Naltrexone/Nalmefene (Selincro)/The Sinclair Method Hints and Tips

Tar, Joanna can help you ferret out the route to getting Selincro (or possibly Campral, I would imagine) on NHS if that's what you were looking for. There can be a fair number of hoops to jump through and I would suggest you start logging/tracking your drinks every day in preparation.

There are private clinics you can go to as well, but they can be kind of pricey. 

These medications are prescription-only in the UK and most NHS areas have placed the responsibility to assess and prescribe if suitable to the specialist physicians at organisations such as the CRI.  You could try your doctor but it is highly unlikely that he/she would prescribe unless they felt comfortable dealing with patients with addiction issues.

Have you actually been to the CRI yet and asked to see the specialist physician there?

Just looked back over a previous conversation on here over a year ago and depending on the immediate area where you live, you will definitely need to book an appointment at the CRI using one of the following numbers:

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.

If you have already been assessed by the specialist prescribing physician, then what did they say when you asked for medication to help you?

Very precise replies from Joanna as usual!! Joanna is quite simply in another league! Robin

Thanks Robin, but believe me I am not really.  Am no different to anyone else here.  We all bring something different to this forum

u r right..I give advice on how to stop with willpower...IF you have reached rock bottom or feel as I have you have and quite literally are destroying your own life and the lives of those around you then THAT WE WAS ME 4 1/2 years ago and I did a U turn....can be done...not easy but can be done....Robin

Hi guys, as expected I had my assessment with the arc at SIAS last night and I mentioned the Sinclair method and naltrexone, anyway I was told that is not something that they use as there has not been enough research into the side effects and blah, blah, blah. So unfortunately this is not going to be an option for me 😞. They discussed all the other options to me but frankly it's all the stuff I have done before and it didn't work. So now I am just trying to make my mind up whether to continue with SIAS (the usual talking therapies etc) in the hope that something will work this time or keep trying on my own x

Christine,

The SIAS don't know it as 'The Sinclair Method' using naltrexone, because naltrexone is generally only prescribed to those whose are already abstinent.

The medicine approved, and the SIAS are authorised to prescribe to those still drinking is called nalmefene (Selincro).  Again, they don't know it as the Sinclair Method, so please contact them back and ask them specifically for

'Nalmefene to help reduce my alcohol consumption'.

This is exactly the same as The Sinclair Method, it's just they don't call it that.  If you google NICE TA325 Nalmefene, you will see that the wording I have quoted is exactly as NICE have approved the medication.

Hi Joanna, I did describe the drug to them and how it works but she said something like they don't prescribe medication which would aid the drinker to keep drinking, or something like that. I will go along next time when I have been assigned my key worker and try again x

How do you do this? AA is not working for me 😕

Did you take a print out of the actual link I previously sent you that confirms, IN WRITING, that the prescribing of nalmefene IS to be assessed by SIAS?

The link I sent you is the instruction given to them to do so by your area's prescribing committee.  They can't just chose to do otherwise.  They can say anything they want to you but the moment you provide them with written evidence to the contrary, then that negates their lies - and believe me, they ARE lying to you.  They have been instructed by your local NHS authority to assess and prescribe nalmefene (if medically suitable) to patients who wish to reduce their alcohol consumption.

Contact them back, tell them this, confirm for them that you have it in writing that they are to assess a patient for nalmefene, and if they stil refuse then you will need to contact the area prescribing committee and inform them that the people THEY instruced to do this are refusing to do so.  If needs be, then I will help you do this.

DO NOT let this lie.  If you want to do this method, then you need to push to get what is legally your right to NICE-approved medications.

In case anyone is interest to know why I am SO forceful about this, here is the information that I have regarding this, which clearly, clearly, CLEARLY states that In Christine's area, the SIAS are to be contacted for assessment for the medication, nalmefene.

 

Joanna what would we do without you? Giving a long overdue donation to Cthreeeurope today x

JulieAnne

Thank you!  It's much appreciated.

Am working on a full youtube video 'course' about how to get this type of information, where to look, etc and we shall be featuring it heavily once we get the youtube channel expansion fully up and running,

It's simple advice Joanna, but so many don't follow your advice and print it out and take it with them. And unsurprisingly, they come back and report that they were fobbed off.

To anyone going to an ARC, take it from someone who has been to more than one ARC, they will fob you off, guaranteed. This is likely to make you more depressed and end up drinking even more.

If Joanna sends you a link to print out, print it out take it with you and follow the instructions (print the instructions out as well). That puts them on the back foot.

With the remaining foot firmly in their mouth. But it leaves both hands free to sign the proper forms...