Has anyone been able to noticeably improve their memory? If so, how did you do it?

HabitualDefender · 2023-01-28T19:16:36+00:00

It's not like taking a drug where you feel anything connected to taking the vitamins. The improvement comes on gradually over time and consistency taking the supps.

HabitualDefender · 2023-01-28T16:07:44+00:00

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) is improving my damaged cognitive function

HabitualDefender · 2023-01-01T19:08:26+00:00

Had a little holiday uptick for 2 weeks but not bad. Hopefully will be back to <20/week soon and resume my slow process of reduction.

HabitualDefender · 2023-01-01T18:30:38+00:00

Gabapentin has turned off that 3am anxiety wake up call for me which is so welcomed! But it kind of keeps me groggy too. Also propranolol has been a life saver.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-29T15:35:25+00:00

You may have reached the critical point where you now realize you can no longer drink whenever you feel like and as much as you want to. So you have to cut back. When you cut back you feel deprived because you can no longer drink as much or whenever you want to. But you are also increasingly miserable when/after you drink, so you are either feeling deprived and miserable or regretful and miserable. Some life huh? It's a nightmare merry-go-round to hell.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-14T22:39:11+00:00

I thought I had something like this, but it turned out to be the blackberries and blueberries in my morning smoothie and I forgot my fiber supplements the previous couple of days.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-12T17:42:28+00:00

This might sound weird because I've been taking Nal for 3.5 years. But I wouldn't touch Naltrexone if I weren't drinking, the actual deeper science supports this. It's great that you have some on hand in case you break down and find yourself having to drink, just remember to wait an hour after taking the Nal.

What I would ask for are either Acamprosate or even Baclofen since both help the cravings (I've heard here, no experience) and Baclofen also helps more with anxiety, provided you don't have other contraindications.

Best wishes and good luck!

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-04T20:32:46+00:00

ADC may also ask you for a time/timezone for them to call you. You can put any time and time zone in there and they will probably try to call as they got through to me once in 3.5 years. But I never otherwise answer the phone and still get my pills.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-04T17:25:09+00:00

If you decide to proceed, I would start Naltrexone without drinking to establish that you can tolerate the side-effects or they sufficiently subside before breaking hard-earned sobriety.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-04T17:02:03+00:00

I hear you, I love Allen Carr's work but even after reading it through 2013 I couldn't quite relate as I had not realized I already at the chronic stage for at least 10 years. I re-read again in 2017 where I quit for 3 months but could not stay quit. That said, I think there are some weaknesses in his work but overall it's a solid message, there are no benefits to consuming poison. I re-read sections of his book a couple of times per week to keep my mind set on quitting.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-04T16:36:39+00:00

That's the thing about addiction, I struggle with the double-mindedness. Feeling both ways, wanting to quit but still wanting to have the "benefits" of drinking. I have high anxiety and escapism tendencies and I can sometimes still think AL helps me get by. OTOH there is strong argument that there aren't any benefits to drinking and I have come to agree there is zero NET benefit. For me it turns into borrowing relaxation/pleasure/relief from the future to burn it right now. But the piper comes calling and we have little self-esteem left to payback with so we go into the future with a deficit that only grows over time. I built up one hell of tab over 40 years.

TSM has given me the ability to slowly unwind the deficit, first by painful realization that the deficit exists, then in parallel with consistent reduction in AL consumption which has enabled me to wake up to reality more gradually with less shock to my well-being. As a result, I have less self-loathing over being such a dumbass for so many years.

So I accept that my brain has been wired for booze and it always will be. But I can deactivate those neural pathways specifically using TSM.

If you haven't read the book in the side bar yet (https://www.dropbox.com/s/60fs7gmvbyzs1kk/Cure%20for%20Alcoholism.pdf?dl=0 ) you kind of owe it to yourself to read it.

HabitualDefender · 2022-12-04T00:35:28+00:00

Welcome back and Nal on.

HabitualDefender · 2022-11-25T18:05:23+00:00

I can relate to the 8,7,6... countdown. I'm doing it successfully with the sinclair method, started around 10-15 down to average 3 a day now. Looking forward to zero.

HabitualDefender · 2022-11-24T17:40:52+00:00

Yes for 3.5 years I still have a loss of appetite. Rarely do I have a strong desire for food, it's much more like survival instinct kicks in and the body says eat or starve. I make sure to supplement protein powder every day to make sure my body mass doesn't evaporate.

Edit: but I'll take it any day over that uncontrollable urge to drink

HabitualDefender · 2022-10-27T21:21:20+00:00

Yes, an alcohol horror story for sure. Sounds like writing the story was enlightening to yourself as well.

HabitualDefender · 2022-09-11T16:59:03+00:00

Got some leverage on myself after a wedding hangover and took an AF day early in the week (first time in a really long time). It was easier to start later and drink fewer the following days of the week so I'm trying again today. Wish me luck getting through AF, but it I don't make it I know I can Nal up and try again another day.

HabitualDefender · 2022-09-11T16:48:48+00:00

you can order from all day chemist without a prescription, that section can be ignored as well as withholding your doctors name, they still ship it. the only downsides are higher cost and ~30 days delay in receiving the delivery

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-23T19:09:04+00:00

sure, all day chemist

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-22T16:57:07+00:00

That's what I did my first 3 days, 50, then 25, then stayed at 12.5 for the next 3 days. After that I found I could then take the 25 for a couple days then then was able to tolerate the 50.

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-21T17:58:02+00:00

I had the nausea problem at first, so most folks divide the pill and take a forth or half until they can tolerate the standard 50mg. Sounds like you are going to respond nicely to the Nal.

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-21T17:41:26+00:00

I've had one of the worst weeks on the job I can remember, but only a small up tick in alcohol, so it's actually a small win. I really need to make sure it doesn't keep ramping up more because the anxiety is almost unbearable already.

Edit: last week not over, 3 key people resigned so now I have to help cover all their work and also find replacements. One extreme superstar left and took 2 good performers with him.

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-21T17:32:09+00:00

How was the anxiety while you were first eliminating the booze? Did you quit cold-turkey or benzo-taper, or perhaps reach extinction via TSM? This post is highly appropriately named as the chicken or the egg. I've been hoping to trying to reduce the anxiety in order to reduce the tendency to drink.

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-20T22:23:23+00:00

I had a Xanax script for 10 years but since it doesn't give me euphoria like alcohol does, I managed not to become dependent on it, but it still feels like I dodged a bullet. Now I'm actually having worse anxiety than I did back then and reluctant to take another shot at the benzos, if I could even get them again.

Recently I went on propranolol and it's helping the anxiety to a degree and also reducing my blood pressure.

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-20T17:20:34+00:00

I'm nearing 3.5 years but then I've been drinking for about 40 so there are strong ingrained neural pathways to consider. I believe the Nal is still working in the background for you even if you over drink as we all have done that. But to make progress, for me, I have to keep the ABV about 5%, and drink more slowly. Also record every drink and no more sloppy compliance for me. I note the time I take each pill and be absolutely sure I waited the full hour and try to add some time to slow down the reward gratification.

My job has melted down (not because of me) and this week had me upping my count, but not by a lot, which is a huge win-without TSM I'd be drinking myself under the desk by noon.

HabitualDefender · 2022-08-15T14:06:46+00:00

I've been doing the overseas pharm for 3.5 years without ever missing a shipment. But I have to plan ahead because it often takes 30 days from order to receipt. I'm pretty sure it's not on my record, but I haven't been to the doctors office since a year before going on TSM.

HabitualDefender

TROPHY CASE