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My nalmefene/selincro story so far.

Posted , 12 users are following.

michael1154
michael1154

I started on selincro eight weeks ago. I was drinking on average, two bottles of 14% wine every night and a bottle of spirits and beer at weekends. On special occasions I usually drink only spirits and get absolutely wasted. After Christmas and New Year, I became concerned about my health and had a full medical in February. It showed no apparent damage to my health from drinking. (Liver function, cholesterol etc all normal). However, I recognised that I was pushing my luck and needed to cut down if not stop completely.

I considered AA, but I don't believe in a higher power, so that wasn't a runner. By chance I heard about naltrexone/nalmefene and approached my GP for a prescription. It's not cheap, but then neither is my drinking habit! 

I started two months ago today, took my first tablet and continued on drinking as prescribed. Apart from nausea, dizziness, insomnia for about the first two weeks, the side effects were no worse that my usual withdrawal symptoms. I still craved a drink when I came in from work and usually gave in and had a few drinks. Gradually I noticed that I wasn't that bothered if I didn't finish the bottle and by the end of the first month I was no longer drinking spirits. By week six I could go a day at a time alcohol free. This past week, the only alcohol I have had is three glasses of wine last Wednesday, drunk at a civilised pace over the course of the evening. Last night, Friday night, when I would typically have had half a bottle of gin or rum AND two bottles of wine, I shared a bottle with my wife and was perfectly content to stop at that.

So for those of you who have started on nalmefene or similar keep going, it's worth it!

For those of you who have tried everything else, give it a go, you have nothing to lose and gain the chance of getting your life back.

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the link as it was to a site unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398316-adding-links-to-posts

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

1 like, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Panther
    Panther michael1154

    Posted

    Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Selincro so far.

    I take my first tablet today so am a both anxious and excited at the same time!!!!

    I will post again in a few days time but I was thoroughly encouraged by your comments. Thanks again.

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 Panther

      Posted

      Good luck Panther and, if you do get difficult side effects, persist, the rewards are well worth it.
    • michael1154
      michael1154 Panther

      Posted

      My pleasure Panther! I know exactly how you feel. Don't let the side effects put you off, you may feel 'odd' for a while but it passes.

      looking forward to reading your story too!

    • ray21540
      ray21540 PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      Hi Paul, I found that I can't message you on this forum so contacting you this way.  I wonder if you would be so good as to join the discussion we are having on ..............'Selincro - sucking the joy out of life next couple of days - stop taking or reduce dose'  As I know you are an RMN specialising in this area it would be greatly appreciated . I am posing some questions after a comment was I was not taking nalmefene as I should be doing. Having studied the Nice Guidlines and reason the licence was granted in the UK I find some conflict with TSM for individuals such as myself. 

      thank you look forward to hearing from you.

  • PaulJTurner1964
    PaulJTurner1964 michael1154

    Posted

    Great to hear of yet another success story with The Sinclair Method. This really IS by far the best chance people have of resolving an alcohol problem with a 78% success rate (in Finland) compared to less than 10% success rate for traditional methods of treatment.
    • lorraine82629
      lorraine82629 PaulJTurner1964

      Posted

      Hi Paul. Not been here for a bit. Hope you are ok. I have really cut down on my drinking and it is still a battle. Went to a party yesterday. It was great and I did well. Went home and went to my bedroom and slept. No one is here today and I have had a

      few drinks. Hiding it again really. Doing my jobs at home but

      the drink is keeping me going, I feel like a child at Easter hiding their Easter eggs.

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 lorraine82629

      Posted

      Without Nalmefene (Selincro), it is a battle. You are relying on will power and it sounds like you are doing very well but if you could get Nalmefene, the willpower requirement would be removed.
  • odishon
    odishon michael1154

    Posted

    Thanks for the post. Good to hear how it's going for someone two months on.

    I'm just about two weeks in and I have to say the subtleties of Selincro have taken me by surprise. For anyone wondering if you will still enjoy alcohol, you will. Or I am anyway. But whilst I am enjoying it the drinking monster as I call it, has been quietened. I'm no longer constantly thinking about the next drink but instead enjoying the one I have and the company I am in. The other night drinking alone I had two ready mixed G&Ts then half a bottle of red with dinner. Due to a heavy workload that week I was exhausted - and so I went to bed! This would never have happened before. I would have previously forced myself to stay up and finish the bottle. Sometimes then opening a second bottle and likely falling asleep on the sofa.

    None of the reduction in my alcohol intake has been due to willpower, I have drank as much as I want but it is very gradually reducing.

    I still grave it at the end of the day or during any of the other triggers. Those are strong habits and it will take a long time to break them. I'm positive if I carry on with Selincro though that even those habits will break eventually.

    • odishon
      odishon

      Posted

      *crave not grave! Freudian slip!
    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 odishon

      Posted

      I have heard this a lot from people using Nalmefene. The change CAN be dramatic, but sometimes it is gradual like you have experienced, Odishon.
    • michael1154
      michael1154 odishon

      Posted

      Hi odishon! 

      Glad to read that you are doing well too! Today I was treated to lunch for Father's Day by my daughter. Took a selincro this morning. Had a shared bottle of wine and no desire to stop off for more on the way home, (which would always have been the case in the past). 

      On a personal note, I am finding that even though selincro helps with the cravings, I still need willpower to deny myself that first drink. After that, I'm ok.

      Tomorrow I won't drink, I will go to the gym or go for a walk after work. And then early to bed!

  • michael1154
    michael1154

    Posted

    If anyone is wondering, the link that has been removed was to Amazon. To Roy Eskapa Book The Cure for Alcoholism. Well worth a read.
  • Paper_fairy
    Paper_fairy michael1154

    Posted

    Hi. Just had a bottle of wine. Only drank once in 6 months but needed the buzz! My doctor never heard of nalmefene and won't prescribe it. So where can I get it from and any advice on what to do ?
    • Paper_fairy
      Paper_fairy

      Posted

      She said you can ask alcohol advisory service but my friend says she meantioned it to them and they don't know about it either. So how can I get hold of it? Help..
    • michael1154
      michael1154 Paper_fairy

      Posted

      Hi Paper fairy.

      Sorry to ready that you are having a bad time of it. I cannot understand how your doctor doesn't know about nalmefene/selincro. All her or she has to do is Google it. The other version is called naltrexone.

       

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