selincro/nalmefene and alcohol
Posted , 71 users are following.
I drink between 1 and 2 bottles of wine a night. Took my first selincro tablet yesterday afternoon and genuinely didn't feel like I wanted any booze, not sure whether this is psychological or not but who cares, it seems to work. Unfortunately I took the tablet when picking my daughter up from school as I didn't see anywhere that they cause drowsiness so I drove home feeling really spaced out, not good, in fact probably more dangerous than driving after a couple of glasses of wine. I virtually had no sleep last night also. Is anyone else having similar problems?
12 likes, 404 replies
belena41 jan12
Posted
I have to say, i didnt like the side effects too and unfortunatley, knowing how you are going to feel kind of stops you taking the tablet. For me, i only had to take the tablets a couple of times, i still have lots left. What ever they have done, they have changed my whole drinking habbits, and the way I think about drinking. I was a 3-4 bottles of wine per week girl until i took these. Now i can have a glass or 2 and then leave the bottle. I like a g&t and so i would only have 1 or 2 and dilute the gin alot, with a lot of cucumber, tonic water, mint leaves and ice and its so refreshing. Sometimes you maybe just thirsty and you confuse the desire to drink with the desire to drink alchol. I am not even taking the tablets now all the time, but if i feel like i am going on a night out or a weekend away, ill take them with me. The side effects i had were feeling agaitated within the first 30 mins, then a bit out of it, then id drink and the feelings would go away and then i would go to bed, and had insomnia with the desire to constantly stretch. It took taken 9 tablets ( not consecutively) for those symtoms to disapear. The one thing I would say, is that, if you are taking these tablets, make sure you have no driving to do and that your kids are in bed asleep. Wait until its a safe time, until the symptoms go away, i.e. when your body gets used to these. I wouldnt even go out for drinks when taking these tablets because you wont enjoy yourself, until you are used to taking them.
n38054 jan12
Posted
Hi all and Jan12 in particular,
Thank you for your input, it has truly been appreciated. I've taken Selincro - after online consultant with pharmacy4u, alcohol has been an issue but not a constant craving. I have no desire to drink on my own, only in social settings. Anyways, yesterday I went out and took my first pill roughly 2 hours before the first drink. I did not eat though - anyways, I felt my mood changed. Normally I'm an overtly enthusiatic person. Some may confuse that with intoxication but really, its just my nature to be enthusiatic about things I'm passionate about. I don't have problems with socialising with people I dont feel anxious. Anyways, it worked. I didnt want to have one after the other like I'd normally do. I felt it was slower in between the drinks, but I was drinking normally. However, the side effects, have been excrutiating. I am still feeling the effects the day after, I took it at around 5 pm yesterday, and now at 1.30 pm the next day, I'm still sweating and dizzy. I could not SLEEP AT ALL last night. That was the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE to ever experience hallucination, sweats, the feeling of needing to stretch, tiredness, lucid state of sleep but not drunkness (because I felt I was sober) I woke up not knowing if I had slept or not. I had panic attacks everytime I woke up in sweats. I did not wake up today with a hangover, but with lots of anxiety, fear, I feel emotional. It would be good to speak to someone with experience, because my GP did not recommend any group.
I read that it is recommended I take it continously at first to overcome the side effects, but what if I do not crave any alcohol normally? would I need to take it and drink today? I do not know what to do, please advise.
Joanna-SMUKLtd n38054
Posted
What you experienced is not uncommon, so do be sure to eat first from now on (until you are fully adjusted to the medication) and drink lots of water.
Side effects are always the worst the first time you take it, and then lessen over the coming 6-8 tablets until you should be able to take it without eating first and not suffer any side effects.
So, the advice is to try get this period of adjustment over as soon as you can. It took me 9 tablets over 10 days - I skipped the 2nd day but didn't drink either) to adjust to it and yes, if you take the tablet have one drink in order to be taking it as instructed. If you do not take the tablet, do not drink.
