r/SinclairMethod

So I just started naltrexone a week and a half ago and originally my plan was to be completely abstinent but I did drink once because I was having a rough day last Friday. I saw how the med could work and I was amazed. I posted about my experience earlier. Now I'm thinking that the Sinclair Method might be great overall to help me sever the connection in my brain between alcohol and pleasure and craving.

This community has been great so far and so kind in helping me out. I was wondering what's the best or most common method to use this program?

Drinking once a week? Twice? And how many and how long and eetc.

I'm completely new to this.

Thank you in advance

So thanks to the advice of a lot of people here I ordered the book on the Sinclair Method because my meds doctor has just been telling me to take naltrexone everyday for the past week and a half and left it at that but now I want to try this method so I ordered the book and I'm going to learn the proper way to do this but my question is how many of you "failed" in the beginning when it came to trying to control your alcohol or quit altogether? I'm trying to learn every scenario and also not maybe have my expectations too high. Thank you

1st week on Naltrexone

So I just started taking naltrexone last week. 50mg a day. I haven't drank since I started it until today. I was at the bar and had two dirty martinis with blue cheese olives. I enjoyed the taste but it was a weird experience for me because I didn't have that gasoline effect that I've been used to for the past 17 years. 37-year-old now. Is this what I'm supposed to feel? I enjoyed it but I also didn't need to have three four or five more. Now it's 1:42 p.m. and I'm going to go home after only 2 martinis. Not because I'm cutting myself off but because I don't want a 3rd and it's kinda freaking me out.

I don't know if it means I'll go back out later but I just wanted to give a real time update and reach out and see what other people had to say from their experiences.

Thanks

So I got naltrexone about a week and a half ago and my meds provider told me just to take it every day in the morning with my regular meds and because of my job it's usually early in the morning. That's what I've been doing but yesterday I went to go drink for only the second time on that track zone around 3:30 4:00 p.m. and I definitely had way too much and had to call out of work today. Try not to feel guilt and shame because after talking to a lot of people on here I realized that the medicine probably wasn't doing its job in my system at that point and if I'm going to attempt this I need to follow the Sinclair method and not my meds provider and take the med an hour to 90 minutes before I start drinking.

Just mainly wanted to vent on here because I do feel the usual guilt and shame that comes from drinking but I'm trying not to because I was just misinformed and I want to get back on the horse and keep at this.

Thank you in advance for all the support

I was wondering if there's any zoom meetings for people trying the Sinclair Method just to talk and socialize and give advice and tell their stories.

I know back when I was trying AA there was 24 hr zoom meetings but idk if something like that exists for this?

I’m in the lounge looking at the bar with no desire to drink. However I know exactly how this would go pre naltrexone: 2/3 drinks in lounge, 2/3 drinks on plane, 2/3 drinks next lounge and next flight. I would then land at my destination anxious af to get more booze before beginning more travel where I would have no access to alcohol. I’d finally get to my hotel anxious and exhausted and probably nauseous for the first day of my vacation. Thank god for the Sinclair method!

I'm still above my targets but way down from the start. Almost no physical craving. My psychological craving are still present and I take my pill, wait an hour and am disappointed by the second beer, in a good way. Tomorrow will be 3 full weeks. My spouse is taking this very oddly. I've changed the thing she hated about me and I guess she is trying to find a new equilibrium.

So I'm a 37/m. Been drinking since I was 20. Was heavy from 21-34 and the past 3 years I've been either trying to quit or keep it just to weekends but even on weekends it would be 10-12 drinks a day.

I tried AA a couple times and while I respect the program and learned a lot and made connections, it didn't stick with me as a whole.

I'm on TRT and Antidepressants (Pristiq) and last week I decided to finally try Naltrexone. 50mg a day.

I'm sick of the hangovers and everything that comes with it. The anxiety, guilt, shame, depression, random online purchases, calling out of work, damage I'm doing to my body, etc.

I even read Annie Grace's book This Naked Mind and I know the damage alcohol causes.

I used alcohol as medicine for years but now since I've been on antidepressants and been in therapy for 4 years I'm just using it out of habit and addiction.

So....

