Hi everyone, fellow alcohol abuser here.
This is my first post and after trying most things to give up, this week I obtained 14 days worth of selincro from an online pharmacy after reading about it on here and elsewhere and I'm going to post daily to say how it's going in case anyone finds it useful.
I'm quite excited about it as I don't want to go to my doctor, partly out of shame and also I don't want it on my record. Thought about AA though I can't imagine stopping completely but I've generally given up trying to give up.
I do 60-100 units/week, mostly red wine with a bit of lager and the occasional bottle of port but that's a bad idea becasue it ends up going in one sitting. So in the drinking pantheon at the lower end but I've not been more than 4 days without for about 20 years. Also my family are all at it too, my father god bless him consumes no fluid other than special brew and scotch and miraculously continues to eek out a rather sad existence at 70. Mother not far behind him though she at least manages a bit of coffee between the gin. My sister died last year from cancer following a life of fags and booze...you get the idea.
Anyway, yesterday was day 1. Took a tablet at 7pm and stayed dry in readiness of the alleged side effects. Glad that I did and I would advise anyone trying it to take the first tablet at home. It wasn't too bad, more a collection of "odd sensations". You definitely know you've had something. Headache, not dizzy as such but glad I wasn't driving anywhere. One of the kids woke me up very early so can't comment on sleep interference but feel quite odd today. Not ill as such but not quite with it and no desire to drink anything.
I might skip today's tablet as need to drive in the morning though on holiday from tomorrow afternoon so will have to have one tomorrow.
tingling and feeling odd is quite normal. However, I have never taken any medication and cannot give a proper reply. You will soon get lots of replies and advice here since many people have used and are taking Selincro. Best of luck! Robin
Very underrated drink is port and yes, once you've uncorked it, it has to all go, in one sitting.
Spoken like a true professional. It's a shame that we have to meet in these circumstances.
In the mean time, an unexpected challenge has presented itself. The missus has come home with a mixed case for the holiday and bless her she was beaming when she showed me as normally this would get the holiday started a day early. I know that I shouldn't drink without a tablet but I feel odd enough already so instead I'll do some unscientific research in to whether the side effects of selincro are sufficient to dampen ones spirits.
I'll report back with my findings.
Yes, used to love port and brandy shorts! Tried a small one at Christmas, too nice so not again.
My partner is on his 4th day taking these, hasn't got bad side effects which is good. He has taken one every day tho, he took Librium for 5 days and then was put on this. Would love to know how u are getting on? Himself tells me he is OK but know it must be hard. He will be 2 weeks without a drink on Wednesday.
Good advice for certain. Medication is often the way foward...Robin
Interesting, that I had little desire to drink and even though a bottle was put in front of me, I only was able to have only half of it and not be bothered.
So, I tried another tablet on Friday night and the side effects were similar though at least this time expected. Not unpleasant as such, just odd. The best description, albeit not a useful one for some, is that it feels a lot like the day after you take amphetamines.
Anyway, it looks like these pills are going to work in a different way for me. I basically have no desire to drink for 3 days after taking one so I'm going to take them on Friday nights which should take the weekend out of the equation. This by itself will cut my consumption by 50% and hopefully allow me to disassociate the weekend with drinking.
Perhaps I will eventually get used to them and could take them as prescribed but it's hard to see at the moment. That said, I would certainly encourage everyone to give these pills a try. Not got much to lose (apart from a couple of days!) and they may work for you one way or another.
seems great what you are doing. reducing by 50% is amazing. Well done. Robin
Hi Notsofast,
Selincro should be taken 1-2 hours before a drink, EVERY time you drink. They will not work long term otherwise. It's as simple as that!
Any side effects lessen each time you take a tablet, then you can settle into the treatment quite easily.
You paid a lot of money for these tablets and you are going to waste your money if you do not take them as described in the patient information leafet.
Hi Aiencorda,
Selincro is NOT curative on it's own. They will do not do anything unless he drinks on them as intended.
They should only be taken 1-2 hours prior to drinking and not on other days. If he takes them without drinking then all he is achieving is blocking endorphins from other activities during the day.
Please read the patient information leaflet that came with the tablets and follow that. Over 120 clinical trials show that this medication works long term but he MUST take it as instructed.
Hi Joanna,
Yes I've read the Eskapa book and I know that you are quite correct, however I'm happy just to go to bed sober for the moment. My first target is a full week off the wine which I've not done for about 20 years. 4 days is usually as far as I can get. I'd really like to see if I can do 4 weeks of abstinence and these tablets are giving me a realistic prospect of that.
Part of me would like to think that I'm just a middle class p*ss artist with a bad habit, and that if my routine...the 8pm bewitching hour followed by a march to the shop and the pop of a cork...can be broken for a time, then that will be problem solved.
I may well be overestimating myself of course in, which case...well, there are plenty more tablets where these ones came from and I'll have to quiver in bed for a week, but then at least I'll know my situation.
I have read up on the Sinclair method and read reviews and it does seem to work.I don't know why I'm afraid to let him drink, he wanted drink last night we were at a bday party I didn't agree or disagree but he didn't get any. I think I'm afraid he won't take the tablets and drink. But I think I will have to talk with him and try the Sinclair method. He would take the tablet 1/2 hours before he would normally drink which is late evening, he also smokes weed. So this tablet will not work (as good) or at all, u are better to drink on them only when u feel the need, he would normally drink every 2nd day
Being sober is wonderful as long as you are not having to white-knuckle it, but whilst you are not craving, please DO NOT take the Selincro.
All it is doing is blocking you feeling endorphins whilst you are sober. What is the point in that? Whilst you are sober, you want to be free to enjoy the fresh air, a spicy meal, a bit of exercise etc etc.
Keep the Selincro to one side and IF you start to crave a drink, take the tablet, wait 1-2 hours, and then take the drink. That way, your brain gets maximum benefit of targeting the endorphins that drinking causes.
The simple way to explain how it works is that when he craves or feels the urge to have a drink, that is when he takes the tablet, waits the time and then has that drink. The brain is disappoined because it doesn't get the reward reinforcement from it. Over time, the brain no longer associates alcohol = reward and cravings naturally lessen as a result of that.
If he tries to deprive himself, then he is falling into the trap of what is called the Alcohol Deprivation Effect. This basically means that the longer he deprives himself, the more the cravings actually increase with time, until such point as he does end up relapsing uncontrollably.
The basic thing is whilst he is sober, that is brilliant, but he should NOT be taking the tablet until he gets a craving/urge to drink. That is when The SInclair Method is used.
When not drinking, a person is free to enjoy good and rewarding endorphins from other activities. When drinking, the endorphins are blocked. This targetting of drinking endorphins only means that the brain soon learns to want what is rewarding, and moves away from craving what is not rewarding (drinking).
Thanks, will show him this and do it this way, I suppose apart of me is just paronaide, I can see the last 2days he has struggled abit and just feel he needs to also make changes get up and do more activities etc just slowly start changing his routine but feel the weed/himself is not leting himself do this also im sure the silincro tabs are making him abit of form to, but its early days and fingers crossed itl work out,
How are things going with staying off or with your tablets?