Tsm the Sinclair method -scam?

[Hotdiggity766]

I've researched and signed up to the Sinclair method this weekend. I'm scared, but desperate after years of drinking and knowing I can't abstain, each year I just get worse, I know I can't get better, or at least I can't see it, it's been more than 10years now. I've just sent £449 to a Joanna from Sinclair. The trust pilot review look good. But I have to wait 5-7 days for them to contact me. Worried but desperate... Anyone had success?

Hi there,

Well this weekend I have taken 12.5 MG on Friday at 5 pm Saturday at 6 pm and today which is a Sunday at 2:30 pm. On Friday I poured myself a very small glass of wine and I sipped it. Zero cravings for any more. What a result. Woke up Saturday morning feeling very pleased with myself…. fast forward to Saturday evening and I had two glasses of wine, I poured a third but I didn’t drink it and emptied it down the sink when I went to bed. I did take the 12.5 mg slightly later than I should, I wanted to feel the difference. My first drink I immediately felt slightly euphoric, so I took my 12.5 MG then, it had the desired effect, albeit an hour later. Today I decided to do it properly, I didn’t want to test it, so I had 12.5 mg much earlier in the day, made a lasagne and at 5 pm sat out with a glass of wine which I really enjoyed in the sunshine. I then had my lasagne, I didn’t want any more wine… In fact I’ve just had a very nice mug of tea and listening to Tony Blackburn on BBC Radio 2 feeling very happy with my progress so far.

I can also confirm that the tearfulness and low mood that I experienced last weekend was purely down to personal issues. Because this weekend there is no low mood at all, I’m pretty happy, cracking on as normal and feeling fine.

I have had some little palpitations both evenings, and slightly raised anxiety now but nothing I can’t handle. I’m hoping that my body self regulates and the side-effects just disperse. Either way, it’s much better than binge drinking like I used to. I’m still attending AA meetings for the spiritual side and working on gratitude… And I can see how my brain is starting to find it’s dopamine hits from all the good things in life which are not alcohol related.

I 100% vouch for LDN.

Really recommend taking the required dose and always giving the 1hr wait, this is what all the literature advises. I believe you need to train your brain pathways there is no reward when drinking and you can't do that if you are drinking as a test, but I'm not an expert. Well done on cutting down, it's such a shock isn't it and you feel so much better for you, keep going.
I've gone 2months no drinking now next week and can honestly say all that anxiety and stress etc. was alcohol, it has taken time, but I am able to cope so much more now, I blamed lots of other things and thought it was just the way I was, it was alcohol.
Wishing everyone success on their journey. Never thought I'd be AF for 1month let alone 2 but after following the guidance strictly for approx 5 months and not deviating, following all the rules, I am finally free, I hope this will continue and am doing background work to support me on this path.
Thanks for the update, good to know how it works for others, keep updating, good to also help others as I couldn't find much on it so happy to help others in their journey as it can be such a lonely and desperate time to begin

Hi there. My this is my third weekend. TSM has truly given me my life back i keep wishing I’d done this a very long time ago, but I guess I had to get to the point where I myself accepted I had a problem, I tried everything to moderate and stay alcohol free but it never lasted.

last night I took 12.5mg whilst at work at 4:45pm and I had my great glass of some at 6pm. Hisband and I sat in the sun catching up on our days then we had dinner. I didn’t want anymore to drink. We actually went for a walk and then rnjiyed some herbal teas watching the new black mirror series. I was in bed at 11pm and it’s 6am and I’m up listening to Tony Blackburn on the radio. Two exercise classes booked in for the morning and I’m feeling very zen and really happy 💛🤍👑

One little pill, no side effects, it’s f** fantastic. I just hope everyone who’s as desperate as I was and looking for help finds these messages. Like I say, if I’d started t these ten years ago my past would have been very different.

Im so chuffed for you 💖💖 Two months not drinking is fantastic! I concur, it’s onlly with the clear head that we can reflect on how destructive and mind alternating alcohol is in large quantities. I will be where you are one day but at the moment, just being able to enjoy being a normal drinker and Oliver Reed disappearing is enough for me (& my husband!)

☀️🤍👑

Update; I’ve been taking 25 mg on a Friday and Saturday and Sunday, I’ve only been having two or three max glasses of wine. That for me is absolutely epic. Since I started on these, I have not seen sneaked to the shop to buy an extra bottle of wine, I’ve not Been secret drinking, I’ve not been going through the drinks cabinet looking for spirits or anything stronger,… It has worked an absolute treat for me. I actually do feel that it’s breaking the connection in my brain, and I’m thrilled. 💝🩵🤍

So good to hear it is going so well. Im on 75 ISH days now of no alcohol, I can't believe it, it's a miracle and never gone this long since my teens, never thought I'd see the day at times but always so desperately wanted to break the cycle. I haven't had too many test but I do have a holiday coming up in a few weeks which I know I will drink as I am not strong enough not to, I will take my tablets though and hopefully this will mean I will stay to only a few drinks here and there, and not take it too far or get into bad habits for when I am back as I was a daily drinker before. We'll see and I will report back as although it's not ideal I have to be realistic, but if the tablets work like they should I shouldn't go crazy and consume everything in sight

My son is just about to start this either through TSM or Rethink Drink, it’s really helpful to read of others experience and it’s taken him a long time to get to this point and finally accept treatment.

