This time I'm doing this
Posted , 13 users are following.
So here goes I have never done anything like this before but enough is enough as off tomorrow my 18 years of over indulging in alcohol nearly every day needs to stop, I'm 31 with 3 children and I'm sick of alcohol controlling my life I don't drink in morning or anything like that it's the evenings and I can drink 2 bottles of wine, I don't enjoy it at all and I feel deflated , tired and run down all the time , I have noticed physical effects which has really quiet frightened me.. I find the whole things scary as I can't imagine my life without alcohol... but I'm sick of the guilt and desperation of wanting to stop... and I am determined to get out of routine I have made... I'm not sure if I'm posted in the right chats completely new to this but hoping to start my journey with others who have experienced trouble with alcohol, any help is appreciated thanks :?
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0 likes, 39 replies
TheToad Leilalouise
Posted
ducelvino Leilalouise
Posted
This is what this alcoholic did.
Took nalfamene for about 2 weeks. I needed 2 sessions as I was drinking throughout the day - up to 27 units (thats about 3 bottles of wine).
Then I made a plan for the next 2 weeks.
Days down one side then time across then filled in the units I would aim to drink.
The aim was to drop 1 unit a day.
I followed this until I was down to one session. I am currently sticking at 6 units but will drop down to 4 in a few days time. For me this has worked a treat and I am quite frankly amazed.
Half way through I switched to naltrexone which I found had far less side effects.
Listen to what your body is telling you. Do some research on Mindfulness it has some good techniques for helping you through your own journey.
I re-iterate this worked for me - I know there will be many opinions - many will disagree!!
Good luck
Joanna-SMUKLtd ducelvino
Posted
So glad this worked well for you, but wow were you way, way outside the European criteria for this medication and I am surprised you even got it prescribed. The criteria is around 7.5 units a day for a man or 5 units for a woman, and not at risk of alcohol withdrawal.
If the nalmefene had worked to reduce your drinking drastically in the beginning (which is rare but can happen), you could've gone from 27 units a day to just 2 or 3. That would've put you at massive risk of dangerous withdrawals and seizures. That is the reason that it is not to be prescribed at such high drinking levels.
Was it your GP who prescribed or a specialist in alcohol addiction? This seems to be such a misunderstood medication with practitioners not really knowing much about it. Had you had a seizure that resulted in a major issue, then the prescriber was miles outside the guidelines and could have put themselves under some majory scrutiny and perhaps lost their prescribing license as a result. Not to mention your life potentially being at risk.....
I mean, all worked out well in the end and that's fantastic, but it's a really irresponsible decision for the prescriber to make.
JulieAnne101 ducelvino
Posted
Sounds a bit drastic. Were you reducing more than 10% a day? This what my husband was advised to do by his gp
Kind regards
JulieAnne
ducelvino Joanna-SMUKLtd
Posted
I can understand your concern. After I posted I thought - that was a mistake! Unfortunately I have been at high levels of alcohol consumption several times. I have reduced too quickly before and had siezures and ended up in hospital. My GP advised to cut by 10%. If you look at the method I used you only hit 10% when you are down to 10 units. You start of at a very small percentage. I know the signs - the sweats, the uncontrollable shakes and worst of all the flashing lights just before a siezure hits. I can hand on heart say, that for me, the nalfamene and naltrexone combined with a very gentle reduction in units worked FOR ME. I tried to get that across in the post. Maybe I failed, I think a plan IS important. Anyway I take your point. As to the prescription - I get the naltrexone via some outfit in India.
Joanna-SMUKLtd ducelvino
Posted
I find it really interesting, but it was more who prescribed the nalmefene that I was curious about?
The fact is that I am amazed at the risk any physician took in prescribing you the Selincro at such high drinking levels - even more now I know you have had seizures before. This is not just your life, but their career in the balance if things had gone wrong, and I am curious as to whether you think that it was intentional or whether maybe you knew more about this medication than the person who prescribed it?
Either the doctor knew there was a risk that the 'first drink effects' of the medication could really put you at risk OR the doctor didn't know and prescribed a medication without looking at even the basic criteria for it.
Not sure which is worse actually!
Thank goodness it all went to plan, and now you are really reaping the rewards of this medication.
Joanna-SMUKLtd
Posted
I should add that I, too, think these medications work so well - I used them myself in case you didn't know.
It's just in this day and age of people really struggling to get any kind of prescription for alcohol issues, I've never seen someone been prescribed it who was so far north of the actual criteria for it. I'm rather stunned by it all actually
ducelvino JulieAnne101
Posted
You only hit 10% when you are down to 10 units.
Its a bit of an exponential curve.
I think reading Joannas comment I must have been lucky so I will refrain from any further posts!!