Nalmephene (Selincro) day 1-2 experience

General health and lifestyle
1

Hi all,

Thought I would share my experience of Nalmefene from day one to the present.

Took my first tablet yesterday and felt completely out of it, drank 9 units and went to bed, slept for 4 hours then woke to experience a barrage of hot flushes. I tried taking the duvet off but was too cold, then tried opening the window but keeping the duvet on but sweated like it was hell on earth - needless to say, sleep was impossible. Also had a few issues with having to stretch now and again during the night and tightness in my legs. I had to attend work today, but fortunately I'm not a great sleeper anyway so I persevered.

Took tablet two today and felt sick, again persevered, only bought one bottle of wine and feel that that is quite enough. I'm apprehensive about tonight regarding the hot flushes, but at least I have an indicator of what might happen.

The main thing being I have my wine consumption down to one bottle, were normally it would be two - especially on a Friday. I feel also, I don't have to gulp my wine down, I can sip. 

Of course it's early days and I need to remember that just drinking a bottle a night is an achievement in itself, but I know what I'm like, I expect hard and fast results pronto - I need to realise it's a marathon not a sprint.

 

2

I hope your side effects pass soon, BK522. You've probably heard by now that they often do. If you continue to feel nauseous, perhaps ask your physicianan about adding an OTC motion sickeness med like Dramamine or Bonide?

Your early results are very encouraging! Keep at it and let us know how you're doing. Thanks for the update! 

3

Sleep disturbances are very common and seem to be the last of the side effects to ease off.  And the need to stretch is common too.

So pleased you have noticed that you no longer need to gulp smile

Be sure to eat, preferably a good meal about 30mins to 1 hour before the tablet, even if you don't want to..  Also drink as much water as you can.

If you struggle with sleep tonight and are really struggling tomorrow, it is okay to have a day off from the tablet (as long as you don't drink!) to give your mind and body a rest.

I took my first tablet, then felt so awful the next day that I couldn't face either the tablet or drinking.

I then felt a little stronger to resume on day 3.

Everyone is different, but the thing we all have in common when beginning ANY new medication is that we deserve to be kind to ourselves whilst we adjust.  Eat properly, drink water and don't overdo yourself.

 

4

Unfortunately after such a good start tonight I have bought another bottle of wine (which will make two) and am hell bent on drinking it...

Weak will power I know, I'm also adhering to my old ways of two bottles of wine on a Friday night.

Have taken Nalmefene and waited the two hours before I drank anything... Wondering if this is normal? Am I completely beyond help? Or is it going to take a while for the Nalmefene to have its impact of a complete cut down? Or do I need to have more will power?

5

Nope, you're doing it exactly as you should. If you really want that drink, go ahead and have it, but stretch it out and drink mindfully as much as you can. It's a good idea to have a glass of water in between too. It's very common for your intake to go up and down, especially at first. Have a look at Forverfuzzy's thread, she's posted her totals and you can see it happens with her too. As long as you stick to the rule and take the Selincro 2 hours before you drink, you are keeping up your part of the bargain. 

6

I absolutely am adhering to the two hours, I work full time and take it 2 hours before I am due to get home (as soon as I get home I crave a drink) I set a timer as soon as I take it for 120 minutes to ensure I'm not sneaking a minute at all.

7

Keep going BK522, i found the side effects on naltrexone ( same kind of med) horrendous last June and gave up on it. A few weeks ago, and months of heavy binges on and off, including stuff I've read on here, I've given it another go. Seriously this time and though it side effects were difficult, I really believe it's working. Still feel rubbish the following after a bottle of wine( didn't want more) but nowhere near as bad as hangover and could drink coffee and toast the following day( unheard of in the past when I'd crave wine to feel better. 

Sorry to ramble on but stick with it x

8

*following day

9

Paper fairy well done on your progress, you have come on leaps and bounds. I'm just a little disheartened with the fact I'm still craving that second bottle of wine. Then worse, I'm expecting valadation to tell me I'm doing well when I purchase one? It just doesn't compute. Totally mixed up. I'm taking Nalmefene as instructed, that's my saving grace - trying to get myself into a place of normality.

10

It can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride, BK. Just hang in there, patience is key in this process.

11

That's how I felt last June so gave up. I've wasted 7 months of life bingeing  on and off but due to others on this site, especially Joanna, I've tried again, and I do believe it's working. 

You are only on day 2 so you've got a long way to go. Please treat this with respect and realise it takes time, feeling ill for a while when you take it, but it gets easier as time goes on. 

Good luck, we are in this together x

12

Just remember, your body needs to adjust slowly to reducing alcohol consumption. You can't just cut it down massively and quickly.

