Tsm in northern Ireland

Hi can i get it in North Wales

Again, the medications are certainly included on the list of medications approved for prescribing in Wales, but as with almost elsewhere, they are generally to be assessed and initiated by a doctor who specialises in treating alcohol dependency rather than your GP.

I am seeing a keyworker at my local addiction clinic i spoke to her today. She said there should be no problem getting me naltrexone but she's never heard of the Sinclair method. It would be used for cravings after a period of abstinence but thats not what i want to use them for i want to try TSM

It is generally not known as the Sinclair Method by those in the profession, but rather its proper medical name which is Pharmacological Extinction. 

I still think it is odd that someone in the job of helping people (such as keyworkers) do not seem to keep there knowledge up to date.  I know that in my career, I was expected to be aware of what was happening within the entire industry that I was in. 

Naltrexone is an old medication now and when it was approved in the mid 1990's, it was approved to be prescribed with abstinence in the hopes of managing cravings and preventing a relapse back to drinking.  It actually doesn't work very well when it's used in that way.  The medication is now out it's patent and so lots of pharma companies make it across the world.  With no profit to be made on it, no pharma company will spend the millions it would cost to have the prescribing instructions officially changed.

If the doctor or prescriber you see is not willing to prescribe naltrexone off-label because you are still drinking, then ask for nalmefene as an alternative. Nalmefene is naltrexone's sister medication and because it was approved not too long ago in November 2014, it IS officially approved to be prescribed to someone still drinking to help them reduce their consumption.

 

Thanks Joanna. Il ask about nalmefene. I cant get naltrexone until ive had a period of abstinence which i think is so silly because i want help with cravings and i dont think i can be abstinent without medication.