selincro/nalmefene and alcohol

Hi Kenny,

Since my post concerning feeling worse driving on the tablets, i still carried on taking them even though i felt so tired all the time. Mix of tablets and small amount of alcohol. A few weeks later i lost control of my car and hit a central reservation, luckily no one was hurt apart from the car. I was a bit the worse for worse and went to see gp who is now sending me for tests, she doesn't know about my drinking but the best thing to come out of this is that she's told me under no circumstances must i drive. Husband now has to drive me everywhere but all i have to do is sit him in the supermarket cafe and go shopping which includes a couple of bottles of booze in the bottom of the shopping bag. Took my first dose of herbal kudzu root tonight, supposed to help 83% of people give up alcohol. Took it 5 hours ago and have just drunk a bottle of port, guess i need to look for an alternative.

I'm sure theres something out there for all of us but it may be a different solution for all of us.

It's so nice to be able to talk on this site when you know that no one close to you understands.

Jan

Pleased to hear your alive and, the crash in the car was something waiting to happen I think in your mind you know this ? You are very lucky nobody was injured or worse. I know I sound harse but it's the truth, but Jan your taking risks again. I don't know if this root will help you I know you can help yourself. Give yourself a challenge take one day at a time. Set a time tomorrow as your start and see how it goes.Pardon the pun but many people on here will be rooting for you.Good luck.

Thanks Kenny,

still unable to drive due to medical conditions, it's a real pain being dependant on my husband to drive me everywhere, but I'm also so glad that i have a reason that keeps me off the road for the sake of others.

jan

Great to hear it seems to be working for you Carl

Well you said it....Woww

Keep on going, youre worth it

 

Hi, I approached my GP years ago to request help with alcohol problems. He referred me to a local alcohol 'specialist' who basically said that as I wasn't drunk at that point (10:00AM) and had days off alcohol that I didn't have enough of a problem to get his help. He told me I could have free ear accupuncture at a local drug rehab centre???

Recently I asked a GP in my Practice about Nalmefene but she hadn't heard of it and did look it up but said it's not prescribable yet.

I have seen that I can get it online after an online consultation but with already being on antidepressants and blood pressure tablets I'm a little scared of taking it without monitoring. I'm very good at my own online research though.

Incidentally, Venlafaxine changed my life and brought me out of a horrible period of depression - something counselling of two and half years didn't do. However a symptom of Venlafaxine for me is - alcohol craving! Something I didn't need.

Any advice on where I should turn to enquire about trying Nalmefene safely?

I currently drink around 1 and half bottles of wine per night. Ocassionally two bottles.

Hi

GP's are reluctant to get invloved with Nalmefene,mine was too. I bought some on line .The side effects of the tablets effected me too much so I stopped ,maybe Im just too chicken .As an alternative I am back on Kudzu,have you tried this? Its really cheap and can help the cravings.Its also supposed to be good for depression,so win win ! Make sure you get a decent dosage one though, the high street Herbal chain ones are only a mixture of stuff and not enough actual Kudzu.I paid £4.00 online delivered.

Hi, no saw Kudzu mentioned on here. Will do some research. Thanks for the info.

I can't recommend buying it online, Odishon.

It IS prescribable and approved for use so she is wrong there. Perhaps she means that the cost has meant that the local committee hasn't approved prescribing of it in your area which is extremely short-sighted of them if that is the case. However, I would go back to the GP with some written information from the Net, including the NICE guidelines for Nalmefene which make it clear that they DO recommend its use.

Paul, thanks so much for the reply. I do have a new GP now who seems very keen to manage my blood pressure and recent Diabetes diagnosis so I will make an appointment with him and see what he says. I'll post back on here so everyone can compare GP responses to this.

As yet I haven 'confessed' my alcohol intake to him as he hasn't asked. We'll see what he says.

Yes, Anthony, the side effects will subside over time. They are not pleasant but a temporary period of those is better than the awful things longterm alcohol misuse can cause.

After getting a bit of a fright I have now decided that Selincro is the way forward for me and although I have had the leg cramps and insomnia it is better to have a clear head each morning. With each tablet taken I can barely manage 1 1/2 lge glasses of wine now and to be fair I don't really want a drink but am forcing myself at least at weekends so that my body gets over the side effects. The day after taking one I still feel spaced out and with tingly toes and gums. This is so much better than any other bank holiday in years. I feel that I am in control of the drink even if aided by a tablet. It feels good to return to work and know I am not saturated in wine!

Hi Linda, ...... thanks for the response and explanations.  As I said this my second attempt and feel in the uforia of the firsta attempt the side effects were overlooked.  I felt I may be looking for them more this time.  How long have you been taking the Selincro tablets ?  ....... I considered my "a" problem far more than average

Hello Paul, ....... is there any limit to the period of time you can take Selincro ? ....... just as long as you need ?

