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  • nevbear
    nevbear PaulJTurner1964

    Posted

    Hi Paul,

    this was the drug i had asked my GP to prescribe for me, i had been reading a book about alcohol abuse and there was a tried and tested method being used in Finland with this drug. she told me she didnt know anything about it and wouldnt even look at the paperwork i had printed to bring with me to show her. As i understand it this drug is expensive which made me wonder right away if this was the reason she said she didint know about it. it had also been on the news that week about trials in Scotland and how well they had gone. i do wonder if this is likely to be many GP's reaction?? i felt exremeley let down by my GP who has known me and my family for over 27 years. This was why i eventually took myself to a alcohol and drug abuse centre as i felt i wasnt getting any support from my GP. there seems to be plenty of support out there to help smokers quit, why not drinkers?? again i tend to beleive that if you drink you are looked down upon as if to say its your own fault. like i have said before im sure none of us went out with the fore thought that one day in the future alcohol would over take our lives and we would need some help to quit. well on a positive note Paul im now on day 24 without any alcohol. 

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 nevbear

      Posted

      This is the problem. GPs are likely to see Nalmefene as difficult to prescrive because of the lack of support available for those that take it, which goes against the guidelines.

      I am discussing with a contact of mine who also provides private alcohol treatment, an idea to help NHS patients to get Nalmefene on the NHS with the appropriate support. I don't want to say any detail here, but I will update when appropriate.

  • vickylou
    vickylou PaulJTurner1964

    Posted

    I had a meeting with my key worker at substance abuse clinic today and I mentioned about this drug. Apparently I don't drink enough to need it! All being well, my CBT will start in January.

    We also discussed whether I want an alcohol free programme, or a controlled drinking plan. My husband has a new boss who has asked us out for dinner this Saturday. I've discussed with my key worker about having wine with my meal which she said was fine and we agreed on no more than 3 glasses of wine. I'm getting confused reading all the alcohol forums as some seem to say you can't drink at all, and others talk about controlled drinking. Any explanation Paul would be much appreciated.

    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 vickylou

      Posted

      3 pints or half a bottle of wine is the recommended amount a person should be drinking to be appropriate for Nalmefene.

      Some people are physically dependent on alcohol and those people need a detox and to totally abstain from drinking. Those who are drinking too much but are not dependent should reduce their alcohol intake. Nalmefene is to help this second group.

  • linda85269
    linda85269 PaulJTurner1964

    Posted

    Hello Paul I consider myself to be in the category that could be helped by selincro as I do not drink 24/7 I just can't be satisfied with one drink once I start. Having read the article what should I do if GP declines to prescribe. Hearing about this tablet is what gave me the courage to speak to him and the alcohol dependant team regarding my problem. It was no easy feat to admit I have a problem but now that I have I don't where it leaves me.
    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 linda85269

      Posted

      I'll tell you what, Linda, I will ask that question of Dr David Collier on Monday on the Radio 5 Live discussion (3pm to 3.30pm - will be available on BBC iPlayer later). It's a good question and one which many people will be asking.

      Dr David Collier was responsible for the clinical trials of Selencro (Nalmefene).

    • linda85269
      linda85269

      Posted

      I will listen with interest
    • PaulJTurner1964
      PaulJTurner1964 linda85269

      Posted

      Well, I was all set, headphones on, in the BBC studio in Birmingham, and they played the interviews with the two patients who have taken Nalmefene before the news came through that the situation had escalated in the Sydney siege. They broke away from our discussion to give updates on that and ran out of time to finish the Nalmefene discussion, so Dr Collier and I never got to talk.

      It may be done again at a later date, and I will post a message here if I have a new date.

  • vickylou
    vickylou PaulJTurner1964

    Posted

    I was all set to listen in too! Sadly other events became more serious. My interpretation of gps prescribing nalmefeme is that in theory it sounds excellent treatment for some people. I've read all the NICE info, but like so many things with the nhs, the follow on support won't be available. It's easy to just write a prescription, but it's the ongoing social support that could be the stumbling block, so some gps won't prescribe it due to lack of funding
    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      Yes when I first plucked up the courage to GP and admit I had a problem , although he was sympathetic and said he had never heard of This drug when I encouraged him to look the first thing he said was it it expensive. That being the case if he says the same to me tomorrow I am wondering if it can be purchased privately. Surely 1 tablet a day is less expensive than alcohol? I will let you know the outcome of my visit. 
    • vickylou
      vickylou linda85269

      Posted

      Linda look forward to hearing how you got on. I mentioned it to my GP who had heard about it, but confessed to not knowing much about it. He looked it up in his BNF and said it was expensive but I didn't drink enough to warrant it, basically I didn't need it. He also said it was probably a drug that the practice wouldn't prescribe as it needed specialist support and follow up and resources were stretched enough already. My CBT has been put back to around Easter 2015 as there are far more urgent cases to deal with. In other words, unless you are having suicidal thoughts, self harming or have young children then you are classed as routine and not urgent! Good luck.
    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      Went to GP this morning and unfortunately my support worker hadn't sent any information to him so I have to wait until they sort themselves out. So wasted trip.
    • vickylou
      vickylou linda85269

      Posted

      Hi Linda

      how annoying, it's enough to drive you to drink. I've got an appointment with my key worker tomorrow morning. I will ask her about nalmefeme and see if she says the same as my GP. I will let you know the outcome. It will be interesting to compare a drs view with a specialists view!

