Weird-Oh again. I've been a little lax in reporting lately, as well as in following TSM. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not subconsciously thwarting my own progress, although I don't know why I would. I'd been doing pretty well until the Rally to Restore Sanity, where my wife and I stayed in a DC hotel with some friends from Florida who are both big drinkers. Had my Naltrexone in my suitcase, but kept forgetting to take it, and once I was at the bar, it was "Oh, well - I'll catch it tomorrow."

My wife had a cold all the time we were in Washington, and by the time we got home, I had it. I went a week without drinking anything because I was just too sick, but got out of bed to go to a friend's 50th birthday party where he'd stocked several coolers full of beer. The kind I like. Again I forgot to take my Nal, and again it was "Well, just this once." Ended up sucking down about ten Newcastles. I need to get back on the rails before this slippage becomes ingrained, but I wonder how much of it is the illness and how much is laziness or self-deception. When I take the meds on a regular basis, I start to see some results, but it seems like I always backslide. If anyone has any good ways of self-motivating, I'd love to hear 'em.

W-O

I'm afraid that when you 'forget' to take your pill as you have been doing it's a sure sign that you don't really want to be cured.

Now that sounds harsh and I may pick up some flak on it but this is so important that I wish I could reach out to you through your computer screen, and slap you upside your head!!!!

If you had heart disease would you forget your meds? If you had cancer would you forget your meds? If you had leprosy would you forget your meds?

Same thing, Bud, alcohol abuse can be just as life destroying as any of the above and you must know that or you wouldn't have started down this road with us. But because we 'like' to drink, and others let us get away with abusing this drug - we can 'forget' our med. So wake up!!!! Get real!!!! Get serious!!!! Take your Nal!!!!!!

Anyone who thinks this is harsh - the last time I got really smashed I threw up for hours in someone else's bathroom, and had to ride home in a van with my DH and 4 of his dearest friends for 3 hours, with my head in a bowl - now that's harsh.

Weird-Oh, get a pill container that attaches to your keys. Every pharmacy has them or order online at Amazon. That way you will always have NAL with you. You are better off taking it with your first drink than not at all. Alternatively if you are a daily drinker just take it every afternoon so you'll be covered in the evening. This recipe only has 3 ingredients (NAL+AL+Patience=Cure) you can't leave one out.

I agree, take the Nal at all costs. The keychain idea sounds good, keep it in your wallet, in your car, I keep some at work, and at home, I also put some in my watch pocket of my pants if i'm going anywhere and think I'll need it later. Have your wife hide some in her purse. anything. You'll never know if TSM would've worked if you don't take the Nal an hour prior every time. or at least 30 mins. in a pinch, I'll chew it up and wait 40 mins at least.

it's not a lot to ask for recovery

Good luck

Have to agree with BGH,sorry sweetheart, but it has to be tough LOVE. I also agree Joe. Get your wife to carry some, buy a pill case, put it in your pocket or wallet or shirt pocket, ANYWHERE you can find a pocket!! It is so so important for you & NONE of us want to see ANYONE fail. We love you, we're all brothers & sisters here.
ALWAYS, JANE

Wow - thanks for the replies. I think I do need some tough love at the moment, because it's all too easy to slide back into bad habits. The keychain pill box is a great idea, as is having my wife carry a pill in her purse. I had actually made a little pill pouch before I went to DC, because just tucking one into my wallet hadn't been working. Somewhere along the way, it always fell out. But I forgot to put the pouch into my wallet before I left, so it was still sitting on my desk when I got back. 'Course, I've been diagnosed with clinical depression, ADD and OCD, so that might have something to do with it. But I'd been doing OK up until recently, so I might just need a refresher course in getting off my butt and doing what I need to do, which you guys have kindly helped me with tonight.

You rock!

If you are that forgetful, one possibility is to place Naltrexone everywhere. Just to make sure that there will be no time when I don't have it available, I placed some tablets in the car, desk at work, briefcase and a couple of jackets. I like this approach better than the too conspicuous key chain pill container or a wallet where pills get crashed all the time.

But if it's not forgetfulness then you are simply not taking it seriously enough. Big mistake if so.

Yep ditto, as someone who has drunk without NAL, the only way I would if it was absolutely necessary and it was once when I was going into surgery and recently when I ran out and my shrink fired me. I have to get my new shrink on board and I think he'll be cool so long as my liver tests out fine. Nalmefene anyone!!!!! (thats the Naltrexone equivalent that gets processed in the kidneys. The perfect improvement to Naltrexone....go figure why its not available!!!!!! )

Hope all is well. I'm glad to be active again.....wow so many new folks. Makes me happy. My Best, Jim

Thanks for all the tips. I put my little ziploc pill bag in my wallet and am going to put a couple of tablets in my car so I can have 'em ready just in case. Talk about forced AF days; I haven't had a drink in a week because of this rotten cold. It's finally easing up, and I thought about going out and getting some beer tonight, but still didn't feel quite up to it. Probably just as well. I'm going to get dead serious again about taking Nal an hour (or more) before drinking. Have come too far to give up now.

I'd just add, one of the persons mentioned in Eskapa's book in the case studies had a special piece of jewelry made that was attached to a necklace that could hold not one, but two NAL tablets.

And I would add, you need one other thing on you when you are on TSM, which I believe Eskapa failed to mention -- something that could also be on a necklace or medical alert bracelet or card in your wallet: something indicating that you are taking NAL. Why? Because if you get in an accident or medical emergency, the medical providers should have that information. NAL can block many types of pain relief medication -- i.e., narcotic types. For the same reason, you probably don't want to take NAL before having certain types of dental work done.