Anthony, the idea is that, after you have been taking it for a while, the need to drink will lessen until you are drinking less and less frequently, when you will carry a pill 'just in case' you decide to have a drink. I would be concerned if a person was still taking it daily after months.

It is ESSENTIAL that, if it works for you, you never again drink without taking it first.

Thank you Paul ....... Suppose common sense really.  I am saddened that there is not more of this information available based on what is not an isolated problem ....... I want to deal with my problem and I am sure there are many feel the same way only to be offered vague advise from GP,s or have their eyes taken out by expensive, isolated and long de-tox programmes that are sketchy to say the least ...... I had been down several routes before this and when I stated on this information appeared sparse (looking in the worong place perhaps) and the idea Senelco was not exactly welcomed by GP's (well in my case anway. ...... Thanks !!

The attitude to alcohol problems from healthcare professionals is largely appalling, Anthony. In fact, the view of alcohol problems is pretty awful from the whole of society. Only today, I was telling a client I am starting a detox with on Friday to get her grown-up kids to call me for an explanation that this is a MEDICAL problem, NOT a behaviour problem because they are laying on the guilt at a time when this woman really doesn't need that.

She tried to explain to her son that she needs to carry on drinking until Friday and told him that I had advised her to do that. He said 'I understand' then said 'I hope you're not drinking today.'

Hello Paul ....... from reading this form you are a very well informed and experienced individual on this subject ....... I cannot relate to the quantities that people consume and how successful  they are with Selincro ...... I am a very heavy drinker and recently "binged" for a week ...... perhaps unadvisidely, I attem[pted have self-detox over the weekend (no drinkl since Saturday)and started to re-take Selincro Sunday and yesterday (and today) it is my intent not to have a drink however this will be a challenge ....... any comments advise gratefully accepted ....... A

Hi Paul, Why would you be concerned if someone was still taking it after months ? I drink a little every day on Selincro, and have cut down alot, so am happy with this routine. I intend to carry on taking it for ever, if thats what it takes to stop me from gradually creepung back up to my old levels. I am told that this is a strong possibility. I assume there are no physicall reasons not to carry on taking it, for as long as needs be. I would be quite scared to stop taking it, as I am so happy with the results.

Nalmefene (Selincro) should be taken before a drink and ONLY before a drink. Please read the response I am goiong to post to boo56665 for an explanation

Boo, I said I would be concerned if a person was taking it EVERY DAY after months.

Nalemefene (Selincro) is an opioid antagonist. It blocks the opioid receptors. When a person drinks alcohol, endorphins are released in the body which attach to the opioid receptors giving pleasure. Some people get a great deal more reward from drinking and these people are the ones that get into difficulty with alcohol. When you take Nalmefene before you drink, it prevents this additional reward and therefore makes a problem drinker like an ordinary drinker who is in control. You can still enjoy the taste, you can still soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the slighty less-inhibited conversation and you could still get drunk but without that additional reward which is the cause of 'out-of-control' drinking.

It should be remembered, though, that these opioid receptors are also stimulated by other activities like exercise, extreme sports, rollercoaster rides, sex, certain sweet and spicy foods, cuddling babies and seeing cute animals.

If Nalmefene is taken every single day, then the enjoyment of these other healthier activities will be diminished and life is likely to start to feel less fulfilling.

It is therefore important that, after starting Nalmefene, a person should work towards getting days off from drinking and, on those days, that they don't take Nalmefene. Then they can enjoy these activities properly (in fact, some people say that they enjoy them even more, probably because the receptors are more sensitive after having been blocked and now exposed again).

Nalmefene should be taken 1.5 to 2 hours before drinking for the rest of your life (unless something better gets developed) but should not be taken if not drinking. There is no logical reason to take it if you are not going to be drinking that day.

I hope I have explained it better this time

Just want to say thank you Paul and also everyone else in this discussion. I can't tell you how supportive and helpful I find it. Like some others, I have been too ashamed to go to my GP and so have gone through Pharmacy2u. I haven't told anyone not even my husband as he drinks too much also but isn't as concerned as me! On day 2 doing the week and then will take on the drinking days only. Night time pretty awful especially as suffering menapause symptoms at night. Not a bit of sleep last night! Will persevere, I have too! Do you know whether I can take milk thistle at the same time? Been taking this for years in the hope that it will help my liver!  😃 

Yes you can....I am on Seincro and always take milk thistle morning and evening. Good luck...keep it up the symptoms do go after a couple of weeks ( I now sleep better then eve,r with now waking up needing water throughout the night from too much booze) its worth it i promise.

Thanks for that information Boo and thanks for your words of encouragement. I know exactly what you mean about the water! Oh to sleep well - ahhh. You sound like you have done really well. Well done and keep up the good work.