I hope it goes well for your son olive. He may need additional support after time, try not to be impatient like I was, I did need counselling/therapy support after approx 5 months as I couldn't see an end and group support has really kept me going.
I drank on my holiday, I didn't enjoy it at first, then I got used to it and did. I've been 2 weeks alcohol free again though, knocked it straight on the end once returned thank goodness and I do believe that is thanks to the tablets as my brain pathways couldn't develop again. I could be wrong as I'm not a doctor but I can only give you my experience, I'm so greatful not to be on the merry-go-round again, but I don't want to be complacent, I have had cravings come back especially with the weather but they are clearly not as strong as before these tablets so they are helping me be halfway there thank goodness, and I'm back with the group therapy, it really helps me not feel like I am doing this on my own

@Hotdiggity766 thank you , he gets his first prescription today, he has cut back his drinking in the first 2 weeks but once he has that first drink there is no off switch, I’m really hoping this is going to help and be a reset for him, glad to hear you are doing so well

@123mom @Viavita @LavenderHaze2004 how is everyone getting on, I'm doing really well, after joining a alcohol free group in march I've only slipped twice on planned occasions and got straight back to alcohol free afterwards, I think the two methods have helped me crack this, I've gone from daily drinker to about 150/158 alcohol free days since joing the group. Miracle! Hope everyone else is seeing success as I'm unsure if it's the nal or the group working for me. @TheOliveFinch how is it going with your son?

@Hotdiggity766 a work in progress, he is drinking a lot less than before but is still sometimes binging at the weekend. Fingers crossed glad things are going so well for you

Former addiction support worker chiming in here.

Please be aware that AA is broadly against TSM. There are support groups such as SMART Recovery, which is excellent.

Been reading through some of these posts trhanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

I've been doing my own research because getting support is really important to me and I don't like the idea of someone taking my money and then me not hearing from them. I have found rethink drink and they seem to tick all those boxes definitely not worth overlooking.

@TheMauveCrow my son has used Rethink Drink and they have been really good , he had an online appt with a consultant psychiatrist ands follow up support sessions which he has been very pleased with

That’s really great to hear. I reached out to rethjnk and they were really quick getti f back to
me. Still waiting on hearing back from the other one, so guess they’re not bothered 🤷🏻‍♂️

@LavenderHaze2004 please can I ask how you contacted Dr Merton - was it through this website?

https://www.sinclairmethoduk.com/

I’m hugely struggling and want to give Naltrexone a try. It sounds expensive but then again so is alcohol!

I have an appointment with a doctor through Rethink Drink. It’s not a GP it’s an addiction specialist. Https://rethinkdrink.co.uk

Thanks. Do you get a liver test as part of that? I would like one but don’t want to go through my GP.

@newme2025 Hey, yes that's what I used, this is what made me create this thread as I wasn't sure it was legit, but it is! I used TSM and it advertises support and the reviews seemed good, I had 5mins and no follow ups, I think if I asked I could have but I didn't want to feel like a burden. Everytime I emailed to ask a quick question/s I did get a reply with good advise, I was really disappointed. About 5 months in I signed up to a different group and purchased AF coaching 121 and it's made the world of difference to me.
Rethink drink sounds so much better and seem to did the 121 also, but I suppose they say the tablets can take months /a year to work as you are restraining your brain which took years to build to how you are so you can't expect it to work over the night so maybe the 121 is not effective when you begin as your are waiting for the brain to re-wire
@newme2025 The doctor who prescribed me naltrexone advised I must have a blood test within 30days in order to be prescribed any more. I didn't want to have blood test from my GP either, the doctor recommended where to go to have it done privately.
Also I do now think surely you can just contact a private doctor and ask for naltrexone and explain your symptoms and so just pay for the initial consultation with them and the tablets?

@Hotdiggity766 thanks for your reply. If I go private will it still go on my medical records? I really want to avoid that.

So I feel that the one-to-one support is most important in the early days to get me off on the right foot. I know if iwas left to my own devicces I would go off the boil and back to my old ways. I did speak with my GP, who said there is no doctor in the land who will prescribe naltrexone without support being in place, because it is telling you to keep drinking. And their guidelines say you are to stop all drinking.
I have gone with Rethink Drink because aside from the initial doctor's consultation and the cost of medication, there are no further top-up charges, like repeat prescription fees and having to retake liver function tests after so many months. I hearsd that TSMUK make you pay for another consultation with their doctor after something like 6 or 9 months, which I don't see the point in either, but its included with rethink. TSMUk's site sugegsts you don't need a liver funciton test to get started, but they do make you take one to carry on with the meds, whoch to me just feesl like getting more money from me. I didn't need a liver function test with rethink however I was interested to know what damage I might habe doneto my liver already.
If you don't want to pay privately for liver function tests If you're over 40 in the UK there is a standard option where you can go to your GP and ask then for an NHS health check. If you say you're concerned about previous lifestyle factors like alcohol, weight or energy levels they will do the relevant blood tests that include liver. That will go on your NHS records as a health check.

@newme2025 I am same as you and private doctor said no, makes sense as NHS and private are two separate systems. You have to give consent is my understanding

I have my first tel call tomorrow and haven't paid anything yet. I don't gave a liver blood test so does anyone know how the S.M. arrange this for you please. Many thanks

For the blood test the doctor told me to either go to NHS doctor and ask for routine bloods or you go to a clinic and pay for this privately, she helped me to find one online. Hope this helps. Good luck tomorrow

Thanks so much for your reply.

just got a random reminder about this thread and thought i'd pop back and see how everyone's doing!
it's been a while since i was properly active on here but I remember how much this thread helped me when i was in the thick of it.
I'm doing really well now, like genuinely, alcohol just doesn't have the same hold on me anymore. i can take it or leave it. i went to a work thing last week and didn't even think twice about it, which would have been unthinkable a couple of years ago lol
I worked with a coach called Steve and that was a big turning point for me, just having someone in my corner who actually got it
anyway just wanted to say hi and check in really, hope everyone's doing ok 💛 would love to hear how people are getting on?