Naltrexone Cuts Urge to Drink

Q. I am a 62-year-old male emergency room nurse with a history of drinking 6 to 8 alcoholic drinks a day for the past 30 years or so. My drinking is confined to the hours between 5 and 10 PM. I drink because I like the buzz.
I honestly don’t believe my alcohol use is a coping mechanism, since my life is very satisfying both personally and professionally. I do have an addictive personality and used to smoke two or three packs a day. I stopped ‘cold turkey’ 20 years ago.
I have no desire to stop drinking, but I realize that if I continue at my present rate, I will eventually suffer health problems. I just want to reduce my consumption to a reasonable level.
I heard your radio show about naltrexone as a treatment and started taking it in January. I could be the poster child for this drug. In the three weeks that I have been taking it, I’m down to about two drinks a day, and have suffered absolutely no side effects. If this continues to be so helpful, I’d really like other people to know about naltrexone for problem drinking.
A. There is more information about naltrexone in “The Cure for Alcoholism; Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort” by Roy Eskapa, PhD.