Once you are used to it, then you should only take a tablet prior to craving alcohol or when you know that alcohol is going to be present.
n38054 Joanna-SMUKLtd
Posted
Joanna, thank you so much for your prompt reply. I'm hoping that it will take me 2-3 days as I've got so much work to do, work that I need a clear mind for. I don't drink everyday, so today, I am waiting for 2 hours, and I will have to force myself to have something to drink - maybe something in the fridge. I have no problem on my own, I only have problems when I let my guard down too much, and get way out of control, which happens perhaps once everyday 3 weeks - I'd drink a lot more than normal - i.e. maybe 4-5 bottles of beer? Since I've abstained, I dont feel like I want to drink any wines (before Reds used to be my favorite!) I don't feel like drinking any type of cocktails as well.. nor do I like beer. But its when these episodes happen (and I binge drink in excess) that scares me. Are you still taking these pills? How long have you taken them for?
Joanna-SMUKLtd n38054
Posted
I started this method ages ago now, back in October 2013. The medication you are taken wasn't approved then, so I used a 'sister' medication called naltrexone. Both medications do the same thing. For the last few years I have been counselling and support people using the method.
When people started to tell me how the side effects were, I did a little experiment with and took a couple of weeks worth of the medication you are taking, just to see how the effects were and so that I could better appreciate what people were telling me. So, that is why I can understand how you are feeling and I can honestly tell you that the effects will reduce and pass.
Of course, you only take the tablets when you drink and I rarely drink now. All in all, to become completely indifferent to alcohol it took me around 8 months of this treatment. It took the first 3 months to really get things under control, and then the remainder of the time to slowly extinguish all my triggers and cravings.
Jitongsimon jan12
Posted
Hi
I took my first selincro last Wednesday. The doctor didn't prepare me for the side effects, although I had read the leaflet.
I have never had any side effects with any meds before, but like other forum users, this was unbearable.
Dizzy, tripping feeling after one hour.
sickness feeling.
I had one drink , I could tell it was working as I didn't get any satisfaction from the drink.
Then craved sugary soft drinks for the rest of the night which I never have before.
It made smoking taste horrid and reduced my smoking craving, is this common?, if so good side effect!
That night, no sleep at all, constant stretching and booming heart. totally horrid.
Day after felt sick all day and had no appetite.
not sure I can face tablet two.
Went out last night and drank without the tablet as needed to sleep
Will discuss with counselor next week what to do next
Joanna-SMUKLtd Jitongsimon
Posted
Did you eat a good meal before the tablet, and drink lots of water too? Possibly not, as it seems your doctor (like many others, sadly) just don't know much about this medication. I know the leaflet says it can be taken on a full or empty stomach, and this is true once someone has got used to the side effects but until you are used to them, please eat a good meal first to help line your stomach. And drink lots and lots of water.
You absolutely must not drink without the tablet in order for this to work, but I can tell you 100% that the second tablet is not as bad as the first, and each time you take it, the side effects will reduce and reduce until at around the 6-8 tablet, they have, for most people, reduced to nothing.
If it turns out that you are one of the few who do not adjust to the side effects, then you can ask your doctor to consider switching you to naltrexone which is a medication that does the same thing as nalmefene - but seems far easier in terms of side effects.
The fact that you could tell that the medication had blocked the satisfaction from the drink is a really, really good indicator that this will work for you, so it would be a shame to dismiss this because of some temporary, short term side effects. The short term discomfort is far outweighed by the long term results that this medication gives you.
sam_7711 jan12
Posted
Hi All,
I am not a social drinker , but drink on carvings, often alone at home. When i start with the first glass, can't stop till I am wasted, and the amount of alcohol and mix-up is massive.
