How's Everyone Doing?

thanks, my appetite has much improved, seem to be constantly thinking of food which must be a good sign!

Are these the tablets to help you control the amount you drink? When you've had two glasses of wine, do you still want anymore? Well done, how much would you normally have had if you don't mind my asking?

No medication for drink, but I do take trazadone for anxiety. I've had long standing issues with alcohol and after many years was happy taking it or leaving it. However when I have an anxiety episode I will binge drink. Two bottles of wine for a week then stop. This last time seems to be taking longer to recover from. Lethargic, constant butterflies and depressed. I've not drunk spirits like I used to, two bottles of vodka in three days. Thanks for the reply, how are you?

Hi Vicki

That is exactly what I used to do with alcohol. Something would upset me and then I would think 'That's upset me. I'm going to buy half bottle of vodka'.

But it was not the way to deal with things. I only realized it late in life.

It's been 15 years now and if you can stop drinking you will feel proud when the first year is over and then it gets better.

I hate alcohol now. Maybe that is hypocritical but it is like when people stop smoking, they hate cigarettes.

Hugs Vicki

well done for 15 yrs for myself coming up to 3 yrs and not looking back. Very happy   

Susan I've never tried naltrexone/ nalmefeme. My gp had never heard of either of them, and the alcohol counsellor I used to see hadn't either, in fact I told her. She did some research and the next time I saw her she said it was a weird American drug trial! Enjoy your wine, we all have our own choices

You are a girl after my own heart, I totally understand what you are saying.

Cheers to you too,

Pat xxx

I think your GP should be sued for malpractice, obviously your GP does not keep up to date with newer treatments.

Nalmefene (brand name Selincro) is NOT a weird American drug trial!!

Nalmefene was approved by NICE in November 2014 specifically for treating alcohol dependency.  NICE approved this for GP's to prescribe in their GP surgery.  There is absolutely NO excuse for your GP to not be aware of it.

Here is the NICE link that you can read and print off and take to your GP - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta325

It clearly states....

''If you are dependent on alcohol, and your doctor thinks that nalmefene is the right treatment, you should be able to have the treatment on the NHS.''

In fact, it has been approved right across Europe.

If you are interested in trying this, I would march straight back into your GP and ask why she is not up to date, why she is having to look up things (and not looking them up very well), why she did not look at their own NICE guidance proceedures.... and most importantly, why she thinks she is a good GP when she doesn't even have the slightest awareness of a medication that has been all over the news since November 2014.  It is her job to help provide people with approved medications that will ease their suffering. 

There are a few side effects such as mild nausea and sleep disturbances (like with a lot of medications) but whilst uncomfortable these will disappear over the first 5-7 tablets.  They are no worse than a bad hangover anyway, and we've all survived many of those!!

Good luck if you chose to look at this medication as an option.

Joanna.

Susan, not sure if you remember our hour+ long phone conversation on Sunday 26th July?? 

The side effects WILL pass over the first 5-9 tablets max, usually they are much less after only 4 tablets and completely gone by the 7th or 8th tablet.  I told you that.  I've taken nalmefene, as have many others since in was approved in the UK.  I've spoken to almost 100 people now, and with support, we've ALL got through the side effects and felt the benefits of the medication.

Side effects happen with a lot of medications.  Nalmefene is no different in that.  Eating first and drinking lots of water during the hour long wait will lessen then to a certain extent too.

How many times did you take the medication before dismissing it?  If you took, say 10 tablets, and were still sufering then yes maybe the medication is not for you, but if you gave up at 3 or 4 tablets then you didn't give it a long enough chance for the side effects to disappear.

Joanna.

Good one Joanna.

It is certainly not a weird American Trial. The UK trial was carried out in Scotland before Nalmefene ( Selincro ) became available on the NHS last March. I for one have done very well on it.