       

    • vickylou
      vickylou

      Posted

      I asked my key worker about nalmefeme and she said there was a new drug still in trial stage. She didn't know what it was called but thought it wasn't available yet! She said I knew more about it than she did and asked her boss to find out more, which he did. It costs about £10 per tablet and is down to individual gp practices as to whether or not they would prescribe it. There are not many people who meet the criteria needed to take it and there is no hard evidence that it is worth the cost involved. As previously stated, there must be strict monitoring and support available to those who could be given it and unfortunately very few places are able to provide the level of support needed without additional funding. I was also told you couldn't buy it yourself. That's what I was told today at substance abuse clinic.
    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      Hi Vicky well I never. I have been told by my support worker that they cost around £3.70 each and you can buy them through Nhs Direct? My surgery has made contact with me to say they have now received a letter from my support and can I make appointment to see GP. The next one is next Tuesday so another wait and I don't even know what he I going to decide. I so hoped to have help over Christmas. Don't want to be Auntie slumped in corner
    • vickylou
      vickylou linda85269

      Posted

      Linda I've made it passed my birthday with 2 glasses of wine, 3 in the pub then no more. One of my kids videod me at a party and I was mortified by what I saw. Me thinking I was fine, then seeing the video. You don't need tablets to stop you drinking more.
    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      Well done but can you do it every day? Have you spoken to your family about your concerns? My support worker thinks it would be best to tell someone so I can share my concerns but I am not keen. 
    • vickylou
      vickylou linda85269

      Posted

      Yes my family and close friends know that from time to time I hit the bottle big time. My kids (all adults ) can tell straight away if I've drunk more than a bottle of wine. I think I'm fine, but obviously I'm not.

      i think I probably used to binge drink a lot more than you. I'd disappear to bed and drink whatever I could find for a couple of days, then stop and feel crap.

      i think it would be good to tell your family, are you sure they don't already know or have suspicions? I am going out for lunch today, am having hair and nails done first and will have a glass of wine at both places before meeting friends in the pub. The difference this time is I won't have a huge handbag with a bottle of wine in it! Good luck

    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      Hi Vicky what made you change things. When did you seek help initially? I have got worse over the summer and just one glass starts me off until basically bedtime.

      Enjoy today and let me know how well you've done please? 🎄

    • vickylou
      vickylou linda85269

      Posted

      I learned to accept that I'm anxious by nature. I used to use alcohol to help numb my anxiety. However I soon started to drink more often and realised I didn't want to be this person. I had too much to lose. I reached a point where drinking didn't help relieve my anxiety, in fact it was now making me worse. It no longer helped me sleep and had more negatives than positives. I wasn't alcohol dependant, but if I didn't address the main issue, anxiety, I would end up being dependant.
    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      Yes I realise I think I like numbing effect and I did really well last night when friends came round for dinner pacing my self glass for glass but when they'd gone I just couldn't stop at that and go to bed I just knocked back the red wine that was open sloughs I don't partially enjoy red. I had asked my pRtner to open another bottle white but he declined saying it was too late so as he was going up to bed that's when I necked the red. How did you do At your lunch? By the wY I can't seem to work this site very well. I can't find you unless you've sent a message. Any tips? 
    • vickylou
      vickylou linda85269

      Posted

      I'd be just the same, always up for a last drink. We'd come in after a night out and instead of going up to bed, I'd potter about downstairs and have another crafty couple of drinks. Lunch went really well and chose not to have a brandy coffee. I've just finished off a bottle of wine that was lingering in the fridge, could have done with another couple,but didn't bother. Do you drink in front of your partner, or do you have some hidden away so you hide how much you actually drink. I used to do that, I'd have bottles hidden all over the house when I was at my worst?
    • linda85269
      linda85269 vickylou

      Posted

      I do drink in front of him so when he has his 1 pint I always end up having had 1 to 2 bottles of wine. I just can't seem to stop once I have 1 glass. I don't have hidden bottles as yet but I have started to top up bottles with water to hide what extras ice had. Are you cutting down without help. You've mentioned CBT what is that?
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