the treatment myself, you may notice a rebound after an initial drop in your drinking levels. This is perfectly normal, as your brain is responding to less alcohol by upgregulating and reaching out harder for for it's "old drinking buddy". Just stay compliant with taking the Naltrexone an hour before your first drink of the day and your drinking levels will roll back down to a new low level. This up and down continues throughout TSM, but seems to be most pronounced at the beginning. One trick that I used to handle those upticks was to leave my drink out of reach so it was more difficult to auto-sip the drink whenever I got the notion. I eventually moved the drink farther away, even into a different room (while I kept a NA drink close by my side). This gave my brain a little more time to ask "Do I really want another right now?". Adding in little tasks and other diversions may find you forgetting about that drink for an hour or more. I started with just little 15 minute tasks I could knock out quickly and that just grew. 

    • sheryl96253
      sheryl96253 ADEfree

      Posted

      Thank you, those tips are brilliant. The mindful component of this will be difficult for me, but your advice will help a lot! I'm hopeful, but guarded. It's hard to believe that such a seemingly simple program could have such life changing results.

    • JulieAnne101
      JulieAnne101 sheryl96253

      Posted

      Hi Sheryl

      Yes it is difficult to take in isn't it? That such a seemingly simple programme has such fantastic results. My Husband is a different person now, we are leading a different life. Hoping new youtube videos will be out soon x

    • gwen45436
      gwen45436 JulieAnne101

      Posted

      Hi there Jules - soo good to hear this on your hubs - lifesaver that's for sure.  You are right - fantastic results and so good for sheryl and others to read.

      Take care  - and don't forget my steak is medium when you next host a dinner party lol smile smile smile xx

    • ADEfree
      ADEfree sheryl96253

      Posted

      I've read many reports from those that could not get a handle on their drinking any other way, Sheryl. I think you'll do fine! 

    • JulieAnne101
      JulieAnne101 gwen45436

      Posted

      Hi Gwennie. Yes we will be having a party near Christmas.

      How are you? You mentioned stomach problems as a reason why you couldn't take Naltrexone, have you tried Omeprezol? I take it because I have a hiatus hernia.

      We went to my Son's wedding yesterday and hubby was able to toast the couple with proper champagne and have a beer later on. What a difference!

      JulieAnne xx

    • gwen45436
      gwen45436 JulieAnne101

      Posted

      Hi Jules - yes I also have a HH  - no not going down PPI route - Ranitidine for me,

      G.

    • JulieAnne101
      JulieAnne101 gwen45436

      Posted

      Hi Gwen. Just seen your reply. Hmm yes you could be a bit stuck then if you have gastric problems. Hubby says the Naltrexone is far better for your stomach than Nalfamene

      xx

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