Sandra 1 -
"Only 5 beers were left in the
refrigerator, and ... seven days later, they're still there!"
Sandra 2 - further reflections -- "One of the things
naltrexone can do for you is that you learn to drink like a moderate
drinker again."
Mary Sid --
"It's now been 38 days with no desire what so ever for a drink, ...
it doesn't get any better than this."
Sophia
1 --
"It all went like a charm, I stayed
within my limits... I had no problem turning wine down. I just
didn't crave it, but I did enjoy the glasses that I had."
Sophia 2 -- "[Since] starting
naltrexone I have not lost the 'urge to merge' ..."
Serena 1 -- "...Craving is
almost a physical/visceral sensation for me -
a feeling ... of uneasiness / anxiety. I still
think about having a drink ... however, (with
NAL) the craving is not there - gone - period."
Serena 2 -- testing naltrexone --"I
conducted this experiment...I suspect I drank about 3.5 glasses of
wine that evening and I had no difficult in resuming my course of
abstinence the next day. I suspect what I experienced, is what
"normal" folks experience, no sudden burst of endorphin activity to
reinforce to continued drinking."
Madame Bozo
-- "But for me, (naltrexone) wasn't practical. I personally only had
a psychological craving .... So why couldn't I [control] that
without taking a pill?"
Netty1 -- June 19, 2001 --
"The awesome part about the NAL is the
feeling that I have complete control over my choice to drink
(without beating myself up about my lack of self-control) in a
manner which is not detrimental to my physical or mental health."
Netty2 -- September 9, 2001-- "I've always loved the taste of a
good beer, or an occasional glass of dry wine with dinner. That is
why I still have a beer or a glass of wine with a meal. I can only
assume this is how "normal" people feel when they drink and why they
don't continue to excess."
Netty3 -- August 6, 2001 --
"The increase to
100 mg dose does have the desired effect (eliminating any
physical/mental craving whatsoever from the start), especially in
combination with my deliberate intent to work the MM steps."
Netty4 -- August 8, 2001 --
"As I read the e-mail my friend sent (about all the
breweries and brew pubs they were going to hit), I was astonished to
realize I don't want to take part in the event. The thought of
drinking beer all day does nothing for me...WOW!!!
So, I'm planning to be a great hostess and baby-sit all the girls so
my friends can enjoy their grown-up day in sunny Tucson."
Diana1 -- March 24, 2001 -- " Within a week (of starting
naltrexone), I just wasn't drinking. I still had that idea (to
drink)
pop into my head... but without the first drink sending a signal to
my brain that says 'Hey... that felt good - let's have another!' I
drank less and less, until now there's no point. So I don't."
Diana 2 -- June 25, 2001 --
"I'm still down the 26 pounds I lost since starting the Naltrexone
so it's not my imagination. I'm off 3 of the 5 medications I was
taking, I'm probably the happiest I've ever been - really. I'm not
paranoid, depressed, confused or delusion. Or terrified. And I do
believe it's because of the decreased alcohol intake. I'm present,
available, sociable. Too much to ascribe to Naltrexone?
Not if you ask me."
Diana 3 -- October 10, 2001 --
10/10/01Having taken
naltrexone for some 4-5 months, Diana is now stable, drinking
moderately, and enjoying life (to say the least!) to the fullest
now off the medication.
J. J. -- "I
have actually tried and I just get no buzz so get tired and give up.
I think I have cut the drinking to half or less of what was for me
normal. " Added: J. J. replies to another MM'ers negative
experience."
Tom Anon -- "So [the doc] suggested
I try Naltrexone to help cut back on my drinking. He said it would
reduce the cravings... but it had no noticeable effect, either
positive or negative. I concluded that I drank not because of any
physical craving. Also Revia had no effect on the way alcohol felt
or the amount I consumed. So I stopped taking it."
Slow & Pokey -- "I have been
tracking my drinking (on naltrexone) since March and I've noticed
that the number of times that I have been over limits per week has
dropped from 3 to about 1 or 2 times in the past 3 weeks... and I am
drinking slower."
Rere -- July 10 & 25, 2001 -- "Well
day 2 of taking NAL. The craving seems to be gone but the
thoughts are still in my mind." ... "I know the NAL is
working...I no longer have the urge to guzzle. The craving is no
longer there at all"
Clyde, 30 y/o -- The
Bang & Reflections on Naltrexone --
"That first "bang" in the frontal lobes is orgasmic, full of a
dizzying excitement and naughtiness that encourages me to drink
more." ... "I CAN say that I'm not only drinking less and less, I'm
finding that my interest in drinking has changed considerably."
Clyde2 -- two months on naltrexone
-- So the idea is that if I feel I must drink I'll drink something
"light" in alcohol and "heavy" as an inebriation obstacle. My
tolerance is/was ungodly. Now I have two beers and I feel woozy!
:-) And after two beers I'm ready to take it
easy.
A doctor in recovery is put to the test and tries naltrexone with
good results -- Suddenly
exposed to available opiates, this recovering MD was having a rough
time until he started on naltrexone. "Within days, I was no longer
irritable around the office. I knew the morphine was still there,
and I knew I still couldn't have it, but it no longer bothered me AT
ALL."
Alexander DeLuca, M.D.