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Naltrexone VS Nalmefene

Posted , 6 users are following.

nicole36330
nicole36330

I've been taking Nalmefene for 6 weeks now and really not seeing any results(still drinking up to 2 bottles a day)

I tried naltrexone before Nalmefene and although only took it for about a week I saw better results and I've done 2 experiments recently and took naltrexone as well as Nalmefene on 2 occasions and really felt less like drinking on those occasions.

I luckily havnt had any side effects on either but I get Nalmefene on the NHS and naltrexone would cost me a lot more.

Not really sure if anyone can advise me or what I'm really asking but just want to put this out there in case anyone has any advice

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

  • RHGB
    RHGB nicole36330

    Posted

    As I have been told before (not on this forum), I don't have a dog in this fight.

    But I am still interested. I'm interested to know the view amongst those that have tried both. There must be a way to force the medical profession to give it a try, and god knows, I'm the sort to make a nuisance of myself and do it, even though I don't take it.

    I have my final meeting on Thursday at my ARC, with the doctor and then my counsellor (they don't know this yet) and I'm going to raise this subject, because I'm as stubborn as an old goat.

    • nicole36330
      nicole36330 RHGB

      Posted

      I've learnt enough about medicine now to know that what you are offered is not necessarily the best thing (it's all about money in the pharmacy world )

      So although it's licensed in the uk that's just because someone has put a lot of money in to it.

    • RHGB
      RHGB nicole36330

      Posted

      It's virtually the same thing as nalmefene, except they pushed the usage through as only for people who have abstained. Which is not what it is for. For some people who don't have liver damage, it is far better with less side effects and only an hour to wait before drinking.

      Of course, your ARC is more likely to prescribe you antabuse (I have seen this in person and like most people, he drank on it) than naltrexone, even if it works.

      I do want to bang people's heads against a wall ( really hard so it hurts, for a long time).

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd RHGB

      Posted

      RGHB,

      The thing is that the prescribing instruction for naltrexone date back to the mid to late 1990's.  The medication is generic now, so there is (understandably) no pharma company that will pump the millions of pounds into changing the prescribing instructions as there is no exclusivity in it for them.

      To be fair to Lundbeck (who make Selincro) they DID pump in millions of pounds to have additional clinical tests done, etc etc and they DID push Selincro onto the European market.  They also provided all the additional instructions free of charge to the NHS in order, in part, to get it onto the market here.  What seems to have happened is that because of our NHS system being localised, that training and those instructions don't appear to have filtered down to those who need it - ie. the prescribing physicians.

      I am not a big fan of pharma companies, but again to be fair to Lundbeck, without them we would have NO medication available to be taken by those still drinking.  Getting TSM in Europe is, believe it or not, much easier because of this.

    • RHGB
      RHGB Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      Oh yes, I understand this, doesn't mean I like it, but it is better than nothing. The whole pharma thing is wrong and I don't lay all the blame at the pharma co doors.

      I'm sure nalmefene went generic but was some how purchased and resurected as a brand.

  • Joanna-SMUKLtd
    Joanna-SMUKLtd nicole36330

    Posted

    To the best of my knowledge, as long as the opioid receptors in the brain are fully blocked to the endorphins, then there is no difference in long term results between the two medications.  It shouldn't matter which one you take.

    You may have noticed better results on the naltrexone, but that might well just have been the initial reduction that most people get as they adjust to a new medication - aka the 'honeymoon' period.  Had you not taken naltrexone at all, you would likely have got the same effect in the first week or so of nalmefene.

    My personal preference is naltrexone but that does not mean that is the same for you.

    Are you receiving the required additional psychosocial support Nicole?  Your prescribing physician should have arranged that for you.  When you got your tablets, you should also have received an online code to be able to access the Lundbeck Reduce Your Drinking online support website.  This is a really useful too, too.  If you didn't get that code with tablets, request it from the prescribing physician or the pharmacy that you got the medication from.  Some NHS areas have given the code the the prescribing physicians, and others to the pharmacist who dispenses the tablets.

    This additional support will help you set achievable goals, monitor your progress and generally get the best out of the medication.  The person providing it should be fully acquainted with the Lundbeck guide 'A Clinician’s Guide to Psychosocial Support for Clients with Alcohol Dependence' which is the tool that Lundbeck provided the NHS with regards to the support that they felt would work best.

    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      I will add that as long as it is agreeable to your prescribing physician, I can provide you the support - and yes, I do meet ALL the Lundbeck guidelines for providing this support.

      If you google C Three Europe Free Counselling, there is an information pack that you can print out to take to your prescribing physician.  It includes accreditation certificates and outlines the counselling treatment.

      The issue I tend to experience is that this is sufficient for doctors, but in almost every case a person has tried so far, the Alcohol Recovery Service don't agree to it because it treads on their toes!  I guess if I had an office in Harley St and charged you £500 an hour for treatment, they would think it was a great idea.....

    • nicole36330
      nicole36330 Joanna-SMUKLtd

      Posted

      I'm still waiting for my counselling appointment but as long as you say it should have the same effect on the receptors in the brain ect that's good enough for me.I havnt given up and will just keep taking the tablet
    • Joanna-SMUKLtd
      Joanna-SMUKLtd nicole36330

      Posted

      And this is where the NHS messes up big time frown

      Gives you a medication that, according to NICE, works best with additional counselling support and then makes you wait over 6 weeks for an appointment.  I just hope that by the time you do get your appointment, they actually understand this medication and what it does and what they are supposed to be counselling you on.

      With a more timely counselling intervention, as they are supposed to do, you could've been much further on in terms of progress.  Please chase up your appointment as this is unacceptable.  You are currently only on 'half' a medical treatment without the counselling.  If they cannot give you a date, then request that you are allowed to source your own counselling, and then as I mentioned, I will provide that for you if you wish.

      In the meantime, do get that code and access the online support site as it will really, really benefit you.

  • nicole36330
    nicole36330

    Posted

    Also

    Saw doc this morning and again asked about my change in complexion when all other people I've seen said I don't look jaundiced and she said that although my bloods are fine that drinking the amount I'm drinking means my liver will be under a lot of pressure and that no,I'm not imagining it and I do look slightly jaundiced and the bloods just mean that my liver is working ok AT the moment

    This I can't understand as my bloods would survey show bilirubin in my blood if I was even slightly jaundiced,it's scared me to be honest

  • RHGB
    RHGB nicole36330

    Posted

    Got the reply before it was moderated. Good luck with the results.
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