Alcohol withdrawal any advice pls?!?

Thanks Derek, and I am sorry to hear about your dad! Younare right there is no help for ppl who become addicted to alcohol!! Alcohol is a drug yet it is sold legally for the government to make profit. Yet I think its terrible that when ppl like myself have problems with that drug, there is no help or we are looked down upon.  My drinking started after my baby died in 2008 it just kind of krept up on me during the grieving stage, I have really good periods of it but that a horrible binge, which I know is dangerous. Ive booked in for some group thearpy 2mz I dont know if it will help but its worth ago x

Thanks all of that information I will definately try them all (anything to help).. 

No I havent drank since leaving the hospital, bcus as you said that is almost impossible, and I know one will lead to two then another then another and ill be back to square one before I know it, and I dont want that I really do want to get back on track.. But Im scared of the symptoms im getting which is why i came on here for some advice.. The shaking seems to have calmed down & I can hold down food now (as I coudnt when I left the Hospital) I explained to them that I was a type 2 diet controlled diabetic, and told them if I cant hold down food it would be very dangerous. I also had 2 hypos while there where my blood sugars were extremly low so they had to give me glucose, but they just gave me one anti sickness whille I was there and then still discharged me. Of course once this wore off I was being sick again! The sweating is really bad, I had a panick attck earlier where I literally felt like my heart was beating abnormally, I keep having weird nightmares, and the pins and needles are like being stung by a thousand bees (which ive read is my central nervous system).

You are right the NHS do not care about ppl with addictions they just judge us, its awful I wouldnt treat an animal the way some of them treat addicts!! I have always been a hard working member of society who got lost followig the death of my son, I think there should be more help and understanding instead of judgement and critisism. x

I agree with you Tar4. The awful thing is that alcohol addiction is a physical illness, your body reacts to alcohol in a different way to that of others, which is why you got into difficulty. I'm sorry to hear of the awful event in your life and I understand why that led to you drinking more. However, it may have been that which triggered your illness, but you would have already had that pre-disposition to alcohol addiction.

The Sinclair Method is a medical treatment which treats the actual illness. Counselling and therapy cannot successfully treat a physical illness. Yes, you can stop drinking, but you would then find yourself 'white-knuckling' through every day trying desperately not to give in to your cravings for alcohol. The Sinclair Method is a far easier way to recondition your body not to need a drink and that is why it has so much more success than any other method.

If ever you find yourself in trouble again, please do not try to struggle through the withdrawal symptoms. They can kill you.

If your shaking has stopped, it looks like you are past the worst, now. Withdrawal symptoms normally last about 3 days, although you may have some milder ones hanging over for a few more days.

The pins and needles will be improved by taking thiamine. You can get this over the counter at a chemist. It is also called Vitamin B1. I would advise that you get some and take 100mg twice a day for about 3 months. When people drink excessively, they get a deficiency of thiamine. This can lead to central nervous system issues as you have already realised. It can also, in the long term, lead to alcohol-related dementia, so it is important that you fix this deficiency. The vitamin B that the hospital gave you is likely to be a mixture of the different B vitamins and will not contain sufficient thiamine, so get the proper stuff yourself.

Again, I have to say, it never ceases to amaze me the lack of competence and bad attitude of health care professionals towards alcohol problems.

I should also tell you that I am an alcohol treatment specialist so I am not talking from the point of view of a person who has personally suffered a problem. I no longer work in the NHS because there is no way I could get a job doing what I do these days. They simply don't provide a service in most parts of the UK.

 

HI Tar. This is a good forum and you have had two professsional replies from Paul who has much experience. We fully understand how traumatic experiences can lead to more drinking and how hard it is to stop. I do think that this is opportunity to stop completely and gradually heal. Do not drink less and less as the doctor said since that could become the opposite and drink more and more.. I would....however, next week i am 3 yrs sober since I also drink too much and had most certainly hit rock bottom. I was a simply choice, loss my family and I had been warned many times by my wife and parents for many many years and this was it and I managed. Best of luck!! You can do it.. all the best from Robin

Hi Tar4, this is Joanna from C3 Europe.

The Sinclair Method is used to reduce drinking down to safe levels, and then at that point you can make the decision to either go completely abstinent like a lot of people do, in which case you only need to carry the medication with you 'just in case', or to drink occasionally.  As long as the tablet is taken one hour or so prior to drinking, you are protected from re-learning the compulsive over drinking.

Over the course of the treatment, with the reinforcing cycle of reward broken, the brain resets itself to its pre-addicted state.

In your case, my initial thoughts would be that you would begin The Sinclair Method when your cravings begin to return, but before they are so bad that you are unable to wait the hour or so between taking the tablet and drinking.

Your brain things thinks it will get the reward it is used to from drinking.  Under the method you will basically disappoint your brain because when you do drink after taking the medication no reward is forthcoming.  Repeat this over some months (each time you are craving) and your brain will eventually give up craving something that no longer satisfies it.

It can take some months depending on how often you drink and various other factors, and during that time you must listen to your brain when it tells you that it is pointless and that you've had enough, but without the constant 'more, more, more' going on in your brain when do drink, that is not a difficult thing to do if you are mindful.

There is a very basic breakdown of the method here

https://patient.info/health/sinclair-method-for-alcohol-use-disorder

Thanks Joanna.

