Yet Another One
Posted , 12 users are following.
Another person I know ( best friends sister), has just been admitted to hospital after turning yellow with acute liver failure.
Apparently she looked 9 months pregnant and suddenly became disorientated, not knowing her own name. She told my friend she had come to see the wrong person as she didn't know her.
Obviously she's been detoxed. I told my friend to ask for campral and gave her info for it.
No-one on here will be surprised that the doctor said he'd checked in the BNF and it's not suitable for people with liver problems, and is too costly to even consider as she'll probably drink again!!
Another example of how AUD people are viewed, nevermind a consultant with lack of medical knowledge.
I last saw her six weeks ago and she was 'fine'. Never seen her drunk or drinking much. Her husband went in the loft to get a case for her things and found at least 100 empty wine bottles. He was totally unaware she'd been drinking two bottles of wine a day for years!
She only finished working in July, the start of the school holidays. She'd been a teacher for the last 30 years.
Same problem, same hospital, same ward and even the same consultant I'd seen before. Nothing changes, just another sad story
1 like, 28 replies
Smile47824 vickylou
Posted
Oh that is so sad but the reality of alcohol abuse. 😔😔😔
As sad as it is, there is some good. It makes me want to continue on my alcohol free path because I never want to be in that position.
I do hope for the best for her and will pray for the best recovery possible
Joanna-SMUKLtd vickylou
Posted
I am sorry, Vickylou, and I hope that this time there is a better outcome for all concerned.
Robin2015 vickylou
Posted
vickylou Robin2015
Posted
Hi robin
agree not a lot happening on the forum these days. Good to know you're still doing so well.
Thankfully this current situation doesn't really involve me, unlike the previous two. Campral, to the best of my knowledge is not expensive, neither is it metabolised (think that's the right word!) by the liver. Am sure RHGB will explain properly.
Robin2015 vickylou
Posted
This. Using my tablet. Typing tricky. Gut wrenching is what I meant above. Suggestive or corrective typing. Just came back from Eurodisney. Celebrated the twins' 7 yr birthday. Excellent it was!
Robin2015 vickylou
Posted
And cake. No problem And feeling great.
vickylou Robin2015
Posted
That's great Robin. I bet the twins had a ball! My grandsons are away at the mo. Daily Skype and FaceTime keep me updated.
Yes haha predictive text or corrective spelling can be a nuisance at times. I knew what you meant though!
So glad you didn't want anymore champagne, or that it gave you a taste for it. Soon be five years for you which is fantastic
Nat666 vickylou
Posted
That is so so sad Vicky , as you say 'Yet Another One'. I often think of all those still suffering out there and my heart goes out . I hope the outcome for your friend's sister is can be a good one and she can in time get the help she so despetately needs 😑
Ps I hope by you sharing these real life personal stories it will be a big wake up call to some if not many ! x
vickylou Nat666
Posted
I hope so too Nat.
What frightens me is how someone can appear well outwardly and be at deaths door a short while later. Maybe if people seeked help earlier, then things wouldn't be so bad.
Having said that, until attitudes change, especially with the medical profession viewing AUD sufferers as being weak, the shame, guilt and humiliation stops people admitting their problem.
RHGB vickylou
Posted
'the shame, guilt and humiliation stops people admitting their problem.'
It would be nice if admitting the problem, started the help process, but it doesn't. Since my hospital admittance for liver failure (as well as haemorrhagic stroke) is plastered all over my patient records at Coventry, Warwick and Leamington hospital as well as at my GP and the records of two ARCs, my GP was still refusing to help.
What is the point of admitting the problem if you are turned away without help? That is the real problem, the complete lack of help from experienced knowledgeable people.
vickylou RHGB
Posted
Who are the experienced knowledgeable people? A liver consultant telling a patient's relative that the BNF states campral is unsuitable for anyone with liver problems, and that it's a very expensive drug? Blatant lies or lack of knowledge.
I didn't need anyone pointing out I was drinking too much, common sense told me. The evidence was in the bin and lots of other places too. Mind you I'm going back over 25 years and it was hard to admit. All that was available to me was Antabuse and abstainance. Not much help.
Yes I'm lucky, my gp is more than happy to prescribe campral, but will not help if I wanted to go down the TSM route.
RHGB vickylou
Posted
'Blatant lies or lack of knowledge.' Both?
A number of the medications I take daily, are not recommended or limited dose for people with hepatic impairment. Of course if (Campral) is that bad, why did the doctor at the ARC, having taken blood tests and heard my history, happily prescribe it and he would have to be in the kno0w about those medications.
Of course if you put 'Campral metabolised' into Google, the top entry says:
'Patients with liver damage usually cannot use either naltrexone or disulfiram. However, because acamprosate is not metabolized in the liver, patients with liver damage can safely take the medication.'
As for costs, this is taken from the BNF/NICE page.
Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets (A A H Pharmaceuticals Ltd)
Active ingredients Size Unit NHS indicative price Drug tariff Drug tariff price
Acamprosate calcium 333?mg
168 tablet (POM) £33.75 Part VIIIA Category A £33.68
Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets (Alliance Healthcare (Distribution) Ltd)
Active ingredients Size Unit NHS indicative price Drug tariff Drug tariff price
Acamprosate calcium 333?mg
168 tablet (POM) £33.68 Part VIIIA Category A £33.68
Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets (Mylan Ltd)
Active ingredients Size Unit NHS indicative price Drug tariff Drug tariff price
Acamprosate calcium 333?mg
168 tablet (POM) £24.48 Part VIIIA Category A £33.68
Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets (Sigma Pharmaceuticals Plc)
Active ingredients Size Unit NHS indicative price Drug tariff Drug tariff price
Acamprosate calcium 333?mg
168 tablet (POM) — Part VIIIA Category A £33.68
Campral EC 333mg tablets (Merck Serono Ltd)
Active ingredients Size Unit NHS indicative price Drug tariff Drug tariff price
Acamprosate calcium 333?mg
168 tablet (POM) £28.80 Part VIIIA Category A £33.68
The ones that I got on NHS prescription were the Merck Serono at £28. These aren't for life tablets, they're for six to twelve months, what price life eh?
mac58 vickylou
Posted
This is what terrifies me - the possibility that my OH will have sudden liver failure. As you say, 'yet another one' and that is sad and frightening.
Why are doctors so unclued up about Campral? Especially a doctor who presumably specialises in liver problems.
Hard to believe the revelation of the empty wine bottles in the attic!
vickylou RHGB
Posted
Exactly!!
It was the same consultant on the three separate occasions. Just glad I don't have to speak to him this time. Mind you after last time, He would most probably bar me from the ward!!
£28 may well have helped my daughter in laws mum, who knows?
As you so so rightly say "what price is life eh?"
vickylou mac58
Posted
RHGB has quoted from the BNF and has far more knowledge than the so called expert.
mac58 vickylou
Posted