New here and starting Topa and with a question

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Airam - always good to hear from you & hope all is well.

Sunny - love how you are the "moderator" here and keep everyone feeling positive. Hope so too for you! A couple of Guinnesses??? Take your own advice and do not feel guilty.

Illum - always love your posts; never a dull moment in the family, and annoyances with the hubby kindof crack me up. I soooooooooo understand. But you are in a good place and seems like things are going well. I was never able to access your link - I am on FB so may a pm and we can "friend"??

Where are our TOPA friends and why does it seem like there are only 3-4 of us on here?! Oh well, I say let's just keep on :-)) I am trying not to feel guilty about anything (thank you, Sunny)...and feeling the feelings of being medication-free after almost 2 years. Not sure I like it actually. Feeling like I am not covering my bases...but again, will stay this way until 2011 and then revisit what meds or combination to try again. NAL & TOPA?? but low doses of TOPA...ugh - my brain is still unclogging!!

[Illuminae]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Houtx, just sent you a PM, love to have you as a FB friend

Sun, thought you were going to PM me a photo, etc. ?

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Very quickly as I am on my way out - Illum - I did! I e-mailed it to you.

hugs, Sun x

[Illuminae]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hmm, I never saw it.

[Illuminae]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Oh, never mind, found it - went to my spam for some reason. Thanks for sharing!!!

[Illuminae]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!

Yesterday was offically my 1 Year Anniversary since I started The Sinclair Method. Ended up being a pretty good one too. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend found me happy as you know, but high on drinking units relatively speaking - not like in the pre-rehab (it was my 2 year anniversary from that) pre-TSM days. Last night found me pretty tired and I experienced one of those unexpected times when I just forgot about drinking, was nodding off in front of the TV. Called it quits at 10pm on the nose, poured the remainder of my wine back in the bottle and went to bed.

I feel great today!

I also had decided to go up to the 200mg after all, you might recall I had considered staying at 150mg because the SEs were bothering me, but I did and the SEs have seemed to have settled out, so perhaps that is having an effect as well.

My weight is also staying down so that is making me feel good. I'm still pissed off at my gym that has not been calling me back about setting up the training sessions I'm interested in. I'm going to call the fricking manager. Don't they want my business?!!!!

Hubby has actually started his diet so I've been very good at supporting him in his efforts.

Christmas shopping almost done and we're getting ready to go to Iowa for the holidays (where his family is from) OH BRRRR!!!!! Not sure this California girl is ready for that!

Hope you all are having a wonderful day! I need to get back to work!

:h :l :h

[joe12pack]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

good to see y'all on here. I've been on TSM for 9 months or so and have seen a 50% decrease in consumption, but want to augment TSM with Topa (because my shrink's a fan of topa) if I don't see another drop by the year mark. So I figured it's time to start showing up in here.

Some of you know me from TSM.com. so to save me from having to go through hundreds of posts here, could y'all answer me a couple of questions?

how does Topa work?
will my hair fall out?
why are there so few people around here.
what's the general consensus about Topa's success rate or efficacy?

thanks, and again good to see you houtx and illuminae

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Joe - I don't know you but I take Topa - to answer your questions - it works by lessening the desire for AL. You get to the point where you just don't want it - it isn't a magic pill and you still have to use a modicum of will power - you can drink OVER the Topa. It is very subtle. I can pour a Guinness and will drink some of it then think "I really don't want the rest of this" and will tip it out. I COULD drink it but really don't want it so will pour it away - BUT I could drink it, if you follow? Your hair falling out - some people find this is a SE. It didn't do this to me - I have VERY thick hair and my hair falls out all the time, so am not sure I would even notice. I had chemo four years ago when ALL my hair fell out (LOL- REALLY) but it has come back - and it still falls out so I don't feel I can answer that one - but as I said, mine is really thick. Why are there so few people round here? Mainly because Baclofen seems to be the drug of choice these days. I wouldn't even try Bac - too many SE and you have to play with the dosage but it works for many people. Topa worked for me. You do have to follow the titration schedule or it doesn't seem to work - you can't go up too quickly I don't think. the SE's seem better if you go up the way it says to. The rate of efficacy - again, it works for some - same as anything else. It is worth a try. I took it a year ago, and it worked for me - I was AF for 8 months then I stopped it (long story) and started drinking again. Started the Topa again but started at a higher dose - it didn't work - so started back at the beginning again. I am at a dose which is comfortable for me and am having one (sometimes 2 drinks) a night. IF it gets higher than that I will up my dosage. When I pour the 2nd one, often I end up pouring it out. Not sure if you have any other questions - feel free to PM me or post here - someone will answer your questions - there aren't many of us left on this thread but we hope to keep it going. Good luck to you.

Illum - good to hear from you - I am waiting to hear what you thought of the pics!! Am I as you thought????? I am on the 250 mg now - I take 150 in the am and the other 100 in the evening. I did go down to 200 but have upped it back to the 250 as the drinking went up slightly!! It really does make a big difference. So far no SE noticed!! Re Iowa and temps - it is really cold here right now so I feel for you going from CA to Iowa!

Houtx - there ARE only 3 or 4 of us here now - well, Joe seems to have joined us, so if he stays that is one more! I do hope we keep this thread going!! Laugh at me being the moderator! How are things going with the dating and the drinking then? I enjoy hearing about your life - being married for a LONG time, I have to live vicariously you know!!! LOL.
Wouldn't know what sex was if it jumped up and bit me!

