Help my husband needs to detox and we cant afford it
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hello,
My husband has had a drinking problem for about 3 years now. He detoxed a few months ago then found out his father is dying and he fell off the wagon. He has been drinking every day about 10 - 15 pints a day to the point where if he stops drinking he gets the shakes and vomits. He wants to stop as hes about to lose his job, the problem is he cant afford to pay 900 GBP to detox again. The NHS is useless they do not care, they sent him to detox in a place that will not take him in until 2 months!! He needs to detox now. He is considering taking Nytol to detox and just sleeping for a week, will this work? What options does he have? We are completely broke and need help asap. I appreciate any advice, thank you!
0 likes, 19 replies
Joanna-SMUKLtd sin30073
Posted
Does he have the option of taking a week or two's holiday from work, and then gradually reducing the alcohol by a pint or two during that time? Or is some time off work sick an option? He doesn't have to tell them it is specifically alcohol-related, but if he can get his doctor to sign him off with stress or anxiety or something like that, it would give him a little breathing space.
Whilst there is a waiting list for detox on the NHS (it really is a part of the mental health services that is under severe strain with both cuts AND increasing demand), the advice they would give in the meantime is not to just stop as it can be very dangerous to do so. Please discourage him from just stopping without reducing the alcohol first. People can die when they try this, especially if the brain and body is under strain without alcohol and there is an underlying health issue that perhaps he isn't currently aware of. It isn't safe to try and do a home detox without medically help. He would probably be advised to continue drinking but try to reduce it by 10% a week until the detox becomes available.
I think taking any kind of medication that is not specifically designed to ease alcohol withdrawals would not be a good idea, by any stretch of the imagination. Especially something like Nytol which can be addictive in itself.
The sensible option is to continue drinking at reducing levels, so the body and brain isn't suddenly deprived of its chemical response to alcohol.
sin30073 Joanna-SMUKLtd
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply.
He has tried to taper off drinking on his own but he just ends up getting wasted again. He cant have just a few drinks, once he has one its all downhill from there.I was wondering if he can go to the emergency room as he cant stop throwing up even when he does drink. He needs help asap and hes about to lose his job which would be devistating for him. He has 4 days off in a row next week Mon - Thur so he wanted to detox then. His last detox he was feeling much better after 4 days. Maybe he can go to the emergency room on Monday, im not sure how they deal with this sort of thing. I really appreciate your advice!
l71207 sin30073
Posted
Please listen to all of Joanna's advice. I've done one emergency room detox, many many at home detoxes with assistance from medication and multiple at home tapers while sometimes ignorantly and dangerously going to work. The at home tapers were the hardest and the most dangerous while I'm pretty sure I had the dts a few times. I would hate for anyone to have to go through that at home but I too have been in that position where you have no other choice. Please don't stop cold turkey and don't taper too fast if you decide to go that way. I was up to 20+ shots of vodka a day with a pint of it at work sometimes. My last detox was the best and what stuck was I did it with Naltrexone and the Sinclair Method. Please look into this method.
sin30073 l71207
Posted
Hello,
Thank you!!! Did you just go to the emergency room and they took you in right away? We went to a few doctors to try the sinclair method and they all charged over 1000 pounds which we cant afford and the NHS wont give him Naltrexone, can I ask where you were able to get it? I think the sinclair method is the best option for him its just so hard to find anyone that will prescribe it without charging so much. Thanks for your help!
Joanna-SMUKLtd sin30073
Posted
I've just sent you a message with information on a private GP that is much less expensive. See your messages.