Yesterday I had already been on Naltrexone for a week and things have been rough in my personal life so I decided to go out in the early afternoon for drinks to leave the apartment.

Here's what happened.

I love the whole ritual of drinking. Whether it's walking to the bar or liquor store. Picking out my poison. Pouring the first drink (if at home), and then that first sip and the euphoria that comes with it.

I threw on a polo and walked to the bar. I sat down at the bar and ordered a dirty martini with blue cheese olives. I took the first sip and it felt/tasted.... Hollow? That's the only way I could describe it. Wasn't good or bad. I tasted it for what it is. There's wasn't a euphoria or happiness or self-medicating feeling. It took me awhile to finish the one and I was doom-scrolling on my phone and when it was 3/4 finished the bartender asked if I wanted another and I automatically answered yes purely out of habit but after I said yes, I realized I could have walked away and it wouldn't have mattered. So I did drink the other one and I did notice a buzz but had no desire for a 3rd. It was actually a weird feeling for me.

I went home and played video games, but for reasons I don't wanna get into, I went back out because I didn't wanna be home for a specific 2 hrs.

I walked to the local brewery and sat down and ordering a large beer of this funky beer I wanted to try. It took me about an hour to drink it while I was on my phone. Same thing, I ordered another one purely out of habit and to see if I would get a buzz but I feel like it was more muscle memory than actual craving.

After the 2nd beer I left and went home and went about my night and didn't think of getting any more but I did notice hours later that the "Hangover" symptoms were exactly the same. It makes sense. It's a chemical and gonna do what chemicals do. Slight headache, anxiety, hot, slight sweat, dehydration and etc.

Just this one experience has taught me now that my life doesn't have to be black or white, all or nothing. I have bad OCD so this is great for me.

I take my naltrexone every morning so I'm covered for the day no matter what, even though the past 2 years I only drank on my weekends.

It was nice to be able to drink without the craving but I also need to be aware that the Hangover will always be there.

Thanks for letting me vent this all out. Mainly typed it out as a record for myself.

Hey all! I’m coming up on one year of TSM this month. I can honestly say the only nights I’ve overdone it were nights where I had forgotten to take the meds.

I do want to ask others experience though… my AF days have gotten easier and more frequent almost immediately after beginning this journey. No more white knuckling!

I went from maybe 6 AF days per month pre-TSM to over 12 AF days/month at this point. I’m still not where I’d like to be, but have made progress regardless.

I still genuinely look forward to relaxing or socializing with a few glasses of wine.

I’m recently noticing now that my AF days are lessening (only 10 last month), but my consumption is literally 1 and done. Is this normal?

For reference, I don’t think there’s ever been a point in my life where I only had one drink and said I was good and done.

I think the question here is obvious. I spent several days at a family event. I had to drive so I found it easy to not not drink alcohol. I drank about 15 Guiness zero over 3 days (whilst those arround me were consuming real beer). I didn't realise until today that it is actually very low alcohol beer. Whilst I understand that you can't get drunk from this beer I am wondering if this is a bad idea for alcoholics? They went down quite well. Worried I may have unintentionally set myself back.

I’m done. I’ve gone cold turkey before and have had seizures. I’ve tried Nal before and just drank right through it. This time I’m doing it for me. I’m very functional, no DUI’s and a great relationship with my kids. I’ve quit before and I had a year under my belt but I did it for other people. Now it’s my time. I visit a small town doctor What sort of conversation should I have with him. He knows my history. Is Nal something he won’t balk at or is it relatively safe for GP to prescribe.

The up and down thing is real. Wednesday night i took my Nal as I should and hit my 7 beer limit. I so easily could have done a 12 pack but stopped. Last night I had 2 after work and thought I wanted a few more after dinner. After the first one I grabbed the second and literally choked it down. My limit was 7 again and stopped at 4. I haven't drank only 4 beers in a day by choice in 10 years.

I got my Naltrexone scrip and I've committed to starting the Sinclair Method on June 1st, after a big anniversary trip I have planned with my wife. But I'm just too curious. Is there a downside to trying out the Naltrexone right now for a few days to see my reaction, but then going off it for my trip with the intention of fully committing come June 1? Thoughts.