10 days ago, I have swallowed my first pill of Selincro according to instructions, did not get statisfation from the bottle of wine and 5 glasses of wiskies that night. but after that pill i felt sick for 4 days. immense nausea, headache , tiredness, and mainly big confusion, loss of concentration, anger, and psychological discomfort.
It was horrible, and i stayed in bed for 3 days.
I was so ill that never thought of drinking.
after that , stayed one week with no drinking nor craving. and each time i see an ad of an alcoholic beverage on the street or on TV, the memory of the nausea comes to my mind and i feel like i want to vomit.
Whcih was not the case before the first pill. 9 each time i was seeing an ad or a movie with someone having a glass of wisky i was craving ) .
I had my second pill 10 days after my 1st one ( without drinking in the middle ) , on a lunch social occasion.
Did not feel any satisfaction from my beer, that i finally did not finish, while everyone else was already at their 2nd liter.
3 hours after that pill, i again felt so sick and ill, with a huge mental confusion, senses instability, anger, tremors, nausea, headache and discomfort, till this moment ( 24 hours after the pill ) . i can't live with myself, and can't even have a normal conversation, or do anything.
What's going on ?!?
Is this normal ?
Shall I suffer all this after each one beer ?
Shall i stop the treatment ?
about alcohol , i dont want to hear or read about it, as i have the feeling of Nausea each time i come across anything related to it .
Is this very fast impact on aclcohol craving normal ? Is this an extreme reaction to the medication ? ( i have taken only 2 pills in 10 days ) !
please help
Joanna-SMUKLtd sam_7711
Posted
This medication (like many) does tend to incur some initial side effects such as you describe.
Many doctors suggest eating first and drinking plenty of water to help your body adjust AND to take the pill and at least one drink a number of times during the first couple of weeks. Usually, the first time is the worst then the side effects lessen each time you take it until about the 6-8th tablet when they are completely gone.
Also, if you wish, I know a couple of doctors who are telling their patients to half the tablet the first few times, then increase to the full tablet as they start to adjust. The manufacturers state to take the pill whole because breaking the tablet may cause a bit of skin irritation, so if you do chose to half it for the next couple of times, be super careful not to get any powder onto your skin.
This initial short time it takes to get used to the tablet is well worth the long term benefits. It is not intended to make you feel revolted by alcohol (that is just because of the initial reaction to it) but rather to break the association in your brain that alcohol = chemical reward.
Cisorium sam_7711
Posted
For me the same first few days horrible experience but it will settle think you need to give yourself time to get used to the drug. I drink every evening so I've not had a brake from pill. Bottle as went to two glasses it really dose work don't give up.
sam_7711 Joanna-SMUKLtd
Posted
Yes, you are right, I understood that from all your interesting writings in that forum .
However, an interesting question comes to my mind.
being a person who craves and consumes large quantities alcohol every 2 or 3 days ( when not in Hangover ), how is it possible that after my first pill ( and the second 10 days after ) , i am not thinking of Alcohol anymore, nor consuming ?
Is it good sign already ? from the second pill ?! That fast ?
Or shall i continue ( maybe force ) my habit along with the pill for some weeks ?
Joanna-SMUKLtd sam_7711
Posted
It's called the 'first-blocking effects' from the medication and yes, it is a good sign. It shows that, with compliance, this should work very well for you. Many do get this initial feeling you have, but then once your brain and body has adjusted, your drinking may revert back to normal - or even a little higher - than before.
If this happens, do not worry. Just remain compliant and ride the storm.
Don't force anything - simply take the tablet when you do get the urge or craving to drink, wait and then drink.
lindsey47331 jan12
Posted
I think it was the side effect of the tablets as described in the information but I’m worried about taking another this evening as I can’t go through that every night, did you have any of these symptoms?
Joanna-SMUKLtd lindsey47331
Posted
Have replied to you in your own thread https://patient.info/forums/discuss/i-ve-started-taking-selincro-for-2-days-but-think-the-side-effects-are-extreame--652347?page=0&order=Oldest