l71207 sin30073
Posted
I live in the United States so they treat it completely differently here. I was constantly perscribed benzodiazepines by my doctor. The first time was because I was going to Mexico for a wedding and I was worried about withdrawals. After that he kept prescribing it to me to detox at home if I wanted. In my experience they were way more worried I would die from withdrawals. When I went to the ER I thought it was for something else and when the ER doctor asked me how much I drank I was honest and they knew what was up. I was in the exact same state as your husband. Even drinking couldn't stop the throwing up and feelings of about to have a heart attack. I was sick, I had a blood infection but it was from drinking. They kept me overnight, detoxed me and checked on me every hour while administering medication then let me go home the next day to finish the detox at home. I've also just gone to the ER and they asked me what I wanted and I said I needed benzodiazepines to detox and after they checked my vitals and gave me fluids and meds they let me go home to detox. From everything I've read on this forum the UK treats it as a character flaw and not an illness. If it wasn't for the support of my wife of 14 years as well I'd be dead right now. Don't know if this helps but this is my experience. Please look in you personal messages as well.
l71207 sin30073
Posted
I don't get why in the UK they fight Naltrexone so much. It's a drug you can't get high on. It literally blocks and resets those receptors. I'm not saying the US is hella progressive but here I got it from a doctor that I met for the first time and just told her I wanted to stop drinking. She gave me a prescription 5 minutes later for a year that costs me $10 a month. ADEfree helped me find my doctor and I will always be in his debt for helping me save my life. The medication works and the Sinclair Method works. Why can't doctors see that?
sin30073 l71207
Posted
Thank you for this information, it is treated here like a character flaw here I'm baffled at how difficult it is to find help. This forum has been amazing. Thank you for sharing your experience, this really helps!
sin30073 l71207
Posted
When my husband went to his GP he asked for Naltrexone to do the sinclair method and the doctor outright said no. She then sent him to a NHS detox center which has space for him in 2 months!! He asked them if they can prescribe Naltrexone and she also said no that shes never heard of the sinclair method and that nothing like that will work that he just needs to quit completely via AA which he hates going to. We were starting to feel like were running out of options!
Chesca27 l71207
Posted
I have no idea why in the UK they are so fussy about prescribing Naltrexone, honestly one doesn't get any nice feelings from it, if anything some people get bad side effects the first time they take it. The first time i took it i didn't like it at all! I didn't know and i took it on an empty stomach & didn't drink much water, I was all spaced out and aloof for like 15 hours. The second time i took it i felt nothing and i had one mojito and could barely finish it. I switched to lemonade. Honestly i think its lack of knowledge on their part, its not a hard drug nor addictive. I hope they make it more available and also educate people who have a drinking addiction about it. It truly works!
Joanna-SMUKLtd sin30073
Posted
I can't say much about it at the moment, and it won't help you right now anyway, but we are working hard to get The Sinclair Method more easily available on the NHS. We are expecting this to start happening towards the end of the year, and continue one area of the country at a time throughout 2020/21.
The issue is that naltrexone was approved many years ago, and as a result the prescribing instructions is for someone to be prescribed it after becoming abstinent or AFTER DETOX, in order to manage cravings and help prevent a relapse back to alcohol. It is a generic medication so there is no one pharma company with any interest in promoting it for The Sinclair Method - they won't make any profit out of it.
If you fancy a little bedtime reading, it is worth you googling NICE guidance CG115. This sets out the procedure that organisations commissioned by the NHS are expected to follow. You will see that naltrexone can be prescribed after his detox (if he eventually gets that far) but they will expect him to take it every day and remain abstinent. The Sinclair Method way of taking naltrexone is not generally known by these organisations because it isn't mentioned in the procedures that they are to follow.
It also has to be prescribed along with psychosocial support and GPs don't have the staff (or the budget) to offer that care. Therefore, in most of the country, medications and care is commissioned out to the local alcohol recovery services for them to look to treat patients. They are under so much strain and budget cuts that there are, unfortunately, waiting lists.
It's extremely complicated and long-winded, sadly.
ADEfree sin30073
Posted
I'm going to send you a Private Message with a suggestion, you can access your messages here:
https://patient.info/forums/me/messages
sin30073 ADEfree
Posted
Thank you so much!
vickylou sin30073
Posted
please read joannas message. she is a professional with plenty of experience,
please dont stop suddenly and go cold turkey.
sin30073 vickylou
Posted
Thank you I will convince my husband to not go cold turkey. I appreciate the advice!