13

Having tried this drug when it first came out, I left it because of the cost and also because it made me feel crap. Having come on this website last night and read about the increasing number of people being successful with it, I decided to give it another PROPER go. I  took one tablet  last night and struggled through a bottle of Prosecco. I expected to feel strange (from previous experiences) and I really did. Spaced out, tired but then not able to sleep and crampy sore legs. I felt a bit off through until lunch time then felt fine. Had another one at 4.15 today, met my friend at the pub for early doors. Had 2 small wine & soda's over an hour and a half. Then (amazingly) went with my daughter and a load of people from the village, to watch a band in another local pub. One more small spritzer then soda. Stayed till 11.30pm, having fun with everyone and very minimal drinking. I dont think my daughter could believe the fact I made it out (would normally be on sofa with wine) or that I managed to behave myself and not get steaming drunk. I cant quite believe it myself.

Even better, I feel fine, no side effects tonight, so lets see if I sleep. 

TBH at this point in time I am 100% convinced this is the drug for me. It allows me to socialise and keep control. Im on a bit of a high, so sorry if I seem like I'm highjacking your post....Hopefully, your side affects will pass and you can see the benifits.

14

Glad you came back to have another read. And that is seems to be working for you. Just out of interest, how long ago was it since you tried it previously?

More people seem to be getting a prescription from their GP or alcohol recovery centre, instead of private prescription, which certainly makes it cheaper.

15

Hello BK. I am a bit late but you already had 13 replies!! People on this forum are very helpful and this is great! Like the others, patience is good and check for side effects etc. Will not repeat what the others have replied but do with you good luck!! Robin

16

Glad to see you've started your own thread : )

One trick I can recommend is buying miniatures of wine so if you have a whole bottle you might then only have one more miniature on top, or sometimes I'll have a cider after the wine. A bit gross I know but then it's not slipping down the slope of finishing bottle two, lol!!

17

Hi....Its abput 2 ears ago. I read about it in the the daily Mail when it was being used in Scotland. Went to my GP but he had never heard about it. Got a private prescription, but no one really explained how the whole thing worked. I could see that it made me not want to drink, but I didnt understand the concept of keeping drinking so your brain is re wired, so to speak. On top of that, I didnt feel good on it. Now there is more information on how it works, I fully get it.

Ive been trying to reduce or stop my drinking, seriously for the last 2 years. I joined a brilliant on line group (Hello Sunday Morning), and yes, I can stop drinking for a while (say a month). I dont go out much though and I avoid some of my big drinking friends. I become very boring. 

Last night, I actually felt like I was free.....I went out and had a few drinks (which I didnt really want). I was probably (to some), still boring, as I wasnt dancing like an idiot by 10.00am, but I had a nice night, didnt embarrass my daughter and feel great this am.....maybe a tad woozy, but that will go quickly. 

I dont want to go to my GP as I just dont want this on my records. Im not so bothered for work reasons, but someone pointed out, it can affect Life insurance cover as if you had, say a heart attacck or stroke, they might say, well they were obviously drinking to much, that caused it, so the policy wont pay out (call me cynical).

Anyhow, I think this is the drug and the method for me. Tonight, I am going to invite my lovely neighbour round to share a bottle of wine. Normally, Id think carefully aboiut doing this because, although she's just a 'normal' drinker, I botthle would become 2 and then that would lead on into me drinking from lunchtime onwards on a Sunday (say 2 bottles of wine). Tonight, I feel confirdent I can leave it at 1 bottle.

So my plan is to take the tablets through till Sunday and then I wont need one Monday but will on Tuesday. Im hoping that will allow my body time enough so that I dont get the side effects, cos after that I wont need one until the weekend. I cant afford to take them everyday. 

Will update...again

18

That's a great idea. I've got the tablets, but not taken any yet, as I've got a very heavy social weekend!

19

Hi Joanna unfortunately I drank two bottles of wine last night on my second tablet of Nalmefene, I know early days so trying not to beat myself up about it too much (I know what I'm like and expect instant gratification).

Although looking at your post I noticed something which I don't do... I don't eat before I take my tablet, I'm not a big eater and in wondering would this hinder my progress when taking the tablet?

Tonight I have a bottle and a half of wine, I've eaten a small sandwich at 8am and nothing since. I took my tablet at 2pm and started drinking at 4pm... Do I need to eat something to enhance the effects, or am I on the right path with what I'm doing?

20

I really wish I was this sort of alkie lol.I eat my way through a bottle of wine which is why I've put on 4 stone in the last 10 years.

I don't really want to drink before I take my tablet because I put off eating till I can start drinking because to me they go hand in hand.I don't even think about eating unless I'm drinking