This sounds like a good plan of action, as I'm ok for months then say for example there's a wedding or an occasion coming up, a few weeks before I start convincing myself that I'll be OK to go and have a few. I'm not sure if it's bcus I can't imagine attending without alcohol or if I'd feel to left out if I didnt go, or went but didnt drink. But by the time the event is a few days away I've thought about alcohol so much over the last week's that on the night I just drink loads & the next day I don't see a way out so I carry on normally for between 1 or 2 weeks.

I didn't used to be this way I used to drink socially without any problems. But after my son died I guess alcohol became a coping mechanism, then as years passed on and I grieved alot and didnt use it to cope, I've tried to go back to how I drank before however, I just can't as much as I try.

Anyway I'm rambling. Shall I just go to my doctors and ask for the medication?

Yes, the medication used for this in the UK is called Nalmefene (brand name Selincro) and was approved on the NHS.

Who prescribes it depends on your local health authority, though.  In some places a GP authorised to prescribe, whereas in other parts of the country only the area's alcohol specialist team is authorised to prescribe.  Even though it was approved on the NHS in November 2014, I am sad to say that some physicians claim to have never heard of it.  If needed, you can take that link I just gave you to your appointment as most UK doctors also have access to exactly the same document on this website.

Which town and county do you live and I will look it up for you?  If you don't want to say on this public forum, pm me and let me know.  You do this by clicking on my profile pic and then clicking the message button.

The medication is only prescribed along with some additional support to ensure you get the best out of it.  If this is an issue for your health authority to provide this to you, then we will tackle that later but basically I am trained to provide the required support so you would inform your prescribing physician that you have organised seperate support.  I do this for free so no issues there!

HI Joanne. I like your professional reply and can only assume that your work for a support organisation. Do not know C3Europe but thanks for the insight. Robin

Thank you Robin! 

I run and operate C3 Europe yes, along with a couple of other wonderful people.  All three of us help and support people right across the workd actually, along with providing information and resources, but we do this completely voluntarily.  C3 Europe is a not-for-profit organisation.

 

Hi Joanna,

Did you get the pm? I'm not sure if I've sent it correctly.

Yea, pregabalin also known as Lyrica is also used for seizure control and pain.  I take it for pain...and yes, it is an option for you...When you feel shaky take one and see if it helps.

​Another indication for pregabalin is anxiety and it can make you sleepy...I would take one tonight if I were you...may help you sleep better.

​Glad you did not give in to a drink...days should be getting better.

No, I didn't :-(

Are you happy just to reply on here with the town that you live?  I should be able to find the details just on that.

Birmingham. Thanks

Oh brilliant that's good to know. It's a week tomorrow since my last drink. I'm also glad I hung in there as ive been out shopping with my dad today & probably would have drank straight through Xmas had I not of stopped last week

Ok, thanks.

In the Birmingham area, doctors are not instructed to prescribe nalmefene UNLESS they are experienced in substance misuse and can provide the additional support I mentioned.

For Birmingham, prescribing initiation lies with Reach Out Recovery (CRI) and you can contact them for an appointment on 0121 227 5890.

For Sandwell, it is Swanswell on 0121 553 1333.

For Solihull, it is SIAS on 0121 3013600.

Sorry, that should say 'doctors are instructed not to prescribe....'

It's been a long day - that's my excuse for mis-typing and I'm sticking to it

 

Well that's good as I have a CRI worker. I haven't spoke to her for a while but will contact her after Xmas.

Do I just say I'd like to be prescribed it and explain the reasons why & she'll do it??

Pretty much, yes.... BUT make sure you take the following into account....

1.  Though the local authority say they can prescribe, it is sad (and shocking to me!) that a lot of these people in the CRI and others are not up to date and know nothing about this medication - you may well need to educate THEM.

2.  Read NICE guidance TA325 on nalmefene - a google search will easily find it.  It shows what the criteria is for the medication.

3.  If you CRI worker is not able to prescribe medication, you may need to ask to be assessed by the prescribing physician.

4.  A lot of these places seem to only believe in abstinence is the only way!  Don't let that deter you.  If you read about this medication and believe it might be suitable for you, let them know that you know that you have a right to be assessed for it!!  It IS available on the NHS and as a result, the NHS has a legal responsibility to assess you for it.  Don't let either their lack of knowledge or their personal beliefs get in the way of getting the help that you feel will benefit you best.

Lastly, take with you the link that I quoted in my first response on this thread.  They may need to look up what all of this method is about.

Good luck, and if you need anything else, just ask :-)

OK I will give it ago. I have watched some videos on this treatment method this week and think it would be very suitable for me.

Thank you again.

Please don't get upset or panic if your dr won't prescribe it. My experience was dr didn't know about the drug. I went back following Joanna's advice with literature and still wouldn't prescribe and said alcohol referral team would prescribe. They wouldn't and said go back to your GP for prescription!! If you can pay no problem and you will get the medication. Hopefully other areas are more helpful. Where I live, the only way to get this medication is to pay. Totally unfair, but hope you are luckier. Good luck

This is not untypical vickylou, it wasn't just you.

Once NICE have approved a medication on the NHS, then your local health authority have a LEGAL responsibility to have a system in place to assess you for it.  If there is a medical reason you can't take it once they assess and find you meet the criteria, then fine.

If anyone is in the same position as VickyLou, then complain to the NHS using the NHS complaints procedure.  This can be found by googling 'NHS Choices Complaints'.

Each local authority had to have a procedure for assessing patients for this drug within three months of November 2014, when it was approved.