Have to go and feed the dog - back later - hugs and love to all,

love, Sun xxxx

[joe12pack]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

thanks. I'll probably visit my shrink in a few weeks to talk about how to continue reducing cravings and numbers. I know she likes topa, not sure if she'd let me keep doing TSM with Topa, but it's getting to be time for a change. I said I'd give TSM a year, and that's approaching.

by the way, there's a guy on here who accuses tsm of being a cult, I got pissed and set him straight. sorry to start off here like that but if somebody throws around errant accusations I feel the need to set it straight. he has no argument except "see, I made you angry, therefore you are exhibiting cult like behavior"

it's looking like TSM won't get me all the way there so I'm oing to try something new Geez, I hope they let me out of this cult so I can try topa. pffffft.

[Illuminae]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hi Joe, guess you are just like me! Switching over here around the same time on TSM and everything. Nice to see you over here. Was it that damn 37 degrees that set you off?! He Did the same thing to me as soon as I came over here.

Sun - I thought you looked great and just fine for your age. You little granddaughter is precious and a mighty fine motorbike as well.

[sunshinedaisies]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Oh Illum - where is your tact and diplomacy - just fine for my age????? It should have been AMAZING for my age !! LOL

Joe - re others' opinions - have you ever wanted to change something about yourself?? Do you know how hard it is to change something you don't like about yourself? Multiply that by 1000 and THAT is how hard it is to change someone else. It isn't worth the energy - so forget it and don't worry about it. Don't let it bother you. Everyone has their own opinions. You might not like it but really - it takes too much energy which you need to fight your own problems. Stay here with us okay? Some of them here do do the Topa and Nal by the way - so good luck with it.

hugs to you,

love, Sun xx

[houtx]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

Hey Joe, muh darlin!!
So glad to see you here! I think you should hang in with the NAL/TSM and perhaps add TOPA to the mix. I am off everything right now, but if & when I decide to go back on meds, I think I will start all over with NAL for awhile. The add in the TOPA again but keep it at a low dose, going no higher than 100 mgs (for ME).

I checked the TSM website a few months ago, and one of the original posters, a woman who was part of the circle of women who regularly posted on "Aw the Single Ladies" thread...said she had faithfully stayed w/ the formula of success on NAL and 2 yrs later was barely drinking at all. It really gave me pause...the talk/question was always that the longer you've been drinking, the longer TSM takes to be effective....especially with women. Anyway, her testimony that "it works" after all that time really has stuck with me.

TOPA was good - at higher levels (when I reached 100mgs), I felt an "ehhhh, I don't feel like drinking or eating". But it didn't last long. I tried to "listen" to the subleties but I never really could do that either. It bummed me out for awhile, but I may be one of those people I either need to try everything a second time around or just go with the will-power.

I don't want to be AL-free forever, just have that "ehhhhhhhh, I don't think I feel like drinking tonight" feeling mostly everyday. Anyway - I ramble on. I say YES - try TOPA and NAL and come here and let us know how you're doing.

This thread is all there is on the TOPA group. Unlike NAL/TSM there is no website. So we all just post one after the other. No tracking progress, separate threads & topics, etc. It takes awhile to get used to, but here we are. Right now there are just a few of us, but at one time there were posts from a dozen or more. I suspect a lot of lurkers...

So, welcome, my good friend and keep us posted! Love hearing from you!!

XO

[WaitingToExhale]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

I'm HERE! OMG just totally buried in work and trying to help the Marines of the 3/5 - they are getting SMASHED in Afghan.

Please Please Everyone come back - no matter the situation. This thread NEEDS to stay alive.

All Hugs. And Houtx - you know me on FB and what I have been up to .. plaese let everyone know I hav ejust been nuts.

BUT - NOT GIVIONG UP THE BATTLE!!!! Sorry I have not posted . i swaer I will soon

JOE!!! Hey you! Stay please and share. Topa cane be an amazing help ...

Hugs to all as I fall into bed after another 16 hour day!!! LUB YA ALL!

[joe12pack]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

sunshinedaisies;1014736 wrote: Oh Illum - where is your tact and diplomacy - just fine for my age????? It should have been AMAZING for my age !! LOL

Joe - re others' opinions - have you ever wanted to change something about yourself?? Do you know how hard it is to change something you don't like about yourself? Multiply that by 1000 and THAT is how hard it is to change someone else. It isn't worth the energy - so forget it and don't worry about it. Don't let it bother you. Everyone has their own opinions. You might not like it but really - it takes too much energy which you need to fight your own problems. Stay here with us okay? Some of them here do do the Topa and Nal by the way - so good luck with it.

hugs to you,

love, Sun xx

thanks, not trying to change anybody, just didn't want anyone who reads that post to think TSM is a cult. that can't go unchecked as far as i'm concerned. I HAD to say SOMETHING. but usually I say a little too much. I am a long winded typer, as some here know from the other board. whatever though, I moved it over to PMs and am done with that. TROLLS TODAY........ I'll tell ya.

thanks for being here and I think I'll hang around with you nice folks:thanks:

[joe12pack]

New here and starting Topa and with a question

thanks houtx. more questions if y'all don't mind.
what would y'all say the pros and cons of bac vs. topa would be? why is bac so much more popular? mostly I'm thinking topa because I know my shrink is all about topa and i trust her about the safety of these drugs
and houtx? who was that who had the TSM success 2 years out? I want to read that thread.